Schilling calls for conversation on tall towers in George Town
(CNS): The dot.com millionaire turned developer, Frank Schilling, has said that the community needs to start a conversation now about building taller in downtown George Town, because unless we plan on closing the country’s borders, more people are going to come here. Schilling is working on a number of development projects after buying land across the Cayman Islands over the last few years since selling his domain name firm, Uniregistry.
Schilling plans to build a ten-story office building between Dr Roy’s Drive and Shedden Road but has future ambitions to go twice as high.
“People often ask, who are we developing for? And while it may sound trite, it’s a genuine question,” he said, adding that, in reality, it has to be for those who will come here.
While many people fundamentally disagree with Schilling that we should be building for those who come and not necessarily for those who are here, he said that the population is going to grow because the government is not going to shut the borders, and at the moment George Town is close to one hundred percent leased.
“In order to develop the capital with more much-needed green space, we will need to go higher,” he told CNS. “We have to plan for the future as more people are coming here,” he said, noting that the Cayman Islands is extremely popular because it has a lot to offer, and George Town could be improved significantly if developers can build tall.
“Twenty storeys is not so high, especially if it’s set well back from the ocean front and it provides an opportunity to include parking in the tower rather than more ground level land, that can then be used for green space.”
Pointing out that parking is a major issue in George Town, Schilling said that in the plans for his ten-storey project currently in the works, the goal is for a supermarket and other retail on the lower floors with offices above, but there will be integral parking on at least six of the floors, forming part of the tower itself with what he described as curtain walls.
According to officials at the Department of Planning who are overseeing the George Town revitalisation project, there are over 14,000 parking spaces in the capital. Most of these are lots leased by office buildings in order to meet planning regulations, which remain partially empty most of the time and are inaccessible to the general driving public.
Schilling said that it is time to talk about going taller in the capital, given the challenges presented for developers with so little land available for new development. At the same time we obviously also need more green spaces and parking people can use.
The proposed ten-storey office block is still on the drawing board, and Schilling said he anticipates it will be some two years before he breaks ground as no planning application has been made yet. But once it is complete, he will be turning his attention to Monaco Towers, the building across from the courthouse between Edward Street and Dr Roys, that Schilling now owns but where he has ambitions to push through the ten-storey barrier to twenty floors.
While Monaco Towers is leased, he hopes that on completion of the ten-storey block, the tenants there will be able to move into the new building and he can begin work on two 20-storey towers. Schilling said that while such a project is a long-term goal, the concept of building higher must be something we start talking about now.
If the community is fundamentally opposed, he said, then it won’t happen but he stressed that the Cayman Islands population would not stop growing and people will need somewhere to go as George Town right now is effectively full.
“The only way to go is up,” Schilling said. “We need to start that conversation now. What does the future look like?” he asked.
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Category: development, Local News
On point.
He said “we’re developing for those who will come here”! If anyone doesn’t see a major problem with that statement you are probably a politician or a developer such as himself. They dont care about the people who currently reside here and lets not even mention the natives (Caymanians) That frankly are nothing more than CUC linesmen and government employees to those in charge of this once paradise. Its all about a race to cash and more cash, no thought to the impact of this radical development. Traffic from GT to BT starts now at 3:30pm and doesnt finish until around 7:30pm absolutely ridiculous.
I guess you’ve never seen Toronto traffic.
Cdn, personally I don’t give a damn about Toronto traffic but, yes, I’ve been there, experienced it and know that it is not what we want here. The high rise buildings are also not what we want here. What we do want and desperately need here are politicians with a working brain, boldness and tenacity to stand up to those who descend upon us intent on destroying who we are in order to line their own pockets.
Per Cayman Planning Dept’s website, the Cayman Codes haven’t been updated since 2016. At which time they adopted the 2009 International Codes: that’s Residential Code, Building Code, Mechanical Code, Electrical Code, Plumbing Code, Gas Code. That means that new developers are allowed to construct deficient buildings that are 13 years outside of international accepted standards, using discontinued materials, and thresholds. Real Estate consumers, paying full contemporary margins, are being ripped off (and maybe put in danger), and the government agencies that are charged with overseeing quality, are complicit in this sham.
Compare current ICC: https://www.iccsafe.org
Dept of Planning: https://www.planning.ky/build-codes/
Hope he’s going to listen to the people. Check out what Melissa Gates is finally doing as a philanthropist.
Presumably hie domain selling business did not require high intellect or IQ – having vast amounts of money in the bank does not make you an expert on “Town Planning”
Nor does he care.
I hope you are not thinking that he is saying anything wrong on his side of the ledger. His job is to line his pockets in whichever country he is in at the moment. Period and full stop.
I won’t be holding my breath for someone coming in here who says “I don’t care how much money I waste, I am going to make Cayman livable for its people and for generations to come”. I ever not just heard that but saw that in someone’s action I would keel over and drop dead.
You hire those people with your money. You go to college so you can work for the dreamers with money. The dreamers find a way to come out on top.
When these morons are done the only thing sticking out of the water, when Cayman sinks below the waves from these monstrosities planted on these Coral and limestone islands surface will be these skyscrapers and their helicopter pads. Reducing this place to an offshore platform for wealthy @$$wipes . Why don’t you and others go and destroy and create chaos somewhere else Mr shilling you came here like many and found tranquility and paradise and now you slowly but surely destroying it with you rinky dink ideas. Look at our politicians frolicking with these idiotic people and these dangerous ecological consequences. Careful Cayman these folks are tipping and tilting this little place closer and closer to some sort of upheaval from people or the environment or both and time will no longer forget those things or these islands. We desperately need a political change Now ! From this batch of greedy and corrupt vultures and their clique and offspring that have been running this place for over fifty years now. Our children’s very existence and future now also hangs in the balance.
The short answer is no.
Listen, with all due reapect Mr Schilling. I can say I recognize your genious in what you did prior and applaud it but this one you are getting very wrong and I hope our politicians can recognize comments made by someone with a priority towards growing his millions vs someone with a true and long term view for the REAL prosperity for the country and the people of the Cayman Islands.
The Cayman Islands needs to be very careful of not only OVER DEVELOPING Cayman in terms of us Caymanians not having access to beaches now but also the converting of Cayman into Miami 2.0.
Tourist for years have complained about how Cayman is losing its charm, its Island atmosphere. We have already ruined our Island horizontally now foreigners are asking to go vertical.
At some point our Caymanian Politicians need to start taking the long view instead of the short term financial (in their pocket)gains. Think of your children and their children.
I am old now, hit 50 a few years ago and this is not for me I speak. Cayman Islands has turned into the country to work in that its own people cannot afford to retire in. I try to imagine my country 10 years from now and how further we will be in losing our country to the Dart’s and Schilling’s of this world. Keep in mind either of these guys can pick up tomorrow and move somewhere else to live having sucked our country dry.
Do not think for even one moment getting citizenship here means anything to either of them. They could buy citizenship in 20 different countries within a week.
Stop this madness now. No upward increases in properties heights.
Only issue I personally have is your statement is that 50 is old! No way, I am 60+ and realize that age is just a number, as Sparrow said after 68 comes 69 😊
I hear you. I say this for my children not me.
Can we have a conversation about short towers in George Town instead?
The term “sustainable development” is an oxymoron on an island!
Schilling zNO No NO No way Jose never happen go away your twenty stories not wanted not needed. Blackball here I really wish for the good old days. This nonsense talk would have been over with quick a clock.
Were it true, he’d have a point, but his argument is based on a false premise. He assumes that we must, need or cannot avoid increasing our population. It’s an island! What we must do is realize that our current population density is the root cause of nearly all of our criminal, traffic, environmental (and lengthy list of) problems and find ways to limit, not encourage population increase. “Build it and they will come” is no longer what most of us want anymore. Like if you agree.
2:08 It is not about what most of us want!
Thank you Courtney Platt! You are 100% correct, “ ‘Build it and they will come’ is no longer what most of us want anymore.” Those who do not understand that are not of the “most of us”. Many blessings to you for speaking out.
Plenty Caymanians doesn’t have a British passport, myself and family included and doesn’t want and will never get one. They just like all the rest, when Cayman was nothing here they
all including the British didn’t give a shit about Cayman, I know because I had to pass through England and they would only give me a few days to stay there, even Greece gave me 4 weeks.why people like Schilling didn’t come here in the sixties ? Because he couldn’t make his milliona then, that’s why.
What is this drivel? Firstly have a look at the front of your “Cayman” Passport and have someone read it to you. Secondly Schilling is German/Canadian not British. Jeez.
4:58 The Majority of Caymanians do not know it is the Cayman Passport that says BRITISH.
Not the one they call British!
What? If it didn’t say British Passport on it it would get us about as far as Kingston and Port au Prince.
4:58 pm that’s a B O P,caymanian pass port, not fully British passport like many other have.
BOT. Obviously and I have one but the inescapable fact is it says BRITISH PASSPORT on it and if it didn’t it would be as worthless as all of our neighbour’s passports.
I can’t understand why people can’t think past their jealousy and envy we only have development and finance how else are we going to get revenue to the government? We have a lot of development going on where one-bedroom apartments are over $350,000 .They take up a lot of land space and are going to cause major traffic going into Georgetown. Why not look forward to the future is going up in height for buildings. I can remember when a five story building was called disgusting and stupid. But today we have 10 story building. We know that the majority of these developments are not being bought by Caymanians but by new residence. Be honest, can your children afford to buy a one bedroom?
The Brits just supplied enough covid vaccines for everyone on this island, be grateful.
6:45 pm, Do you really think if they couldn’t get something they would do that, why didn’t they help when the Cayman islands was was not nothing going on here besides seamen.
It is only now Jamaica is getting plenty of vaccines. Yes Cayman would have got it but not when they did. Are you saying that there is no need to be grateful because of some perceived wrong in the past?
12:41 Do you know Who, When, and Where, the First Hotels were built in these Islands!
The vaccines that don’t prevent you catching or passing the virus on?
But you and your family are happy to accept free vaccines and other benefits of being associated with the UK.
Nothing is free to Caymanians. Ask the government house accountant
10:02 why dont you go back to where you came from ?
Errrrr.. that would be South Sound.
It’s a good starting point for a conversation and worth considering but should also include how do we for our future generations integrate the rich and poor divide in cayman which is expanding. When everyone feels invested in ownership of property often all the community wins. having caymanians that cannot afford property is a very bad road we are going down . I am sure there will be 15 or twenty story buildings in George Town one day and let’s hope that planning or urban developers do stipulate large towers only at the back of George Town cascading down to max three or four at the front. That they are all of a certain caribbean design and visually pleasing that each developer must be forced to to focus on green spaces and the landscape. For me the only thing that makes Camana bay somewhat ok is the landscape architecture and design. The towers if they come should include apartments that start from 350,000 not 1 million. George Town has a lot to offer but is under utilized mainly because half the island are under a strange illusion if it’s not gated or has security guards it’s not safe . George Town is probably one of the safest towns in the world it just needs really great developers who love cayman and have the populations best interest at heart and not just dollar signs …..unfortunately this seems very hard to find .
Mr. Schilling was actually a developer before switching his focus to domaining. Many don’t know that.
Many don’t care.
That’s nonsense. He had briefly gone to film school and then was a salesman for an electronics company. His ex-wife’s family was in real estate.
A software developer?
Most cities in the world build higher than 20 stories but Cayman islands can’t and won’t. Try again after the recession and things will change.
The Cayman Islands geological structure AND Grand Cayman Infrastructure forbid construction of high-rise building. The islands are in a seismically and hurricane active zone as well. You can try, there is no local expertise to understand that, let alone building codes and enforcement, so go ahead and build, but keep Surfside FL. buildings collapse in mind.
The cost of building a 20 story high tower in Grand Cayman in FULL compliance with international building codes that include seismic, hurricane and fire safety, would be ASTRONOMICAL. The construction process in this case would involve monitoring and protection (extra cost$$$$) of all surrounding buildings, for vibrational waves from excavation, demolition, compaction and driving of piles and sheet piles would propagate in all directions and very far. Disobeying international codes and guidelines may harm and damage the surrounding structures.
Thus, any project should take into consideration the effect of vibration and the distance limit to reduce the effect of vibration from the construction site to the surrounding structures.
Oh don’t worry about all that. A few greased palms, some unwarranted concessions, some backroom horse trading, and all those pesky little requirements will be massaged into a construction plan that none of us can live with.
Well, except those that don’t have to suffer the consequences of such projects. For them, they can declare February 23 to be a holiday and call it Terminalia in honour of the Roman festival to the god of boundaries and wealth.
I hear he wants to ruin the Brac’s major swimming hole by putting a Mediterranean style marina complex in. Wait…this is the Caribbean. Leave it please, if you want to listen to the people like you say.
If anyone is on here targeting someone to get a haircut & button up their shirt, or defining them as a weirdo they really need to look at themselves and get a life. I’ll fully admit I’ll get on here and rage my perceived incompetence by Govt officials, rage at developers grotesque inconsideration for the environment, etc. but to tear someone down for their appearance, possible difference in mannerisms with nothing more than vitriolic spit ? – really dispiriting to have seen 😔
@ Anonymous 10/02/2022 at 11:16 pm “vitriolic spit”?! I don’t think so, some ribbing perhaps, but definitely not vitriolic.
All you need to know about this man and his ilk can be found on his gf’s insta page: https://www.instagram.com/lxlgroup/
These people don’t live like us, don’t think like us – it’s another world entirely. Happy to have him live here but seriously why do they all want to change everything about Cayman? And get haircut and button up your damn shirt for gawd sake. SMH.
You are absolutely right, I looked at the link and felt like throwing up. Rich people wanting to show the world their lifestyle, it is tasteless and has no class.
7:50 I rather have a Rich Man problem, than to have yours!
Mr Schilling please just be content with the millions you have, and stop chasing more riches. If you really want to give back, support some people in dire need (yes we have a lot).
Doesn’t DARAT already own the air parcels around Cayman?
20 storey building might prove problematic to mosquito control and the planes flight path; ability to spray.
Only the bridge, where the two road tunnels are on West Bay Road, that connects Camana Bay towards Royal Palms and by Burger King.
In fact, Unity-PPM government amended the Registered Law Act to provide for that change in the law. However, it is a inaccurate misconception, which I have heard many persons with recently, that Kenneth Dart owns rights to Cayman Islands’ air space. This is not correct.
Others own larger air parcels, fact.
If they don’t own the ground too, they are morons.
If everything is developed, say goodbye to mosquitos…
Only benefit really to overdevelopment 😀
Mosquitoes only need any standing water to breed.
Some of us didn’t see the benefit of the Cruise tourism. The benefit was that the crowds of people left after 4:00 pm. You didn’t make any money from Cruise tourism because you didn’t work or have a business involved. You were working in a office where you worked till 5pm. Perfect!! But it is inevitable that we have to go up or go into the Central Mangrove. You all are going to have to make up our minds. We don’t want the crowds, but can’t you see Development and Finance is all that’s going on? Does anyone have a great idea how we can make money when Banking is done? You want to work in a factory? Then where is the money coming from to keep civil service retirees going to come from? Think!! Don’t be jealous and envious
Too much coffee and not enough sense ..
Why would any one oppose 20 stories in land in gt? Could build lots of more affordable apartments which would then have sea/harbor views and affordable for residents and caymanians, whilst maximizing regeneration of open spaces. It makes perfect sense to go higher.
“Affordable” being used to describe anything in the Cayman Islands is absolute bollocks unless you belong to the 1%.
Based but true.
No, no, and NO! This “develop, develop, develop” and not for Caymanians philosophy will be the death of the beautiful island we now know and love. Who does Mr. Schilling want to develop for? Developers. . .duh!
Government needs millions a month to provide roads schools hospitals police service post office and so on…
Well sweetie, financial services and development is what provides that income to government, for you to live without paying income tax.
Get it.?
To be honest, no amount of “investment” is worth this level of cartel-like smothering, school yard bullying, mafia-style economic leverage tactics, and guerrilla warfare withholding of thanksgiving leftovers over our heads.
Nobody deserves to be treated like an animal, just because some self-righteous ego-centric narcissists throw bread crumbs at them and demands divine worship and praise in return.
We will gladly welcome and graciously accommodate anyone else that will treat locals like human beings, has at least two brain cells not consumed with endless greed and self-serving goals, and are competent enough to understand that their “almighty investments” actually can have detrimental, irreversible, and degrading environmental, economic, and cultural consequences as well.
Many locals don’t have the option to catch the first-class charters on the “victory lap” out, forget all about their misdeeds, and start some new life elsewhere when the fire gets too hot at the toes.
Respect is always a two-lane street. Now is the time to begin inflating the price on ours. Disrespect will no longer be tolerated for any price.
Schilling came to Cayman for tax benefits. We welcomed him in, allowed him to stay, gave him Cayman Status because he was a good citizen. For all of that, Schilling now gives Cayman the proverbial middle finger.
These plans are not to make Cayman better, they’re plans to make Schilling better.
Having money doesn’t allow you to dictate what GT needs or change building codes etc just so you can get richer. Oh wait. This is Cayman.
that man has done a lot of good for this Country. Watched him for 15 years.
LMAOOOO like what????? sell .coms?
PLease tell us what FRANK SCHILLING did for cayman? PLEASE tell us
A fair amount of stamp duty resulting from his costly divorce.
As far as this community is concerned Frank Schilling has given far more than he has or ever will receive. The man made the better part of a billion. Pennies of it here. He could spend the rest of his life chosing which yacht to waterski behind but he keeps putting himself out there because he seems to care about it here. I’ve never met anyone like him and I like him more than anyone I met here recently.
The 14,000 parking spaces seems a little high. Unless the “capital” means all of George Town.
The downtown area desperately needs public parking addressed.
Going up in theory is not a bad idea in urban areas, but to increase density without transit or parking infrastructure, can’t see how it works here.
No upzoning without a large and significant contribution to infrastructure and affordable housing. You want upzoning, then you need to contribute to Cayman to help out the people.
Ever heard of bonus densities?
Come on CIG. Take care of all the people not just the rich developers, political cronies and lodge members.
2:17 Where should CIG money come from to “Take care of the People”
There is a side of me that screams no, but also a side of me that understands why we need to go up.
Our land is limited and more of our natural “wetlands” are being swallowed up to build the next big townhouse development…… until it rains and then where is the water going to go? Into the lower lying houses (which I can guarantee are not the same places that took the mangrove spot!)
Going up but in a smaller footprint is a solution……. But one that we need full and very strict regulations on this first. Not something we can add and change to, depending on who the developers is!
E.g.s
the 7mb strip should not allow any future height changes on the west side of the 7mb road…… any massive towers need to be inland.
The fire regulations and suppression systems need to all be properly built to be highest specs.
Green Zones need to be proportional to the size of the building….. concrete jungles need real jungle around them!
Every other example used to compare Cayman to when it comes to these large ideas has one thing cayman doesn’t……. Space. Miami beach for example has probably 1500ft of open beach from a building to the sea…… we are lucky to have 100ft!
There is room for going up, providing it saves our current wetlands and we need to make sure that these regulations favor the future to all people here….. not just the “visitors”.
Infrastructure is our biggest problem here, and I doubt we shall see it ever being solved until we come to a solution that can work for everyone.
The conversation begins with “Not a snowballs chance in hell”, and the conversation ends with “Nah today bobo!!!”
such a knee jerk reaction. no logic there
Whoever sold out our website registry to this man made a lot of money. He in turn got richer to buy up Cayman. Which Caymanians were involved with the OffReg fiasco? The usual known ten percenters? Likely 30% by now.
Even the corrupt EU commissioners and central bankers say Cayman is corrupt.
No shit. We see it everyday
It’s called trickle down corruption.
Starts with Politicians who inspire senior civil servants and so on.
They are so self important that they think telling somebody, “it’s OK you don’t need a permit”, or “let me have the details and I’ll fix PR for you”, is within their power.
It’s not, and it’s called corruption.
are people going to be as upset at this or is the fake anger only reserved for anything dart does? lmao
other people have alot of money too.
Bermuda is a perfect example of the need to build higher….
oh wait….
Those like Schilling could see how easy it was to exploit the greed and shortsightedness of the locals. And somehow those same land owning locals managed to convince rest of the shortsighted locals that it was expats to blame!
Did Cayman schools ever teach History?
I’m asking you, the locals who vote this political class into power, election after election.
It’s not the ex pats who’s future plans are being destroyed, we can all move. This is your children’s children’s futures you are throwing away. Surely your not that dumb to realise you are being fooled? Please for gods sake, get a grip and take charge. Thousands of us moved from all over the world, hoping for paradise and community in your little island. We even moved our pets and children just to live with you, when we could have gone anywhere. Cayman is being destroyed, please stand up and say no. Enough is enough. Your future generations deserve better.
Very well said and agreed upon! I have lived here for 35 years and my partner is Caymanian. I see what all this horrible development is doing to the islands and its native population. It makes me sick to my stomach! Selling out for a few dollars during a short lifetime and not giving a damn about anybody else; especially those who were born here.
Underrated comment right here.
I have been saying this in my head for 30 years. I am sick of seeing what is happening here. But I CAN LEAVE!
If I were Caymanian (rather than driftwood) I would be in a pickle!
You’d still have a British passport and lots of place to go as a result.
Cayman going to sink with all that concrete weight coming on it
1:57 Your comment has been made by the Hundreds
” Once I am inside, You can now close the gate, to all Others”
It’s not for me, I’m leaving asap. Bitterly disappointed, good luck to the rest of you.
You can’t hardly get out of GT now after 5 pm on work days. Imagine the gridlock that will become of getting out of this self parking nightmare.
All that money and still can’t afford a proper haircut.
Also he should spend a little on buttons for his shirt front.
When you have the money you don’t need a proper haircut
– or buttons.
How much debris was hauled from the former Treasure Islands and The Watermark to The Dump ?
Did they pay by the truck? By the ton? By the Pound? Or they just disposed of it for Free for Caymanians to swallow the environmental cost, in $$ and health hazards?
Does Cayman even have demolition debris disposal regulations and established hefty fees?
This proposed construction would involve demolition as well and debris would be hauled to the Dump again? For Free?
When Enough is Enough? Should Canadian Truckers tell Caymanians what to do?
The higher you rise, the harder you fall. Cayman politicians should never forget this saying. “No one is spared from poverty and prison time” is another wise saying.