New Development

Reaching Towards The Stars

seven_stars_renderingSeven Stars Residences

By Kathy Borsuk

The sky is no longer the limit when it comes to development on Providenciales’ Grace Bay “Gold Coast.” Seven Stars has set its sights on another galaxy by offering luxury residences that surpass expectations in an upscale market where standards rise with each new offering.

Most distinctive are the size and location of the Steven Stars property, encompassing 1,200 feet of uninterrupted beach frontage in the heart of the Grace Bay cosmos. This bestows each Seven Stars residence a stellar view of one of the planet’s most beautiful vistas; each resident is just steps away from the tickle of silky sand and caress of warm ocean waters. Other sybaritic pleasures are nearly as close — Seven Stars is the center of a constellation of Grace Bay’s most vibrant shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes.

But it takes more than location to sparkle in already brilliant galaxy. It requires a vision of excellence and the determination, knowledge and commitment to make it happen. And that’s where developer Jak Civre and his colleague Luigi Behar come in. Jak and Luigi have been in business together for nearly 30 years, becoming Italy’s market leader in consumer goods and leading residential and commercial real estate developers in the Milan region. Jak has lived part time in Providenciales since 1988, carefully following the island’s steady progress. In 2002, he made the decision to sell his European assets and reside full time in the Turks & Caicos. As one of Italy’s leading entrepreneurs, Jak decided to turn his energies towards what he found most appealing: the TCI real estate market.

After carefully considering the handful of prime sites still available on Providenciales, Jak purchased the coveted 22-acre Allegro Resort property, formerly home to one of the island’s first hotels, the Ramada Turquoise Reef. This represented the largest equity purchase of a single piece of property in TCI to date. And from the beginning, Jak and the Seven Stars development team set their sights beyond the horizon. “Seven Stars is a carefully thought out process,” Jak says. “We spend lots of time brainstorming, discussing, listening, and thinking. We want every detail to be unequalled.”

The group chose internationally renowned architect Robert Swedroe following the bold request for a competition among leading firms for the project. After over six months of revisions, the first phase of Seven Stars was born — marked by a gracious design concept and magnificently over-sized residences. Jak explains, “We were very concerned that Seven Stars blend naturally with the environment and bring charm and beauty to the Grace Bay shoreline. We didn’t want it to overwhelm the landscape.”

The result is a fan-shaped trio of seven story buildings gently curving around a beachfront pool and patio. Each of the 72 residences is oriented for the best ocean view, with two, three and four bedroom designs ranging in size from just over 2,000 to well over 6,000 square feet for the penthouses, literally the epitome of Grace Bay living.

Seven Stars development manager is James Slattery, another long-time resident with nearly 20 years of experience in the local condominium market, most notably as the visionary and former CEO of luxurious Point Grace. James says that most Seven Stars residences were designed to include two ocean view master bedrooms, one of which is a spacious lock-off suite for possible vacation rentals. Sweep-around terraces and window-lined grand salons ensure that the celestial Grace Bay panorama is a constant feature of life at Seven Stars. James adds, “With six different floor plans, interiors reflect the best in convenience, accessibility and comfort. Gourmet kitchens include high-end appliances and stone countertops, bathrooms have whirlpool tubs, bidets and stone-tiled showers with benches and flooring is travertine stone tile, with acoustical cork for sound insulation.”

James adds, “Additionally, we have re-circulating hot water systems and multi-zoned air conditioning which are essential in large-size suites. Other details like a staff service elevator and inter connecting tunnels for staff traffic means back-of-house activities need not interfere with guests’ experience. Attention to detail is key as this level. We’ve all drawn on our past knowledge and tried to improve every aspect of living at Seven Stars.”

While the Seven Stars residences more than meet the most discriminating buyer’s expectations, it is Jak’s well-honed dedication to detail and personal knowledge of island life that take them into another dimension. For instance, Seven Stars residents will enjoy dual elevators to each floor. Each residence has a private underground parking space and personal storage area. Laundry and trash chutes add ease, while state-of-the-art communications electronics bring the world to residents’ fingertips. Built-in smoke detectors and fire sprinkler systems, along with hurricane resistant window glazing provide safety. A concierge is on call 24/7, with a resident manager living on site and a gatehouse promising secure access.

Set behind the residential buildings on phase one’s 7.5 acres are all the amenities of a self-contained tropical universe. The handsome clubhouse/activity center is home to the lobby, library, Internet/business center, meeting room and owner’s lounge. A dedicated fitness center and spa have their own building nestled into the landscape. Nearby are a children’s activity area and two flood-lit tennis courts, as well as a full-service gourmet restaurant. Poolside are a cabana bar and grille, serving light daytime fare. Seven Stars also has one of the few beachfront docks allowed on Grace Bay, giving residents rare direct access to a constellation of watersports.

Designed by landscape architects DSBoca, the landscaping, Jak says, “is like icing on the cake. When it is finished, I want residents and guests to take pleasure in strolling the grounds, sitting under a tree, relaxing by a fountain . . . it will all be very elegant and quite beautiful.” Best of all will be the atmosphere of luxurious privacy, as Seven Stars’ deliberate low density ensures that beach, pool, patio and walkways remain peaceful and uncrowded.

After facing the initial challenge of demolishing an existing resort complex, construction manager Steve Mull (most recently involved in The Sands and Royal Bay Resort [Beaches] projects), members of Engineering Design Services (EDS), a TCI-based chartered civil and structural engineering firm and the entire Seven Stars team are eager for construction to begin in early 2005. Meanwhile, they took the unprecedented step of building a full-scale, furnished show home on site. A $1 million investment, Jak says, he wants potential purchasers to see what they’re buying. This is complemented by scale models of the entire Seven Star resort concept at the sales center and in the airport arrivals area.

Connolly Zahm Properties is Seven Stars’ exclusive sales agent, led by managing partner Joe Zahm, who has been involved in the design and development of Grace Bay resort condominiums since the first, Ocean Club, opened its doors in 1990. Joe is especially impressed with the generous size and frontage of the residences and the time and thought given to the resort management part of the project ahead of time. He says, “Owners have the freedom to choose whether or not they want to participate in the rental pool. The fact that there are well-designed lock-off suites offers further flexibility.” With pre-construction prices ranging from $800,000 to over $3 million and averaging in the $1.5 million range, Joe has no doubt that Providenciales’ high-end market will make the leap to the best.

As a highly successful businessman in his own right, Jak Civre believes the time is right for purchasing property on Providenciales. “Seven Stars is a unique opportunity to purchase a place in paradise and a wise investment for years to come. It’s obvious that the island is booming — we’ve seen massive change over the last five years — and in another decade it will be too late.”

And where did the rather exotic name come from? In characteristic fashion, Jak mulled over dozens of possibilities until he hit upon the Pleiades star cluster, named for the seven daughters of Atlas who, in Greek mythology, metamorphosed into stars. It seemed to suit the focus and scope of the project, and “Seven Stars” was born. Each phase 1 building — the Alhena, Maia and Alya — is also named after a star.

For more information, visit the on-site sales center on Grace Bay Road, call (649) 941-7777, e-mail sevenstars@sevenstars.tc or visit the website: www.sevenstarsresort.com.



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