Havelock City Chairman S.P. Tao donates temple complex

Sama Vihara will see the construction of a temple complete with all elements – a stupa, statue and a sacred bo tree, with Chairman S.P. Tao of Overseas Realty (Ceylon) PLC, owners and managers of the World Trade Center and the Havelock City Project, undertake the noble deed of constructing a temple around the white-clad Buddha statue located in Havelock Town.

Upon completion, the 4500 sq. ft. floor area would comprise halls to conduct sermons and host almsgivings, dormitories for monks, meeting and individual rooms and spaces for worshiping and living.

When Overseas Realty took over the 17 acre land parcel as a joint venture with the Bank of Ceylon to develop the Havelock City project, Tao ensured that sufficient land was donated to the Vihara. The inward-looking temple that is to be constructed would be a built-up element of the commercial forecourt of Havelock City.

It is cleverly designed to coexist with the commercial complex without any mutual infringement of each other’s functions. The exclusive outdoor area surrounding the bo tree is also to be made for the use of the temple and its devotees.

The 95-year-old Tao is a philanthropist by nature with a great love for Sri Lanka; a bond that spans over 50 years. He is thankful to the Chief Incumbent of Sama Vihara Venerable Atapattukande Ananda Thero for bestowing him with the opportunity to commence construction of the temple on the year of the 2,600 Sambuddha Jayanthi.

Under the guidance of Tao, a visionary investor with many large-scale developments in the Asian region, Havelock City is set to be another landmark development in Sri Lanka. Built on 17 acres of prime land in Colombo, it is an unique integrated mix development – the largest residential cum commercial development in the country and even in the South Asian region.

Once completed, the project will comprise 1,080 apartments in eight residential towers, a modern shopping mall, office complex, recreational and entertainment facilities in line with our ‘city within a city’ concept. It will also have a beautiful six-acre elevated roof garden – one of the largest of its kind and a singular attraction of this development.

Group CEO Overseas Realty Pravir Samarasinghe commented at the groundbreaking ceremony that the donation of the temple was in keeping with the philosophy of contributing towards the community and cultural heritage under its many corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Construction of Phase 2 of Havelock City which includes 225 luxury apartments in two more residential towers and the clubhouse will commence in August 2011.