THE Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has begun accepting applications for retail space at the Portmore Resilience Park, as the multi-use development moves into its commercial phase ahead of the planned completion later this year.

Located in the heart of Portmore’s town centre, the park sits on a 26-acre property along Dawkins Drive and is part of the Urban Spaces Programme. The programme is part of a broader government push to integrate recreational spaces into urban planning, with the Resilience Park marking the second major project following the redevelopment of Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay, St James.

Unlike Harmony Beach, however, the Portmore project combines environmental infrastructure with commercial activity, creating what the UDC describes as Jamaica’s first ‘smart park’.

The commercial offerings include 24 shop spaces within the park’s main building — 12 on the ground floor and 12 on the first floor — along with three wooden kiosks and two containerised retail clusters measuring 160 and 320 square feet. Unit sizes in the main building range from 345 to 657.5 square feet, with elevator access to the upper floor. The UDC is marketing the location’s high visibility and proximity to fast food and financial institutions as an advantage for business operators.

“Don’t miss this opportunity to position your business in Portmore’s newest commercial complex,” the State agency said in a recent public notice.

Bids close June 18, and application documents are now available online and at the UDC’s Ocean Boulevard headquarters in downtown Kingston.

“This is a competitive bidding process. Bids will be deposited in the appropriately labelled tender box…An official public opening of bids/offers will be convened on June 18 at 2:15 pm for the main building only,” the UDC said.

The call for business operators comes as the UDC ramps up work on infrastructure tied to the park’s climate monitoring systems. A newly installed Climate Change Tower has started collecting preliminary data on air quality, with full deployment of sensors scheduled in partnership with the National Environment and Planning Agency.

Once fully operational, the tower will track variables including dust, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, rainfall and temperature.

The Resilience Park is also outfitted with solar panels, drip irrigation and stormwater detention systems — features that align with the Government’s broader efforts to address the effects of extreme heat and poor air quality in high-density areas like Portmore.

Originally conceptualised in 2015 through an agreement between the Portmore Municipal Council and the German city of Hagen, the park was first pitched as ‘Climate Change Park’. The original proposal included green space, walking trails, a pond and educational features. That concept has since evolved to include a kiddies’ play centre, entertainment facilities, jogging trail, a transport terminal, pavilions, gazebos, a terrace court and a great lawn.

Alongside the leasing activity, the UDC has also issued a tender for private security at the site. That procurement closes on July 4.