The Elizabeth on Bay plaza will receive a boost this year with the addition of a trendy sushi lounge, Guardian Business can reveal, as the property seeks to raise its profile.
Sur, a sushi bar described as both a restaurant and an after-hours lounge, is expected to open its doors by the summer.
Charles Klonaris, a key owner and developer of Elizabeth on Bay, told Guardian Business the move should add a chic dimension to the property's offerings.
"There are plans being drawn up and experts will be coming down to look at it. It will be a beautiful place and we'll have two major restaurants on the waterfront, making the venue as a whole very attractive," he said.
Blu, the first restaurant in the complex, opened its doors in October of last year. It created dozens of jobs in the process, and according to Klonaris, sales have proven steady. The $14 million shopping plaza is also home to a variety of other boutique shops.
Sur, he added, adds a further dimension to the destination.
"It will be smaller in size than Blu, but upscale," Klonaris explained. "After late hours, they'll turn it into a lounge area where you can come after hours to check out the waterfront. A lot of thought has gone into the interior design and I think they'll be very careful on the ambiance."
The area is being leased to an American developer, he said. The total investment in the project is unknown at this time.
Although the developers expect great things for the Elizabeth on Bay shopping plaza, Klonaris told Guardian Business it is has been difficult "pioneering" East Bay Street. He felt it was an ongoing effort to convince tourists "to turn left" when they step off the cruise ships.
"We have more traffic coming down our way. We think down the road, the city is going to shift more to the east.
It will be the new Nassau, is what I would call it," he said. "We're still working with new ideas, fresh ideas and a better product mix for the consumer."
Admitting that too many of the buildings along East Bay are "dilapidated", he anticipated the rise of a boardwalk and movement of the container ports as a seminal moment in downtown's evolution. He pointed out the Kellys and Pritchards, large landowners in the area, "are moving quite fast to put together a master plan".
That would be welcomed news to Elizabeth on Bay as it continues its expansion with a sushi restaurant. More Japanese cuisine will also be a welcomed addition to Bahamian consumers. New Providence is currently home to just three notable sushi restaurants, including Nobu, Ichiban and Seafront Sushi.
"Everything we do today is for the long term," Klonaris said. "This is the first year the plaza has been there. You're going to have a trial period where you'll see growth. We're working on the product mix and changes will take place. When it comes all together ... it's hard to say.
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