Demolition of old-time houses causes public outcry

| 09/08/2022 | 191 Comments
Demolition of old Caymanian houses August 2022

(CNS): The sudden demolition of two historic Caymanian homes on the waterfront in George Town over the weekend stunned the community and lit up social media. Both houses were built in the 1930s and are listed on the Nationals Trust’s Heritage Register. Benny Bodden’s House, which was recently home to Da Fish Shack restaurant, and Ainsley Bodden’s House, both on North Church Street, were bulldozed on Sunday to make way for a new commercial development.

According to planning documents from November 2016, JIL Construction Ltd was granted planning permission to build a commercial building at the site, which will include retail stores and two restaurants with decks extending to the ironshore, despite being too close to the ocean.

The proposed development was refused planning permission by the Central Planning Authority in September of that year because the plans didn’t meet the minimum high water mark setback requirement and there was insufficient parking. The application indicated that the two historic buildings on the site would be relocated.

The application went back before the CPA in November 2016, when Carolyn Johnson, Ian Kirkham and architect Rob Johnson appeared before the panel and presented slightly revised plans. Although they still didn’t meet the high water mark setback, the new plans included additional offsite parking and the project was given the green light.

But for a long time nothing happened. Signs were reportedly posted at the site several years ago about a potential new development and CNS understands that no objections have ever been raised. While we have been unable to confirm the timeline of the project, there is some indication it had been due to start in 2020 but was delayed by the pandemic.

News last month that Da Fish Shack had closed was the first indication that the project could be back on track. The owners of that restaurant reluctantly closed down after they were told that they must vacate the premises by 31 July.

It is not clear if the project ever went back before the CPA for further modifications in the intervening years or if other changes are planned with a new application, but it seems that planning permission granted more than six years ago is in effect until November of this year.

On Saturday, messages and videos of the demolition were shared hundreds of times on social media platforms and messaging services, and many expressed shock at the speed with which it happened. Two buildings that were around 90 years old were lost in a matter of hours without any notification of the planned destruction, which fuelled calls for demonstrations among some local activists, as people said how powerless they felt in the face of the continued loss of heritage for commercial development.

It is not clear if the National Trust was given the option to preserve any elements of the two traditional buildings, which instead of being moved were crushed and taken to the dump, regardless of their historical significance. CNS has contacted the Trust and we are awaiting a response. However, it seems the non-profit was likely aware of the pending destruction as Ian Kirkham, one of the representatives for the developer, is a member of the National Trust Council. He is also on Planning Minister Jay Ebanks’ local district council in North Side.

The Trust formally established a Historic Preservation Fund in January specifically for donors to directly support the preservation, protection and promotion of Cayman’s built heritage throughout the Cayman Islands. There are no laws in Cayman or grade listings to protect old buildings. Hundreds of traditional homes and buildings remain under threat but buying and maintaining them can be costly.

When the new fund was launched, Trust Executive Director Annick Jackman said, “It is of the greatest importance that efforts are made to reach out to the public for assistance at this time, as Cayman’s culture and heritage have never been so at risk by the rapid pace of development and a deficit of general knowledge around the area of Cayman built heritage.”

Recently, a cottage that is more than a century old was moved from the site of Foster’s supermarket in West Bay. While there had been discussions about the grocery store owners being required to maintain the old home at its site, they were given planning permission for a proposed expansion on the grounds and the cottage was moved.

Work on that began last month and the oldest part of the property is expected to be taken to Frank Sound, where a traditional home enthusiast will be working to restore the old-time house.

See the minutes of the CPA’s meetings in the CNS Library
(scroll down to JIL Construction)


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Category: development, Local News

Comments (191)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    The Trust needs to explain if they were made aware of this destruction prior to it happening. Or Mr Kirkham needs to explain to the Trust and it’s members why he didn’t inform them if this was the case. He is soneone who supposedly cares for the environment, clearly feels less passionate about Caymans built heritage, in which case he should NOT be sitting on Trust Council. Disgrace!

  2. NWisdom says:

    There is good news on the horizon. Due to public interest in preservation the Minister of Hapiness is seeking a preservation order on the Glasshouse. On contacting him he said that it represented a true Architectural masterpiece and the building should be preserved forever as a tribute to Cayman heritage.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Don’t worry Donald Trump coming build several condos and hotels. He going buy up tons land.

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    • Anonymous says:

      What a great idea. Let’s get The Donald to redo Nicole the Trump Corporation in Cayman and give him status. He can renounce his US citizenship and no longer be troubled by all those pesky IRS demands for tax returns and investigations but to how honest they are. And we get some competition for Ken.

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  4. EC Bodden’s ghost says:

    These folks have never ever cared about Cayman only about what they can get out of Cayman.The very dubious land deals on North church street over years which has put many of them in ownership of historical properties would make you cringe!

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    • Anonymous says:

      The problem is something like this: For example, Vallee, Clearcy, and Benny Bodden all have descendants still residing in the Cayman Islands and the USA today. But yet their properties have been sold to foreign ownership, some many moons ago. So if the Caymanian families have no interest in understanding the value of these properties and keeping them in the family, and the great significance they have to the Cayman Islands historically, what can common citizens do with regard to these affairs?

      I can’t buy what you won’t sell.

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    • KWilliams says:

      And your evidence is where?

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Ha ha ha…billionaires….politicians and resta world laughing at us… all i can do is laugh too….ha ha ha ha…

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  6. Anonymous says:

    USA has protection from houses in the 1800-1900, you can not tear them down.
    We cayman should have some protection or relocation program.
    Anyone who says this isn’t Cayman culture, is deluded.
    Maybe you haven’t seen old Cayman with dirt roads and rocks as walls.
    That is culture, this is our culture, and it should be protected for Caymanians.

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  7. The only culture is the mold in my closet says:

    Only in a place where a normal basic road was argued in court to have cultural significance could these shacks be considered historic. Like the WB Road legal fight, this smacks more of envy of the complainers than anything close to cultural vandalism.

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    • Kim says:

      HOW RUDE!!! Waddle and Daub construction has historical value as does Cayman’s culturally historical buildings. How do you go to someone’s country and say they have no culture? So unbelievable. Everywhere has culture whether you recognize and respect it is a totally different issue.

      I know those of us who have seen the culture diluted and torn down over the last couple decades can surely now see how strong Cayman culture was at one time.

      And there is a method of care of old buildings… maybe you’ve heard of it. It’s called restoration!!! Our old Cayman houses wouldn’t be the first of old buildings to have mold. These buildings were on the waterfront and that were built by people you say have no culture… yet they knew how to build homes that could withstand the brut force of hurricanes and allowed airflow that helped keep the house cool before air conditioners were a thing.

      The ignorance and disrespect is so pervasive that the only culture you build with comments like this is one of hate.

      https://www.permaculturenews.org/2017/09/25/wattle-daub-quick-easy-seismic-resistant-natural-building-option/

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      • SJames says:

        No Waddle and Daub on the two houses. What are you talking about?
        Why did the Cayman owners not reach out for thecNattional Trust and other to acquire the buildings. I will tell you why. They wanted money , the same commodity the developers are being accused of. This is somewhat paradoxical if you understand the word.
        Had you bothered to do any research you would have established that the Caymanian owners abandoned their alleged homes leaving them for vagabonds to live there. They made no effort to contact the National Trust.
        It is important to understand the facts , something you have failed to accomplish.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Yes, such as the fact that Ian Kirkham is on the Trust board.

          Reading is your friend.

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          • SJames says:

            Did you take English lessons at school.

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            • Grammar Police Academy 6 : The colon conspiracy says:

              7.07’s English was fine. If you want to try to play the grammar police, then you might want to end questions with question marks. Your knowledge of English seems to be on a par with your knowledge of architectural history.

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      • HJaques says:

        I just love the Jack Webb blogg. Just give us the facts. Kim do you have any?
        Please share.

      • Truth Hurtz says:

        This comment seems to prove the ‘no culture’ point quite effectively. And it is ‘wattle and daub’, a term which you do not know and which in any event has absolutely nothing to do with the shacks in question. But it does show the extent of your education in architectural history such that your opinion is little more than the hot wind blowing through the open windows.

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      • Anonymous says:

        It’s WATTLE in any case.

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  8. Dock Green says:

    “All we want are the fact ma’am.” These are the words used by Jack Webb in the crime series ‘Dragnet’. in reviewing the article and responses clearly there is little evidence of facts.
    Certainly the National Trust should have responded as they were contacted by the developer at the time of the planning application.
    I guess we will never know the ‘facts’ and therefore not in a position to judge.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Lets hope they do the same with the Boggy Sand building that is causing the 7 mile beach erosion.

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