ST. CROIXREAL ESTATE NEWS

NOVEMBER 2019

This newsletter written by Jennifer Burnsjennifer.burns@amplivi.com

Happy Thanksgiving! On St.Croix you’ll find uscelebrating the holiday

mixed with a few distinctly Cruciantraditions. Special dishes, customs,and spending time with ourextended island family enhances thegratitude we already have for beingable to live in this piece of paradise.

Another one of our November islandtraditions is the 24th annual St.Croix Coral Reef Swim. Swimmersof all ages can participate in a one-mile, two-mile or five-mile racethrough turquoise water and colorfulcoral reefs, ending at TheBuccaneer's palm-lined beachwhere a steel band andrefreshments await. This year’s eventis scheduled for November 10.

If you prefer to watch sports insteadof participating in them, head out toour new soccer stadium in EstateBethlehem, home of the DashingEagles. The men’s team takes on St.Martin on November 19 in the thirdand last round of group stagematches of the 2019-2020Concacaf Nations League. Comeout and cheer them on!

With the cooler breezes arrivingwe’re excited to welcome back ourseasonal visitors. The energy on theisland is unmistakable when wemeet people who are thrilled tospend a few weeks or a few monthson St. Croix. We can’t imaginespending the cooler monthsanywhere else. If it’s cold where youare, we invite you to make plans tovisit us soon! Stop by our Coldwell

Banker St. Croix offices inChristiansted and Frederiksted.We’d love to meet you! Bry

Bry Locher, Managing Broker Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty

Bry Locher

E A C H O F F I C E I S I N D E P E N D E N T L Y O W N E D A N D O P E R A T E D

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Message fromBry…

You’ve seen the signs around the island…but do you know whatthey’re about? The HeART of Turtles project is the latestinitiative from the St. Croix Walls Project, whose mission is to“transform the ordinary into the unexpected.”

And transform they have. Woodworker Chris Lima built ten sea turtlereplicas from salvaged and reclaimed wood left over from HurricaneMaria. Each finished turtle sitting on a base stands approximately 6-feettall. A call to artists in June put the unfinished turtles in the hands of localartists who have spent the past three months transforming them intounique works of art.

At a “hatching” ceremony on November 9, the public can view all tencompleted sculptures.

Glenda Smith, St. Croix Walls Project’s founder and brainchild of theHeART of Turtles project, is thrilled to see the transformation takingplace. “It’s so exciting to see the turtles come to life. This project hasbrought together the island’s art, business and philanthropiccommunities to promote St. Croix as an art-tourism destination.”

Project sponsors include 84 Lumber World Trade, AECOM, Franklin’s onthe Waterfront, Gretchen Goslin, Joel and Jackie Holt, William KeithFamily, Sand Castle on the Beach, Smith Family Foundation, St. CroixHotel and Tourism Association, Gotostcroix and VI Cargo. Each sponsorselected an artist and location for their sponsored work, which will be theturtle’s home until early 2021.

Confirmed location sites are Cane Bay Beach, La Reine Chicken Shack,Sand Castle on the Beach Hotel, Frederiksted Pier, Blue Water Terrace,St. Croix Hotel and Tourism Association’s affiliated hotels, Christianstedboardwalk near Club Comanche, Sion Farm Distillery, LeatherbackBrewing Company, and Seaborne Airlines’ seaplane base.

ColdwellBankerVI.comInfo@ColdwellBankerVI.comStCroixForRent.com340-778-7000 or 340-718-70005030 Anchor Way Suite 12Christiansted, VI 00820

The HeARTof Turtles PUBLIC ART ON ST. CROIX

St. Croix Real Estate News, page 2

The turtle sculptures will be auctioned off in February 2021 withnet proceeds going to Project Promise and Jr. Scientists in theSea (JSIS).

The public is invited to the hatching ceremony on November 9 atSand Castle on the Beach hotel from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.This event will be the only time that all of the sculptures will betogether in one location before they go to their new homesaround the island. There will be live music, drink specials and asilent auction. Details are on the St. Croix Walls Project’sFacebook page.

The HeARTof Turtles Continued…

Phot

o by

Cat

hy B

ooth

Artist Cathy Booth with her mosaic turtle.

TASTE OF TWIN CITY

Do you know what a “doubles” is? How about the main ingredient in bush tea?Whether you’re a visitor or a local, it’s easy to take the mystery out of the island’sfavorite dishes when you experience the Taste of Twin City Food Tour with Virgin

Islands Food Tours.

Guests can take a culinary tasting trip featuring the best of Crucian cuisine. Each stopon the tour features a small plate or snack as your guide explains the significance of thedish and how it fits into the island’s cultural history. It’s not all about eating, though. In-between stops pointout some of Christiansted’s notable buildings, unique architecture and fun facts about the island.

After spending over a decade in Miami, St. Croix native Anquanette Gaspard returned home and startedVirgin Islands Food Tours in 2016. The tours have been so well received that she gets many repeat guests,including residents who bring visiting friends and family.

The six tastings reflect our island’s melting pot of cultures that make St. Croix one of the most deliciousdestinations in the Caribbean. The tour moves at a relaxed pace through Christiansted and allows plenty oftime to enjoy the food at each stop.

From Crucian staples to sweets, the Taste of Twin City Food Tour with Virgin Islands Food Tours is a funouting that any foodie will enjoy. Experience your favorite dishes from a new perspective, and discover newones – made all the more enjoyable with a local guide who is passionate about St. Croix!

Experience culture, history and food with VI Food Tours

St. Croix Real Estate News, page 3

Preserving historic homes totheir former glory was apassion for the late Richard

Hampton Jenrette, and it wasfortunate for St. Croix that hispassion led him to the iconicEstate Cane Garden located onthe south shore.

As a self-proclaimed “house-aholic,” Dick Jenrette oftenadmitted that he had seen GoneWith The Wind too many times inhis youth, influencing his love ofclassical architecture. In his book,Adventures With Old Houses, DickJenrette tells of his personalaccount of acquiring andpreserving over a dozen historicproperties, including CaneGarden. In a conversational andentertaining manner, Jenretterecounts how his passion led tothis unconventional odysseyresulting in an internationallyrecognized collection of classicalhistoric houses. HRH The Princeof Wales wrote, “No wonder someof his admirers have describedDick as a one-person NationalTrust for Historic Preservation.”He was gracious and warm and Iwas lucky to have visited with himduring his many years on St.Croix. He certainly lived up to theNew York Times’s description of

him… “he was the last gentlemanon Wall Street,” where he had animpressive career as co-founderand Chairman of securitiesinvestment bank, Donaldson,Lufkin & Jenrette, and Chairmanand CEO of The Equitable LifeAssurance Society.

Estate Cane Garden’s history isrich and its buildings reflect itsstoried past. The estate was oncea sugar cane plantation owned bythree generations of the McEvoyFamily, who were Scotch-Irishplanters in what was then aDanish colony. Cane Garden wasextensively remodeled in the1820s in the newly fashionableclassical style, with columnsadded on both the front and backsides of the home. Cane Garden’ssimilarity to the White Housemight not be totally coincidental.Dr. William Thornton, one of thearchitects of the White House anda close friend to ThomasJefferson, was a native of the

Virgin Islands. He returned for avisit about the time that CaneGarden was built and could haveserved as a consultant or tastearbiter on the project.

In the early 20th Century, CaneGarden was burned, leaving onlythe massive coral block walls as ashell of the original structure. Itstood as a romantic ruin for atleast 40 years until it was rebuiltby the Howard Wall Family ofPortland, Oregon shortly afterWorld War II. Purchasing thehouse from the Walls’ estate in1985, Dick Jenrette embarked ona plan to return Cane Garden to itsoriginal look, to the extent it couldbe ascertained. Fred Gjessing, aDanish architect working in St.Thomas, and William Taylor, a St.Croix architect, led the efforts torecreate the original. They wereaided by extensive photographs ofthe ruins after the fire as well asother evidence they were able togather in St. Croix and Copen-hagen. As a result, the presenthouse is a replica incorporatingwhat was left of the original house.The house today consists of animpressive six-bedroom greathouse with a swimming pool, threeadditional cottages, severaloutbuildings and historic ruins.

Confessions of a House-Aholic: Estate Cane GardenBy Corinne King

We can’t name manyplaces in the Caribbeanwhere you’ll see men inlederhosen and women

in dirndl other than Oktoberfest atZiggy’s Island Market. This year’sevent drew hundreds of peoplefrom across the island tocelebrate German culture, food,beer, and games.

Billed as the largest Oktoberfestin the Caribbean, the party on St.Croix’s East End unofficiallymarks the end of summer and thebeginning of the winter season. This year was the eighthOktoberfest at Ziggy’s althoughthe event’s tradition on St. Croixgoes back even further.Residents Dieter and RobynBecker had hosted a private

celebration at their home withGerman friends for years. Overtime, the party grew into a publicevent and eventually moved tothe Agricultural Complex. Ziggy’s owner Mike Ziegler and

former business partner DavidHilkes, who is from Hamburg,invited the Beckers to move theevent to Ziggy’s in 2011. David’swife Traci still manages theOktoberfest kitchen that includesauthentic bratwurst, spaetzle andmore.

Oktoberfest has expanded everyyear since, partnering with otherisland businesses likeLeatherback Brewing Companywho contributed a specialZiggybrau brew. Ziegler says thatthis year’s event drew over 500people. If you’ve never been, besure to add Oktoberfest to yourmust-do list of islandcelebrations! Prost!

Ziggy’s Octoberfest

FUN FACT: In 2015 theHonorary Consul of Germany, EricStubbe, was on-hand at Ziggy’s toassist with the ceremonial tappingof the first Oktoberfest keg.

3 & 10 Shoys MLS 18-1591 $2,595,000A spectacular beachfront luxury property situated on over 2.5 acres oftropical gardens, located in the gated community of Buccaneer Bay Estatesand directly on sandy Shoys Beach. Step inside and enjoy the professionallydesigned and decorated grand dining room, living room and comfortablemedia room. These spacious areas are full of natural light, opening onto the40 foot covered porch which is a spectacular area for dinning and loungingany time of day. The sparkling pool and deck area invites a swim and privateCaribbean sunning. Radiating from the charming fountain courtyard are 5large bedroom suites each recently renovated with gorgeous bathrooms. Listing courtesy of Isabel Brady

423 THE REEF MLS 19-35 $255,000This gem of a 2BD, 2BA unit is situated on the end corner withperfect positioning! Unlimited potential to design to your ownwants and needs. Original clay tile floors, hand painted muralsand attractive open room design. On the East End withBeautiful Buck Island and mountain views. Privacy fromneighbors and attractive landscaping. Complex has pool andtennis.

Listing courtesy of Kelly Odom

17 & 17A Queen St. MLS 19-829 $215,000A great location in the heart of Frederiksted.Ruins of two buildings and courtyard area. Somany possibilities with this corner lot thatneeds renovation. Just two short blocks to thewaterfront. Newly paved road. The potential ofthis property once restored would be amazing!

Listing courtesy of Diane Burns

172 Whim MLS 19-1418 $595,000Enjoy the sounds of the waves and over 200 ft of beautiful shoreline. This

waterfront home is on a flat 2.3 acre lot. The main house boasts a spaciousliving/dining area perfect for entertaining. Sliding glass doors open to a grassy

lawn and sandy beach. Large screened atrium, built-in mahogany FletcherPence pieces which give this home a special flare and tropical feel. The largemaster suite includes a king-size mahogany headboard that is literally a workof art. Each of the 3 bedrooms includes a bathroom. Much of the roof on the

main house is new. A generator is housed in the large concrete shed. Theguest house is 2BD and over 1000 sq. ft. Good income property!

Listing courtesy of Diane Burns

14 UNION & MT. WASHINGTON MLS 19-1483 $33,500 Excellent building site in South shore neighborhood. Build

your dream home and enjoy the beautiful colors of theCaribbean Sea. The property is 0.63 acres. Power poles

are on the boundary line.

Listing courtesy of Sanni Craft

sT. CroiX reaL esTaTe MarKeT WaTCh249

2017-2018 AVERAGE DAYS MEDIAN 2018-2019 AVERAGE DAYS MEDIANSOLD ON MARKET SOLD PRICE SOLD ON MARKET SOLD PRICE

Home Sales 190 297 $287,000 203 257 $270,000 Condo Sales 109 223 $170,000 134 183 $180,000 Land under $39,999 51 369 $25,000 75 319 $28,500Land over $40,000 52 476 $87,500 74 382 $78,250Commercial 13 614 $625,000 18 421 $465,000

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 :10/31/17-10/31/18 VERSuS 10/31/18-10/31/19

e Good news…

23%MORE

CONDOSSOLD

Through this October,compared to the same

period last year.

This MonTh’s FeaTured ProPerTies

St. Croix Real Estate News, page 4

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