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 Residential ($400,000 to $999,999) |
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Setting Up ResidenceThe nearly perfect climate in the Virgin Islands has inspired a style of architecture quite different from that in the states. Most contemporary Virgin Islands homes are designed to take advantage of the cooling trade winds, offer shade from the brilliant sunlight and protect the interiors from heavy rains. They feature open floor plans to maximize air flow and are often only one room wide for optimum cross ventilation. They may well be designed in long, narrow arrangements or surrounding a large open patio or pool. A wide, spreading roof with large overhangs to keep out sun and rain and wide gutters to capture the rain, may float on columns with just enough wall space to give some privacy. Other outside walls are either glass, for enjoying the beautiful views, or louvers, jalousies or concrete grill work for ventilation and semi-privacy. High open ceilings are valued for coolness while ceiling fans, keep air moving when breezes are light. Roofs are sometimes made of concrete, but more often they are constructed with heavy wooden beams, topped with a waterproofed plywood or in some cases, galvanized metal to reflect the heat. Floors are cooler and most practical when made of ceramic tile or terrazzo. Area rugs may be used to define special areas but wall-to-wall carpeting is not appropriate for the tropical climate. Lush greenery and area landscaping well placed around the outside and the inside of the dwelling add to the coolness of the home. The brilliant colors and scents of blossoms abound, especially following heavy rainfall, and add to the beauty of the tropics and your dream home. If you are building your own home, consult with your real estate agent, friends who know, or the experts at the building permit office in the government's Planning and Natural Resources Department 340-773-1082. Are the access roads drained and passable in the rainiest weather? Who is responsible for road maintenance? It's usually left to the subdivider, association of owners or the homeowner to build and maintain the roads. Your architect, builder or designer can shepherd your plans and permits through the government red tape process. Check the zoning maps at the Planning and Natural Resources Department for their regulations. Copies of zoning ordinances and plot layouts are for sale in the cadastral or registration section in the Lieutenant Governor's office 340-773-6459. Your plans must be prepared by a licensed architect, engineer or draftsman. You can pick up the requirements for a properly detailed set of plans from the Planning and Natural Resources Department and, with that information, if the home will be your own, draw the structure. At this point, meet with the building inspector to insure that you're on the right track. Next, submit 3 copies of the working drawings and the site location for an earth-change permit from the Planning and Natural Resources Department's building permits section for building, electrical and plumbing permits. To connect to the portable water line, apply at the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority office. The islands have a state-of-the-art communication system through Innovative Telephone Corp www.iccvi.com. They have total digital switching. All central offices are connected by fiber-optic laser cable which uses light beams. St. Croix exchanges are 772,773,778,691,and 692. Here's a surprise! All calls between the three Virgin Islands are toll free. Tolls are charged only when calling outside the territory. There is no limit on the amount of free intra-island calls. The Innovative business office is in Estate Diamond 340-779-9999. There are two local cell phone carriers to choose from Cingular Wireless 340-690-1000 and Sprint PCS 340-713-0055. Mail service charges the same rates as it does in the states.Your ATM card is the best way to insure you have cash on hand. You can use any stateside bank card that carries the NYCE or Plus logo at any of the local banks free of charge. The St. Croix banks are:Bank of St. Croix 340-773-8500, Banco Popular de Puerto Rico www.bancopopular.com, Bank of Nova Scotia 340-773-1013, Virgin Islands Community Bank 340-773-0440, and First Bank VI www.firstbankvi.com. The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) 340-773-2250 produces and distributes electricity and desalinated water. The public utility maintains and operates six generating units and four desalination units. Many residents prefer using bottled gas for cooking and hot water heaters. |
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