At 258 years of age, St. Croix’s "Majestic Lady," Government House, now displays a $12-million facelift that by all accounts is flawless.
On Sunday, an overflow crowd of dignitaries, visitors and residents got their first look at the historic Christiansted building in its fully restored Danish Baroque splendor. The building was closed for five years, two and a half of which were dedicated to the renovation.
While construction took several years, planning and engineering dates back more than a decade following damage caused by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Along with reestablishing the offices of the governor and lieutenant governor in the building, the renovation had the additional goal of anchoring a revitalized downtown area.
The freshly renovated building "speaks well for the people of the Virgin Islands," said former Gov. Juan F. Luis, who in the late 1980s successfully worked to have the federal government transfer ownership to the Virgin Islands. Government House, Luis said, is now as "magnificent as it used to be in its glory days."
The renovation project was originally scheduled to be completed by March 1999, but Hurricane Georges in September 1998 and other setbacks slowed progress.
Because no two doors or windows in the building, which has 50 rooms, are the same, window and door frames had to be custom built. In mid-August of last year workers discovered lead paint on interior walls, which took about a month to remove.
"While some question the $12 million spent," said Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen, "today we can attest it is money well spent."
In recalling the history of the building, Gov. Charles Turnbull, a historian, said the initial wing was built in 1742, first as a private residence and then expanded to incorporate another building. The building served as the seat of the Danish monarchy.
"This restoration of Christiansted’s Majestic Lady symbolizes our desire to revitalize the towns on the islands of St. Croix," Turnbull said.
After the United States purchased the islands from the Danish in 1917, the building served as the home of the Colonial Councils and the United States District Court. It will now be used for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and as the official St. Croix residence of the governor.
