region of $1.5 million dollars to upgrade existing buildings.

The phased project has already sought bids and awaits planning permission.

Plans for Andrews Drive at Southside include re-using existing buildings, relocating some and the erection of some. Parking, pedestrian and vehicular access and landscaping are also in line.

Phase one of the project deals with nine buildings in total. The first two of these, buildings 501 and 502, are currently at Clearwater Beach. The proposal sees them being dismantled and re-erected at Andrews Drive.

According to Planning Department documents, "501 and 502 will be dismantled and re-erected utilising existing steel members with new wall and roof cladding panels.'' The planning documents also mention the intention to use prefabricated aluminium siding -- "Butler'' industrial units to form the "skin'' or outer wall of the new buildings.

Spokesperson for the BLDC Don Grearson explained that the buildings are being moved for aesthetic reasons.

"Clearly these two buildings are not compatible with the beautiful surrounding area of Clearwater Beach, so we are moving them to our industrial section.'' At 4,000 square feet a piece, the BLDC plan to move the buildings one at a time on a speculative basis.

"We will move one and complete the building, then try and secure a tenant before moving onto the next,'' Mr. Grearson said.

"We're very excited about what we are doing here,'' he added, expressing the BLDC's enthusiasm with the proposed project.

"We're trying to take advantage of what we consider the best industrial land on the Island.'' The proposal seeks improvements to three other buildings, also on the Clearwater Beach stretch of road. A storage building which needs new plumbing, internal partitions and a car port; an old gas station which would be transformed into a "light industrial garage'' with a new built in office, new electrical, plumbing, a storeroom and parking. The third unit -- a workshop storage space -- needs asbestos to be removed, the outside to be redone, new roofing, landscaping and parking.

None of this latter work will proceed, according to Mr. Grearson "until tenants are located''. And while he could give no date when work might commence, he said: "Pending planning approval, we will be choosing a contractor to start on this project very soon.'' MILITARY MIL