MADE up of 120 condos and 526 residences that all have a breathtaking blend of sea and mountain views, the under-construction Richmond Hill Club sits on an iconic site that already has more than two centuries of rich cultural heritage. It’s a solid foundation on which Jarran Development Company Limited intends to build what is described as a city within the city.

“It was the first property registered with TPDCo [Tourism Product Development Company] as a tourism property, so that legacy is impossible to give up,” Project Administrator Kenneal Lee, from project designers XKR Consultants Limited, told Jamaica Observer’s Real Estate on the Rock during a sit-down last Thursday.

The development is being built on the site of what was once Richmond Hill Inn. It is an address that evokes fond memories in many Montegoians who, for years, used the venue as the backdrop for major milestones in their lives: graduation parties, wedding receptions, a few days away from home, and more. Before being destroyed by fire in 2019, Richmond Hill Inn also had the distinction of holding one of the largest private collections of acclaimed Jamaican artist Barrington Watson’s work.

“It would be remiss of us not to find ways to encourage cultural exchange within this particular space — whether through restaurants; green spaces; spaces where a person can come for enjoyment, and entertainment,” said Lee.

The vision behind Richmond Hill Club, he said as he made his way through a sleek, multimedia presentation, is to create a space in Montego Bay that connects with the city as it is now — and what it will become.

“At Richmond Hill Club you’re less than 10 minutes from the [Sangster International] Airport, you’re less than a few minutes from Fairfield. You’re walking distance to Sam Sharpe Square, walking distance to Harmony Park [and] to Doctor’s Cave [Beach Club]. Part of it is really the redevelopment of the city as a place to be; we call it the city within the city,” Lee explained.

His presentation was delivered with a quiet confidence, shaped by his faith in the team that has come together to work on Richmond Hill Club. The developer is Jarran Development Company Limited, and this is the first of what is expected to be many more projects.

“Jarran Development is a new company but the contractors, the technical and professional [teams] behind the project, aren’t really new to construction. You’re looking at more than maybe 200 years when you add up all the experience of all the different professionals within the scope of the project — and 200 years of experience is not a little bit of years,” said Lee.

The project chairman is John Surdeen, founder of the 22-year-old Surdeen Equipment & Trucking Co Ltd (SET), the project’s main contractor. SET’s body of work includes the Jamaica Public Service power station at Old Harbour as well as projects for Kier, Vinci, Riu, and Half Moon. Richmond Hill Club’s hydraulic and sanitary engineering work is being done by a Cuban firm, Jorge de Arma; the structural engineers are JATCO Consultants Limited out of Montego Bay; and the subcontractors are Henan Fifth Construction Group Jamaica Company Limited, a Chinese construction and real estate development company.

This is an idea of what the 54 villas and townhomes being built as part of the Richmond Hill Club will look like. The development overlooking Montego Bay will provide a total of 526 residences and also includes 120 condos that will be operated by a management company expected to be selected later this year.

Lee opted not to provide a price tag for the project or the cost of the units, but he did say the three-bedroom, standalone houses now under construction will be ready by the middle of 2027.

“Currently we have 24 units in this phase, and most are under construction. We have about 10 where the shell has been prepared, and the progress made on the other 14 varies from foundation [level] to slab,” he noted.

The plan speaks to a total of 54 units (24 detached villas and 30 semi-detached townhomes), and each will have a complete, 12-kilowatt solar system with batteries and inverter, tucked away in the laundry area. Units come with solar water heaters, ceiling-mounted AC units, and while there will be a water storage system for the entire development, homeowners have the option of adding their own. Pools can also be added to about six larger lots for owners who prefer not to use the shared swimming area.

These 54 units are just one aspect of Richmond Hill Club.

“Within the development there are three components. There is a resort component, there’s an apartment component, and then there’s a low-density housing component,” explained Lee.

“For the resort condominium, persons will be able to buy units within the development, and those will be operated under a branding company. They will become branded residences which will be owned by residents and then managed by a company,” he added.

According to Lee, discussions are under way to tie down the company. He said they are having talks with a big global brand that “manages over maybe a million units worldwide”. He said the company already has a presence in Jamaica as well as a footprint in the Dominican Republic and Dubai.

“We’ve narrowed it down, but we haven’t really reached to that final step in terms of commitment. We expect that to happen this year,” Lee told the Sunday Observer.

They will name and market the development’s rooftop restaurant, which is among some aspects of the development that will be accessible, on a reservation basis, to the general public. Condo owners and everyone else who buys into the development will automatically become members of the Richmond Hill Club and have access to varying levels of its facilities.

“You are able to enjoy different aspects of the building without the crossing of traffic. Meaning there is a particular amenity that goes with the condo, and then there is a particular amenity that goes with the townhouses,” said Lee.

“There is a separate amenity building for the 54 residences, which would include a pool pavilion, gym space, entertainment space, pool, and terraces for entertainment and leisure,” he added.

Amenities within the twin residential towers include a pool, gazebos, terraces, a health and wellness centre, rooftop terraces with impressive views of the city, and large living and apartment spaces with unprecedented access to the views via a bridge that connects both structures. There will be 202 one-, two-, or three-bedroom units. There will be about 700 parking spots available for the condos and towers, which will sit on nine acres of land.

“Within nine acres the Government stipulates that you can put 900 rooms, but we only have 323 units. For what it is, it’s very low-density even though we are consolidating in terms of our apartment structure,” Lee pointed out

There has also been a big push to include green spaces.

“There are multiple green lots throughout the development that are dedicated to just trees and planting throughout. I think we have about five or six lots, comprising a total of about six acres of dedicated green space,” he noted.

But Richmond Hill Club’s biggest selling point may well be the view it offers, with the bustling resort city below and the parish of Hanover far away in the distance.

“Views of the city is something that’s consistent throughout. No matter where you are in the development, there’s one thing consistent — beautiful views to the mountains, to the sea. You can see basically — from Kempshot [in St James] to Hopewell [in Hanover], Montego Hills — everywhere,” said Lee.