The St. John Coastal Zone Management committee approved the reconstruction of the Cruz Bay firestation and modification of a reverse osmosis plant at the Westin on St. John, while holding a public hearing Wednesday for the demolition and construction of the Winston Wells Ballpark concession kiosk and bleachers.
CZM committee members unanimously voted to approve application No. CZM0046-25 for the reconstruction of the Robert O’Connor Fire Station Reconstruction Project at Estate Enighed in St. John, after hearing updated testimony from presenters. In November 2025, the Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Services applied for the demolition and reconstruction of the fire station. The new structure will be two stories measuring approximately 9,300 gross square feet and constructed in virtually the same footprint as the existing structure. The existing facility will be demolished prior to the commencement of new construction. A modified floor plan will also accommodate three vehicles, including an ambulance.
Later, the committee heard testimony on application No. CZM0006-26 for the Virgin Islands Department of Sports Parks and Recreation regarding the Winston Wells Ballpark concession kiosk and bleachers’ demolition and construction in Cruz Bay. The modifications aim to restore infrastructure for community activities, including baseball games and events. The project will take one year to complete and entail the construction of a 650 square foot, two-story, circular reinforced concrete gazebo pavilion, a 680 square foot reinforced concrete dual bleacher system, and eight parking spaces. As a result of destruction incurred by the hurricanes in 2017, the facility’s design includes features that can withstand winds of up to 175 miles per hour and will have aluminum bleachers accommodating 64 people.
Some concerns raised by attendees included safe pedestrian access during construction, surveying errors, and coordination with nearby projects (such as the new youth center, fire station development, Port Authority projects, and questions about parking).
“That area is very visibly used by people walking coming from Fish Fry Road and coming up into town,” said committee member Rafe Boulon. “During construction, is there a plan to provide a temporary walkway around that area so that people don’t have to cross and go through the roundabout or something to get down to town?”
Habibah Bell, application presenter for Harnel Engineering and Construction, replied, “What we can do is perhaps create a small walkway between the retaining wall and the roadway. We need at least three and a half feet, four feet would be ideal, and create a walkway around this retaining wall area.”
Additionally, the lack of restroom facilities in the design was also a raised concern.
“These are some of the problems we don’t be thinking of enough because we’re just building things back and don’t be thinking about the future,” said committee chair Andrew Penn. “You need a restroom. If you’re having food there is a water connection,” he added, and questioned the presence of a sewer system to which Bell confirmed there is.
More so, committee member Kurt Marsh asked for clarification on the location of parking spaces.
“I think the greater concern is that you guys are under the impression that you have eight parking spots across the street when based on what we just observed from the Fire Services presentation, you don’t because they are using that space.”
Roy Canton, disaster specialist with the Office of Disaster Recovery and Sports, Parks, and Recreation, responded that the area in question is surveyed for the SPR department but has parking spaces that the department allows the fire department to use.
“For the fire station to essentially claim those spots, without any formal maybe written or some kind of agreement from Sports, Parks, and Recreation, well, how would they know,” responded Bell. “So the fire station may need to find parking for their facility.”
“Right, but the issue is they’re not using it for parking, their building footprint is occupying some of that space,” replied Marsh.
The committee encouraged members for the SPR department to work out the parking space concerns with the fire department.
Members also unanimously voted to approve application No. CZMO-MJ0001-26 for the modification of the reverse osmosis plant at the Westin St. John Resort. The project proposes to install a new larger reverse osmosis plant due to the hotel’s water demands. A new building will be constructed to house the new plant and a new larger diameter seawater intake line will be installed, increasing it from eight inches to twelve inches in diameter.
“The existing plant is coming to the end of its life right now,” said presenter Miguel Arana, who added that the replacement parts are hard to find or obsolete. “It will give a greater treatment capacity of water and water storage as well.”
The drainageway will also be updated to avoid erosion. Instead of curving across the beach, “We’re going to excavate, take the line under the gut, and then come out at a straight line off across the beach, bearing the line. That way we won’t have the same erosion problems,” said Amy Dempsey, Bio Impact’s representative.
One property owner, David Gloski, inquired about the plume or emission from the pipes that will be constructed in the seabed. Dempsey responded that “It doesn’t have chemicals in it. All they’re doing is taking whatever’s in the water, they’re just concentrating it. There’s not things added to it.”
Members Andrew Penn, Refe Bouyon, Elissa Runyon, and Kurt Marsh were present and voted.
