Spanish Town rebirth

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IN a week’s time, a multi-billion-dollar real estate development will open in Spanish Town, St Catherine, the latest in a string of recent developments that have been quietly taking place in the city, while it slowly sheds its reputation as a haven for crime and criminals.


Once the capital of Jamaica, Spanish Town has been a silent witness to the ebb and flow of time, enduring periods of neglect and decline. However, recent initiatives have sparked a revival of this historic city, aiming to rejuvenate its cultural and economic vitality.

The transformation of Spanish Town is evident in the renewed energy pulsating through its streets. New businesses are opening, public spaces are being revitalised, and there’s another call for the authorities to make a concerted push to promote tourism that celebrates the town’s storied past. The local government and civic organisations are collaborating for that to happen, to ensure that development is sustainable and inclusive, providing opportunities for all citizens. This Jamaica Observer Special Report looks at the foundations of what is happening now as Spanish Town undergoes a rebirth.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024...-town-rebirth/

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Unearthing Spanish Town’s history and unlocking its tourism potential

Imagine traversing through the streets of Spanish Town, St Catherine, and seeing tourists immersing themselves in the town’s storied history as the former capital of Jamaica.

Restored underground secret tunnels, once utilised by the Spanish in their resistance against British adversaries, now serve as the main attraction for international visitors looking to journey through Spanish Town’s rich heritage.

Meanwhile, tour guides navigate buggies to and from the Emancipation Square, pausing to tell tales of iconic landmarks such as the Old Iron Bridge — the oldest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere; Sligoville — the first free village in Jamaica and the Phillipo Baptist Church, purportedly housing the buried shackles of enslaved individuals.

A few minutes into a conversation with the Mayor of Spanish Town Norman Scott and president of St Catherine Chamber of Commerce Dennis Robotham will teleport you into that reimagined vision for the old capital.

It’s a vision they have openly shared with the public, but it has failed to secure a commitment from the Government over the years. However, rapidly growing interest by private investors in the town over the past five years, has both Scott and Robotham increasingly confident that now is the opportune time to revisit the discussion on the redevelopment of Spanish Town to capitalise on its economic potential.

“I wish that I will get to a point where I can influence the policymakers to make Emancipation Square a pedestrian-only square. What I want to see for Spanish Town is the renovation of this old courthouse, make it into an amphitheatre, and take the council out of this building.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024...ism-potential/

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Sagicor’s $6-b bet on Spanish Town paying off

President and CEO of Sagicor Group Jamaica, Chris Zacca, has no qualms about admitting that his company took a bet on Spanish Town, St Catherine, when it decided to invest $6 billion in the construction of a mixed-use development on Brunswick Avenue.

However, just months into its soft opening, Zacca says that decision is already bearing fruit.

“We took a little bet. It wasn’t a big bet because we have faith in the people of Spanish Town and we got tremendous support from the councillors and the Members of Parliament. The bet has paid off in my view,” Zacca told the
Jamaica Observer.

On Wednesday, Sagicor officially launched New Brunswick Village, said to be the first gated community of its kind in St Catherine. The initial concept, according to development partner John Bailey of Bailey Williams Limited, was to undertake a purely commercial development, but after conducting research and having conversations with neighbouring property owners about the safety of the area, the idea evolved.

In 2018, the team decided to pursue a mixed-use development instead.

“Sagicor Group made a choice to invest in an area where I’m sure people looking on might be very sceptical, but once the economy starts to turn, any businessperson knows that the time to invest is as the economy starts to pick up,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness said during the launch ceremony.

“I’m happy for this investment. I consider it an anchor development of this nature and I’m certain that property owners along this stretch and in the environs are now going to take a second look at Spanish Town,” Holness added.

That scepticism he is referring to is around crime in the town in years gone by. But that’s all changing.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024...wn-paying-off/