Dot-com millionaire gets green light for apartments

| 15/05/2021 | 107 Comments
Cayman News Service
Site of the Frank Schilling condo project

(CNS): Frank Schilling, the former owner of Uniregistry, the domain name company that made him his fortune, has been given approval to build a luxury apartment development on the north coast of West Bay, off Sand Hole Road. Following changes to the plan, including meeting the legal 75ft high water mark setback, reducing the number of units, moving access from Sand Hole Road and settling on a combination of a wall and natural landscaping to maintain the neighbours’ privacy, the Central Planning Authority has approved the beachfront project.

Schilling, who is Caymanian, told CNS that while he is known for his work in the internet domain world, development is not a new venture for him and he has been developing in many places around the world for several years. But after selling Uniregistry last year, in the wake of lockdown, he turned his attention to developing the land he owns in Cayman, he said. This particular 1.8-acre plot, where he plans to build 27 units in three buildings, he has owned for some time, he noted.

Right now, however, there is significant community concern about over-development of the coastline around North West Point, which has been attracting developers as there is no space left on Seven Mile Beach. In addition to the loss of natural coastal habitat and beach access, there is concern about the gentrification of the area, as more and more developments are being built to sell to foreign investors, making land unaffordable for local people.

Although the units will each cost around CI$1 million, Schilling believes that they will be sold to people who live here and not acquired by transient owners or for speculative investment purposes.

This site includes critical turtle nesting habitat but Schilling has agreed to install turtle-friendly lighting. The Department of Environment had noted in its submissions on the application that the developer should retain as much native beachfront vegetation as possible and create a minimum 10ft natural buffer, given the concerns about the loss of coastal shrubland, which is becoming rare in Cayman as development on the coast increases.

“Coastal shrubland is high in ecological value, providing a biodiverse habitat for native wildlife in addition to stabilizing the shoreline and reducing erosion. Once vegetation has been cleared, it often results in wind-borne erosion of the land and general coastal erosion. Coastal vegetation is therefore important for the integrity of the beach to ensure there is appropriate nesting habitat for sea turtles in this critical location,” the DoE stated

Schilling said that the project would comply with all of the DoE’s recommendations.

See the application in the CPA agenda for the 12 May meeting, posted in the CNS Library.


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Comments (107)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    As a lowly piece of driftwood, I washed up on Cayman’s shores in 1973.
    I thought I was in Paradise and indeed I was. I made so many friends, actually went to Sunday School which was quite amusing. Much respect.
    There was something so special about this place and her lovely people. The old stories about leaving your house unlocked and keys in the car are absolutely true. I was there, I witnessed it.
    Over the years, money flowed in and the islands became inundated with foreigners who did not really have regard for the Caymanian values.
    Alas, neither did the politicians who were willing to sell out their brethren for the fast buck.
    Well, do you like it now?
    You are riddled with locusts, you cannot even buy a piece of land in your own islands, your cost of living is astronomical.
    Many of you are surviving on handouts.
    The last Caymanian generation that passed away are shaking their heads in dismay at what you have done to your hallowed ground.
    Are you happy now?

    • Anonymous says:

      I couldn’t agree more. Wife and I came in 1984.

      Everyone blames everyone else for the current state of affairs, but few look in the mirror.

      Your thoughts and mine will not resonate with many, and that is the exact problem.

      Expats moving here, with their wealth could have been managed much better, but unfortunately the government did not have enough experience in legal, administrative and professional matters. Sadly, it still does not have this expertise.

      I am not one to disparage others, but case in point: How can someone like McKeeva Bush with his education level and extensive history of ‘issues’ be re-elected term after term. I’m sorry, but he simply is not what Cayman needs in an elected position. Many of the other officials are very well educated and competent, but for Mr Bush to still be there in a controlling position is unbelievable. And it simply comes back to the electorate; you elected a clown… expect the circus to be in town.

      • Anonymous says:

        10:55am. You views are on point, but the WBW electorate are brainwashed and sees no wrong in McKeeva. Blame the government that he was a part of. Alden would not deal with the issue at the time and now wants to throw the blame on others.

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, I remember when they had the Caymanian Protection Law. In today’s society, that would be called racist.
        They should have called it the Caymanian Destruction Law, because that is exactly what happened.
        How can it be racist to protect your own people in your own islands?
        Now the locusts outnumber the indigenous and their voice is forever muted, failing a massive unforeseen event.

        • Anonymous says:

          Hahahaha! Perfect. You just said EXACTLY what the person you are commenting under stated; “Everyone blames everyone else for the current state of affairs, but few look in the mirror”

          You said; “…locusts outnumber the indigenous and their voice is forever muted” You! LOOK IN THE MIRROR It is YOUR generation that did this.
          And I say, muted my a$$!! Luckily the next generation is starting to speak up. Looking at you Taura and the Rascals!! You go girl!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Thank God for people like Frank and Dart

  3. Anonymous says:

    So once again the age old question. Who are we developing for?

    Imported money to fund it. Imported labour to build it. And imported people to operate it.

    And since locals won’t be able to afford it there will be imported people to buy it.

    Seems like our whole existence is to provide financial opportunities and employment for all but our indigenous people. What a shame.

    Mr. Schilling please hear our plea. Don’t build this monstrosity. Please.

    • Anonymous says:

      To plagiarise Ronald Reagan “Mr. Schilling, tear up this plan”!

    • Anonymous says:

      What you don’t realize is that the fees and duties from developments means that all the services you get for free, are paid for by all those foreigners.
      Schools, roads, police, fire service , NAU, …get it ?

      • Anonymous says:

        You are trying very poorly to deceive by being selective. Fees are gathered just about everywhere, not just from development.

      • Anonymous says:

        Correct! The ignorance here is profoundly short-sighted.

        Again, Cayman needs to be careful what they wish for. Not enough fees/duties to support all the free services will mean that taxes will come – Income taxes, property taxes, retail sales taxes, etc.

    • Anonymous says:

      @10:04 – We as a nation are developing for the 30,000 people who showed up since the first time you asked that question.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sounds like a whole lot of paying jobs to me!

  4. Anonymous says:

    So every dude with extra money to spend could just come to Cayman and start turning it into Miami while Caymanians flopping their ears in disbelief, because this is all they can do.

    SMB renaming is overdue. It is gone and the fragments that remain are pitiful.

    It was McBeater who introduced high rises to GC landscape with your silent approval.

    • Anonymous says:

      Words of warning: if we do nothing, we risk turning into San Francisco.

      If there’s 50,000 homes and 51,000 buyers, what happens? The poorest 1,000 end up without a home.

      I understand wanting to preserve architectural identity. There are risks with approving projects, and risks with rejecting projects too.

  5. Anonymous says:

    The problem is that there is no affordable housing on the island and people are getting priced out of paradise much like in Hawaii.

    I wouldn’t be surprised to see an exodus to the brac or the uk just to have some quality of life.

    • Anonymous says:

      Caymanians sold their birthright . Who’s problem is that.

    • Anonymous says:

      One huge reason there’s no affordable housing, is because there’s a lack of housing.

      I see properties that are absolutely not luxury, being sold at luxury prices.

  6. Anonymous says:

    he’s investing a lot of his proceeds from the sale of uniregistry back into the islands – at last, some competition for Dart!

  7. Anonymous says:

    Cash register sound “$hilling”

    • Anonymous says:

      Not exactly. He has to put up lots of money and deal with pressures of ensuring that the project is completed within tight budgets and expectations. It can easily fall flat on its face. Frank is a risk taking entrepreneur and that is why he’s successful.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Why are we letting anyone develop land when there already is dilapidated buildings on cleared land that should be fixed first.

    • Anonymous says:

      Because Frank (or anyone else) can’t just steal dilapidated buildings and their land if the current owner isn’t willing to sell.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Caymanians are greedy just like everyone else. They only want to save the land from development when it’s not their land and not their money involved.
    If they really wanted to save the land from development they would approach the National Trust and sell their land to that entity at a reasonable rate.

    • Anonymous says:

      The key word here is “really”.

    • Anonymous says:

      All of the uptick can go to National Trust and do the same thing and let your houses, apartments and land be sold cheaper also. A 1500 sq ft house should sell for $100 equals CI$ 150,000, plus land quarter of an acre CI45,000 totals $195,000. If you came in after Ivan same house jump to $200 a sq. ft. so $300,000 plus land $60,000 total $360,000 brand new. That was for a 2 bed 2 bath. This price was after hurricane Ivan, September 2004 and not on the beach. Nothing is under $300 a sq ft. and not including land plus fencing with landscaping can’t build it for less than $500,000. Only family might build you a house for less. So go ahead sell your land cheaper. Got Swamp? They offering $9000 per acre from National Trust and don’t have any money since 10 years ago to pay for it. People have tried, But all the people who want to be environmentalist just complain, there’s no money.

  10. Anonymous says:

    “Although the units will each cost around CI$1 million, Schilling believes that they will be sold to people who live here and not acquired by transient owners or for speculative investment purposes.”

    Are you ****ing kidding me?

    • Anonymous says:

      He’s trying (to kid you)

    • Anonymous says:

      Lot of people resident on this island can afford to spend a million plus on a house. Most of the financial services senior management community, the lawyers, the accountants, and of course the politicians – actually a million probably a little light for their pockets. A million price point probably a little low for the overseas vacation home prior investor. Days in which you could pick up a 2 bedroom condo in SMB for that long gone.

  11. Anonymous says:

    I love coming here to read the hysterical hate. Pathetic

  12. Jack says:

    Just wait until the development is put in the shade when Michael Ryan gets permission to build 40 feet from the low water mark.

  13. Anonymous says:

    It sure is a nice spot, wish I owned it. It will be an interesting contrast with the old time neighborhood.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Schilling makes perfect sense when he says that probably only residents will buy his apartments. I know that every Caymanian an extra CI$1,000,000 to buy one.

  15. Anonymous says:

    I worked for Frank. He did a good job at the company. Will give him the benefit of the doubt.

    • Lorna Bush says:

      Benefit of which doubt exactly?? Here’s my doubt: “I doubt that he’s building this for the benefit of Cayman or Caymanians”.
      Read my lips: We do not need or want this development. We want our turtles to return to THEIR beach where they have nested for hundreds of years. Please just go away and leave us in peace.

      • Anonymous says:

        Presumably it benefits Frank, who is Caymanian.

        • Anonymous says:

          Caymanian read Canadian. Sounds the same, right?

          • Anonymous says:

            You know he wasn’t born in Canada either, right? If you’re going to play “that” card, at least go with German.

            Frank has has spent nearly half his life in Cayman, and the majority of his adult life here..

      • Anonymous says:

        Come on … I hear Westbayers know that spot too well and we don’t want no condos there as it is a favorite spot to easily capture turtles. They don’t buy that turtle meat from Northwest Point (fed on dog food nuggets).. They want the fresh stuff.

    • Dom Mainer says:

      More of his employees should comment here about what a wise, level-headed, and generous person he is. Frank is a visionary leader who has always been willing to sacrifice his own self interests for the sake of the entire team and his customers. He made millionaires out of everyone who contributed to the success of the Uniregistry business, and now all of Cayman will benefit from his “do well by doing good” approach to business.

  16. Guido Marsupio says:

    Same old story. Caymanians own the land. If they don’t want it to be developed they should not sell it to people who will.

    • Anonymous says:

      He’s Caymanian

      • Anonymous says:

        Nowhere in that comment does it say anything about the nationality of the developer.

        Here, I’ll show you; “If they don’t want it to be developed they should not sell it to people who will”

        See?
        That is why people are downvoting your stupid comment and the next one that is just as stupid.

    • Anonymous says:

      Frank is a Caymanian

    • Anonymous says:

      Very true! They cry about developers taking the land away from their families…crying all the way to the bank. It’s your families that are selling it! Pot calling the kettle black.

  17. Anonymous says:

    To my fellow Caymanians- it’s too late the fight is over they have won- islets just join them an try have some type of happiness. Forget about the yards large enough that your kids can ride their bikes an can climb trees with their neighborhood friends- forget all of the mango, avocado, and limes trees. Get use to the apartment living- small tight and surrounded by different ppl. If your kids want to ride a bike they will have to do it in a parking lot- ppl love like this around the world they seem happy

    • Pi$$ed says:

      Caymanian my a$$…he is a paper Caymanian originally from Canada. I came to this island 15 years ago and the development by “Caymanians” has ruined this island. I am a Canadian and i can say foreigner Land developers have destroyed this island

      • Anonymous says:

        Oh my, here we go with this “paper Caymanian” stupidity. Where in the law does this model citizen not have the same rights as someone born on island? You arrived 15 years ago and you’re trying to diminish someone’s rights because their status wasn’t obtained at birth? You are nothing more than a hateful d-bag that can’t stand to see others being successful.

        • Anonymous says:

          Sounds like 9:13 is more upset that after 15 years, they still haven’t integrated into our community..

          I have been here for a far shorter time, and I’m proud to call this my home. I’m not Caymanian yet, but I look forward to earning it.

      • Anonymous says:

        Where does the law distinguish between Caymanian and the stupidly described “paper Caymanian”. Fool!

        • Anonymous says:

          The law doesn’t distinguish but many make the distinction for themselves. For example, when it comes to jobs & other opportunities, they happily boast of “being Caymanian”.
          When it comes to social status, they consider Caymanians as inferior.
          Only in Cayman are you allowed to have it both ways.

      • Anonymous says:

        Were you parents or grandparents both outside of Canada? How do you think they’d feel if we called them “paper Canadians”?

        • Anonymous says:

          And how do the Inuit feel about the misplaced Scotts that have descended on them?

          • Anonymous says:

            Indigenous peoples have their own unique heritage, which no other Canadian is trying to pretend to be.

            Being Canadian refers to the nation you are a part of, not your race.

            Being Caymanian should mean the same. We shouldn’t shun our neighbours because their family came after ours. Remember, we all “immigrated” to these rocks in the last 500 years.

            • Anonymous says:

              NO.

              Canadian here. I am Canadian. That is my heritage and my RACE – not that it is a factor, here nor anywhere in 2021.

              We are a MOSAIC in Canada.

              My Grandparents were born here in the very start of the 1900s. Their parents came from Scotland, Germany, Ireland etc.

              Speak for yourself. Not for Canadians. Your hatred of other “races” does not apply in Canada.

              CAYMANKIND BS in it’s finest.

              • Anonymous says:

                Congratulations on self-identifying as Canadian, would you like some OHIP with that?

                Unfortunately you may have fallen asleep during your Canadian high school education, as it appears you do not know what heritage means.

                Your heritage is Scottish, German, Irish, and Canadian.

                I never mentioned race, because frankly I don’t care. I can’t articulate how irreverent I feel it is.

                And lastly, I don’t have Caymanian status. So thanks for stereotyping incorrectly.

            • Anonymous says:

              I’m a Ninja Turtle, descendant of this island’s original inhabitants. You will do what I say or I will focus on you with my laser beam gaze. Now be quiet! The man is talking about misspelled Scots descending from the skies or something like that.

      • Lotaxhoser says:

        This island is so far from ruined. If you don’t like that Cayman’s success has produced one of the lowest poverty rates in the world despite zero % income tax, then get your pale a$$ back to Canada eh…

    • Anonymous says:

      Who sold those yards?

    • Anonymous says:

      Still available in the Brac!

      • No sah says:

        Nope! Begone with you! Leave the Brac alone, we prefer to keep our image of being a tranquil jewel in the Caribbean, thank you. Go swim in your development cement.

    • Anonymous says:

      That’s part of the problem here. the minimum lot size is 100X100 here.. That’s a HUGE lot anywhere else in the World. We need more 33 foot lots and parkland. If you want to keep large lots then you can’t get mad when your friends and neighbors who work harder than you, become richer than you and eventually price you out of the market.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Great! Let me call my loan officer at Credit Union.

  19. Anonymous says:

    We hope the Government charge him the full duties on all things, no more free duties to big developments, in fact we have enough concrete buildings, so charge him the full duties

  20. Anonymous says:

    Why can’t they just retire with their millions and live amongst us?

    Why do they have to own everything and convert it to what is not Cayman?

    Why can’t they understand that we have had enough of their overdevelopment?

    Why?

    • Anonymous says:

      Why do Caymanians keep selling their land to developers?

    • Lorna Bush says:

      Why?? Because the rich are NEVER satisfied. They want more and more and more. Happiness generally eludes them. Hug your greed instead.

    • Mary Freitag says:

      I really miss the Caymans from the mid 1980’s when I stayed @ The Holiday Inn and it was the place to be with, locals, travelers, and small business people. I so miss this. We rented a scooter from Soto Scooter and drove to East End to Morritts Tortuga with no traffic. Bought out there, still owners, it haven’t been there in awhile. Ivan changed a lot for the island, but I really long for the 80’s where Caymaniens seemed to make a living wage and seem to be the main emplyees. Never saw any other nationalites working there. I so miss that

      • Anonymous says:

        The kids of that generation of Caymanians didn’t want to work as hard as their parents. They hired Jamaicans for $5 an hour and others – now you have this. The islands are still good. Need to quit living in the past. It won’t make you feel bertter. The present you live in always looks better through the glasses of time.

      • Anonymous says:

        Mary, thanks for the nice post.
        I remember too.

    • Anonymous says:

      This is the way of the world now. You hear the same thing in many developed countries “they” i.e. people with money come from other places, buy land and develop it. Ordinary people are priced out of owning in places that they used to be able to afford and then are upset about it. It’s not unique to Cayman. If anything Cayman is way behind the curve. This has been happening for 15-20 years everywhere else and only on a major scale in the last 5 here. There really isn’t an easier answer. Drastically changing the law will have all kinds of knock-on negative effects for the economy. Financial services isn’t forever and these islands must diversify and become hospitable to wealthy persons if it wants to maintain the revenue to which the government has become so accustomed. Bad news for ordinary man on the street.

    • Anonymous says:

      “They” have become “us”. There will be a Cayman in 50 years. It will look different than the Cayman of 50 years ago. That’s how the World works. You can either get with that program, or die and watch from heaven as it happens anyway.

  21. Right ya so says:

    and yet in the comments section of the Compass Schilling claimed to be doing all of the “right” things for the turtles and the environment – conveniently forgot to mention he’s only doing the “right” thing because he was ordered to do so by CPA at the behest of the DoE. A shame he didn’t do the right thing from the outset, is it really that difficult? I understand wanting to make a profit but need I say any more?

    • Anonymous says:

      He’s been here a long time, did a good job on the old CIBC bank Building across from the Courts. I think he’ll probably do a good job here.

    • Anonymous says:

      What did the caymanian who sold the land to him think he’ was going to do with the land? Keep it bare? Don’t sell the land if you don’t want development. You want your profit but don’t want the purchaser to prosper

  22. Anonymous says:

    The turtles can live and breed at the farm. No need to waste a good stretch of beach on them.

    • Anonymous says:

      How’d you like to be relocated to a zoo if we had one?

      • Anonymous says:

        Soon come. The zoo for Caymanians ain’t far off.

      • Anonymous says:

        I think that’s sarcasm above…funny stuff.

      • Ttime to get real says:

        How would you like to be cut up for hamburger or clubbed to death after being dragged through the water on a hook. Shall we ban meat and fishing too?

      • Anonymous says:

        Cayman needs to step out of the cave era and protect sea turtles instead of allowing people to slaughter them….

        “ All species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered and protected through Florida Statues, Chapter 370, and by the United States Endangered Species Act of 1973.“

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