THE STRAND – Led by Managing Director & Developer, John Fair
With a passion for excellence and a desire to create a legacy, John Fair is the master visionary and developer behind The Strand on Cooper Jack Bay. John’s history with the Turks & Caicos Islands dates back to 2001 when together with developer Mark Durliat, John partnered in the acquisition of the 22-room, boutique hotel Grace Bay Club (originally opened in 1993). Over the next six years, John and Mark and their team turned Grace Bay Club into a $200 million dollar internationally renowned resort and destination. While John is no longer involved in the day-to-day management, he is still a Co-Managing Partner, an equity partner, and a Board Member of Grace Bay Club.
Prior to the successes at Grace Bay Club, in 1998, John optioned seventeen acres of raw desert on an oceanfront cliff in the Los Cabos corridor. Over the next four years, John turned the rugged property into the internationally acclaimed Esperanza Resort. “A handmade piece of art,” Esperanza was crafted to be a classic, and 25 years later it is still winning major international awards and stirring the souls of its guests.
John has invested in, developed, and managed properties in every asset class and type of real estate including development of more than 1,000 residential units, thousands of acres of land development, 3 million square feet of industrial space, and multiple master-planned communities.
Over the past decade, the yearning to return to Turks & Caicos Islands was strong and John began searching for an opportunity to create a sense of place and community that his family could call home. Together with financial partners, Brue Buckol Capital Partners, John found a blank canvas for their legacy project and The Strand on Cooper Jack Bay was born.
The Strand Partners Chad Brue and Geoff Baukol
With commanding presence on Cooper Jack Bay, The Strand has a dramatic 2,230 linear feet of pristine ocean frontage on a protected crystal clear bay with breathtaking views over the Caicos Banks. Distinguished for design excellence and sustainability, The Strand, designed by RAD Architects, organically combines the raw natural beauty of its location with modern lines, primitive materials, and true craftsmanship, creating refined spaces that celebrate and preserve their surroundings as well as the idea of home.
Compiling a team of visionaries, designers, and engineering experts that bring decades of experience in their respective fields, passion for their crafts, and respect for this extraordinary one-of-a-kind property, John is the leading force ardently making his vision a reality. The official groundbreaking ceremony, held in March 2022, was attended with great fanfare as the $210 million development was now well underway.
With sustainability in the forefront, The Strand is respectful of the environment in many ways. The development has partnered with Renu Energy TCI to offer solar power solutions on all the villas as well as Tesla charging stations on the property. Other eco-friendly installations include energy-star certified appliances, on demand tankless water heaters, smart home technology, native landscaping irrigated with catchment and recycled water to reduce water usage on the properties as well as positioning the homes for the prevailing breezes and installing ample shade structures. John and his team have also partnered with the Denver Butterfly Pavilion to assist in preserving the fauna and flora throughout the property. The indigenous plantings have been saved to prevent disruption in the underlying ecosystem and after construction is completed the landscaping will be bolstered to enhance the natural vegetation and protect the species that thrive within this landscape. The Strand will be the first ultra-luxury community with this level of sustainability in the Caribbean.
The Strand promises a private residential resort community unlike any other, where the essence is an owner centric experience. This high-end oceanfront residential resort and marina destination offers onsite amenities, including Clubhouse with state of the art gym, retail shop and yoga deck, use of beach access, an oceanfront restaurant and pool with zero setbacks to allow the facility to sit directly on the waters edge, Beach Club with paddleboards, kayaks, sea bobs, jet skis, e foils, kiteboards and sailboats, tennis and pickleball courts, as well as access to a Club Boat for captained excursions or events. Full in villa spa services offered. The Marina is independent from The Strand, but operates as a central amenity for the homeowners, offering approximately 23 slips for boats ranging between 40 – 60 feet.
About the Luxury Residences
The elegant four- and five-bedroom residences feature a dramatic two-story great room overlooking the pool and the Caicos Banks. The main house has four oceanfront en suite bedrooms, a handcrafted infinity pool, and a lush courtyard with outdoor kitchen. Certain lots include a courtyard plunge pool and spa, one-bedroom guest house, and family/flex room. Each residence has a built-in overlook at the iron shore edge and a grotto beach.
About the Grand Residences
The main house boasts five oceanfront en-suite bedrooms, including a spectacular second-floor master suite. An expansive great room completely opens to a formal outdoor terrace and handcrafted infinity pool with endless ocean views. The courtyard features a plunge pool and spa, outdoor kitchen, family/flex room, and one-bedroom guest house. Each residence has a built-in overlook at the iron shore edge and a grotto beach.
About the Villas
Raised elegantly above the crystal, blue waters of Cooper Jack Bay, these exotic two- and three-bedroom beachfront Villas are only steps from the ocean. Designed to both operate as a single villa or lock off on separate levels to be the premier two- and three-bedroom rental properties in Turks and Caicos. Privacy is paramount with each Villa having its own plunge pool. Outdoor terraces on every level provide the ultimate ocean-view dining and entertaining experience for you and your guests.
About the Estate Residences
The Estates offer enhanced Luxury or Grand Residence designs with even more acreage and beach frontage. Plus, owners may utilize canal frontage located in the back of their property for a private boat slip. Estate Residences have five to six bedrooms, plus an expansive great room overlooking the pool and stunning ocean beyond. Bedrooms in the main house feature oceanfront outlooks and ensuite bathrooms. A handcrafted infinity pool highlights the outdoor space, and a lush internal courtyard contains a family/flex room.
About The Owner’s Club
All the amenities and operational facilities at The Strand are organized as a private club called The Strand Owners’ Club. Unlike owning a residence at a branded resort, the amenities and services at The Strand are focused on the homeowners, who are Club members, and their families and guests. Renting and home maintenance is available through the Club. The rentals help subsidize Club membership through a five percent Club rental charge per day. Renters are considered guests of the Club. This enables The Strand Owners’ Club to offer a unique platform of amenities and activities at a reasonable cost. Club Membership is included with the initial purchase of a Residence, Villa, or Custom Homesite and is a family membership without age restrictions. Your membership runs with the real estate, subject to a transfer fee that supports the Club for reserves and operations. A reserve fee equal to three months of Club dues will be collected at closing to benefit a reserve fund for the Club. When you sell your residence to a third party, the buyer must pay a membership fee of $50,000 to join the Club. That money will go to the Club to maintain a proper reserve for repairs and replacement of Club assets.
Turks & Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty’s President, Joe Zahm, recently sat down with John Fair to discuss his new development, The Strand Turks & Caicos.
Joe Zahm: How did your prior experience with Grace Bay Club and Esperanza influence the concept and design of the Strand?
John Fair: Both Grace Bay Club and Esperanza have earned “Iconic” status and after 20 plus years they still position at the top of their respective markets, even in the face of stiff, newer competition. That’s what we shoot for – timeless elegance and a unique experience that’s great when it opens and is even better 40 years later.
Zahm: What drew you to the location of the Strand?
Fair: I was stunned to discover an untouched, pristine private bay right in the middle of Providenciales with epic views over the Caicos Banks. We competed against some of the greatest luxury hotel brands in the world for this land. A lot of people underestimated the specialness of this site – but the most exclusive international brands immediately knew that Cooper Jack Bay was a jewel – brands which wouldn’t consider locating on Grace Bay Beach.
I had wanted to find a world class property with enough land and ocean frontage to create a true residential resort with 5-star amenities and services – to compete with the finest residential resort projects in North America. This unspoiled land ringing Cooper Jack Bay was better than even I imagined.
Zahm: What makes Strand different from other projects in T&C in terms of its look, feel and management structure?
Fair: a) We are a true luxury residential resort community with full five-star security, amenities, and services all organized as a private club.
b) The architecture of The Strand is unique – timeless, contemporary, but with old world craftsmanship.
c) As a Club, the service and experience of The Strand is very different from a residence at a 5-star hotel. At The Strand, the owners, their family, and guests reign supreme. Rental guests are “guests of the club”. Experience, activities, and fun for the whole family are emphasized. Your residence is your luxurious sanctuary, while the restaurant, bar, club pool, and main beach are the places to socialize.
d) In keeping with an “owner centric” theme, the rental program is very friendly. First, rental is completely at the owner’s discretion. The split is as follows:
- 75/25 with the management taking a 20% commission and a marketing fee of 5% (which will be further subsidized by management). All other costs such as housekeeping, maintenance, amenities. are transparently passed through to the owner.
- The renter will be charged a 5% “Club Fee”, added on to their bill, to help pay for their usage of the club services and amenities. This fee goes directly to the Club budget causing the “net fees” for Club membership to be extremely attractive compared to other Strata Fees on Island.
From Esperanza in Mexico to Grace Bay Club and The Strand in Turks & Caicos Islands, John Fair left his forward-thinking footprint in some of the finest properties worldwide.
With The Strand, John is creating a timeless beauty in Cooper Jack Bay. “John is a perfectionist, and every detail adds up to something amazing,” states Zahm. “As The Strand’s construction takes shape, people who visit the site are beginning to understand how truly special this project is. John is inspiring and hard-working, and The Strand reflects his passion and commitment.”
