By Penny Nail, Real Estate
Editor
Ca Ching of Chu Associates, a subsidiary of the company,
Chattanooga-Chu, headquartered in Pennsylvania Station, New York, announced the
completion of all permitting and reviews involved in building a
state-of-the-art deepwater container port in Coral Harbor. Mr. Ching said that
by using well-placed private personal
incentives the company was able to quickly complete all the paperwork needed.
“Especially since we had ready cash, there was no waiting for the checks to
clear. It met our needs also. So it was a win-win proposition.”
As with other developers, the company will have all EDC
benefits and pay no Virgin Island taxes.
The port will meet a need for transshipping containers to
various islands in the Caribbean. These are vitally needed for Chinese goods
going to the thousands of gift shops located on every island. Ching said, “Most
Caribbean gift shops and stores feature goods exclusively from my country.” Coral
Harbor’s central location and lack of development were crucial in selecting the
site.
Lu Chong, primary architect and engineer who has worked
with Ca Ching on many projects, said that they were forming the Virgin Islands
company, Ching, Chong, Cheech and Chair. “We looked at St. Thomas, but there
were too many cruise ships. The old HOVENSA site was an environmental disaster.
Coral Harbor was just right,” said Mr. Chong. “Of course there must be much
dredging, but because there is such a strong infrastructure of roads and
utilities, there will be little we will have to do ashore.”
“A major road will be constructed from Brown Bay which
has long been the landing spot of choice for many of my countrymen.”
Since the paperwork has been completed and local contractors
will be used, Mr. Ching said work should be finished within 18 to 20 years. “We
hope the residents will not be too inconvenienced by the noise, dirt and road
closures that will be necessitated by the first 10-12 years of blasting.”
Heard in the Street:
Joe Keester, or “Joey Blue-Eyes” as the New York
Mob knows him, is also hiding out in Coral Bay with the members of Pussy Riot.
Keester, who first tried to disguise himself with an unconvincing blonde afro
and an innocent face, came to St. John in 2001 posing as Director of Fiends of
the VINP.
