Leonardo DiCaprio recently purchased Blackadore Caye, an unpopulated, 104-acre island off the coast of Belize, for $1.8 million with hotelier Jeff Gram, with the intent of building an eco-conscious resort—Blackadore Caye, a Restorative Island—with New York City-based developer Paul Scialla, CEO of Delos.
Owned by Scialla, Restorative Islands will build the resort, while Restorative Hospitality, a division of Delos, will operate. DiCaprio serves on the Delos advisory board with Scialla and is a company investor.
The island is a 15-minute boat ride from the nearest town, San Pedro, and 45 minutes from Belize’s Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport.
Aside from constructing the resort, the partners plan to restore the cay, which has fallen prey to overfishing, an eroding coastline, and a deforestation of mangrove trees. Blackadore Caye will be an eco-friendly resort adhering to the Living Building Challenge developed by lead architect and Delos advisory board member Jason F. McLennan, which enforces strict environmental requirements.
Guests will need to adhere to strict guidelines in regards to what they bring to the island, and, once there, participate in an ecology orientation program. A team of designers, scientists, engineers, and landscape architects will monitor the resort’s environmental impact at all times. Villas will be positioned on a platform over artificial reefs and fish shelters, while an island nursery will grow indigenous marine grass in support of manatee conservation. Invasive species will be weeded out and replaced with native mangrove trees. Only nontoxic materials and finishes will be used throughout the resort.
McLennan is using sacred geometry—a style of architecture that uses building proportions derived from natural mathematical proportions—to develop the resort’s physical design. The construction team will be specially trained in green-building techniques and use native materials where possible.
The property will feature 68 villas and 48 residences positioned on a mile-long beachfront.
The resort and residences are slated to open in 2018.
