PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and members of his cabinet tour the Aqualina construction site.

PRIME Minister Philip Davis and Cabinet members visited the Aqualina construction site on Cable Beach yesterday to view the progress of the 11-storey soaring.

Jason Kinsale, chairman of Aristo, said he believed the development signaled a sea change in high-end real estate.

“The biggest change in the Bahamas luxury real estate market may not be visible to the naked eye, but the experiences that come with physical assets,” says Kinsale, whose latest development is adjacent to Aristo’s ONE Cable Beach on the much sought after beachfront strip within walking distance of Baha Mar Resort.

“What we want to offer Aqualina is a total lifestyle package where you can revel in the fun of your home or escape for a day on an island you’ve always wanted to visit.

“The decision to go this direction was based on our research which showed a demand for the highest build quality, overall size and comfort, attention to detail and unique lifestyle features.”

Expectations, he said, especially for an upscale market, have changed since he began building multi-family developments more than 15 years ago. Although every project his company has done has been sold, customer expectations have risen.

“It used to be enough to provide waterfront views, storm-proof doors and windows, high ceilings and the highest quality kitchen cabinets, but today’s standards are even higher. demanding,” he said. “Now that’s just a starting point and you’re wondering, where do we go from here?”

Aristo Marketing Director Matthew Marco agrees.

“So when we designed Aqualina, we asked ourselves, ‘What can we offer that makes this property so special, so desirable that a potential buyer anywhere in the world, from Switzerland to North America North to the deepest border of South Africa, will look at the brochure or the video and say, that’s it. “This is where I want to be.” We wanted to create more than a luxurious residence We wanted to create magic.

Sheer size – residences range from 3,200 to 5,100 square feet with the penthouse at 7,600 square feet, each of the 27 residences in the 11-story building are accessible by private elevator. The lobby and reception area has a 24/7 concierge and features three private beach villas overlooking the infinity pool, expansive sundeck, and generous hot spa pool.

But perhaps the “magic” Marco mentioned lies in something that drives owners away from the property: the Aqualina Boat Club.

“We know that most people who will live in Aqualina will want a boating experience without having to own and maintain their own boat all year round, so we have created a boating membership club and some 12 boating experiences. that will continue to evolve,” says Marco. “Whether a couple wants a private beach picnic day or wants to take guests to Exuma to swim with the pigs, there will be a boat and tour available.”

When asked if he was surprised that only eight of the 27 residencies were still over a year away, Kinsale answered without hesitation. “Not at all, there has never been anything like Aqualina on Cable Beach, the market is hot for the best in luxury and given that we want to be the leaders in ease of doing business.”

After his tour of the property, the Prime Minister noted that the economic impact of Aqualina is expected to be significant.

“They will employ at least 100 or more people on this project, and then after that there will be at least 60 or more permanent employees,” Davis said.

“What we see is a win-win situation for the Bahamas.”

Noting that the majority of Aqualina units have already been sold, Mr. Davis continued, “It is already having its impact.

“As you have heard, 60% of the condos have already been sold.

“What does that mean? It means that we received our VAT on those sales.

“We hope to see these buyers visit and put their heads in the beds here.”