July 20, 2009

Site Visits for Owners and Buyers

If you would like to visit the site of The Grove Spa Resort, please call Jonathan in the Liverpool office on +44 151 244 5443 or Joanne in Cyprus on +357 99 418025 to book an appointment ahead of time. We will be very happy to show you around. You will not be permitted access to the site unless you are accompanied by a member of our staff. Although we do have hard hats and a supply of safety shoes we cannot cater for all shoe sizes so you are advised to wear very stout shoes. You will not be permitted onto the site with sandals, flip flops or open-toed shoes.

The construction site will be closed between 1st and 24th August and the InvestinCyprus.com Developers offices in both Cyprus and Liverpool will be closed between 8th and 24th August. It’s simply too hot! ( - at least we hope it will be in Liverpool!)

July 19, 2009

Monthly Progress Meeting 7th July 09

On a swelteringly hot 7th July day with unusually high humidity, Jonathan and I attended the final monthly progress meeting before the summer shut down. Lead by Constantinos the architect, we heard encouraging reports from the main contractor as well as all the consultants and other sub-contractors. Blocks B, C and E are racing ahead and are one month ahead of schedule. We are also ahead on blocks D, F and G which means we can focus more attention on blocks A & H which are currently running slightly behind schedule. We transferred from the onsite meeting room to the sample apartments to check progress there. Having laid out the electrics and water supply in the kitchens and looked in detail at these in the 4 sample apartments, we decided to change the design of two types of the kitchens to make them more ergonomic.


Plot B Panorama to blocks C & D


Blocks B & G with main pool


In Nicosia later that week we met with the pools supplier and finessed the details of the Hydrotherapy Suite ensuring that the eventual experience of using that facility will be exceptionally relaxing and therapeutic. We have a large pool with multiple jets both in and out of the water, bubble beds, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna and cold plunge pool. This will perfectly complement the therapist treatments available and provide the ideal relaxation after a tough session in the gym or the dance studio.


Plot A Panorama


Constantinos & Stephanie with the electrical contractors


Blocks B & G with main pool


Spa interior brickwork


Jonathan and I spent a lot of time with the many suppliers of kitchens, wardrobes, windows, tiles and bathroom fittings finalising the selections. We are now preparing the After-Sales Choices pack for buyers and this will be sent out shortly so buyers can order colours and fixtures and fittings. So look out for this pack over the summer.


Hydrotherapy pool structure

July 18, 2009

Technical Meetings 23rd and 29th June 2009


Construction is moving on rapidly and we have now selected four properties which will be fully finished in the next few weeks with all fixtures and fittings. This means we can assess and refine the positioning of all electrical fittings, kitchens, wardrobes and ceramics. This week we spent time with the electrical contractors laying out all the electrical work in these four units.



Waffles on basement roof plot A



Laying out sample apartments with electrical contractors


Across the site now, everything is taking shape. Most of the blocks now have a fully erected skeleton and blocks B, C, D and G have almost finished all the brickwork. The foundations for the restaurant have been laid and we’ve been working with the swimming pool suppliers on laying out the indoor hydrotherapy pool. The filters and pumps are already in place. The main reception and Spa building has reached ground floor level and the internal layout of the Spa facilities in the basement is done, as are the very large personal storerooms.




Foundations for Restaurant



Reception Building and block F


Brickwork


Fitting filters to hydrotherapy pool





Busy busy busy!

June 15, 2009

The Grove Spa Resort Construction Update 15 June 2009

I attended the monthly site meeting in Cyprus last week and can confirm that construction at site is going extremely well.

Stephanie Fairhurst attends these meetings every month which brings together the prime contractor, expert electrical and mechanical engineering consultants, sub-contractors where appropriate all under the chairmanship of the architect.

The latest pictures from the site are below:






May 26, 2009

My Latest Visit To The Grove Spa Resort Site - Dominic Farrell

I was in Cyprus last week where the temperatures were 30C with clear skies on most days. I went to the Grove Spa Resort site meeting and found the progress made by GCC to be excellent. The scheme is now beginning to take shape as evidenced by the pictures below.

Also, our decision to purchase the addtional plot of land at Christmas 2008 next to D Block has been fully justified and rewarded as the layout looks fantastic.






Regards
Dominic Farrell

May 20, 2009

Incredible Progress At The Grove Spa Resort - 12th May 2009

Progress 12th May 2009

Construction is moving ahead very rapidly at The Grove Spa Resort with swarms of workmen busy on site. The basements of residential blocks B, C, D and G are completed and construction has moved up to the ground floor level. The forest of reinforced steel and non-stop pouring of concrete is shaping the rest of the underground level, including the supports for the ground level pools and the layout of the Spa facilities.

The rapid pace of construction and large scale of the project requires top quality supervision and control and this is the team from GCC responsible for keeping the site under control and on time: From left to right: the site foremen Aristotellis Aristotelous and Christos Ioannou; the Project Manager Nick Iacovou and the project engineers Yiannis Stephanides and Nicos Zachariou.


April 24, 2009

Construction Update 2 - 24 April 2009

Blocks G and B
Basement of Blocks D and C

The Grove Spa Resort Construction Update - 24 April 2009

Basement of C Block
Basement of B Block Basement of the Health Spa

April 8, 2009

The Grove Spa Resort, Cyprus - Latest Construction Update 8 April 09

I would like to thank the many homebuyers and investors at The Grove Spa Resort who have expressed their appreciation and support for the construction blog.

The photographs below were taken this week and show remarkable progress, particularly given the severe weather conditions recently.



Dominic Farrell

March 20, 2009

Further Update From The Grove Spa Resort Construction Site

We have a mass of photographs coming through from the Grove Spa Resort site as our intrepid operations manager, Jonathan Fairhurst, known in the company as "Nanook of the North" has been on-site all week.

This is his latest report today:

As you'll see there is a huge amount of activity today on both plots. The membrane has been laid under the Spa building and Blocks E & F and GCC were in the process of pouring the concrete on top.

The temporary wooden boundaries to the rear of Blocks C & D were also being erected. The concrete base for the lifts had been delivered and were being manoeuvred into position. On Plot A, the initial concrete base had been completed and the steel reinforcement was being constructed - this was mostly done for Block B.






Have a great weekend

Dominic Farrell

March 18, 2009

The Grove Spa Resort, Mazotos, Latest News

The latest news from the Construction site is:



  • The concrete slab has been laid down for B Block
  • The footings for the lift shafts have been excavated
  • The reinforced steel has arrived ready to be used
  • The footings for the spa hydro therapy pool is also being dug





March 12, 2009

The Grove Spa Resort, Cyprus - Latest Construction Update 12th March 2009


We've had a delay to the construction due to the severe weather in Cyprus, with torrential rain for the past 4 weeks or so and subsequent "wash-out" on site.

However, taking a strategic view of events the rain has been fantastic for the dams and gardens and has been a very postive event for the island as a whole. GCC are back on site and laying the membrane today in preparation for the slab.

I was in Cyprus last week for the monthly on-site "Progress Meeting" which is led by our architect, Constantinos. I was very impressed with the conduct of the meeting and the clear level of expertise we have in the team of consultants and main contractor.

Thanks for the very postive comments we have recieved about the value of this construction blog - much appreciated.
Please find some update photos taken on the site today:


Best wishes
Dominic Farrell

February 17, 2009

Investors Plan Ahead For Their Grove Spa Rentals

This is an e-mail from Richard Smith, an investor in The Grove Spa Resort, who gave permission for us to publish it here. From experience, those investors who think well ahead of completion about their rentals and property management are very successful:

"Last month I had a chat with an independent travel agent (a friend recommended him to me). The idea was to advertise our UK holiday let, however, we got onto the subject of Cyprus and I told him about our investments in The Grove Spa Resort, Mazotos.

He knows Cyprus well and has many contacts in the travel industry. He informed me that a number of them would be interested in taking a block booking of 10 weeks for themselves to rent out to their clients. (The Larnaca area has very few quality properties and none that will compare to the Grove Spa Resort once completed).

I am currently producing a marketing pack so that I can set up a meeting with the companies in question. If all goes well I will be buying more properties there!"

February 13, 2009

InvestinCyprus.com Developers Operations Manager Beats The Snow!

The weather has been particularly bad in the UK recently and we have all had to improvise in order to get into the office. Jon, operations manager at InvestinCyprus.com Developers, did particularly well.



A bit different from Cyprus!

February 12, 2009

Construction Meeting Today And Appointment Of Sub-Contractors

GCC has been quick off the mark since their appointment as the prime contractor for the main construction of The Grove Spa Resort.

Earlier this week the management team were on site with the topographers and today the sub-contractors will be appointed at a meeting in Larnaca.