Dellis Cay Private Island Marks Official Groundbreaking with Ceremony and Weekend-Long Celebration (Turks and Caicos Islands)
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Dellis Cay Private Island Marks Official Groundbreaking with Ceremony and Weekend-Long Celebration (Turks and Caicos Islands)
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Category: North America & West Indies / Carribean islands - Turks and Caicos Islands - Industry economy
- Hotel projects
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2008-07-08
Dr. Cem Kinay, Chairman and CEO of The O Property Collection (OPC) hosted the groundbreaking ceremony and weekend-long celebration for Dellis Cay, a private island located in the Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies. Festivities on the exclusive island began with a traditional blessing of the land, ceremonial ribbon cutting and the first shovels being dug into the ground by Dr. Kinay himself. The evening was highlighted by sunset cocktails, barefoot island tours, a fireworks display and regional musical entertainment.
In an emotional speech given by Dr. Kinay, he spoke “I was a medical doctor so I know about the heart and how it beats, and when I first walked onto Dellis Cay my heart skipped a beat.” He concluded his welcoming statement with a surprise announcement promising that he would not only create a masterpiece of an island, but that he would contribute to the social and economical development of TCI as a whole by creating a new school in North Caicos. Memorable speeches by the Premier Honorable Dr. Michael Misick of TCI and Jorge Gonzales, Executive Vice President of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Southern & Caribbean, followed.
The remainder of the weekend included in-depth boating tours, sailing lessons, snorkeling excursions and samplings of local cuisine. The international guests were flown in via private plane from various countries around the world, and included Dellis Cay buyers, art collectors, Dellis Cay supporters, other essential TCI developers and the local community. Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta Jones, Ed Razek of Limited Brands and Nasir & Nargis Kassamali of Luminaire were amongst the island’s first purchasers.
This groundbreaking marks the official start of construction for Phase IA of the island, designed by architect Piero Lissoni, which will open in early 2010. This first phase includes the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Dellis Cay, The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Lissoni Beach House Residences, Lissoni Beach Villas and Lissoni Ocean Villas, all of which have sold. The comprehensive Spa at Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay, designed by Kengo Kuma, will span 30,000-square feet and feature 15 individual rooms and 2 VIP couples suites and state-of-the-art heat and water treatments.
The next residences to be offered for public purchase will be Villas by Shigeru Ban. Debuted at Art Basel 39 in Basel, Switzerland in earlier this month, these villas remain true Ban’s signature elegant style, but he explains that each also “aims for the closest possible relationship between the interior space and the predominant presence of the ocean.” Each villa includes its own over-water pavilion, which is a complete self-contained house in itself, and links to each main villa by private bridge. Villas ownership is ranging from US$7 millions to US$9 millions.
Prices for Piero Lissoni Residences are ranging from one-bedroom residences starting from US$1.7 millions and four-bedrooms penthouse starting from US$6.9 millions.
Also previously unveiled in January 2008 was Zaha Hadid’s singular D villa, a one-of-a-kind residence which is spatially radical and contrasting, distinctive to Hadid’s design platform and currently available for purchase at prices US$20 millions. She has been commissioned to oversee the Dellis Cay Master Plan and design a futuristic lifestyle zone which includes luxury residences, beachfront villas, a commercial building with restaurants and boutiques, a marina and lighthouse.
Dellis Cay is a 560-acre private island that is focused on unparalleled service and innovative design. The exclusive island will provide one of the most comprehensive luxury living experiences anywhere on earth and unparalleled opportunities for exceptional home ownership. The world-renowned architects who have been commissioned to design various residences and facilities on the island are Zaha Hadid (London); David Chipperfield (London); Kengo Kuma (Tokyo); Shigeru Ban (Paris/Tokyo); Piero Lissoni (Milan); Carl Ettensperger (Singapore) and Chad Oppenheim (USA). “It is under truly rare circumstances that the most recognized architects, designers, and hoteliers from around the world will collaborate together, creating a cohesive architectural vision to bring O Property Collection to life,” said Dr. Kinay. “Our ability to unite this array of unique talent is what enables OPC to create the most innovative, design-driven luxury destinations in the world.”
The Turks and Caicos Islands are located 575 miles south of Miami, Florida, and comprise eight major islands and numerous uninhabited and protected cays. Featuring the third-largest coral reef system in the world, the surrounding pristine waters are the playground of humpback whales, dolphins, turtles and manta rays, and are a haven for diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. Dellis Cay, adjacent to Parrot Cay, is accessible by private boat from the international airport on Providenciales on the main island of Turks and Caicos. Direct flights are available from Miami, New York, Boston, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Toronto and London.
The O Property Collection (OPC), founded in 2005 by Dr. Cem Kinay and Oguz Serim, is an international property development company that invests in, develops, and manages premium real estate properties. This group seeks to establish an unprecedented level of design and service excellence across a variety of geographic territories. Dr. Kinay has previously launched Magic Life Group and was awarded Austria’s Man of the Year in 1997. He was honored with the State Medal of Austria in December 2006.
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