February 19, 2010

Monthly Progress Meeting 9th February 2010

The wettest January for many years saw 146% of the usual rainfall for the month falling on the island, continuing the rainy trend of the last 3 months and causing some further delays to the construction programme.

View from A-block Feb 2010
A very green view from A-block Feb 2010
Road frontage with restaurant, shops & E-block
Road frontage with restaurant, shops & E-block

The programme for completion of the Spa and reception building is now delayed by 10 weeks due to the prolonged flooding of the basement area. We are confident however that we will catch up this time once the weather dries up and the building is sealed with windows and doors to allow the internal floor fit out to begin, although the electro-mechanical work on the ceiling has continued.

Spa electromechanical installations
Spa electromechanical installations

Work on the sample apartments continued with the installation of the doors and windows and the finishing of the carpentry work for the kitchens, wardrobes and internal doors as well as the tiling in the bathrooms.

Apartment entrance door
C-Block bedroom windows
Apartment entrance door C-Block bedroom windows

The marble stairs have been installed in the sample town house in a dark grey to complement the light grey tiling of the floors. A different colour will be used for those houses with cream tile work.

Marble stairs in town house
Marble stairs in town house

The spirit level was much in evidence as the tiling was laid on the private verandas and the back-breaking plastering work continued on C-block.

Laying the veranda tiles of C block
C-block external plastering
Laying the veranda tiles of C block C-block external plastering

The work on installing the sewage treatment plant started with digging a very big hole...

One big hole!
One big hole!

The shops are now at first floor level, ie full height and it's possible to see the skeleton of the whole resort.

Roof of supermarket 12 Feb 2010
Roof of Supermarket
View of E-block and children's pool from D-block
View of E-block and children's pool from D-block

Outside, the railings for the walkways and balconies are being installed and the stonework around the pillars has started to be affixed.

Balcony railings
Balcony railings

We are testing a pallette of earthen and natural stone colours for the Graffiato coating that will be applied to all external walls.

Stonework and Graffiato colours
Stonework and Graffiato colours
Stonework
Stonework

We finalised the materials and colour choices for the external walkways, sitting and poolside areas and have added some points of interest in hidden corners including a giant chess & draughts board and large planters with colour and textural variety.

Jon is working with the landscape designer Christoforos Moniatis to flesh out options for each private garden and Joanne will be contacting you shortly to discuss your choices if you have a ground floor property.

Constantinos the Architect (L) and Christoforos the Landscape Designer (R)
Constantinos the Architect (L) and Christoforos the Landscape Designer (R)

The furniture suppliers have also been on site this week measuring up to ensure that the furniture fits perfectly. We will have a great range of options available including some fabulous outdoor furniture to make the most of the huge penthouse roof terraces. We will be sending out the furniture pack information at the end of March for ordering by May.

Jon the man behind the lens
Jonathan & Stephanie at site entrance
Jon the man behind the lens
Jonathan & Stephanie at site entrance

Buddy the Brittany attended the site regularly in his role as honorary site supervisor.

Buddy surveying the site
Buddy surveying the site

The next progress meeting is on Tuesday 9th March.

February 1, 2010

Update 22 January 2010

Having had extended sunshine over the festive break and right up to mid-January, the extreme weather returned with a vengeance with yet more torrential rain, hail and electrical storms. The site is now a mudbath and much of the external work has been delayed although the work inside the residential units can continue.

22 Jan 2010 monsoon rains
22 Jan 2010 monsoon rains

Site mudbath 22 Jan 2010
Site mudbath 22 Jan 2010

The ceramic floor tiles have now been laid in the four sample apartments and the bathrooms are in the process are being finished with tiling, the installation of the vanity sink unit and the wall mirrors.

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Kitchen in Ash 22 Jan 2010

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Kitchen in Cherry 22 Jan 2010

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Kitchen in Oak 22 Jan 2010

The carpentry work has also been installed this week in the sample apartments and kitchens in ash, cherry and oak have been fitted as well as wardrobes and internal doors in white, wenge and oak. We are awaiting the arrival of the windows to seal the apartments and then the white goods, sinks and marble worktops will be installed to complete the kitchens.

Bathroom tiles in white
Bathroom tiles in white

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Wardrobes in cream

Wardrobes in Oak 22 Jan 2010
Wardrobes in Oak 22 Jan 2010

Wardrobes in Wenge 22 Jan 2010
Wardrobes in Wenge 22 Jan 2010

Ariel view of The Grove Spa Resort Jan 2010
Ariel view of The Grove Spa Resort Jan 2010

Now that the heavy construction work has been completed in the centre of the resort and access is no longer needed for heavy equipment we have been able to start the foundations for the shops that front the main road. The lifts are being installed in the restaurant and the residential blocks.

Jan 19 2010 foundations for the shops
Jan 19 2010 foundations for the shops

Jan 19 2010 Foundations of shop 1
Jan 19 2010 Foundations of shop 1

The electromechanical fit-out is well underway in the basement of the Spa with installation of the air conditioning and ducting. The dry wall partitioning has been delayed due to the site flooding but will commence as soon as dry weather arrives and the basement dries out.

Hydrotherapy pool from skylight Jan 19 2010
Hydrotherapy pool from skylight Jan 19 2010

I spent more time with the landscape architect finalising designs for the common areas as well as putting together options for the private gardens and choosing the plants. We also increased the area for the tennis court and looked at extra leisure facilities we can put into the common areas.

Block B on left and G on the right
Block B on left and G on the right

Jan 19 2010 Restaurant & Townhouses
Jan 19 2010 Restaurant & Townhouses

Jan 19 2010 Site overview C, G, Spa & F blocks
Jan 19 2010 Site overview C, G, Spa & F blocks

Jan 19 2010 Site overview from Restaurant to G-block
Jan 19 2010 Site overview from Restaurant to G-block

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Jan 19 2010 site overview plot B to A

Jan 19 2010 site overview
Jan 19 2010 site overview

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Jan 19 2010 Townhouse

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Jan 19 2010 View from restaurant

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Jan 19 2010 View west of development

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New Restaurant Jan 19 2010

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Old restaurant Jan 19 2010

The next progress meeting will be on Tuesday 9th February 2010.