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ST. CROIX REALTY
Message from Amy…
MAGICAL MAY!
May produced enchantingvisions. Buds have openedon bushes and the
flamboyant trees are in bloomagain! Birds are awake andchirping away, and the sunsets aremore brilliant than ever.
Can you believe, in nearly 40 years of living on St. Croix,I saw my first green flash at sunset? It was amazing! It’s anunforgettable experience you will not want to miss. Afamiliar scene on St. Croix is folks seated beachside, glassin hand, watching the last light fade into the sea.
The Alexander Hamilton Jump Up was our first “jam” ofthe month in downtown Christiansted. Restaurants andgalleries were open late. Mocko jumbies danced to themusic of our high school bands and folks joined in the fete.
Mother’s Day brought out all the moms and those whohold them dear to celebrate and shine in the wonder oftheir special day. I enjoyed mine with my daughter hikingto the Annaly Tide Pools then relaxing over a leisurelybrunch right on the sparkling Caribbean.
Turtle Watch has begun! Groups and organizations areinvited to sign up for late evenings out at Sandy PointBeach to watch nature at its best.
The latest Art Thursday was our last Art Walk for theseason—it was a lively one and we all look forward toramping them up again after the summer. More than adozen galleries and shops displayed the works of artistsand jewelers in downtown Christiansted until 10pm.
The Caribbean Journal in its online publication, “The 18Best Islands to Visit in the Caribbean in 2018,”recommended St. Croix as a new foodie hotspot in theCaribbean. Our restaurants are in the Limelight!
Good news for condo owners! If your unit sustaineddamages from Hurricane Maria, you are eligible to applyfor a property tax break. The Lieutenant Governor’s officeon King St. in Christiansted has available forms. There is nodeadline yet. Consider filing as soon as possible. ContactMs. Benjamin at 340-277-9355 for more information.
St. Croix native, Theodore Prince, piloted the inauguralSpirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale-HollywoodInternational Airport to St. Croix. The direct flight will add1,740 additional seats per month. We’ve got the Spirit!
Come see me on St. Croix! AmyAmy Land-de Wilde
Regional President/Managing Broker
This newsletter written by Elisa McKay [email protected] CLICK
HERECLICKHERE
l coldwellbankervi.com
l stcroixforrent.com
l Gallows Bay Marketplace 340.778.7000
l Frederiksted 340.642.3333
Amy Land-de Wilde
St.Croix Real Estatereviews
St.Croix Real EstatereviewsFeaturing Real Estate Market Updates
and Local News of St. Croix, USVI
JUNE 2018
Caribbean Museum for the Arts presentsSt. Croix Artists
Crucian artist,WaldemarBrodhurst, is
“Wired to Create.”The self-taughtartist worksexclusively infound andrecycled objects-cable, rope,barbed wire, glass,wood, screening,and fabric. Hiscraft is cleverlyrevealed in hisability to turntrash intoimpressive imagesof beauty. Brodhurst draws
on his reservoir ofculture and
fantasy. Hissculptures display
his unique talent of wrapping, curving, stretchingand curling—a meditation, if you will.
His subjects are both human and animalcreatures, steeped with the vigor and energy oflife itself. His female figures speak to his respectfor the strength and sensitivity of women, muchof what he has observed in his mother, in herbrave yet vulnerable spirit.
Bamboula is an African Caribbean dancer,who performs in ritualistic homage to heridentity and her freedom.
Life-size Merbell, the mermaid-fairy, comesalive from Brodhurst’s memory of fantasizing arendezvous with a mermaid in the Caribbean Sea.
The late, legendary artist, Lloyd “Dove”Braffith’s work shares the exhibit with Brodhurst.Dove’s art enlivens the walls of the CaribbeanMuseum’s permanent collection. Durant Tower,Pier 69 and St. Croix Carnival are truemasterpieces of the well-known and self-taught street artist.
Phot
o by
Elis
a M
cKay
.
Merbell Sculpture by WaldemarBrodhurst at CMCARTS Exhibit.
St. Croix Real Estate Reviews, page 2
Leatherback Brewery is open and ready to servethe die-hard beer drinkers and the newbies, aswell. On Saturday, May 12, folks turned out for
the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and they kept comingall day.
Live music by Daniel Dean entertained the crowdsthroughout the day. Kids amused themselves on themini-playground. Food vendors were present toappease your palate. And the beer flowed.
With draft beer names like Work and Rest, Saison,IPA, and Sweet Bottom Blonde, there has to be atleast one to suit your taste buds. And with thebrewery open five days a week, you can’t go wrongtrying a different flavor each day.
Aaron Hutchins, managing partner of theBrewery’s four owners, reveals that their crew boastsover 25 years' experience. Scot McChain, PackyGilbert and John Giannopoulos complete the team.
Specialty tours overlooking the tanks from theobservation deck were available to inquisitive
patrons on Saturday. Leatherback double brews high volume beers,
yielding them 1,000 gallons a brew. Depending onthe style of the beer, the flavor profile andcharacteristics, it sits for two to four weeks afterfermentation. The last step is the carbonation andthen it’s packaged.
Leatherback Brewing Company LLC, located in theWilliam D. Roebuck Industrial Park has beenapproved for EDC tax benefits for 30 years withplans to employ 10 full-time employees by the endof its first year, 14 within two years and 17 withinthree years.
The brewery supplies its craft beer to 24 bars andrestaurants on St. Croix, and plans to package itsbeer to sell throughout the VI, expanding throughoutthe Caribbean, and to the U.S. mainland.
Hutchins grew up on St. Croix, and knowing theleatherback turtles always come home, he pushedfor the name of the endangered species.
Leatherback Brewery Playground at Ribbon Cutting/Opening Day.
LEATHERBACK BREWING CO.Open for Business!
St. CroixSenepol
Celebrating100 Years
One hundred years ago,ranchers developed a new breedof cattle with a tolerance for thetropical heat. Other attributes ofthe breed are that they'reproducers of milk and meat, aresafe for children to play with,and live gently in the ecosystem.
The Henry Nelthropp family ofEstate Granard maintained 250N’Darma cattle. In 1918, hisson, Bromley introduced RedPoll genetics, thus blending andforming St. Croix’s own Senepolbreed.
Senepol are bred in manyparts of the world, and are calledthe best in the Caribbean.
New Mooring, PipelinePlanned for Larger
Shipments at LimetreeThe 32nd Legislature approved a
major coastal zone permit to allowLimetree Bay Terminals LLC to in-stall a mooring and two 6,000-footsteel underwater pipelines along theseafloor. This will allow the oilstorage terminal to accommodateoil tankers or very large crudecarriers that are fully loaded with 2.5million gallons of crude.There are 2,215 corals located in
the channel area where the pipelineswill be installed. Limetree Bay, TheVI Department of Planning andNatural Resources, and The NatureConservancy will work together totransplant most of the coral upcurrent from the present location.The remaining ten percent will betransplanted in existing coral nur-series. The creation of construction jobs
and the need for economic growthand development on St. Croix shapeda hot discussion on the Senate floor.
There is concern about the impactan underwater pipeline would haveon the South Shore and the VI PortAuthority. Governor Mapp must now con-
sider the $60-million project.
h
Dredging Schooner Bay Channel
Senators approved an appropri-ation of $3.5 million from the St.Croix Capital Improvement Fund topay for dredging in the SchoonerBay Channel. The dredging would allow small
cruise ships to dock in the GallowsBay area in Christiansted. Thiswould expand the island’s capacityto serve the cruise industry and bringin day visitors.Governor Mapp signed a measure
appropriating the monies for thedredging off St. Croix, in hopes thatfederal disaster funding will coverthe cost because local funding maynot exist.
Phot
o by
Elis
a M
cKay
.
St. Croix Real Estate Reviews, page 3
“V.I. Agriculture Strong: Rebound,Rebuild, Regrow” resonated throughout thefairground in Estate Lower Love on St. Croix at the47th Annual Agriculture Food Fair, it kicked off onSaturday May 26 and continued through theMemorial Day weekend.Grantley Samuel, Crop Farmer of the Year, for
the third time, has been in the business of growingproduce for 15 years on his farm just west of thefairground. The proprietor of GLG Plants andProduce made a comeback after losing everythingafter the hurricanes.Generations of Samuel’s family have farmed.
It’s in his blood!Samuel supplies Plaza West every week with his
main crops of okra and cucumbers. You can findhim on Saturdays at Southgate selling produce,local honey and herb plants.Local food and drinks were the order of the day.
Vendors were busy. People were buying. The fairwas alive with a common thread of hope andgratitude.Linda Lacy Hodge, Livestock Farmer of the Year,
sings to her chickens when it’s time for them to befed. “They get excited,” she said. Hodge’s Farm at Orange Grove is a family
business run by Linda, her husband, Harry, andtheir son, Nathaniel. For the past 15 years, theircrops have been local fruits, until in 2013 afarmer-friend gifted Linda with four chicks.
Those four chicks have expanded to today’scount of more than 300 Rhode Island Redchickens raised for eggs and meat.“A clean living environment, a healthy diet and
lots of clean drinking water produces happy,healthy chickens,” said the Hodge’s. The chickens showed trauma and produced
very few eggs right after Hurricane Maria. Theybounced back and their production increased,Linda said. She encourages farmers to continuetoiling to keep the industry alive.Elwin Joseph created the art for this year’s colorful poster.
AGRIFEST2 0 1 8
Above: Agrifest 2018 Quadrille Dancers.Below: Agrifest 2018 Poster by Elwin Joseph.
Phot
o by
Joan
Kee
nan
Photo by Elisa McKay.
St. Croix Real Estate Reviews, page 4
Feature Property of the Month
This traditionally designed Caribbean estate known as Mango Hill Greathouse is meticulously modernized, yet retains the historic charm of a Caribbean greathouse. The estate is outfitted with top-quality materials with the finest finishes, a 40' heated swimming pool, 3 spacious bedrooms all with baths en suite and a separate, private poolside guest house. The property has spectacular
Caribbean Sea views and is located in the gated Shoys beach community. Nearby is the famed Buccaneer hotel where you can enjoy resort amenities such as playing a round of golf, getting
pampered at the Hideaway Spa or indulging in a great meal at one of their restaurants.The sale of Mango Hill includes adjacent Plot #19 which adds an additional 0.73 acres
MLS 18-7 $3,765,000
13 Beeston Hill This beauty checks offeverything on your list… 4bedrooms all on the samelevel, open-concept floorplan, top-quality materialsused throughout, expan-sive sea views, swimmingpool with ample deck
space, lots of covered outdoor living space, net-metered solar, automatic gated entry, 2-car garage.
MLS 18-965 $795,000
B104 Colony Cove 2-bedroom, 1-bath, walk-in(no stairs!) condo in thebeachfront community ofColony Cove, a gated condocommunity with Caribbeancharm, vibrant and manicured grounds, a sandy beachwith calm waters and a seaside swimming pooladorned with soaring palm trees.
MLS 18-832 $145,000
K69 Questa Verde This 2-bedroom, 2.5-bathQuesta Verde condo has 2covered galleries and abonus ground level patiothat opens out to greenspace and unobstructedsea views. This 2-storycondo really has the feel
of a home with the ease of condo living!MLS 18-896 $260,000
16 Elizas RetreatAbsolutely breathtaking
views! This over threequarters of an acre
homesite in the privateEliza's Retreat neigh-
borhood is set amongstlush foliage and
dramatic rolling hills, all while enjoying expansiveCaribbean Sea views that include Buck Island.
MLS 17-1341 $70,000
Mango Hill Greathouse
MORE ISLAND VALUES
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 185 281 $267,000 139 321 $260,000 Condo Sales 136 265 $150,000 80 228 $155,000 Land under $39,999 34 394 $21,500 51 379 $25,000Land over $40,000 51 445 $80,000 36 478 $84,000Commercial 13 357 $285,000 15 614 $350,000
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 :5/31/16-5/31/17 VERSUS 5/31/17-5/31/18
e Good News…COMMERCIALPROPERTIESSOLD FOR
23%MORE Through this May,
compared to the sameperiod last year.
