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ST. CROIX REALTY
Message from Amy…
HERE COMESSPRING!
We could use those Aprilshowers, but the island isotherwise ideal. The tempsremain cool in the morningsand evenings; the air is silky.
Campers pitched their tents on beaches acrossthe island again this Easter, as per Crucian tradition.They set up camp at Cramer’s Park, Coakley Bay,Green Cay Beach, Salt River and along theFrederiksted waterfront.
For many, it’s a spiritual thing, a time offellowship with family and friends.
Lots of folks hike out to Point Udall and celebrateEaster sunrise. (Of course, you can drive out too.)That gathering at the easternmost point of theUnited States is a fellowship of sorts as well.
Speaking of nature, we’ve just had our last bluemoon until October of 2020. That makes two bluemoons in 2018, January 31 and March 31. I hopeyours was just as gorgeous as ours was. Our seasparkled!
On to other fun things… on March 24, theUniversity of the Virgin Islands presented the 5thannual Margaret Mead Film Festival and showedfive 30-minute films and held discussionsafterwards. The films, made by students, all camefrom the Academy of Motion Picture Arts andSciences Student “Oscars.” Like many UVI events,the festival was free.
And did you know that UVI extends free tuition toseniors 60 and over? With a local senior card, whichruns about $5, seniors can enroll in or audit classes.
Actually, seniors in the territory get many perks,including discounts at some grocery stores and gasstations.
Senior cards aside, there are great reasons tomove to St. Croix: beauty, year-round outdooractivities, incredible musicians, friendly folk whowelcome newcomers, the majestic Roseway,Carnival, an international culinary festival, and aCaribbean style St. Patrick’s Day… shall I go on?
See you on St. Croix! AmyAmy Land-de Wilde
Regional President/Managing Broker
This newsletter written by Anne Salafia [email protected] McKay [email protected]
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Amy Land-de Wilde
St.Croix Real Estatereviews
St.Croix Real EstatereviewsFeaturing Real Estate Market Updates
and Local News of St. Croix, USVI
APRIL 2018
The Crucian Greats Exhibit opened at Art@Top Hat onMarch 29 and kicked off the Easter holiday. The artcommunity on St. Croix came out in number to view
the works of Leo Carty, Jean Merwin, Bonnie Luria,Marcia Jameson, and others.
“Patrons were impressed to see a variety of originalpaintings from past and present local artists,” saidgallery owner, Hanne Rasmussen.
For many years, Hanne and her husband, Bent,brought fine Danish dining to Company Street upstairsat the Top Hat Restaurant.
In 2013, they sold their restaurant and developed afull fledged art gallery. “We devoted our artisticapproach to West Indian antiques and original Crucianpaintings for a wonderful change of pace,” Hanne said.
“We have a robust art community on St. Croix andseveral of those Crucian Greats paintings have alreadybeen sold. They’re here to stay,” she said.
iCarolyn Roblyer
has been sharingher art for manyyears on St. Croix.On March 24,Carolyn’s NewStreet exhibitrevealed Carolyn’sdiversity as anartist.
She hung acrylicpaintings on thewalls of the NewStreet home thatserved as a galleryfor her show. Sheopened the porch toan outside gallery
of wood paintings,and local scenes were recognizable on little boxes andlarger rectangles. Carolyn draped colorful quilts onframes around the rooms. Her painted scrolls addedwhimsy to the artist’s collection.
Exhibit highlights included the artful addition ofpainted gates to the entrance of the residence. Muralsof a family on one and a single person on the otherare sure to be the envy of the neighborhood.
New St. Gate Mural by Carolyn Roblyer
Art in the Left Lane
St. Croix Real Estate Reviews, page 2
Three Crucians and aseasoned brewer fromPennsylvania are putting
final touches on their newbusiness, Leatherback BrewingCo. They’ve got six shinystainless fermenters and a bigkettle set to go.
Partners Scot McChain,Aaron Hutchins, Packy Gilbertand John Giannopoulos plan asoft opening this month.
Leatherback Beer actuallyhit the island last November.Sly Fox Brewing Co., a sisterbrewery in Pennsylvania, sentdown 300 kegs of beer tokickstart the new operation.
Since then, the partnershave poured Leatherbacklagers and IPAs for every St.Croix parade and festival.Twenty-two restaurants andbars already serve the beer.
“And that’s just the start,said Aaron Hutchins,managing partner atLeatherback Brewing Co. Heintends to add another 12fermenters to the works.
By next season, the brewerywill offer a tasting room, fingerfoods, an indoor/outdoor bar,a family area, a back deck andpatio with a sea view, a fieldfor events, and a conferenceroom.
Hutchins envisions sportsevents, car shows, andfundraisers with aconservationist bent.Leatherback turtles, say.
“We’ll walk before we run,”said Giannopoulos, the partnerwho is with Sly Fox and luredbrewmaster Dave Bronsteindown from New Jersey.
The partners are eager toexperiment with local flavors,like mangoes and passion fruit.
“And lemon grass, sorrel,ginger – all the things that arecommon in bush tea,”Hutchins said.
Hutchins pushed for thename “Leatherback.”
“Having grown up on St.Croix, I’ve always known theleatherbacks were anendangered species,” he said.“And these turtles alwayscome home.”
Hutchins likes this aboutleatherbacks; he came homehimself.
The Children’s Museum of St. Croix
A Children’s Museum on St. Croix has been the topic of discussionbetween Winifred “Oyoko” Loving and several of her friends.
After visiting the VI Children’s Museum on St. Thomas, Loving andher friends developed a Board of Directors, acquired a 501c(3) non-profit status, and became official.
Loving, a long-establishedresident of St. Croix, hailedfrom Boston over 40 yearsago. She taught andretired from the PearlB. LarsenElementarySchool.
“I know whatchildren want,what they need tokeep themmotivated andhappy. I know whatthey search for in newhorizons to keep theircreative juices flowing,” Lovingsaid.
A poet for many years,and the author ofchildren’s books, Loving has traversed the road leading into the mindsof children and adults alike.
The Children’s Museum, a traveling museum with no brick andmortar location yet, provides activities for children at all local fairs.
The museum adopted the Juanita Gardine Elementary School, andmembers of the museum visit monthly to provide storytelling to the1st grade classes.
“Without community, we have nothing,” says Loving. “We invite thecommunity to become involved. The museum is for all of us.”
Loving said that, “music, pottery, visual and sculptural art, puppets,origami, kid’s yoga and meditation, and the STEAM (science,technology, engineering, art, math) program are some of the learningactivities we will establish in the Children’s Museum of St. Croix.”
Visit on Facebook: The Children’s Museum of St. Croix.
Partner Aaron Hutchins, Brewmaster Dave Bronstein, Retail and Marketing Manager Ivy Hunter, Partner John Giannopoulos
Winnie “Oyoko” Loving reads to the children.
NEW CRAFT BEER BUSINESS ON STX:
LEATHERBACK BREWING CO.
St. Croix Real Estate Reviews, page 3
ST. CROIXINTERNATIONAL
REGATTAMARCH 9-11
The 25th St. Croix International Regatta drew boats fromacross the British and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our St. CroixYacht Club welcomed racers with its famous Rum Party
on Thursday, March 8. Competition commenced Friday withthe Captain Nick Races, a salute to Nick Castruccio whofounded the regatta in 1992 and secured Mumm Champagneas its then sponsor.
Regatta racing began Saturday with high seas and winds of 18-20 plus knots. All eyes were on the Rhodes19s, this year’s most competitive class. But by the finish of the second race, four of the five Rhodes hadsuccumbed to conditions. “Just because you’re exhausted, frustrated, and in physical pain doesn’t mean you give up,” said Mike
Petievich whose boat, Up deRhode, suffered a broken chain plate. “We were down four boats, and the nextmorning, everyone was at the start.”Chris Stanton, skipper of Rhode Devil, said “We went from a broken rudder, to capsizing and nearly sinking,
to back on top again.”Stakes were high for the 29er class—two teams would win a spot at the Youth World Championships in
Corpus Christi in July.“It was a nail-biting experience to the end,” said Kelly Klempen, whose daughters, Kate and Lucy raced the
29ers. The Klempen girls will represent the USVI in Corpus, along with Taylor Hasson and Steven Hardee.“We were on edge the whole time,” Hardee said.Advanced Optimist Milo Miller won every race in his division and will compete at the Opti World
Championships in Cyprus this summer.Winning skippers Stephen Schmidt (non-spinnakers), Chris Stanton (Rhodes 19), and Joe San Martin (multi-
hulls) each perched on the great scales and won their weight in Cruzan Rum. Optimists and 29ers took hometheir weight in Gatorade.
Optimist Milo Miller wins his weight in Gatorade.
“Just because you’reexhausted, frustrated, andin physical pain doesn’tmean you give up.”
St. Croix Real Estate Reviews, page 4
ST. CROIX REAL ESTATE MARKET WATCH249
2016-2017 AVERAGE DAYS MEDIAN 2017-2018 AVERAGE DAYS MEDIANSOLD ON MARKET SOLD PRICE SOLD ON MARKET SOLD PRICE
Home Sales 182 295 $260,000 143 326 $260,000 Condo Sales 140 266 $159,500 79 235 $148,000 Land under $39,999 35 404 $25,000 49 334 $25,000Land over $40,000 52 419 $84,000 35 523 $85,000Commercial 11 347 $250,000 14 635 $523,500
Information from the St. Croix Multiple Listing Service * The average sales price and the average days on marketcould be skewed greatly by only one sale or because of thesmall number of annual sales.
CLOSED SALES COMPARISON :3/31/16-3/31/17 VERSUS 3/31/17-3/31/18
e Good News…COMMERCIALPROPERTIES
SOLD FOR
109%MORE
Through this March,compared to the same
period last year.
Feature Property of the Month
76 Green CayCalypso's Paradise iswalking distance to oneof the best sandy,swimmable beaches onthe East End of St. Croix.This beautiful villa has3 bedrooms, 3 baths, alarge swimming pool,an apartment andgorgeous, straight-onBuck Island andCaribbean Sea views.Upon entering thehome from the pooldeck you are greeted byBuck Island views. Thereis a gracious flowbetween the upscalekitchen, dining area, large living room and the north facing gallery. The lower levelapartment has private parking, outdoor living space and CaribbeanSea views. The Green Cay neighborhood is a beachfrontcommunity with a long stretch of sand great for long, invigoratingwalks and ample areas to cool off in the sea. This community iscentrally located near restaurants, Christiansted town and theGallows Bay Market place.
MLS 18-584 $795,000
6 Villa Madeleine ONE OF THE BEST VIEWSIN VILLA MADELEINE!This higher level unitoffers unobstructedCaribbean Sea viewsframed by verdant hills,its own private pool, and abeautiful clean design!
MLS 18-613 $469,000
210 La Vallee Located in the popular
Cane Harborsubdivision, this lot
has a nice elevation forbig sea views to thenorth and to receivethe breezes from the
east. Just a short driveto Cane Bay beach, many restaurants, golf, and easy
access to main roads leading east and west.
MLS 13-1094 $49,999
118 Schooner Bay Private, 2 bedroom, 2bath, end unit with seaviews at the convenientSchooner Bay complex!This end unit opens to alarge gallery and has quietgreen space with a privacyfence at the entry.
MLS 18-609 $134,900
42 & 43 Shoys Two plots, totaling 1.83
acres, located in thebeachfront community of
Shoys has outstandingviews of the Buccaneer
Golf Course, theCaribbean sea and the
sunsets over Chris-tiansted Harbor.
There is one cistern already in place.
MLS 18-517 $649,000
Calypso’s Paradise
MORE ISLAND VALUES
