Recent renovations at the historic Devon House courtyard in Kingston have been met with mixed reactions from the public.

In March, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said the government would be “sprucing” up the courtyard.

On Wednesday, Andrew Bellamy, the Jamaica Labour Party councillor for the Mona Division, tweeted a picture of the newly renovated area. The once lush, green landscape has now been converted to bricks.

According to Bellamy, the changes will go a long way in preserving the “royalty of the space”.

Highlighting that he was ‘impressed’ by the renovations, Bellamy said the adjustments are a “much-needed upgrade.”

According to the councillor, the new look will welcome more “foot traffic, flows better and is very inviting.”

Bellamy’s tweet of the picture space, was, however, met with disapproval. Many users expressed that the addition of concrete bricks on the walkway has destroyed the lush, green vegetation that is synonymous with Devon House.

Responding to Bellamy’s tweet, many users indicated that the change is a step in the wrong direction.

“I am at a loss as to what could have impressed you about this. Is it the colour of the bricks or the absence of greenery or just the open space? This is a disgrace,” one user shared.

Another added: “The beautiful greenery has been replaced by lifeless hardness. This is a mistake. Kingston done hot already and all we keen on doing is removing green spaces.”

“So basically took away what was unique bout di place. This is not inviting,” said another.

Some users have also indicated that the space that was used to entertain families for picnics will now become an entertainment hub, hosting “high-end parties”, while others expressed that bad roads across the island could have used that investment.

“Jamaica pave everything except the roads,” another tweet read.

However, some Twitter users agreed with Bellamy.

“Well overdue for this gem location,” a tweet read.

“Looks great,” another user commented.

The renovations at Devon House are being done to the tune of $70 million. The announcement was made by Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett during a groundbreaking ceremony on the property back in March.

According to Bartlett, the idea was to “spruce up” the courtyard area for a better dining and shopping experience.

“What we’re trying to do is reposition and repurpose the courtyard area to make it a really exciting, aesthetically pleasing area where our young people, our children can come, our visitors as well,” Bartlett told OBSERVER ONLINE at the time.

READ: WATCH: Gov’t to spend $70m to fix up Devon House courtyard

Devon House is considered one of Jamaica’s most celebrated historic landmarks. It was declared a national monument in 1990 by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust under the instructions of the late Edward Seaga, who was then Minister of Development and Welfare with responsibility for cultural affairs, and later Prime Minister of Jamaica.