If YOU owned the maho bay property?

[Dave-a-roni]

Ok, how about this one. This is light of Rick's April fools joke on the Maho Bay Property.
Lets assume you had the money to buy it...
Let's assume you build a house there...
Would you keep the beach area open to the public? Or would you post it private to keep people out?

My wife and I said we would let the public use the beach, but keep the area up at the house as private property.

What would you do?

[designbyroe]

I would keep it just the way Stanley has it.
I would just let everyone that loves Maho continue to enjoy it.
I really believe that someone (with a lot of $$ and is a sometime local) will either give 1/2 of what the land for public trust needs or all.They have given substantially already.
Keep our fingers and toes crossed.

[California Girl]

If I owned the property, I would keep it exactly as it is now, with the exception of building an eco-friendly house that blends into the scenery. Of course I would let the beach remain public. I need some company when I watch the sun set at my beach!

[Ondine]

Keep it the way it is, try to add more eco-education, and if possible an animal sanctuary. Such a special place, deserves lots of good karma.

[Lex]

I hope that what we'd do is build a small West Indian-style cottage then either deed the land to the VINP or offer Stanley a long term lease. He's done things the right way there.

All VI beaches are public and cannot be posted. An interesting thing is the case of Vie's beach. She doesn't own the beach itself. She does own the land behind it. So her "fee" is not to use her beach, but to cross her property to access the beach.

I do hold out hope that some one or some group will step in to protect Maho. I would be less hopeful if the Big Maho land hadn't been acquired by the trust. We stayed at Maho the first couple of times we went to STJ. It holds a very special place in our hearts. We always stop by even when we stay elsewhere. We intend to stay there once more out of appreciation and to refresh our memories again before the tents are rolled up. It's a really special place. Seeing those hills ripped up for development would be among the saddest changes we've seen on STJ. Where some folks see beauty, others just see underutilized land with the potential to turn a nice profit.

[liamsaunt]

IF I had the money...I would shut the camps as they exist, and offer Mr. Stanley the opportunity to redevelop the site using the eco-friendly concepts that he is using to upgrade Concordia. The Maho site, featuring eco-friendly enclosed (not tents) rentals, with amenities such as hot-water showers, air conditioning via solar power, etc., could be a very marketable concept to the psuedo-campers that comprise 90% of all U.S. "campers." I would use my (imaginary!) wealth to continue the artist studios and volunteer employee programs because that would add character to "my" resort.

The beach is public by default...

My house would be small, but with an awesome kitchen (I can dream, right?) and at the highest point that is available, to catch the breezes.

[sea-nile]

Ditto on what CA girl said! I would build a house for myself that is small, eco-friendly, but keep everything else the same.

[Lex]

Here's a link to an article about a recent study that identifies the development of in-holdings as a significant threat to the VINP:

http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com//in ... 1&Itemid=1

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

I would not build on it, for myself or others. I would do all I could to preserve it, as is, only better. See below.

Using the existing structure, I would create bathroom facilities. Every year, I keep hoping someone has done that with the blue building there but, every year, alas, I'm forced to use the bushes. What a waste...

[California Girl]

What's the story with that blue building, anyway? Great idea Marcia!

[cptnkirk]

I would tear it all down and build a Peterbay like cliff mansion and post keep out signs everywere. Nah I wouldn't do that I just wanted to get everyone woke up on monday morning Davaroni I would do like you kinda like Gibney is.

[Lex]

Two different properties are being discussed here. Some posters are talking about the Maho Bay Campground property which is currently for sale. Others are talking about the Big Maho lands that the trust acquired. The original question was sufficiently non-specific that either one is appropriate to comment on/fantasize about.

[Dave-a-roni]

Lex, your right, there are two properties being talked about here, I ment this property that Kirk posted, this video in RickG's thread. http://www.islandiarealestate.com/Detai ... &type=land
Having said that, I had no idea that the maho camps were for sale?? what happened there?

Now, yes... I would do the same as Cifornia girl too, a small eco house, completely self contained and bearly noticable. The beach would be open to the public... I feel like I'd be down at the beach all the time making sure snokelers weren't ruining things

[Lex]

That video is showing the Maho Bay Camps property. I thought it was interesting that it doesn't mention the current use as the campground, but does mention the existing infrastructure of walkways and observation decks. There's also a photo of one of the boardwalks. I guess some things would enhance its desirability and other things wouldn't.