Affordable homes of distinction

A gated community, attention to detail, superb design using modern materials, high quality construction for the price, a large gym, pools and cabanas, lush landscaping, a specially built children’s play area – these are some of the attributes and amenities home buyers might expect from some of Cayman’s most expensive developments along the Seven Mile Beach stretch. However, Downtown Reach situated off the Linford Pierson highway in George Town is offering all this and more, yet prices are in the CI$200,000 to CI$400,000s, aiming to entice first-time buyers onto the property ladder. And with phase one of the project completed, phase two sold out and a long waiting list for phase three, it looks as if the developers have hit the right note with Cayman buyers.

Developed by a Caymanian family-owned and operated business, Sixtees Properties Developments Limited, the Downtown Reach project is led by chairman Jonathan Tonge and his son Ben, who is the Managing Director. A retired law firm senior partner, Jonathan was looking for a new project to undertake that would keep him busy and was good for the Cayman community. It was Ben’s idea to create affordable yet high quality homes targeting younger professionals looking to buy their first home. The result has been a collection of highly desirable one-and-two-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom townhouses beautifully put together, offering light and airy living with a contemporary design, high quality appliances and clean finishes throughout.

Demand outstripping supply

The initial breaking ground took place in May 2019 and the first phase consisted of 52 one-and-two-bedroom units (30 one-bedroom units, 10 two-bedroom apartments, and 12 two-bedroom 2.5 bath townhomes) spanning over three acres. Work has now begun on phase two to create a further 28 units and phase three is currently in the planning stages, while phase four might not be far away either, such has been the interest, which has been extremely positive for the development as a whole.

“The first phase took a bit longer to sell, but the second phase took just two weeks. We have an ever-growing waiting list for phase three,” Jonathan confirmed. “Ben’s concept – building affordable luxury – was obviously very astute as we sold out both phases very rapidly, demonstrating the clear need for this product in Cayman.”

Phase three is developing under the same concept, in that it is “priced to sell” Jonathan said, and condos and townhouses in this latest phase should be very desirable, forming a new gated community to the south of the existing phases. It is still in the planning stages as yet, but with considerable land still to be used (the plot spreads over eight acres and stretches all the way to Bel Air Drive in South Sound), phase four of the development is also a distinct possibility.

The project is going to keep them busy for quite a while, Jonathan confirmed.