Officials announced a series of infrastructure improvements and projects during the weekly Government House briefing Monday.
After touting the recent groundbreaking of the Estate Profit community center, the launch of the St. Croix Educational Complex modernization effort, progress on the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute and Donna M. Christian Christensen MD Health Center, and plans to develop the Randall “Doc” James Horse Racing Track, Government House spokesperson Richard Motta Jr. announced that the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources and Disaster Recovery Office are moving forward with the demolition of Charlotte Amalie’s Hamburg building. The site will eventually house a new Virgin Islands Museum of Art.
“These are not just isolated projects,” Motta said. “They are connected investments in the places that tell our story, support our small businesses, strengthen our tourism product and improve the experience of residents and visitors alike.”
Motta also announced that the territory received approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for phase two of the Veterans Drive revitalization and the Summer’s End marina in Coral Bay.
“Both of these projects have been years in the making,” he said. “Both require extensive review and both speak to the larger point we have been making this afternoon, and through the years of this administration — that this administration is pressing forward on the infrastructure, permitting, town revitalization, economic development work necessary to move the Virgin Islands from plans on paper to real progress on the ground.”
Monday’s briefing also included updates from Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel, who announced a series of upcoming road repairs and safety improvements for Frederiksted’s Strand, King, Queen and Fisher streets.
“We were slated to start these repairs last year, but of course, we wanted to wait for the Festival season and some other things that we had going on to make sure these repairs are done safely and in a timely fashion,” he said.
Gabriel said that the bridge leading out of Frederiksted toward Rainbow Beach will be replaced and that the reconstruction of the East Airport Road intersection should be completed by Tuesday. On St. Thomas, Public Works has also started resurfacing parts of Skyline Drive as well as areas in estates Bolongo and Bovoni, he said.
“DPW is really doing our best to improve the quality of life for our visitors and our residents — not just on our major thoroughfares, but also in our neighborhoods,” he said. “So we ask for your continued patience and understanding as we continue our progress.”
The briefing’s final update came from V.I. Energy Office Director Kyle Fleming, who announced the launch of a “virtual power plant” whereby residents with Tesla Powerwall home battery systems can be compensated for sharing stored energy. Fleming said participating customers will receive $1,000 per Powerwall — and up to $4,000 per site.
“Now, let me be very clear: the VPP is not the silver bullet that solves every energy challenge facing our electrical system,” he said. “But as we approach the height of summer, it gives the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority another important tool in their toolbelt to help mitigate the exact type of strain we historically experience during periods of elevated demand and generation shortfall.”
