The U.S. Postal Service said it is in the final stages of negotiating to build a new facility at Guinea Grove, a commercial project being developed near the Westin Resort. A progress report on the effort to move and expand the island post office was offered at a meeting on island at the Westin, the St. John Source reported.
However, representatives of the V.I. government, attending the meeting, objected to the USPS’ plans. Keith Richards, capital projects director for the territory, said the government plans to propose that the post office be included in the Vendor’s Plaza project planned across from the current commercial/barge dock. Richards said the government plans a three-story building; that construction and architectural firms are ready to go, and the Legislature has already appropriated $3.1 million dollars.
Thomas E. Pino, real estate manager for the USPS, said he’s been working on the St. John project for 13 years. Upon hearing of the local government’s plans, he worried aloud that changes at this late date could mean a post office will not be built anytime soon, the Source reported.
St. John residents at the meeting complained that a Guinea Gut building will be inconvenient and even unsafe. Vehicles coming from Cruz Bay will have to go up the narrow and steep road called Jacob’s Ladder to get there.