The former Good Hope School campus in Frederiksted, St. Croix, is now on the market, offering a unique opportunity for redevelopment.
Spanning 29.33 acres of lush forest and beachfront, the property features 13 structures, including classrooms, a single-family residence, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, and a theater. Listing agents at Blue Sky Real Estate suggest potential uses such as condominiums, a senior center, a hotel, or a health spa retreat.
Established in 1958 as the Carlton Hotel by the Rockefeller family, the property was donated in 1972 to become the Good Hope School. This transition coincided with the opening of the Hess Oil refinery, which significantly influenced the island’s economy and educational institutions. The refinery’s operations provided substantial financial support to the community, including funding for schools like Good Hope.
However, the refinery’s closure in 2012 led to economic challenges, impacting institutions such as Good Hope School, which ceased operations in 2013. The campus has remained unused since then.
Stephanie Hodge, co-owner of Blue Sky Real Estate, has a personal connection to the property. Her son attended Good Hope from seventh to 10th grade and was part of the Class of 2014, the last to study on the campus before the school merged with Country Day. Hodge reflected on the sale as “bittersweet.”
“No one wants to see it just sit, but for me, after remembering picking up and dropping off my son from school every day for five years, it was a little sad to see it close. Yet, it presents an opportunity for revitalization — a difficult decision for the board,” she said.
The campus boasts unique features, including a gymnasium with steel frame construction that remains in excellent condition and an amphitheater-style theater that once hosted vibrant plays and concerts. Hodge noted that these spaces, along with the beachfront location where students could hear waves lapping the shore during class, made Good Hope a special place.
“The gym and theater are hallmarks of the property,” Hodge said. “At its height, it was a beautiful venue for events. Despite sitting idle, it’s still in relatively good condition.”
Interest in the property has been encouraging, according to Hodge. “There has been some interest — online and excitement about the opportunity. How that translates remains to be seen, but it’s been a positive start, and I’m encouraged that the right person will come in and bring it back to its former glory.”
