MONTEGO BAY, St James — Boria Ltd says it will pump about $1.5 billion to transform the Montego Bay Racquet Club into a 30-condo development.

The targeted completion date is the second quarter of 2024. The asking price for the luxury high-rise units will begin at US$380,000 and up to US$1 million.

The low-density condominium mixed-use development is being done on racquet club property and will sit adjacent to other residencies that have been a part of the history-rich space for years. As Boria has pointed out, the Racquet Club was once the playground of Hollywood movie stars and tennis legends. It is hoping to enhance that aura of exclusivity with a “100-foot-high sky lounge and infinity pool overlooking the beaches, city, and hip strip to the coastline of Hanover”.

Boria Ltd Director Abigail Ffolkes described the project as a game changer for Jamaica’s luxury apartment market.

“In terms of the types of apartments and experience that we’re selling, it is different. We’re aiming to provide the comfort of home but also try to merge that with a serene ambiance of a luxury resort,” she told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday.

There are 30 luxury units that range from one-bedroom apartments to two-bedroom penthouses on the top floor. The sizes range from 1,200 to 3,600 square feet. All the condominiums are coveted corner units.

The eight-floor structure will include an outdoor rooftop swimming pool, a spa, a commissary, tennis courts and a slew of other amenities that Ffolkes expects will be major selling points. The inspiration for the concept, she said, was drawn from Canada’s mixed-use apartment buildings that sometimes provide easy access to the subway and has amenities such as a gym and conference room at residents’ disposal.

“We draw our inspiration from that and we built out of that idea and we can came up with a concept that was still running along the theme of what Racquet Club is supposed to be, not just a hotel but you can go there and play tennis, the commissary is a 24/7 café,” she added.

She said, to her knowledge, the concept will be the first of its kind in the Caribbean.

The development, which is now in the land preparation phase, is set to take up a chunk of real estate that was once the famed tennis courts. This, Ffolkes said, will provide occupants with a much better view.

“Where the already existing apartments are now, there is a slight view but where the tennis courts are, it has a great view. It has a view of the city as well as the sea,” she said.

However, she made it clear that tennis courts will still be available to residents as one of the long list of amenities. Thought is also being given to implementing a membership system to access some of the perks that they will be bringing on stream.

“We’re thinking of having membership where people can come and play tennis. That’s for further deliberations; that hasn’t been completed as yet. Because we have the spa that is open to visitors but we will have to decide,” Ffolkes said.

The former tennis club will now be a social wellness club. According to Boria, it “will enhance its member’s health and social life through human connection and self-care. The club will incorporate tennis courts, pickleball, a spa, a world-class gym, a sauna, tech remedies, holistic practices, a café and a co-working space”.

The Montego Bay Racquet Club Condominiums and Spa, to be known simply as MBRCC, will be launched on Saturday.