Oxford Road property owner considers his options
LAND BEING cleared for development at 1A-1B Oxford Road in New Kingston, once slated for a boutique hotel, may now be assigned to another purpose as the owner weighs new proposals, says design architect Robert Woodstock.
The initial consideration is for a 12-storey hotel. But in an update on the status of the design, the parameters of which were discussed and resolved with regulators, Woodstock said the plans could change.
“Other people have shown interest and there might be a change in what is going to go there. A number of people are interested and each person wants something different. Apparently, he [the owner] will run the feasibility and see which one works best,” he said.
The identity of the owner was not disclosed, but the Financial Gleaner understands he is a businessman in the information technology field.
Originally, the proposal was for a hotel of 12 floors, with a plan first submitted to NEPA for review in September 2017.
That proposal included a ground floor with entry plaza, concierge, lobby and reception; two floors with public dining and private guest facilities; hotel rooms on multiple levels, averaging 7.5 rooms per floor; rooftop terrace with bar and pool, one storey of underground parking plus ground-level parking; and main surface parking.
The land lots in the proposal spans 2,591.81 square metres.
“The client owns the land and is looking to see which project is best fit. Other proposals are offices, and one which is a mixed-use building, including both offices and residential [space]. The deciding factor, probably, is the one which gives the best return,” Woodstock said.