AN oasis in the city is how Alex Issa envisions Harmony Retreat, one of three developments his Issa Homes has underway in the upscale real-estate market of luxury homes.

Located in the prized Golden Triangle, at the corner of Retreat and Seymour avenues in Kingston 6, Harmony Retreat joins Sierra Luxury Homes in Hermitage, Stony Hill, as Issa Homes’ high-end Corporate Area developments, described by the developer as “different locations but beautiful in their own way”.

Issa Homes’ 32-apartment Cascade Residencies in idyllic Negril, similar to Harmony Retreat and Sierra in St Andrew, are being eagerly awaited by buyers with a “discerning eye for exclusivity and privacy”, said Gabrielle Gilpin-Hudson, whose brokerage, Nautilus Properties, handles listings for the much-anticipated developments.

“Harmony Retreat’s townhouses are expected to offer approximately 3,500 square feet, three bedrooms, open-plan living with smarthome features. Though registered with the Real Estate board, the development has not yet been released for sale but has been attracting significant interest,” Gilpin-Hudson pointed out.

The entrance to Harmony Retreat, Alex Issa’s latest high end development.

Issa explained that Harmony Retreat was conceptualised as “an exclusive tropical enclave” within the Kingston 6 area – eight luxury contemporary townhouses with their own pools and bedrooms with balconies.

“It is opposite the old Issa family home,” he said. “It is very well located. I was speaking with Lee (Issa) about the development and we looked at targeting that market for the discerning city buyer looking for something more exclusive.

“We are in Jamaica, why not capitalise on what we have going for us, why not have nice landscaping
and lush tropical developments? That’s definitely one of our goals, creating harmony between daily life and nature,” Issa affirmed.

Alex founded Issa Homes in 2022, chaired by his father, Lee, who not only heads world-renowned Couples Resorts but also famed for Richmond Properties in St Ann, developments with walking trails and parks.

Alex’s father, Lee Issa is the chairman of Issa Homes which was founded in 2022.

“Issa Homes was born out of identifying a gap in the luxury real estate market,” Alex explained. “I used to look on the various real-estate websites, quickly realising there were limited aesthetically pleasing options.”

“Instead of huge high-rises and high-density developments. I was thinking about low-density and someone who wants privacy and peace, something that looked aesthetically pleasing, both exterior and interior, he added.

“Lee and I aimed at targeting that market for discerning buyers looking for something more exclusive. We also noted that there were not a lot of developments with lansdscaping and greenery.

“Harmony Retreat is named for Retreat Avenue, a tropical oasis in what I would call a more active area, as opposed to Stony Hill, but building in cohesion with environment, enhancing living experience with harmony. That’s how the name came about, creating a tropical oasis in the middle of the town, Harmony Retreat.”