The VI Senate approved a rezoning request for the Grande Bay Resort development in Cruz Bay. Word came about a day after property owners adjacent to the project filed a lawsuit in Superior Court to stop it. The action by the Senate allows developers to construct an additional 14 units and a restaurant.
At Large Senator, and St. John reisdent, Craig Barshinger, voted against the rezoning along with three Senators. Nine Senators voted for it.
Alexander Jadan, Natalie Jadan, Anastasia Trey and Elizabeth Trey own a 650-square foot cottage 35 feet uphill from the development. They argued Grande Bay plans buildings that are in violation of height requirements and which will block their views of the water, sunrises and unset, and on-shore breezes, according to a report by the Virgin Islands Daily News.
The plaintiffs also faulted Grande Bay’s developers with violating building code requirements in their excavation of their 1.25 acre, charging:The defendants’ withdrawal of the lateral support of the plaintiff’s land was done in a manner that is contrary to applicable requirements and contrary to practices of reasonable care and workmanship in the construction industry.
As one of the Publisher’s of Virgin Voice, I can only quote Liza Trey’s open letter to the St. John community. It states the case about the environmental and socio-economic impact that Grande bay has/will do. Liza Trey and others are suing Grande Bay to prtotect their land and the environment. You decide for yourselves.
From Liza Trey’s letter to Virgin Voice:
“……According to the US Department of Energy’s water consumption table, Grande Bay will consume over 2.7 million gallons of water a year. This is a conservative estimate with each person consuming only 39 gallons a day, without the addition oft the requested 14 condos.
What’s going to happen when the island runs out of water as it almost did this past spring? How is that tiny road going to handle the extra traffic from their restaurant and condos What about the safety of the pedestrians ?
Did you know the builder of Grande Bay has let trash pile up on the beach?
He only started cleaning it when someone brought a bag of trash to the Senate hearing on August 29. The builder repeatedly claims he loves St. John. Does he realize that his construction site run-offs have polluted Cruz Bay? How are they going to control the run-offs after the project is complete? They have not done a very good job so far.
Does everyone know that the entire area of Grande Bay will be concrete? Not one blade of grass or one tree will be growing from the earth. The developers have completely paved paradise.
The builder continuously states that he wants to “give back” to the community. He says he wants to provide Cruz Bay with a tram or help with the parking garage. But the problems Grande Bay has already created and are going to create have never been addressed. How about starting now and not adding the additional condos? ….. Let us teach the developers to develop without destroying. without bulldozing down our dignity, pride and yes, our I sland itself….Liza Trey”
But, but I mean they did pay 250M to the Foundation….that must mean something. Let the suit go forward, I would love to see them get an injunction and slow down building. With all of those poor souls who have put good money down on the project. I guess if they do slow it down, I will have to still watch it go up as I walk by on our next trip down in June….or, or do you think they will be finished by than.
Look at it this way. The 250M was a cheap buy to the Foundation when you consider they would have spent more money with all the work their threats were going to bring.
I don’t live there so I don’t count. Oh, and I am for free enterprise, but not for ugly free enterprise.
signed, your usually right wing anti eco nut job
There’s nothing Grande whatsoever about the Grande Bay Resort, including the pretentious “e” at the end of Grande. It is a Spanish / Los Angeles style monstrosity that sits like a greedy hot mess in the middle of a beautiful Caribbean town of red tin roofs and Danish / English style classic Caribbean architecture.
The fact that developers were able to pave over so much beauty and destroy the character of Cruz Bay with this pretentious horror is a testament to the obliviousness of our representatives and the lack of organization of the community.
It is very sad that we don’t see the ugliness of what is being built before it is has ruined the beauty of our lovely islands. Even now, when this Las Vegas monstrosity is sitting on the edge of the bay, 14 more units are being added. None of this represents progress. It is heartbreaking.