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NEW YORK, Jan. 27, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Albany , the luxury resort community in The Bahamas owned by Tavistock Group, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, unveiled plans today for its newest Marina Residences designed by renowned international architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (also known as BIG). Situated in front of the lifestyle plaza at the center of Albany, the new building named for its unique design, Honeycomb by BIG, will offer the ultimate in luxury living with a variety of floor plans from two-bedroom residences to seven-bedroom penthouses, each with zero-entry pools overlooking Albany's world-class Marina with spectacular panoramic views of the ocean. The building also offers stunning views of the Ernie Els-designed 18-hole, links-style championship golf course. Honeycomb is scheduled to break ground this summer and open in the first half of 2016.
Albany also announced a collaborative partnership with real estate powerhouse New Valley, LLC, and leading residential brokerage firm, Douglas Elliman Real Estate , to build and market The Marina Residences at Albany.
Albany is nestled along approximately 600 oceanfront acres on the southwestern end of New Providence in The Bahamas. Recognized as the ultimate yachtsman's retreat, Albany is highlighted by a state-of-the-art mega-yacht marina, Ernie Els championship golf course, luxury boutique hotel, a state-of-the-art fitness center and spa, an adult pool and bar, family water park, movie theater, racquet center, equestrian center, water sports facilities, kids' clubhouse and casual and fine dining restaurants.
"Since 2006, Albany has welcomed 150 families from 17 countries to become a part of our resort community," said Christopher Anand, Albany's managing partner. "We have enjoyed unprecedented sales success following the financial crisis in 2008 because of our family-friendly amenity offerings, accessible location within The Bahamas, and our conservative financial structure, all of which have made Albany even more compelling."
"We have focused on New York and South Florida as core markets for New Valley," said Howard Lorber, President and CEO of New Valley and Chairman of Douglas Elliman. "But after spending time at Albany and seeing what they've already established there, I was convinced we had to form a partnership. We are excited to create these very special homes together with the new Marina Residences designed by BIG."
The Marina Residences at Albany overlook one of the finest marinas in the Caribbean with 71 slips and state-of-the-art floating concrete docks that can accommodate boats from 50 feet in length up to 300-foot mega-yachts.
The new building designed by BIG is the second expansion phase of the Marina Residences at Albany, which combines the best in waterfront living with unparalleled luxury and extraordinary views. The first phase of the Marina Residences at Albany are sold out within three, six-story towers totaling 275,000 square feet designed by leading architects Morris Adjmi Architects, Gwathmey Siegel and HKS Architects. All three buildings are slated for completion in 2014. "The product, the place, and the community are all proving to be highly attractive," said Anand.
"Our design is driven by an effort to maximize the enjoyment of the abundant natural qualities of Albany in The Bahamas: the landscape, the sea and the sun," said Bjarke Ingels, founder of BIG. "We were challenged to create one-of-a-kind, luxury residences with breathtaking views and terrace pools. Our honeycomb façade functionally supports the pools making them sink into the terrace floor and provides spectacular sight lines while maintaining privacy for each residence. Drawing inspiration from its coastal setting, the hexagonal design evokes the natural geometries you find in certain coral formations or honeycombs."
Albany Marina enjoys a prime location amidst The Bahamas' 700 islands. Pristine beaches, world-class fishing destinations and an international airport are situated just minutes from Albany Marina.
"The 600 acres that is Albany in The Bahamas, is one of the most unique developments in the world, given its proximity to the U.S., its access to airlift, its waterfront views and the total lifestyle amenity package," said Lorber.
In addition to the new residences, Albany has also recently announced plans to develop the Albany Wellness Center, Albany Medical Center and the Albany Financial Center, which will offer residents turnkey office solutions. With these new additions, Albany offers a live, work, play environment unlike any other in The Bahamas.
"Albany is a terrific vote of confidence for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The sales success that Albany has experienced is a resilient validation of our tropical community and its international appeal," said the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie Prime Minister & Minister of Finance of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
For more information on Albany and its developments, please visit www.albanybahamas.com .
ABOUT DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE
Douglas Elliman Real Estate is New York's largest residential brokerage, with over 70 offices in New York City , Long Island , the Hamptons , Westchester/Putnam , Los Angeles, and South Florida and more than 4,000 real estate agents and a network of national and international affiliates. They are strategic partners with London-based Knight Frank LLP for residential business in all of their New York markets. Douglas Elliman ranked in the top four of all real estate companies in the nation in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. The company also controls a portfolio of real estate services, including Manhattan's largest residential property manager, Douglas Elliman Property Management, as well as DE Title and DE Capital Mortgage. For more information on Douglas Elliman as well as expert commentary on emerging trends in the real estate industry, visit the Douglas Elliman site at www.elliman.com
ABOUT NEW VALLEY
New Valley, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vector Group, Ltd. (NYSE: VGR ), is a Delaware limited liability company focused on real estate investments primarily in the United States and the Caribbean. New Valley is an opportunistic investor in a variety of asset types, including commercial, residential, hospitality, and mixed-use properties. The company takes an active role in the repositioning and management of properties in which it holds an interest. In addition to its real estate investments, New Valley also holds a 50% stake in Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC, which operates the largest residential real estate brokerage in the New York metropolitan area and one of the fastest growing brokerages in South Florida. For more information visit www.newvalley.com .
ABOUT BJARKE INGELS GROUP
BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group is a leading international partnership of architects, designers, builders and thinkers operating within the fields of architecture, urbanism, research and development. BIG is led by partners – Bjarke Ingels, Andreas Klok Pedersen, Finn Nørkjær, David Zahle, Jakob Lange, Thomas Christoffersen and Managing Partners, Sheela Maini Søgaard and Kai-Uwe Bergmann – with offices in Copenhagen and New York. In all our actions we try to move the focus from the little details to the BIG picture. www.big.dk
ABOUT ALBANY – THE BAHAMAS
Albany, located in The Bahamas, is a luxury resort community jointly owned by Tavistock Group, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. Opened in 2010, Albany is nestled along approximately 600 oceanfront acres on the southwestern end of New Providence and conveniently located seven minutes and five miles from Nassau's international airport. Albany features an array of residential offerings and amenities for all members of the family, including a well-appointed boutique hotel, a 71-slip mega-yacht marina, an Ernie Els-designed golf course, a fitness center and spa, an adult pool and bar, a family water park, a kids' clubhouse and casual and fine dining restaurants. Albany's deep-water marina is being designed and built to aesthetically rival the great resort ports of the world. For more information, visit www.albanybahamas.com .
ABOUT TAVISTOCK GROUP
Tavistock Group is an international private investment organization founded by Joe Lewis. With investments in more than 200 companies across 15 countries, Tavistock Group's investment portfolio includes: life sciences, sports teams and sporting events, manufacturing and distribution, oil, gas and energy, financial services, restaurants, commercial properties, private luxury residential properties, resort properties and master-planned real estate developments. For more information, visit www.tavistock.com .
Albany Jessi Blakley, APR (407) 909-7030 Douglas Elliman/New Valley Barbara Wagner Rubenstein Associates (212) 843-8035
