Grande Bay Pool Photos

[Gromit]

Apologies for not reading thru all the posts but when I saw this post earlier and checked out the pics, it seemed like an AWFULLY SMALL pool for that many units.

I agree that this isn't my favorite development either for a lot of reasons. I really feel badly for the homes that USED to have a view of Cruz Bay but whose view is now blocked completely by the upper levels of this development.

I guess I kind of feel the same way about this development as I do about the Adult video store that opened up in Springfield, VA (a city near my community) several years back. If people didn't shop there it would go out of business. Clearly it's meeting a demand for someone out there (not me) but someone.

I will never stay at Grande Bay or Ponde Bay. I choose to take my business elsewhere. But that's just me. I wish them and their investors the best of luck. But like the on island slots/gambling, they won't get one dime from me.

To each his own though...

[Lex]

Barnako mentioned this thread on his site and also provides a link to Barshinger's open letter to DPNR:

http://www.stjohnvirealestateblog.com/?p=1437

[Boston Mike]

I am fairly new to visiting St. John. We are working on our third trip down and can’t wait. I understand that areas experience growth and that is needed to support the local economy. I see the point of a contractor wanting to put a project like that on the island. It’s growth, correct? Sure it is, but there is a time and place for everything. Time maybe correct but the place sure isn’t.

Grande Bay does not belong in Cruz Bay.

Just a guy from Boston who still enjoys looking at the old pictures and videos of Cruz Bay without cement city wasting the megapixels.

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

I'll admit up front that I am a total hypocrite.

For years we rented villas in Fish Bay. We watched in horror as they developed Ditliff Point. We bemoaned the destruction of the island, etc., etc.

On our last visit, we drove out on Ditliff to check out the villas being built. That's when Marcia and I turned to each other and said, "hey, we should rent one of these sometime."

That's how I feel about Grande Bay, Peter Bay, Pond Bay, and the umpteen villas that are being built.

[Teresa_Rae]

I'll admit up front that I am a total hypocrite.

For years we rented villas in Fish Bay. We watched in horror as they developed Ditliff Point. We bemoaned the destruction of the island, etc., etc.

On our last visit, we drove out on Ditliff to check out the villas being built. That's when Marcia and I turned to each other and said, "hey, we should rent one of these sometime."

That's how I feel about Grande Bay, Peter Bay, Pond Bay, and the umpteen villas that are being built.

For me Grande Bay is a lot worse because so many laws were broken and so many locals were screwed over by the development. When it comes to Grande Bay crime pays and that kills me. I can only imagine how much more infuriated I would be if I lived on STJ.

[brenda]

The cows are out of the barn. Let it go. STJ is a place for tourists. Grande Bay is a fine option for some.

I wish people would stop telling other people that their choice of lodging is somehow immoral. It is vacation. I am sure the local restaurant owners and shopkeepers could care less where the people who spend money in their establishments sleep at night.

I probably should stay out of this, but Pete, I agree with you. We just got back from a stay of nine nights at Grande Bay. The price was right and the location is very convenient. I understand the locals perspective, but it is not going anywhere so like jayseedee said, would you rather see it sit there empty? The pool was filled during our stay and the waterfall is now functional. The construction is coming along nicely. We also found that locals live there too.

Whoever asked, yes, they do have a parking garage.

[cptnkirk]

Hey Brenda hope ya had a great trip
Lex put this all in perspective best I think. Things always change better for some worse for others.
I still believe the National Park will save St John for what it is for most of us tourist, drop dead beaches. Can you imagine what Trunk or Cinnamon would look like without the park system. Cancun here we come.
I can definetly see were Hugo and Exit are coming from . Most of us as we get older see how things change and wish it was the way it used to be. I drive past a big woods every day that I played in as a kid.
Since then it was plowed down and is a housing developement
Hugo I sure would have loved to snorkel St John back then.

[hugo]

My point, which maybe got a little lost in translation. was that things are bad enough with what our -extremely pro-development --laws allow, but when the illegal becomes "just doing business" as it was with Grande Bay and Sirenusa, then you ought to take a moral stand.
Even in this economy, I'd venture to say that anyone who lives on St. John who really wants a job, has a job, which has been the case for many decades. Maybe not a very good one, but ... Very few of our young people come back here after college. So how does it benefit us to create more "service" employment? It's the same mentality that believes that by the time the Earth gets too crowded for us to survive, we'll have colonized Mars, so no worries...

[leslieeliz]

I registered, after having read for the forum for awhile, just to put in my two cents (not that it matters if I'm not a local...apparently). I've seen the changes in St. John over the years, and I can understand why most people don't like Grande Bay. It's a different feel for the island. But the fact is, every place changes. I've been in the town I currently live in for nearly 15 year and have seen enormous changes....not all for the better. These things happen. I pray St. John doesn't get much more developed, because that's the precise reason it's one of the best places on earth.

I did recently stay at Grande Bay (and didn't want to tell anyone who actually lived there knowing the feelings people have about it), but it was a very good price for the location. I've stayed all over the island, but coming into Cruz Bay from outside of town is a pain....especially to find parking. Grande Bay is absolutely perfect as far as location goes. I agree that it would be great were it half the size. But it's done. It's built. It's not going away. I'm sorry for the people who seem to be still hung up on it, but there's no use in being bitter. It's going to be a part of the landscape for years to come....fortunately or unfortunately. We have to deal with it and get over it. Don't get me wrong, you can still fight against the future big builds that no-doubt will happen. But just be thankful that you still live on the greatest island in the Caribbean (imo), and it is so much less developed than it could be.

[justanotherday]

I understand development takes place all over, good & bad and we all have to live with it. But Grande Bay has devastated all the surrounding neighbors and their properties for their own personal gain; 1. the property to the east was encroached upon, 2. the property to the south east lost their short term rental potential due to the illegal height of the building, 3. the properties to the south of Grande Bay have experienced erosion due to lack of a supporting wall during the first phases of construction, their properties have devaluated and owners lost their maximum short term rental income, 4. the property to the west has settled, caused cracks in foundations and walls. Question, is this progress? How is an illegal building a good economic impact? What about the lost economic impact of all the surrounding properties?

All these issues are hard to get over especially for the locals and the property owners that surround Grande Bay. How are they going to get use the buildings in 20 years when their homes are slip, sliding away?