Construction is continuing on the multi-million dollar mansion being built at Bathsheba, St Joseph.
Last month, work resumed on the project and the owner, American Michael Anders, met with students of the Barbados Community College on site to speak to them about what was involved in the construction process and how he intended to preserve the natural and picturesque landscape in the area.
The students also interacted with his management team which included experts in all areas of construction.
Construction of the mansion began in 2024 amidst protests that it was another project being built in a protected zone and directly where the famed Soup Bowl surfing event takes place.
However, five months later, construction came to a halt and all of the heavy-duty equipment was removed. At that time, some residents expressed concern about the state of the road and the area in general.
Yesterday, Joy-Ann Haigh, communications specialist for the project, said work was continuing.
“Workers are in the process of conducting maintenance of the existing steel work which were exposed to the elements,” she said, adding that the Ministry of Transport and Works had also executed repairs to the road, which was affected by the multiple construction projects taking place in the area.
She said Sanders and his team met with the students because he was passionate about young Barbadians being able to learn what was involved in every aspect of the construction process and also imparting such knowledge.
Diversity
“Mr Anders is very much about diversity and he is very much about inclusion, especially in Barbados, where his project is. He has several Barbadians working on the project along with his team from overseas,” she said.
“He was very happy to meet with and engage the young people.”
The developer told the students that he did not intend the house to be ostentatious but to preserve the natural beauty of the area and it would not block the existing sea views.
“I am really proud to say that it was really important to me because I felt like I didn’t want to be that American who comes down to your amazing country with amazing people and use talent from the US people that I knew and trusted and then sort of leave it like that.
“I’ve had the wonderful privilege of spending five or six years in your country. I’ve got the chance to meet lots of people . . . and for me, I’ve fallen in love with this country and there were just a few things that were important to me,” he said, citing preserving the views and constructing an ecofriendly home.
Authentic
“As you’re driving down to the top of the hill, you won’t see this huge thing . . . . For me, what mattered most was building something which was authentic, building something that was discreet and would not be an eyesore.”
Pointing out that he loved to surf, Anders told the group that building in front of the Soup Bowl “was a dream to me but I didn’t want to be sitting out there and seeing some awful looking big house. I wanted something that would blend into the land.” (MB)
