Feb. 27, 2007 — During a special Tuesday afternoon meeting, the V.I. Port Authority (VIPA) board moved ahead quickly on a reordered agenda that included the review and approval of several commercial leases and the status of various projects both on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
During the meeting, which was called to make up for the cancelled meeting of Feb. 21, Diana Richardson, property manager of the Crown Bay Center, announced that the facility had 95 percent of its rental spaces committed.
The board approved Crown Bay leases to First Rent-A-Car, R&J’s Island Latte, Millennium Racing Incorporated (MRI) and Zakaria A Suid.
MRI will operate a sports bar with video lottery terminal machines, while Suid, who owns Gourmet Gallery, will open a retail store with a bistro/bar, a nightclub/conference center, a private lounge and function room and lastly, a sports bar and gaming room.
During Tuesday's meeting, the VIPA board approved a two-year lease with four one-year options at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix for the U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunters — the only operational weather reconnaissance unit in the world that is still flying into tropical storms and hurricanes for research purposes and observations.
For the past 10 years Hurricane Hunters have used Rohlsen as a base for traveling to various locations throughout the Caribbean to complete their mission in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane.
The board also approved a three-year lease for a visitors center in the Red Hook Transit Terminal to WVC St. John, Inc. (The Westin St. John Resort Villas.) The center will include a topographical three-dimensional model of the Virgin Islands and points of interest.
Leases were also approved to Hyannis Air Service (dba Cape Air Nantucket Airline) at Rohlsen Airport, while an engineering and planning consultant contract was awarded to Post, Buckley, Schuh and Jernigan for the relocation of the Gordon A. Finch Molasses Dock Marine Cargo Facility at Rohlsen.
A 10-year lease with a 10-year option was also approved to TMT Sand Company at Parcel No. 18 Crown Bay Sand Fill to continue its operation of retail sales for construction materials.
In other news, the board declined to extend the deadline for a UVI proposal for use of the former Merchant’s Market Building at Parcel 68D Bournefield in St. Thomas. A Mosaic Foods proposal for the site will be considered at the next VIPA meeting.
Board members in attendance were Chairman Robert O’Connor, Yvonne E.L. Thrane, Robert Moorehead, Willis Todmann in the seat reserved for the Economic Development Authority, and acting V.I. Attorney General Vincent Frazer.
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