A local project manager working on the new National Park Visitor Center in Cruz Bay says it's almost time for the inspectors to come by.
"It's getting real close," acting superintendent R.W. Jenkins said. "Right now we're planning to have an inspection the week of June 12."
The expanded headquarters for the Virgin Islands National Park has been marching off the drawing board since December. According Jenkins, who is also the park maintenance chief, contractors will fly in from Puerto Rico and Atlanta to check on the progress.
Crews from 3-O Construction of Puerto Rico have completed 95 percent of the interior work, he said: "The counters are in for the contact station. Cabinets are being brought in for the ranger station. The big thing they're doing right now is finishing the plumbing fixtures and finishing the electrical work."
Sidewalks and pavement for the center parking lot remain to be done.
An administrator and a civil engineer from the National Park Service regional office in Atlanta are expected to be on St. John for inspection day to meet with Assistant Supt. Judy Shafer, Jenkins and Leon Varlack, the contract officer's technical representative.
If the work is found to be satisfactory, park officials will have a better idea of when they can finish the construction and officially open the center to visitors.
National Park rangers have been greeting visitors from a temporary center near Cruz Bay Park for nearly two years. Some administration offices and the ranger service office were moved temporarily to Lind Point near the NPS residential development.
Jenkins said he hopes to move some of the divisions into the new building by mid-July.
