The Tribune

Sterling Global Financial's $250m Hurricane Hole redevelopment is "shaking off" the COVID-19 lockdown with a construction restart that has brought 75 Bahamians back to work.

The Paradise Island-based project has resumed with masks and social distancing added to normal construction industry safety protocols, as workers put in the hours to earn their first pay cheque for seven weeks.

"There's a lot of happy faces around here," said Star Construction manager, Greg van der riet, although he admitted that worker numbers were less than had been on the job prior to COVID-19. At peak activity, more than 100 workers were on site for the first phase, Sterling Commons, whereas that number has now dropped to between 40 and 75.

"The men are shaking off the lockdown, but they are also taking their time because they want to be cautious," Mr van der riet added. "For us, the main thing now is sanitation. We have new rules and measures in place. Everyone must have a mask, remain at least six feet from other workers. We have installed more hot water washing stations and we have a sanitation crew on duty all day.

"We're about 95% done on the exterior of the west building and nearly ready for the façade." Sterling Commons' easternmost structure is 70 percent completed. Together, the two structures, which feature retail and dining on the first level; professional office space on the second; and luxury residential units on the third, will overlook the Hurricane Hole marina that is also undergoing a multi-million dollar transformation.

"I'm happy to be back doing what I love," said Winston Bullard, a 15-year veteran carpenter and equipment operator. "I stayed home for a while and did a lot of projects, but I was glad when I got that phone call 'cuz I was runnin' out of projects and couldn't wait to get back."

"We are extremely grateful to the prime minister and those in government who paved the way for construction to re-start, understanding its importance to individuals in the industry and to the overall economic health of the country," said David Kosoy, Sterling's chairman. "We will do everything we can to maintain the new safety standards just as we were committed to industrial safety on all of our projects prior to COVID-19."

Among Sterling's projects in The Bahamas are THIRTY-SIX on Paradise Island; Beach House Villas on Paradise Island; Ocean Terraces on West Bay Street; Matt Lowe's Cay in Abaco; and the Sky Beach Resort in Eleuthera.