Public-private partnership being considered for Palm Grove development
City Manager Janice Braithwaite-Edwards has said a public-private partnership with investors is to be employed to undertake a development at the now-demolished Palm Grove Shopping Centre in Road Town.
The city manager, however, said she does not know what development will be constructed at the location.
“There are no designs but there are things that people have in mind. Nothing has come to fruition as yet,” Braithwaite-Edwards told BVI News on Wednesday.
“We are in the process of getting the documentation done so that we can decide how we are going to move forward with it … It is a document that helps what it is you want to achieve, and what are the pieces involved to get the achievement done so that somebody can bid for the project,” she added.
The city manager gave the indication on the heels of a change in the government of the BVI. The government was changed from an NDP administration to a VIP administration.
Reports suggest that discussions for a new development at Palm Grove began under the NDP government. Now that VIP leader Andrew Fahie has been sworn in as the new Premier of the Virgin Islands, it is yet to be seen whether his administration will halt whatever agreement that is currently underway for the location.
What happened to Palm Grove
Palm Grove was demolished since last August after authorities labelled it unsafe. In late 2017 all tenants were vacated after the old structure was weakened by the 2017 hurricanes.
Palm Grove was also affected by crystallite asbestos, a mineral commonly used in building construction, and by inhaling small particles of asbestos, it can lead to cancer and respiratory illnesses.
Local experts said that type of the mineral found in Palm Grove was not dangerous.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Who are they? I doubt that there are any!
With all the buildings at Palm Grove gone, it’s like breaths of fresh air flowing in the area when you walk or drive by. The whole area seems to be brighter than before.
This is my opinion, I would prefer to see the area with fewer buildings, and maybe government can look into putting a tennis court there, this can generate revenue. Think about cruise ship passengers, local and international events.
Are you on crack?? A tennis court in the middle of town LMAO
The NDP Government screwed the leaseholders of Palm Grove.We are patiently waiting to see what the VIP Government is going to do. I foresee many law suits in the making.
Many of them were not paying their rent for decades. The records are there. Yes, let’s see if VIP will collect the revenue on the street!
BVI welfare is alive and well
The building was unfit for habitation, then Irma finished it off. What were they supposed to do, conduct business in a bombed-out shell?
Surely a multistorey carpark beckons?
Why do we need a city manager if we have a district representative? We need to cut out some of these duplicated jobs. Let the reps do their jobs.
The job title City Manager is used in the US in a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council sets policy and City Manager (CM) administers the policies. The CM is the day-to-day chief executive officer. The CM in the BVI does not serve the same role as in the US; it is just a name. The role and responsibilities of the CM seems as duplicate of services delivered or can be delivered by Public Work.
In regards to the Palm Grove site, government needs to determine what it wants to put on the site. Then it can pursue a PPV to develop the site. It must decide whether it wants to outsourced or privatized the development on the site.
In outsourcing, government retains ownership of the asset and let a developer used it for a certain number of years to deliver a specific service(s).
And in privatizing, government turns over ownership of the asset to the developer to deliver certain services, ie, an electricity generating plant, parking garages…….etc.
With a new government and a soft development plans thus far, government(Public Works) needs to weigh in heavily on the site development.
With no proper bus stops in town, this seems like it would be a great place to have a bus station. Public transportation is somewhat disorganized. The place is small. The busses can have a schedule which everyone knows, and those looking a bus to East can go there, those looking a bus to go West can go there. I think it is time that some serious planning and action be taken for public transportation. That area would make a good Bus Station, it is right in the middle of Road Town.
Artificial ski slope?
We will say if the dragon has two heads now. Carvin is in BVI investment club lets see if Andrew stops it.
the building of a bus station is a good idea, however, I would suggest a different location. my suggestion is that said bus station be located in the area between Ward’s Building and Supa Value. a one way by-pass road can be built over the ghut between Scatliffe Funeral Home and International Motors, and another one way by-pass road can be built over the ghut next to Ward’s Building. bus station can be built in the empty lot across Fire Station next to the building where Cable TV, TRC is located.
as for the empty lot next where Palm Grove was, a 4-storey office building or perhaps a building to house several Govt Departments can go there, but i would suggest the ground floor to be used for parking, exactly like the Commerce House Building.
On another note, starting from the alley between the former Palm Grove Shopping Center and First Caribbean, all the way down to Vanterpool’s Building (next to Bobby’s), a pedestrian walkway with pavement blocks, benches, plants, and street lanterns should adorn that stretch.
Let’s beautify and improve the BVI’s capital please.
While some lease holders have definitely not met their lease obligations,there are those who have been paid up for many,many years.They should not be penalized because of the delinquent ones,I agree that Government should collect all outstanding lease payments. In many instances this was not done in the past for political reasons.No o e wanted to touch it.
Simple One big Mall invite KFC-Subway-K-Mart Dominoes etc Night Life in The heart of town a nice Arcade Lighted water Fountain Traffic Lights up and ready and we’re good to go.