World Bank funds master plan for redevelopment of Downtown Kingston

By Earl Moxam

After years of talk about the restoration of downtown Kingston, the World Bank has provided funds to finance the creation of a comprehensive master plan to guide all aspects of this process.

Giorgio Valentini, Country Representative of the World Bank in Jamaica, in an interview with RJR News on the eve of his departure for a new assignment, disclosed that funds have been allocated for, among other things, the creation of a master plan for Downtown Kingston and for the Jamaica Logistics Hub.

Without such a master plan, he said, it was difficult to determine the best way to re-develop downtown Kingston.

“I know there are 10 or 15 different plans, but those plans have been done in isolation, without thinking, for example, of the plan for logistics investments. So, now I think that those two plans – the master plan for logistics and (the plan) for downtown Kingston will be done in conjunction, so that they will better integrate in terms of the boom, for example, in the logistics industry.”

Logistics Hub

Regarding prospects for the logistics hub, he said overseas investors who might set up related businesses in Jamaica will want to situate their facilities in close proximity to the international airport, which, he argued, would make downtown Kingston the logical choice.

“Of course downtown Kingston is much closer to Norman Manley (International Airport) that uptown. And also, downtown Kingston, to me is very beautiful. It’s very difficult to find a bay so, big, so nice, but not see much development.”

Even as he prepares to depart, Valentini, having spent the last three years in Jamaica, still marvels at the neglect of one of the country’s most valuable assets – Kingston’s world recognized harbor and the waterfront, which he asserts, is ripe for development.

“My first thing was like ‘beautiful bay (but) where are the people, where are the boats?’”

The Kingston waterfront should be looked as a primary location “for real estate, industrial development, social development and finance,” he said.

In addition, he argued, “there’s a much better quality of living by the sea than living uptown.”

A revitalized downtown Kingston will be very important to a range of industries and services, he predicted.

With that in mind, he said the creation of a master plan will have to take into consideration a range of factors: “If there is a company coming to invest in a port, what will it mean in terms of the impact on downtown in terms of traffic flow and everything else? Now, this is one port, but what if there are many others? What if there is need for a railway? What are the typical set-ups that we see around the world in terms of models that we can use for downtown Kingston? We will look at the hotspots, the investments that can be done right away, buildings that can be refurbished…”

Timeline

There is no fixed timeline yet for completion of the master plan, but the World Bank official acknowledged that it will take some time to get it done right. He explained that it will be subject to international tender, the Government of Jamaica will have to develop the terms of reference then they will have to prepare the bid documents and give interested companies time to respond and negotiate how long it will take them to prepare the master plan.

Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that, with some of the terms of reference already in place, “I think that in a few months we should see the bidding process starting.”

Cost

No specific cost has yet been attached to the initiative to develop the master plans, but according to Valentini, they will be financed out of provisions already made by the World Bank for the Government of Jamaica’s Growth and Competitiveness Project, in the amount of US$50 million. That fund is being managed by the Ministry of Finance.

Ultimately, the cost of developing the master plans will be determined significantly by the bidding process, he predicted.

Partnership Strategy

In April, the World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors endorsed the new  Country Partnership Strategy for Jamaica for 2014-2017.

It seeks, among other things, to create an enabling environment for private sector growth “by fostering investments in high potential sectors, including logistics.

UDC role

The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) is the lead agency responsible for aspects of the re-development of Downtown Kingston.

The agency, on its website, outlines some of its main responsibilities in that regard:

-       Arresting physical and social blight within the development area and beyond to improve economic and social conditions

-       Defining the capital city's status as the seat of government while establishing Port Royal's well deserved importance to Jamaica and the world in general

-       Improving physical infrastructure

-       Creating the impetus for public/private investments

-       Creating an environment of Safety and Security

-       Protecting & preserving the natural environment

-       Creating an atmosphere as inclusive as it is diverse, with amenities which attract both Jamaicans and visitors and providing services accessible by all

In early June, the UDC announced the imminent sale of the former Oceana Hotel, one of the prime assets on the Kingston waterfront, which is expected to be a primary catalyst for further private sector involvement in the revitalisation of the area when it is restored to its previous function as a hotel.

The agency is also promoting the creation of a Festival Food Market and Bazaar on 8.9 acres of prime waterfront land. This facility, the UDC says, is to be “one more element and attraction in the redevelopment of the Kingston Waterfront… and is envisioned to be the primary waterfront destination.”

Digicel

In recent times, the most significant private sector investment in downtown Kingston has been the establishment by telecommunications firm Digicel of its multi-storey headquarters on Ocean Boulevard. This, in turn, has sparked additional private sector interest in the area, for which tax incentives have been provided by special legislation.

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