Kanantik Chronicle 2nd Quarter 2015

[Note contents have been rearranged from web version but contents are unaltered]
http://www.kanantikbelize.com/newsletters/2015/kanantik/chronicle2ndquarter-2015.html#
Developer's Introduction
Dear Kanantik Owners,
I am very excited and proud to present the inaugural edition of the Kanantik
Chronicle! Over the many years that I have been involved in real estate
development in Belize, one thing has always stood out to me, and that is how
passionate our owners are about the purchase of their very own slice of
paradise. They all wish they could be down in Belize more often, experiencing
the development and seeing first-hand the progress being made on the ground,
as it transforms into the lifestyle destination they had always dreamed of.
Unfortunately, the reality is that most won’t get down to Belize as often as
they’d like and as a result, we are keenly aware of the importance of progress
announcements which help keep owners involved, updated and excited to see
the project "come to life".
As many returning owners have already noticed upon their return to Kanantik,
they are met with the greeting “Welcome Home” by our friendly resort staff.
While we know it is not quite the same, the Chronicle will serve your need to
keep you connected to the project while you are away from “Home”. The
Chronicle will provide a thorough quarterly report on all activities related to
Kanantik Belize including development progress, resort operations, new
appointments to our team and general news about the exciting things
happening in Belize that will have a positive impact on your investment.
Speaking of exciting news about Belize, Southwest Airlines just announced that
flights are now available to be booked for travel to its newest destination Belize!! This is HUGE news for the country after its initial announcement last
year, of commencing service to Belize, as it shows that Belize is quickly
becoming a much sought after destination. This news, coupled with United
Airlines recently adding service from Chicago, as well as Delta and American
Airlines adding direct flights to Belize from Los Angeles, are very strong
indicators of the high demand and growth in the tourism sector for Belize.
Starting in late 2015 Norwegian Cruise Lines will also begin operations to Belize
having invested over US$100MM in an island, Harvest Caye, plus infrastructure
to build a port, just a few minutes off the coast of Placencia, which is the
nearest town south of Kanantik Belize. All of this news equates to hundreds of
thousands more visitors being introduced to Belize and the incredible lifestyle
that is available here, which will naturally create upward pressure on real
estate prices throughout the country, but specifically in our region of Belize.
Speaking of upward pressure on real estate prices, it seems Leonardo DiCaprio
will be assisting in the appreciation of your real estate as well. He recently
announced plans to develop his 100-acre island, Blacadore Caye, where he
plans on listing his properties on the island for $4-5MM each. Personally, I think
we should all go and buy movie tickets to all of Mr. DiCaprio’s upcoming movies
as a show of thanks for the work he is about to do in enlarging the profile of
Belize and in particular its real estate market - thanks Leo!
In terms of progress at Kanantik Belize, I am very pleased to announce that as
of the end of April, lead by our Tour Director Mario Navarrete and his
incredible team, we have achieved more than 220 sales since our first Kanantik
Belize tour in the beginning of September, 2014. To put that in perspective, in
just 8 short months, we have achieved what took Sanctuary Belize almost 3
years to accomplish. We are very proud of these numbers and based on the
tour volume that we have already generated for the remainder of 2015, that
number will only continue to increase. Our sales revenues, via down-payments
and monthly payments collected, will ultimately develop the project and with
encouragingly high sales numbers to date, we will be advancing the ball on
development progress much sooner than expected, while preserving the very
thing that is most important to our owners - security of their investment.
I would like to take this opportunity to explain why this is critically important.
It is because of the business model that we have elected to follow at Kanantik
Belize, similar to that which was implemented at Sanctuary Belize where the
revenues generated were then directed back into the development to replace
the need for conventional financing. Having pioneered the “zero debt” model
at Sanctuary Belize for many years, we often would have owners that would
express a desire to see the project moving more quickly. While this is
understandable, and while we would all like to see this, we simply can’t have it
both ways. We can’t have fast development with low risk. To explain further,
most developments take on a lot of debt (usually in the form of a construction
loan or line of credit) with a bank, to fund the construction of the project.
While this sees development move more quickly, it also raises the level of risk
for both the developer and the owners because that debt needs to be serviced
or repaid. When the debt payments can’t be met, the results can be disastrous.
This is why during the Global Financial Crisis you may have seen many projects
half finished, or worse, foreclosed on because those developers were unable to
meet their obligations to the bank. Trust me, we’d all like faster development,
but not at the cost of losing the project to foreclosure. Our model is very
important in protecting that interest for all owners and it is a model that we
have executed well for many years, and will continue to execute -because it
works!
Please try to keep this in mind as the project continues to evolve - and know
that we are always advancing the ball as fast as possible, with the resources we
have available. With large projects such as Kanantik Belize, (remember, this is
a 5,800 acre development) it will take several years to complete, and based on
our business model, development progress starts out slower and ramps up
considerably over time, as the receivables continue to build. Also, I would
encourage every owner to jump on a plane and head down to Kanantik to see
the progress first-hand as often as possible. What you’ll find is that there is a
lot of development activity that remains largely unseen, such as running
trenches for water lines or installing other underground infrastructure. As a
result, getting face-to-face with our development team with your "boots on the
ground" will always be tremendously helpful. I know when owners did this at
Sanctuary, they always came back reassured of how much was truly being
done.
In regards to development progress at Kanantik Belize, there has been plenty.
While we are still in "pre-development" in many areas, that pre-development is
beginning to translate into development on the ground. Our General Manager of
Development, George Mock, will have a more detailed piece later in the
Chronicle, however I will mention a few areas that we have been working on
recently:
First, our surveyor Rolando Rosado has been on the ground since late 2014 and
the first quadrant of Area C (approximately 200 lots) has now been fully
surveyed, as have the roads in that section. We decided on breaking up Area C
into four sections, so we would be in a position to transfer title much sooner to
those owners who wanted to start building sooner or simply wanted title after
paying the lot off in full. Because these sub-divisions are so large, I learned
from my time at Sanctuary Belize that it is better to break them up into
sections in order to have as many lots authenticated as quickly as possible and
that is what we are doing at Kanantik Belize.
Second, Frank Connelly has been diligently (broken leg and all) working on
securing a partnership with Sustainable Harvest International to program the
100 acres that we had allocated for an organic farm. This is a huge partnership
and Frank will go into more detail later in the Chronicle, but I wanted to
express my thanks to Frank for spearheading this initiative as it means so much
for all of us. This relationship will provide an incredible amenity to Kanantik as
owners will be able to source fresh, organic produce directly on-site. It also
sees us moving in a very positive way to have a direct and positive social
impact in our community. Local villagers will now have the chance to be
trained how to successfully program and run an organic farm, which will
provide many jobs for local Belizean families living right where we are. This is
part of a larger legacy project that I am 100% committed to via our
development and I will speak in more detail on this in future editions.
Lastly, we are extremely excited to announce that at the end of April, we
brought down a team of specialists to trial an organic and environmentally
friendly road product for our approximately 100 miles of roads within Kanantik.
The partners at Naturalcrete, Omer Tutmaz and S.K. Paul came, and together
with George Mock and our construction team, successfully completed a
“sample section” of the main road leading to the resort. You’ll read more
about this later in this edition, however for a sneak peak, click on the link so
you can watch this video.
We have an incredible project at Kanantik Belize with an array of amenities
that would make most other developments envious, including Belize’s first 18Hole Championship Golf Course, designed by Casey O’Callaghan, our 7.5 acre
Private Island, our 100 acre Organic Farm programed and operated by
Sustainable Harvest International, a Conde Nast Traveler Magazine, Award
Winning Beach Club - Kanantik Resort as well restaurants, bars and a host of
other amenities designed by Ken Ussenko including the new Airport Arrival
Terminal. We look forward to sharing progress on all of these things both here
in the Chronicle (see Ken’s feature at the end of this edition) as well as sending
out periodical updates vie email and social media with information, renderings
and progress photos on these things as they are developing.
I know this has been a lengthy introduction to the Chronicle, however we have
a lot of great information to share with you and I look forward to doing that in
future editions of the Chronicle as well. I sincerely hope this resource will
continue to keep you updated and encouraged, as we continue to execute on
our development plan and that it will help you stay connected and of course,
supportive of our efforts.
Let me take this opportunity to thank you all for choosing Kanantik Belize as
your tropical paradise and I want to reassure you that you have a world-class
team, dedicated and working hard, to transform this land into an incredible
destination that you’ll fall in love with many times over the journey of its
evolution.
I look forward to seeing you all in Belize sometime soon!
Cheers!
Luke Chadwick
Developer & Partner
Dawn of a New Community
Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Kanantik Chronicle where every
quarter we will report progress and describe the overarching vision of this
master planned community. At over nine square miles, Kanantik is a slice of
paradise nestled neatly between Maya Mountain sunsets and pristine Caribbean
mornings. Future editions of the Chronicle will examine the numerous
components of design and delivery of a land-ethic based community. The
Chronicle will also serve as the quarterly progress report and what’s in the
design and execution pipeline. Enjoy this issue, and look forward to many
more Chronicles to come! We’re also very cognizant of everyone’s want to stay
in touch, so we will be launching a news platform to allow our owners to keep
track of progress between editions in near real time using social media!
In this edition we’ll embark on the first of a two part series that takes an
inspirational look at our two signature amenities: the golf course and the farmto-table culinary district. The overall theme is the examination of “land ethic”
approach to development. Uncommon in terms of conservation, the land ethic
is a balanced approach to development, fundamentally based in economics,
that factors the value of natural capital resources and services. Readers may
find it odd to read about ecology in terms typically related to asset protection,
risk and investment. But it’s a new and necessary brand of thinking that
includes nature where it belongs, as a stakeholder in development. The
common questions are: what’s the true value of a perpetually clean glass of
drinking water; and should a tree’s value be measured only in board feet, or by
the length its shadow casts to reduce your home’s running cost under a summer
sun.
At the end of the day, the decision to purchase an acre in the tropics is largely
based on its ‘value’ as a paradisiacal destination. No argument there, right? So,
if history is a guide, conventional notions of development have proven the
potential to degrade the quality of a paradise. This erosion of nature and
thereby its functional services, damages the very thing that made the
investment valuable to being with. This fact is undeniable. Ask any urban
planner, and they will agree, well master planned communities -cognizant of
their impact metrics - are the key to sustainable living, local climate control
and maintaining the perpetual quality (ie. value) of the investment in the
community.
Planning from scratch an entire community like Kanantik, requires genuine
sustainability metrics imbedded in a master plan and best-practices roadmap.
Our Environmental Impact Assessment and the Government of Belize
Environmental Compliance Plan offers us guidance, but we as Developers – with
conscience - go far beyond by infusing social impact investment into our
communities. How many developers do that? We’ll be discussing those
programs in this and upcoming issues of the Chronicle. The design, delivery and
management of a master planned development such as Kanantik is designed to
mitigate impacts, that in a real way protects your investment through
maintaining the quality of the destination, its social fabric and its abundant
natural services. The reality is with Kanantik, you are not just purchasing a
piece of land in the tropics, you are investing in the maintenance of a paradise
that includes a healthy community and quality of life. That’s our commitment
to our owners and Belize.
The Principled Approach
As many of you may know, for the past two years I was the Sustainability
Director at our sister project Sanctuary Belize. At Kanantik, I’ve been given the
opportunity to blueprint from the start the same integrated approach of best
practices for ecology and environmental compliance, community scale adoption
of tech-appropriate energy and water systems, and all important positive
social-impact programs. All this is overlaid upon a world-class master plan that
encourages natural capital value, accounting, and positive social impact.
Therefore, my job security in this capacity has been thanks to a visionary
Developer, and the scores of owners who weekly express that sustainability
metrics are the major component in deciding to join this community.
Sustainability factoring is a proven value addition at Sanctuary Belize, and now
Kanantik presents a fresh platform to deliver a value-engineered proposition not just to purchase a piece of land, but to own a durable piece of paradise in
a community designed to protect the most important component of the
investment – the value of it remaining paradise. Far too many examples - in
Central America and around the tropical world - are testament to the loss of
value in a destination after its pristine nature has slowly been destroyed by
‘development’. In these cases, it’s on to the next destination deemed
‘paradise’, where the tourists soon flock, until the waters again are spoilt, air
polluted, traffic gridlocked, locals burdened with inflation, etc. In
juxtaposition, the sustainably planned community – completely self-sufficient
with impact ceilings a known quantity - can maintain its high quality of life and
description as a paradise, into perpetuity.
So, with even more experience as a guide and a world class team of
enlightened development professionals led by Luke Chadwick, Developer, Bob
McMahon, Master Planner, George Mock, General Manager, Casey O’Callaghan,
Golf Course Designer and Randy Navarro, Landscape Director we are deep in
the design phase for a Government approved, prescriptive roadmap that
delivers direction and meaning to an eco-sensitive town scale development.
Few places on earth can make such a claim.
Frank Connelly
Director of Sustainability
Visioneering Kanantik
Golf in the 21st Century: Back to the Future
Legend has it that the game of golf as we know it today started in Scotland on
sheep grazed heather links1 where shepherds passed their time hitting stones
with crooked walking sticks into gopher holes. The rolling tufted grasses upon
hill and dale, reeded pond, stony brook, briars, tree ridge and coastal sands
were all native hazards presented by nature. The first course was land that
eventually became managed as the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. The
character of which remains derived from its history and natural charm and
challenge.
Read more...
Partnership with
Sustainable Harvest
International
The Culinary Institute is the front end of an organic farm-to-table program that
will necessarily require a functional culinary farm. Kanantik has a part of its
master plan, a 120+ acre portion of the property that is ECP approved for the
installation of the culinary district and farm. Recently, we’ve been having
conversations with the very successful NGO Sustainable Harvest International to
commit the use of the property and install the necessary infrastructure to allow
it to be programmed by SHI using it’s proven five year phased approach.
A little bit of background. In Central America small hold farmers typically use
the slash-and-burn method, which requires new areas to be cleared each year
by burning the natural forest. Crops are planted and harvested for one year,
which depletes the land and requires farmers to burn a new area the next year.
Eventually, land becomes so depleted that crops can no longer be grown.
Farmers are forced to start over again in areas of virgin forest (often in
protected areas) or abandon farming altogether and relocate to already
congested urban areas where employment opportunities are scarce for those
with only practical education. With little margin for error and few learning
opportunities, farmers are hesitant to try new farming practices unless the
transition is done slowly, in conjunction with a trusted and reliable expert.
“In the face of these challenges, Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) has
directly or indirectly helped 100,000 rural poor people to become stewards of
our environment. Five elements make our approach successful: SHI provides
long-term assistance to ensure that changes take root; SHI selects communities
based on socioeconomic and environmental conditions; SHI operates as a lean
organization with low administrative overhead; SHI empowers individuals and
promotes cooperative sharing of knowledge and resources; and SHI builds
resilient communities that require minimal input from external sources.” –
Passports with Purpose, 2014
The mission of Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) is to provide farming
families in Central America with the training and tools to preserve our planet's
tropical forests while overcoming poverty. Sustainable Harvest International
(SHI) has worked with families in rural farming communities in Belize,
Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama since 1997. Using organic vegetable gardens,
wood-conserving stoves, biogas digesters and a host of other projects, SHI's
local field trainers work together with families, individuals and communities to
preserve our planet's tropical forests while overcoming poverty. Our five-phase
approach to solving the agricultural, ecological and economic problems of
Central America is innovative, hands-on and long-term. – Charity Navigator,
2015
The Backstory of Innovation
Interest in forming a relationship with SHI goes back more than a year. At SB
we programmed and up started a landscape design center that services the
developer’s need for material and soil and compost. A nascent food farm was
started but naturally scaled up to the needs of the “lunch table” which
provided the needs of 30-40 of the SB staff for breakfast and lunch 5 x per
week. The idea was that the project would scale into a Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) program once resident population began scaling over a 5-10
year period.
However, once I accepted the position at Kanantik that paradigm changed.
Foremost, the farm-to-table component is far more core to the development
model (the principle of the development is Luke Chadwick, who owns and
brands chains of high end restaurants in California). Further the development
has an existing and functioning resort that hosts 50-70 guests five days per
week, three meals per day. It also has an employee support staff of 30+ that
includes room and board.
So when the night came, when Luke and I found ourselves kicking back in the
breezeway at Kanantik over some scotch, his idea of the Kanantik Culinary
Institute and my organic farm CoOp was hatched up. Thank the Scots! As many
know, the development is geared to attract a demographic of U.S. and
Canadian full time residents who desire a residential vacation, second home or
retirement destination that is focused on health and wellness. I’m sure the
point needs no explanation, but the value of organic produce is a known
quantity in U.S., and is often the challenge of introducing organic farming
practices in developing countries. I ran into this in India and solved it through
innovative supply lines covering thousands of miles to be sold in the urban
value centers. Here at Kanantik, it’s an end-use paradigm, where the residents
are ‘coming to their farm’ to live a healthy lifestyle. To deliver this
proposition, we need a partner to deliver into perpetuity, the tech transfer of
integrated organic farming practices and the produce for end-users.
Therefore, this partnership is based on a long term scale up model that will
begin and serve the current needs of the resort and scale into a large
community economy that creates the equitable development metric inclusive
of the greater existing Belizean communities/ families.
General Manager’s
Notes from the Field
It’s with great pleasure that I assume the position of General Manager of
Development for the Kanantik Belize Residential – Golf – Resort project. I look
forward to leading the development operations team to build this incredible
new community set in a near ten square mile bio-diverse paradise. Each
quarter I endeavor to report real time notes from the field with all the latest
news of accomplishments, progress and near term plans.
So let’s get to it! Naturally, at this stage of the game the focus is on design,
civil engineering and the all important permitting and compliance reporting.
Nonetheless there have been some exciting in-the-field activities that relate to
these critical exercises. Here are a few:
1) In late April, all eighteen holes of the golf course were preliminarily GPS
surveyed. This is the first layer of information that will be imbedded in our
state-of-the-art geographic information system (GIS) software package that will
tech-enable us to work smarter and more efficiently. Center-points were
recorded and color staked at the tee boxes (red) , turns of the fairways (blue)
and greens (green). The fairway boundaries were defined by white stakes and
enabled one to visualize the course and path of the fairway. Thanks to
Landscape Director Randy Navarro and Victor Gonzales’ woodshop team, we
supplied the surveyors with hundreds of hand made painted pole rather than
sourcing costly PVC. The scope of work was done on-time and on-budget by
local GPS surveyor Kenneth Fairweather just in time for a visit by our golf
course designer, Casey Callahan. GPS and staking enabled Casey to walk the
entire course and make ‘real-time real-world’ adjustments to the CAD plan.
Like an artist with a thousand acre field as his canvas, Casey made final design
adjustments taking into account all the existing trees, sensitive areas and
native landscape. Now done (and it looks awesome by the way) Casey can
calibrate the drawings for final quantity measurements and complete the
preliminary scope of excavation plan. Casey’s final set of plans will combine all
his design, AutoCAD, Lidar topographical data, clearing & shaping plans,
excavation calculations, drainage-irrigation-landscaping plans and when
coupled with Frank’s best management practices gleaned from Audubon
International, it will embody a first rate, world class, submission to the
Government of Belize for approval.
2) We took advantage of Casey’s visit to Kanantik, and brought together all the
members of the development team for a multi-day design charet. In
attendance was: Luke Chadwick, Principle, Kenneth Ussenko, our Kanantik
Architect, Bob McMahon, the Land Planner/Landscape Architect, Frank and I to
discuss the conceptual design of the club house, spa, and associated amenities.
Ken also unveiled the conceptual designs of the Airstrip Welcome
Center/Development Office along with an over water Rumbar restaurant.
Consensus on these concepts - and their finalization by the development team is the first and a crucial step forward in the development process. Currently
our time as a team is devoted full time to developing the conceptual design of
each amenity and analyzing the conceptual design in terms of engineering,
constructability, sourcing materials, cost, schedule, permitting, environmental
compliance, material and contractor bidding.
3) Meanwhile, and by far the biggest news (fundamental to any residential
development) is our star Belizean surveyor Rolando Rosado who will complete
the survey of lots 1-150 in the next 2 weeks. Landscape director Randy Navarro
and his team are now busy preparing the lot numbers to be posted at each lot
and the road stakes will be color-coded for easy identification for folks coming
down to do a walkabout. It ain’t over yet for Mr. Rosado – his survey and notes
must be submitted to Lands Department for review and “authentication” and
only after which time will we be able to put a shovel in the dirt for roads. In
the interest of cost and the season, Mr. Rosado will immediately be moving
onto his next contract with us for lots 151 to 300. The same process will
govern, and after all is authenticated and civil engineering complete, will we
contemplate the schedule for pushing roads. This requires patience folks – it’s
coming, but method and planning proves time and again that when we plan
once, we do once, and spend once. It’s our commitment to you the owners to
take the time to do it right from the start.
4) But that doesn’t mean where not thinking and planning for roads! In a bold
R&D move, the development team completed the installation of a road test on
the existing Kanantik main road. Abe Froese and his West End Enterprise team
were brought in to do the work on the designated 600 foot test road. The
process included the use of a revolutionary product, Natural Crete which is a
complex non-bacterial, concentrated and organic multi-enzymatic formulation
formulated for sub base stabilization, using existing native clay in road
construction. Natural Crete is produced through enzyme-induced fermentation
of natural sugars and natural plants. Natural Crete is 100% natural and
environmentally safe, can be installed using available tech and personnel in
Belize, and bonds with the native clay we have available right under our feet.
That all makes your Sustainability Director a very happy dude. Natural Crete
appears cost effective alternative to the standard 8” of crushed rock base
layer, is low maintenance, long life, increases the load-bearing capacity of the
soil, is intended to reduce dust and erosion, and reduces the plasticity and
permeability.
This potential cost and schedule savings made the development team curious
enough to try it. This R&D project has been playing out behind the scenes for
months starting with the delivery of soil samples from Belize to Natural Crete’s
laboratory in California. Turns out Belizean clay bonds very well with Natural
Crete. So much so that the company principles, S.K. ‘Paul’ Tejpaul and Omer
Tutmaz, came to Kanantik to personally oversee the application.
We intend to make a poly-test case by dividing the test road into four
categories:
1) 150’ natural clay road, crowned, graded and rolled;
2) 150’ natural clay road, chip-sealed;
3) 150’ Natural Crete treated road, chip-sealed
4) 150’ road treated with Natural Crete, not chip-sealed. We are hopeful for
good results and can monitor the performance of the product over the rainy
season. Time will tell! Stay tuned for progress reports!
5) With the land plan, street and lot layouts for sections B and C near 100%
complete, we are preparing the scope of work and tender documents to the bid
out the civil engineering of both sections. Deliverables will include the road
design, drainage plan, civil infrastructure, conceptual grading and utility
designs to detect any site restraints to establish accurate grading/site cost
estimates along with final grading plans to start the main road construction.
Conceptual engineering is a keystone to a successful project in many ways.
Every project great or small involves analyzing the various design opportunities
in terms of schedule, cost, manpower, contracting abilities, procurement and
efficiency. With a town-scale project like Kanantik, I relish the opportunity to
produce for us all a concept and execution plan based on efficiency,
performance and appropriate technology. We’re building a rare gem of a city
between marine and mountain paradise. Existing Belizean communities must
likewise be benefactors through job creation and increased quality of local
services and goods. Kanantik makes for the great opportunity we’ve all
invested and comes with great responsibility and therefore requires careful
planning and execution. That’s my commitment and the commitment of this
world-class development team. Let’s enjoy the journey together. I look
forward to being your portal for information, to let you know what’s happening
as its happening.
Iris' Resort Report!
With the New Year bringing lots of activity for the sales and development of
Kanantik, it’s important that we keep the resort in top condition for our
returning and future owners. We are taking onboard all of your comments and
suggestions and making some renovations and upgrades to keep our beach front
paradise beautiful.
The Cabanas:
I believe everyone’s first impression of Kanantik starts with our famous
beachfront cabanas. If you haven’t visited recently, next time you come you’ll
find some refreshing changes! Foremost, we have re-thatched all the cabana
roofing. It took a team of professional thatcher’s, led by Mr. Choc and his 11member crew from Santa Cruz, plus approximately 8000 bay palm leaves per
each of the 25 cabanas – 200,000 in total! We also gave the exteriors a fresh
coat of paint and are currently refreshing the inside. And so, with a “new hat
and fresh sunscreen”, not only do all the cabanas look great, but they’re ready
for a few more years of beach-front life!
Guests have commented, “You lose the ocean view and the wonderful
Caribbean breeze due to the double wooden door configuration”. To prove your
feedback is valuable, we are taking your suggestion of installing double glass
doors. This means that when the AC is on, you can enjoy a view of the beach
through the front door – and when that fresh breeze is what you want, the glass
doors can be opened and the additional screen door will keep you bug-free. It’s
like a whole new cabana experience! The woodshop has successfully prototyped
a hardwood frame double glass door with a framed screen door. They will soon
be going into production mode to make and install these on each cabana.
We have new hardwood curtain rods and tiebacks – also made by the woodshop
– that are both functional and aesthetic, with curtains that will give better
privacy and light cutting than the existing bamboo blinds.
Dining and Bar Area:
Like the cabanas, the massive conical roof of the bar and dining room has also
been completely re-thatched by our professional thatch team. The whole place
looks fresh and luxurious. The woodshop was working overtime creating all new
dining room furnishings from mahogany wood, creating more comfort than the
previous furniture without losing the warm beauty of Belizean wood. Large
paddle fans gracefully turn overhead creating a certain charm in the evenings.
Lets not forget our Kanantik Team:
Keeping Kanantik Resort running so smoothly and effortlessly takes a village.
Our young and energetic Belizean team deserves the best, and the first step in
a complete upgrading of the staff quarters and amenities is underway. Recently
we had our “moving day” for the staff kitchen and dining area, that was
originally located in the interior of the housing structure. All were excited to
relocate to the brand new breezy and expanded staff kitchen and dining area.
It now affords the kitchen staff and diners a light and bright, open fresh-air
screened location to enjoy their meals and each other’s company. Built by our
in-house carpenters, electricians and maintenance crews, it’s a lovely and
functional part of the Kanantik upgrade plan.
Our Kanantik family is growing:
Chef Giovanni Larios has joined us from the Placencia Hotel with thirteen years
of experience.
Boat Captain Cesar Trapp who recently relocated from San Pedro
Wilbert Supaul, Head Electrician from the neighboring town of Santa Rosa
Most recently we welcomed two newborns. Ms. Macrina Choc, Sous Chef gave
birth to a beautiful girl, 8lb. 13 oz., named Catalea and Ms. Joanna Santos,
Housekeeping Supervisor gave birth to a boy named Kian Jaziel, 8lbs.
We will soon be welcoming the birth of another baby boy, parents Berta
Humes, FOH Supervisor & Angel Peck, Grounds Supervisor.
Our hats go off to our most recent list of promotions:
Louise “Ms. Lou” Diego - Assistant Manger
Blanca Manzanero - Main Kitchen Supervisor
Angel Peck - Grounds Supervisor
Berta Humes - FOH Supervisor
Rodney Howe - Bartender/Asst. FOH Supervisor
Victor Gonzalez - Carpentry Supervisor
Airstrip:
Good news! The Belize Aviation Authority has just renewed the registration to
the Kanantik Airstrip for another year. This annual requirement requires a
physical inspection of the airstrip’s condition and the maintenance of the
surrounding apron. We’ve passed, which means the convenience of landing on
the strip via Maya Island Air remains a valued addition that’s hard to imagine us
without and an addition that really sets us as a development destination apart
from the rest. Just one more instance of the unseen operations to keep our
favorite jungle lodge running smooth and comfortably for you our guests!
Iris
Resort Manager
Owner’s Concierge
Hello Kanantik Belize Owners!
It is my pleasure to introduce myself and announce my appointment as the
Director of Client Relations for the incredible development community of
Kanantik Belize. In this role I will liaise with all property owners, builders, and
stakeholders in the development, providing answers to specific questions
regarding ownership, development, and the progress at Kanantik Belize.
Essentially, I will be your prime point of contact when you have questions or
would like to know information regarding the development!
In addition to being your primary contact, within each newsletter I will be
focusing on two things. Firstly, I will be addressing trending questions so that
all owners can benefit from the information provided, and secondly, we will be
sharing the spotlight with you, our owners. In an effort to encourage
community and to allow you to “meet” one another each month, we will be
choosing an owner to get to know. We’ll find out where you are from, why you
ultimately chose Kanantik Belize for your destination in paradise and a little
about you. A fun way to kick-start neighbors becoming just that!
I look forward to working with you all, and can be reached by email,
sandi@kanantikbelize.com or by phone at (949) 334-9138.
Sandi Kuhns
Director of Client Relations
Development Feature
Ken Ussenko
Each month we’ll give you a sneak peak into the work of one of our creative
geniuses from the Development Team and specifically what they have been
working on most recently. We have an incredibly talented team of professionals
and are excited to showcase each month their hard work.
This month we bring you “Rum Bar” designed by Ken Ussenko, which is his take
on a Caribbean Rum Bar & Distillery combined with a Cuban Cigar Lounge. Rum
Bar will be built over the water at the end of the existing dock at Kanantik.
Eventually the dock will undergo some remodeling to lengthen it and widen it
at the end, and it will feature this incredibly well designed
restaurant/bar/cigar lounge.
We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to taste some of the delicious
Belizean rum creations that will come to life at “Rum Bar”!