A national nonprofit conservation association announced it’s bought 419 acres on St. John’s South Shore. The land includes the quarter-mile long Maho Bay beach.
(Click on the photo at left for an aerial view of the land.)
The purchase by The Trust for Public Land does not include the Maho Bay Camps, but John Garrison, a field officer for the Trust, told the Virgin Islands Daily News preliminary discussions about a deal are underway.
The land has been purchased from the grandchildren of Harvey Monroe Marsh, who died in the 1960s. Since then, the Virgin Islands National Park, at least one private buyer, and the Trust have been trying to acquire the parcel. The Trust said it now owns seven of 11 shares while the Park owns three.
Each of the Marsh family heirs is retaining six acres and has the right to build two homes.
The Trust intends to give the land to the Park after it raises $35 million for this and other purchases. TPL said it will retain 18 acres, away from the beach, and sell the land for ‘limited development’ unless funds can be raised privately to help repay a loan covering the cost of the purchase. Information about the purchase and contributing can be found on the Trust’s Web site, TPL.org.
$19 mil sounds like a steal.
Wish i were Mr. Marsh’s grandchild.
If the non-profit fails to repay the anonymous foundation’s loan, what happens to the land then?
Wonder what the time of the loan is? Can they get government grants to cover the loan in the $9 mil, that was reported, even if they aren’t successful in raising the additional amount mentioned? Just curious.
this purchase would appear to NOT include maho bay campground. if not, what is likely to happen to that property? i understand that mr selengut’s lease expires in a few years (2010?). it would be a shame to see that tract become the next “peter bay” development – thus bookending the national park property.
I hope nothing happens to Maho bay. I spent many summers of my childhood there and would hate to see such a beautiful piece of the earth ruined. It is such a beautiful island! I hope to return there again when i can afford it myself as i am only 19