The dip in Jamaica's economy and the world's has been evident for a while now, and in no more obvious industries than construction.

Even the biggest players, usually the last to feel the pinch, are hurting.

Kenneth 'Skeng Don' Black, head of Black Brothers Incorporated Limited, has also had to tighten his belt, putting housing projects on hold.

He has had to put the brakes on one plan in his Mandeville, Manchester hometown and in St Catherine.

The two-year hiatus affecting the Greenvale Road, Manchester development has prompted a probe by the Real Estate Board, the government-appointed regulatory body for the industry.

Larger development

But Black's lawyer, Alton Morgan, says for about two years, his client has parked the 74-unit Manchester project to concentrate on the larger development in St Catherine.

While Morgan said the project was conceptualised from as far back as 2002, the Real Estate Board's website lists the development as having been registered in November last year.

The board has been asking persons who made deposits to Black Brothers for houses in the stalled development to report the matter.

"No work has been in progress for the past two or three years now," a Real Estate Board spokesperson had said, suggesting that the time lapse was of concern.

But according to Morgan, no money was collected from prospective homeowners in relation to the project.

Few takers

"It stopped some two years ago because they (the developers) were also doing a development in Spanish Town and they decided to concentrate their efforts on the one in Spanish Town."

Morgan said Black Brothers had constructed 22 houses at the Mandeville location but none was sold. He added that Black Brothers was now in discussion with another developer to sell the unfinished development.

Meanwhile, Black's other project known as the Spanish Village on St Johns Road, St Catherine, has also hit a snag. The project, located on about 100 acres of land, is listed by the Real Estate Board as a 481-home and 10-lot development. But constrained by few takers, only 30 units have been completed.

Slow response

"We don't know (when it is going to be completed) because of the economic climate," Morgan said of the development, which has been on the market since 2004.

"It is going to go ahead, I am told, on the basis of build on demand. Each of the lots in phase one has a title. As buyers come along, if they provide the money as a guarantee of payment on the land, the house will be put up."

Morgan said 170 titles are now available, but conceded that the response to the development from the market had been slow. "Yes it is slow because of uncertainty and high interest cost. The demand is still there, but it is not active demand," Morgan said.

The units, chiefly two bedroom houses, were put on the market in 2004 for between $3.9 million and $4.8 million. Morgan said it would now cost in the region of $7.5 million or more to acquire one of the units.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com