usvi-on-line
a little construction problem
a little construction problem
From the STJ Tradewinds:
Residents are worried that a new construction site on North Shore Road, above, could cause serious damage to sensitive V.I. National Park resources.
Gabion baskets have given way on the road to the new construction site, reportedly prompting a change to the use of concrete walls instead.
North Shore neighbors and St. John residents were worried about a new construction site rising on an undisturbed knoll high above Hawksnest and Oppenheimer Beach even before contractors reportedly removed century-old trees on V.I. National Park land.
The construction site is accessed by an old road in Estate Susanna-berg that begins near Cheyenne’s Heavy Equipment on Centerline Road and ends near Peace Hill on North Shore Road. After years of no use, the road was reopened by Department of Public Works with little fanfare and no public announcement several months ago.
The construction site is located on about an acre of land in Estate Denis Bay, on Denis Bay Parcel 2-A and Parcel 2-B. The owner of the project has been identified as interior designer to the stars, architect Anthony Ingrao, who owns Ingrao Inc. with partner Randy Kemper. The two have designed homes, garden spaces and more for the likes of Goldie Hawn, Howard Stern, Donny Deutsch and Kim Cattrall and are based on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
“Not all our clients are billionaires; the other half are just normal millionaires,” Ingrao was quoted in an article on http://www.hamtons-magazine.com.
While the home will undoubtedly be designed to exacting standards, what has neighbors and residents worried is the impact on its surrounding environment.
The home site is surrounded on three sides by untouched VINP land and is located on a steep slope above pristine Hawksnest, Oppenheimer and Denis Bay beaches.
From the beginning stages of earthwork to actually changing the grading of the access road, the new construction has posed serious environmental threats, according to St. John attorney Raf Muilenburg who is familiar with the site.
“They’ve done a massive amount of earth work at the site,” said Muilenburg. “They haven’t just opened the road and made it smooth, they’ve widened it enormously. They’ve also graded the road and lowered it and changed the direction of water flow.”
“There has been an enormous amount of loose dirt and mud sitting up there for a long time, and all of that is just waiting for one of our big rain storms to come and wash right into pristine Hawksnest Bay and Denis Bay, not to mention Gibney and Oppenheimer beaches,” said Muilenburg.
Even if contractors made every effort possible, construction seems likely to impact the area. And several environmental impacts have already been reported.
“Several of their gabion baskets already collapsed and sent yards of dirt down the hill,” said Muilenburg. “If more of that were to happen, it would be enough to really damage the bays below. They were supposed to be paving it all by early April and now they say they’re at least several months away from that still due to the problems with the baskets.”
Construction at the site has also already encroached on VINP land and resources, Muilenburg said.
“The park tells us they’ve already encroached on park land in several areas, including with their gabion baskets,” Muilenburg said. “And when we had a moderate rain recently, enough water got between the dirt road and the loose fill in the gabion basket that the whole thing collapsed down into park land — apparently due to lack of engineering.”
VINP officials issued fines and cited the developers for the instance, explained Muilenburg, who added that workers continue to fix the gabion basket collapse.
“They say they’re in the process of fixing the basket collapse and they’re going to do a concrete wall instead,” said the St. John attorney. “But that is going to take months apparently, and in the meantime that could mean a terrible amount of runoff right into Denis Bay.”
The most shocking incident at the Denis Bay construction site, however, came about reportedly because Ingrao and Kemper wanted to expand their commanding view.
“From the survey we’ve seen, they’ve also cut into the ridge line behind the home — which is VINP land — apparently to cut off enough of it to open the view to the west, ” said Muilenburg. “They did that with no authorization whatsoever, and in doing so they also cut down a great deal of tall trees which were 100-plus years old on park land and on neighbors’ land.”
The site, while located adjacent to pristine VINP land and towering over sensitive VINP beaches below, is not part of Department of Planning and Natural Resource’s Tier 1, meaning plans were not scrutinized by the St. John Coastal Zone Management Committee.
There has been virtually no public input on this project and no information on the plans have been shared at a public forum by DPNR, DPW or any other government agency.
Residents are worried that a new construction site on North Shore Road, above, could cause serious damage to sensitive V.I. National Park resources.
Gabion baskets have given way on the road to the new construction site, reportedly prompting a change to the use of concrete walls instead.
North Shore neighbors and St. John residents were worried about a new construction site rising on an undisturbed knoll high above Hawksnest and Oppenheimer Beach even before contractors reportedly removed century-old trees on V.I. National Park land.
The construction site is accessed by an old road in Estate Susanna-berg that begins near Cheyenne’s Heavy Equipment on Centerline Road and ends near Peace Hill on North Shore Road. After years of no use, the road was reopened by Department of Public Works with little fanfare and no public announcement several months ago.
The construction site is located on about an acre of land in Estate Denis Bay, on Denis Bay Parcel 2-A and Parcel 2-B. The owner of the project has been identified as interior designer to the stars, architect Anthony Ingrao, who owns Ingrao Inc. with partner Randy Kemper. The two have designed homes, garden spaces and more for the likes of Goldie Hawn, Howard Stern, Donny Deutsch and Kim Cattrall and are based on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
“Not all our clients are billionaires; the other half are just normal millionaires,” Ingrao was quoted in an article on http://www.hamtons-magazine.com.
While the home will undoubtedly be designed to exacting standards, what has neighbors and residents worried is the impact on its surrounding environment.
The home site is surrounded on three sides by untouched VINP land and is located on a steep slope above pristine Hawksnest, Oppenheimer and Denis Bay beaches.
From the beginning stages of earthwork to actually changing the grading of the access road, the new construction has posed serious environmental threats, according to St. John attorney Raf Muilenburg who is familiar with the site.
“They’ve done a massive amount of earth work at the site,” said Muilenburg. “They haven’t just opened the road and made it smooth, they’ve widened it enormously. They’ve also graded the road and lowered it and changed the direction of water flow.”
“There has been an enormous amount of loose dirt and mud sitting up there for a long time, and all of that is just waiting for one of our big rain storms to come and wash right into pristine Hawksnest Bay and Denis Bay, not to mention Gibney and Oppenheimer beaches,” said Muilenburg.
Even if contractors made every effort possible, construction seems likely to impact the area. And several environmental impacts have already been reported.
“Several of their gabion baskets already collapsed and sent yards of dirt down the hill,” said Muilenburg. “If more of that were to happen, it would be enough to really damage the bays below. They were supposed to be paving it all by early April and now they say they’re at least several months away from that still due to the problems with the baskets.”
Construction at the site has also already encroached on VINP land and resources, Muilenburg said.
“The park tells us they’ve already encroached on park land in several areas, including with their gabion baskets,” Muilenburg said. “And when we had a moderate rain recently, enough water got between the dirt road and the loose fill in the gabion basket that the whole thing collapsed down into park land — apparently due to lack of engineering.”
VINP officials issued fines and cited the developers for the instance, explained Muilenburg, who added that workers continue to fix the gabion basket collapse.
“They say they’re in the process of fixing the basket collapse and they’re going to do a concrete wall instead,” said the St. John attorney. “But that is going to take months apparently, and in the meantime that could mean a terrible amount of runoff right into Denis Bay.”
The most shocking incident at the Denis Bay construction site, however, came about reportedly because Ingrao and Kemper wanted to expand their commanding view.
“From the survey we’ve seen, they’ve also cut into the ridge line behind the home — which is VINP land — apparently to cut off enough of it to open the view to the west, ” said Muilenburg. “They did that with no authorization whatsoever, and in doing so they also cut down a great deal of tall trees which were 100-plus years old on park land and on neighbors’ land.”
The site, while located adjacent to pristine VINP land and towering over sensitive VINP beaches below, is not part of Department of Planning and Natural Resource’s Tier 1, meaning plans were not scrutinized by the St. John Coastal Zone Management Committee.
There has been virtually no public input on this project and no information on the plans have been shared at a public forum by DPNR, DPW or any other government agency.
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toes in the sand
- Posts: 994
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:21 pm
Re: a little construction problem
Sounds like no problem for a "normal millionare" to handle.
"got a drink in my hand and my toes in the sand"
Re: a little construction problem
ugh.
< leaving on the 22nd of march...but too lame to figure out the ticker thing again!>
Re: a little construction problem
Should be shot. Builder should have his lic. pulled and never be able to build again.
Tom
Re: a little construction problem
We saw this monstrosity from the water when we were out with Captain Brandy. It is an ugly scar on the hillside. Wish he would have thought as much about what was being done to the exterior as much as he loves his interiors. The total disregard for the surroundings is truly disheartening. Hope there is some recourse but unfortunately it seems like much of the damage is already done.
Re: a little construction problem
That was actually my 1st thought but I did not want to add any personal comment to the Tradewinds copy.toes in the sand wrote:Sounds like no problem for a "normal millionare" to handle.
The 2 pictures in the article did not come through on the cut and paste I used but are on the http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com site.
Re: a little construction problem
That is so sad..Part of what makes STJ so special is all the preserved land...and these people had not respect for that...What is to stop many others from doing the same...Someone in authority needs to do something to stop others from doing that..
~Pam~
"Barefoot in the snow white sand
A bag of sea shells in her hand
She finally found a paradise it seems..."
"Barefoot in the snow white sand
A bag of sea shells in her hand
She finally found a paradise it seems..."
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Teresa_Rae
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Downstate IL
Re: a little construction problem
Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
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Myheart'sinSTJ
- Posts: 363
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:02 pm
- Location: New London, PA
Re: a little construction problem
Just looked at the pictures, that is such a sin, I guess if you have oogles of money anything is attainable at any cost. Tom is right, that developer/contractor should have his license revoked.
Re: a little construction problem
We too saw this site when on a trip with Capt John Brandi in Feb. This is outrageous! What fines can be levied against the builder? Can his permits and license be revoked? Further question is how was this allowed to happen right in front of everyone's eyes? Disgusting!
Re: a little construction problem
Somebody`s pocket is being filled to look the other way. It`s a shame this is happening.atomant wrote:We too saw this site when on a trip with Capt John Brandi in Feb. This is outrageous! What fines can be levied against the builder? Can his permits and license be revoked? Further question is how was this allowed to happen right in front of everyone's eyes? Disgusting!
Re: a little construction problem
Its a shame this is happening..I wish they would go else where to build..but as the saying goes...money talks, BS walks..very very sad
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Re: a little construction problem
Coming in on the ferry from Virgin Gorda on June 2 we saw that monstrosity and took a photo. That is a sizable gash in the hillside that can be seen from very far away.
Also spoke to a concrete contractor at the Beach Bar who spoke of the massive # of cubic yards delivered. He said it will include a huge wall sized aquarium that will overlook a billiards/game room. Who knows just for fun maybe the aquarium will feature some endangered species…
Also spoke to a concrete contractor at the Beach Bar who spoke of the massive # of cubic yards delivered. He said it will include a huge wall sized aquarium that will overlook a billiards/game room. Who knows just for fun maybe the aquarium will feature some endangered species…
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide