Inquiries for luxury villas from West, West Asia
View(s):Two weeks into its launching, Catalina, the first-ever luxury independent living for senior citizens has had inquiries from Sri Lankans residing in Australia, UK, Canada and West East.
“This is essentially because for the over 55-year range of individuals’ horizontal living is more popular than vertical ones such as apartments,” said Jeevan William, Managing Director Catalina holding company, Granite Capital (Pvt) Ltd. to the Business Times on the sidelines of a media conference to announce this project on Tuesday.
“Most of these people are trying to ‘downsize’ in terms of living a simple and a meaningful life,” he added. He said the company is eyeing similar projects around the country.
Granite Capital (Pvt) Ltd. Chairman, Brand West, observed “Independent living communities are well-established in North America, Europe and Australia. Within Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, too, have very successfully catered to the growing demand for affordable, luxury accommodations for affluent, mature clients. Sri Lanka is set to join this group given our combination of culture, lower cost of living, reasonable real estate prices, tropical weather, and picturesque surroundings. Catalina will provide customized luxury villas for discerning, affluent buyers who wish to have a retirement or second home in a peaceful setting surrounded by like-minded neighbours.” Mr. Williams added that Catalina fills the gap in Sri Lanka for purpose-built senior independent living featuring facilities normally found only in top-class resorts.
The villas come in two layouts and a range of different finishes. Every villa features two air-conditioned bedrooms, a utility or service staff room (which can be converted into a third bedroom), solar-powered hot water, a European fitted pantry, fitted wardrobes, and full Internet and cable TV connectivity. It provides 24-hour security services including CCTV and alarm systems, backup generator power, and emergency call buttons for every villa. Landscape designer Laki Senanayake has designed landscaped gardens tailored to each villa, and these will be maintained by Catalina’s in-house landscaping team.
The Catalina story is a unique one, according to Mr. Williams.
“Koggala lake was once the longest non-stop flight in the world, the ‘Double Sunrise flight’, a 5,652KM journey that took around 30 hours of highly dangerous flying across the Indian Ocean from Perth in Western Australia. During the Second World War, Catalina flying boats were the only way of travelling between Australia and Britain, via Koggala, after the fall of Singapore to the Japanese Army in 1942 cut off all travel links via Southeast Asia. It was a RAF Catalina pilot from Koggala who first spotted a Japanese armada advancing towards Colombo and sounded the alarm, helping save the British Eastern Fleet from destruction by the same Imperial Japanese war fleet that destroyed Pearl Harbor. Today, Koggala is a laid-back resort town set between a lush tropical lagoon and one of the finest beaches in all Sri Lanka, where modern amenities and leisure facilities meet a rich cultural and historical tradition,” he said.
He said that most inquiries on Catalina came from Sri Lankan residents residing abroad who are sitting on large capital gains. Koggala, boasting one of the longest beaches in the country and a 9-hole golf course, is within 15 minutes-drive from Catalina. Several beautiful beaches lie within easy reach, with luxurious resorts, classy boutique hotels, spas and beach front restaurants. “The area is home to a sizeable expatriate community, attracted by the area’s unique charm, atmosphere, history and its wide choice of restaurant and entertainment options. The Southern Expressway offers easy access to Colombo and the international airport,” he said. Catalina’s investors are a mix of 55 per cent locals and 45 per cent foreigners.