Local developer Eric Tillett and his partners in West Indies Investment Partners have been busy making real estate deals across St. John.
In addition to buying the old Oscars Tropical Bar building, Tillett and his partners are also purchasing Voyages de St. Jan in Coral Bay as well as a lot behind the restaurant and 18 acres of land in Privateer Bay on the East End.
Voyages will remain a restaurant with the same name but the developers are planning renovations to the building and will sell the two second floor apartments as condominiums, according to Tillett.
We will still have a restaurant there, albeit a smaller one, and there will be some retail space on the ground floor, Tillett said. The top floor apartments will be sold as condos.
West Indies Investment Partners plans to construct a building on the half-acre lot behind the Coral Bay waterfront restaurant that will house retail space and two more condos, Tillett continued.
Although the deal has not closed yet, Tillett said the plans are definite.
Were hoping to close in a month or so, but we are committed at this point, said the local developer. We are definitely following our plans.
Tillett and his partners have also recently purchased 18 acres of land on the East End.
The 18 acres that we just closed on is part of the Privateer Bay Association, but was a chunk of land that had not been subdivided yet, said Tillett. We plan to put in a road, underground electric and subdivide the land into half-acre lots for sale.
Although he wouldnt name a projected price for the subdivisions, Tillett said the land would be expensive because of the areas beauty and secluded location.
Wine and Dessert Bar Opening Soon
Tilletts other enterprise, a wine and dessert bar on the ground floor of the old Oscars building which will be named Infusion, should open in November.
The tile is all laid and the trailer is heading down now, so I would say that if all goes well well open in the middle of November, said the local developer. One way or another, it will be open by Christmas, if I have to get in there and put it up myself.