USVI-On-Line

Does anyone know the story of the boarded up Blue Building at Maho Bay??? Would the park service ever rent it out??

I dream of having a little beach bar there!!

From this pic
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/floridalin ... 631514263/" title="Picture 6 by lprof, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/463 ... 05acb9.jpg" width="500" height="224" alt="Picture 6"></a>
taken from this website:
http://stjohnlinks.com/Beaches.htm

... I can see your dream. Apparently the Park Service leases out the building for special occasions.

"There is a Virgin Islands National Park pavilion on the extreme western portion of the beach. A permit must be obtained from the park in order to use this facility. This permit will also entitle you to use the bathrooms to the west of the pavilion, which are otherwise locked and not available to the general public. The park will explain the rules and conditions pertaining to the use of the pavilion. (Call the National Park at 776-6201.)"
the above taken from:
http://www.seestjohn.com/beaches_maho.html

Not exactly up-to-date information...it has been many years since it was last used. This was a private house, built in the early 1950s. (Same era as Ethel McCully next door, but a lot less self promotion).
The Friends of the VINP renovated it as a party pavilion in the 90s. One of the hurricanes ( Marilyn? could it be 15 years?) did some damage and it was shut down. I recall reading quite a while ago that the Friends were going to work on it again, but it hasn't happened.
The Park is extremely unlikely to lease any concession there. The only concessions actually on Park land--Cinnamon and Trunk facilities --have always been run by Caneel Bay, and although there are rumors that that will not be the case in the future, the process of dealing with the levels of Federal permitting required would be daunting to almost anyone. Personally, I believe that the lack of commercial activity on Park land is the greatest thing St. John has to offer still.

Thanks for the update, hugo. Searching for answers to others' questions is a learning experience for me.

hugo wrote: Personally, I believe that the lack of commercial activity on Park land is the greatest thing St. John has to offer still.

I agree there! Although I do enjoy the villas, the restaurants, the shops, and the wonderful people, when I think of St John it is that natural island scene that comes to mind. Keeping the park geared to nature, and offering the man-made necessities - even luxuries - elsewhere on the island is ideal, in my (visitor's) opinion. Hopefully some limits to some development will "soon come" with the newly hired planner. I think it would be a good commercial venture though, if the TPL can secure the remaining Maho beachfront land and the Park Service can continue the Maho Camps, either directly or through an agent.

Maintenance always has a cost... especially with such a fragile placement as this building. Too bad something can not be done with the existing structure though... seems perfect for occasional functions - if used frequently enough to pay those costs of upkeep.
Disregarding all the factors of reality... what a location for a house! Wow!