PHOTO COURTESY: Anwar Tynes, Abaco project manager, Disaster Reconstruction Authority ABACO, BAHAMAS – An Abaco-based Six A's Construction technician operates an excavator to prepare the land for phase one of the Central Pines housing project in Abaco.

ABACO, BAHAMAS – Within the next 10 days, the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) will begin construction of five homes in Central Pines, Abaco, one of the island’s popular housing subdivisions.

The project will include a mixture of three-bedroom/two-bathroom, two-bedroom/one-bathroom and one-bedroom/one-bathroom homes. Each lot is approximately 8,000 square feet. The homes will be located within walking distance of The Abaco Center, which will be the island’s hurricane shelter and community center capable of housing nearly 1,000 people during an emergency.

“Lot and building pad preparation for the first five homes are expected to be complete in seven business days,” said Wendell Grant II, DRA project manager. “The construction of the homes will immediately follow.”

Abaco-based SIX A’s Construction is one of the project’s contractors. Carl Archer, the company’s CEO, said their immediate focus is smoothing the ground at the project site so that surveyors could do their work.

The DRA is responsible for the site preparation, design and infrastructure. It will also ensure home construction meets the country’s building codes. DRA representatives will further collaborate with the project’s donors, who are providing partial funding to build close to 40 homes.