The Jamintel building, located at the corner of North and Duke streets, Kingston. - File photos

PLANS BY the National Housing Trust (NHT) to sell the Jamintel building have been put on hold, a spokesperson for the company said last week.

Sophia Lewis, the NHT's communications coordinator, said administrators were contemplating what to do with the building, which is located at the intersection of North and Duke streets in downtown Kingston.

Sale plans on hold

"The plans to sell have been put on hold pending the board of directors' decision as to its use," Lewis said in an email response to The Gleaner.

In January, NHT's managing director Earl Samuels announced the company's intention to sell the seven-storey, 65,000-square foot building which it purchased from Cable and Wireless in 2005.

The NHT, under terms of the purchase, agreed to swop the Jamintel site for land at 101-105 Old Hope Road where the office of the police commissioner is located.

Back burner

One year earlier, then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson said the Jamintel building was one of four locations earmarked for the new Jamaica Constabulary Force headquarters.

Those plans were also put on the back burner after reports of security concerns by senior members of the JCF. The Jamintel building was bought by Cable and Wireless in the early 1990s.

A report in The Gleaner last year said real estate company Century 21 Heave-Ho Properties had priced the building at $86.34 million.