After slow first year, MBUC welcomes new tenants - Other gov’t agencies, businesses prepare to move in

At the May 2026 first anniversary of the official opening of the Morant Bay Urban Centre (MBUC) in St Thomas, KFC was the only business operating from the sprawling development.

Since then, two more businesses have opened their doors while several other prospective tenants are putting the finishing touches on their spaces ahead of launching operations.

Despite the premium rental rates, government agencies, including the St Thomas Municipal Corporation and Tax Administration Jamaica, are among the tenants preparing to occupy the complex.

The MBUC is a joint-venture development spearheaded by the Factories Corporation of Jamaica in partnership with the China Harbour Engineering Company.

A Gleaner source said major tenants such as the municipal corporation are expected to pay about $10 million per month in lease payments. At the upper end of the market, the 365,000-square-foot development is reportedly commanding rental rates of US$23 per square foot.

With online shopping now firmly embedded in consumer habits, courier service Flash Ship began operating at the MBUC last month

A staff member said the new location has recorded a steady increase in customers from surrounding communities who no longer have to travel to the company’s Morant Bay town centre branch.

One such customer, Janique, a teaching assistant from Springfield, said she is eager to see more businesses and government agencies open at the development.

“I’m collecting a package here. I used to go into the Morant Bay town centre, but this location is more convenient because it is closer to where I live. I am looking forward to the book store to open up as well. That would be good because I have my niece and she goes to school, so that would be good, and it would be cheaper, too, to do business here,” she told The Gleaner.

During The Gleaner’s visit last Wednesday, work crews were clearing construction dust from completed units while others continued building out commercial spaces. Outside, landscaping teams worked under the blazing sun to maintain the picturesque grounds of the 28-acre property.

Another customer, who declined to give her name, said she travelled from nearby Red Hills to collect a package and welcomed the convenience of the new location.

“I came to pick up a package over Flash Ship. It’s more convenient because I’m living close, and I would love to see more shops opening over here. Is Morant Bay town I used to go before, so this one is closer to me,” she said. “I have an idea of what is going to open in here because I came to the opening ceremony, so I just want to see everything come to fruition.”

Best Price Bicycle Parts and Accessories recently opened its second St Thomas location at the MBUC, complementing its Seaforth branch, which has been in operation since 2012.

A staff member, who declined to be named, said customer response has been strong since the store opened on July 11.

“We started with bicycle parts, but due to customer demand, we have started stocking tools, including grinder, rotary hammer drill, impactor range, water pumps, generators – from a pin to an anchor. We have best prices, best products, and best results,” she told The Gleaner.

Among the businesses preparing to open is Devon House Ice Cream, where fit-out work is well advanced.

Several government entities are also expected to begin operations at the urban centre, including the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency, the St Thomas Parish Court, and the Registrar General’s Department.

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency, the Department of Correctional Services, and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs’ Justice Reform Centre were among the agencies that reportedly signed lease agreements on March 15.

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com