Romegas and Dock No. 1

I had a chat with David Felice, a partner in the architects’ firm Architecture Project, and cleared up some details of the Dock No. 1 project.

Paul Cardona, chairman of Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, was the applicant for the project and had a shareholding of around 10% in Romegas, the consortium brought together to develop the dock. He was the original contact with the Italian investor, SN Immobiliare. There were other Maltese investors, including a company called Desert Rose, with Vince Farrugia (not the GRTU person, but a the owner of retail businesses in furnishings and fashion). Last summer, Paul Cardona and the other Maltese investors relinquished their shareholding, and this was taken up by Architecture Project. “We did this to keep the Dock No. 1 project going,” David Felice told me. “We really believe in it.” The shareholding in Romegas is now 59% SN Immobiliare and 41% Architecture Project.

Last September, the government was informed that Paul Cardona was no longer the applicant.

David gave me the background to what Austin Gatt had said in parliament, about the investors having been told that the government was no longer interested. There was a problem with the way that was reported. Romegas are still in negotiations with the government on Dock No. 1, but the project is still “very open”. “We were told that the government is not interested in the project as we had designed it originally, and so we presented a revised scheme two weeks ago,” he said.

I’m glad to hear that Architecture Project are now so heavily involved. Their aesthetic judgment is extremely sound, and their approach to design within a heritage environment is admirable.