Building and Supporting Communities
Two partners, Ken Thompson and Paul Pearson. Fifteen years in business. Six residential developments. $600,000 in donations annually. This is Davenport Development.
Words by Natasha Were. Renders by The Electric Drawing Board.
In 2006 Davenport Development’s founders, Paul Pearson and Ken Thompson made their first foray into property development with
Valencia Heights. They had a clear vision and plenty of enthusiasm – but relatively little experience. However, their ability to understand and deliver what Cayman residents wanted stood them in good stead then and continues to do so today.
“From the outset, we saw that we could make housing more affordable if the footprint were smaller,” Paul explains.
“But we wanted to do more than build condos – we wanted to offer residents a whole lifestyle.”
The communities location is always carefully chosen for commuters’ convenience; energy-efficient, hurricane-rated construction is a priority and gated for security and peace of mind. But it is the exceptional, resort-like facilities – tennis courts, gyms, landscaped gardens and spectacular pools – that have become the hallmark of a Davenport development.
Pandemic Pressures
This winning combination of affordability and luxury amenities has proved enduringly popular, with developments frequently selling out pre-construction. But that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t weathered tough times.
Over the past year, the effects of the pandemic have hit the construction industry in Cayman hard. First, there was
the 10-week lockdown, which caused building project delays, in turn obliging the company to extend its bank loans and insurance policies.
Additionally, the global disruption to shipping has delayed the arrival of materials by up to three months, while shipping
costs have soared. And because
Davenport Development had already sold the properties they were building, the company
had to absorb these additional costs. In total, the company estimates Covid to have cost them over $600,000.
Arvia, a collection of canal-front condos at Grand Harbour, is now scheduled for completion in June 2021. The South Sound community of
Bahia is on schedule for completion in December 2022.
Sharing their Success
Despite the difficulties, business partners Ken and Paul have not lost sight of their relative good fortune, nor their philosophy that with success comes an obligation to give back.
Paul acknowledges that in the early days, sponsoring fundraisers was good PR and put the company name in front of the people they hoped would one day become clients. But as their reputation has grown, they have shifted the focus to help where most needed and for the two business partners that tends to be the organisations and charities working in health, education and family affairs.
SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
Davenport Development Ltd’s donations include:
• Sponsor children’s lunches for the St George’s Positive Intervention Now programme
The list goes on.
“It’s about being a good corporate citizen,” Paul says. “There are no tax advantages to making charitable donations in Cayman, but we have a duty and a responsibility to help if we can.”
When the business partners hear stories of children going hungry or people in need, it strengthens their resolve to support their community.
“In a place like Cayman, where we have one of the highest per capita incomes in the region, if not the world, that should not be happening,” Paul says. “We can do better. We all need to do better.”
For more information contact:
Call: 345.949.4979
Email: info@davenport.ky