NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Lyford Cay residents are calling for the Town Planning Committee to “out rightly reject” a developer’s application to construct a 72-unit condominium development featuring four nine-story structures in the exclusive enclave.
Some residents of the famous private community voiced their concerns at a Town Planning Committee hearing Monday night and the community’s association has outlined various concerns in a letter. Area residents fear that the proposed condominium development by Eastmor Properties Ltd, comprising four nine-story buildings 117 feet in height with a total occupancy of 360 persons will adversely change the character of the Lyford Cay Community.
According to a letter by the Lyford Cay Property Owners Association to the Town Planning Committee, the “overwhelming consensus” among area residents is that the proposal represents a gross overdevelopment and is is also “entirely incompatible with the low density neighborhood quality” and “the sense of place” and appeal to which Lyford Cay residents have been accustomed for over 60 years.
Area residents say that if the development proceeds, its could “sound the death knell” for the community.
“A review of the density of the proposed 72-unit project compared with the 467 existing households presently in Lyford Cay (370 single-family household units and 97 multifamily household units) would result in a 15 percent increase in the number of household units on less than one-half of one percent of land within the community,” the LCPOA noted.
The property owners association has also expressed concern over the impact of traffic and that no further consideration be given to the proposal be given to the project until such a study is completed.
Kim Aranha, daughter of one of the Lyford Cay Club’s founding members, Francis Francis told the Town Planning Committee, “ My understanding is that the property had been zoned for condos. I don’t think the community has anything against condos. I think what has put fear or terror into everyone are those nine stories pencil in a cup design.
“You don’t want something so big, it’s nice to have an elevator but I think that nine stories meet the New York towers don’t belong in Lyford Cay. Multi-family homes do belong and I think that is something that EP Taylor endorsed but not like this. Lyford Cay has a spirit of its own.”
Pericles Maillis, lawyer, farmer, and conservationist expressed concern over the environmental impact of the project, particularly on caves in the area.
The development is not without support however as Lester M Cox, a former private banker who resides in the western district of New Providence said that he had submitted to the committee a letter containing the names of over 100 persons supporting the project. Cox said that the development would create jobs, meet the demand for housing and spark economic activity.
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