A million-dollar, comprehensive renovation of the Christiansted Boardwalk, begun Sept. 30, should be complete well ahead of schedule and won’t “impede” the Thanksgiving Jump Up according to the contractor.
James Benton, of J. Benton Construction LLC, said the six-month contract to replace the wooden boardwalk, structural supports and add enhancements should be finished “well ahead of the contractual requirement.”
There was evidence that Benton is serious about meeting his 10-week estimated completion goal: At least a half dozen workers were on the job, Saturday.
Construction began at both ends of the boardwalk – east of the Seaplane dock and from the King Christian Hotel complex west. Decking has been removed and will be replaced with Trex, a sturdier, more expensive composite material, Benton said. According to the website, Trex is a combination of recycled plastic and reclaimed wood. As the work crews make their way toward the middle of the walkway, structural supports will be replaced as needed. Workers also will replace skirt-boards below the deck.
In addition to the walkway itself, railings will be replaced with stainless steel, benches will be replaced and new ones added and crews will install permanent trash receptacles. The two covered shelters on the boardwalk are scheduled for renovation, as well, Benton said.
While the scope of work seems extensive, Benton said Christiansted merchants and the public should be reassured that the renovation will be at least 95 percent complete by the Nov. 28 Jump Up street festival. It will take 15 to 18 workers to complete the project and a few new jobs were created for local workers, but Benton didn’t say how many.
“The boardwalk will be open and accessible to all areas. We will not impede Jump Up and hope to complete the project before then,” Benton said.
Funding for revitalization project was through a $1 million grant from the U. S. Department of the Interior and $400,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to Darryl Smalls, commissioner of the V. I. Public Works.
The “long awaited” renovation will enhance the downtown area, Smalls said. People will feel safer and spend more time downtown providing “economic activity for the merchants.”
“It will improve the safety and beautification of the boardwalk,” he added.
Like Benton, Smalls said the project should be completed well before the contract’s deadline. With workers as well as with the contractor, he has stressed the importance of reopening the area before the November Jump Up, he said. Smalls said there may be excess funds available for other enhancements, such as more lighting, after the walkway is completed.
The Christiansted Boardwalk is more than a decade old. The final phase was completed in 2005 to extend the walkway to Seaplane. In 2008, basic repairs were made after Hurricane Omar, but plywood patches still line the walk.
In June, Benton Construction, a local company in business since 1991, installed 50 solar-powered LED lamps along the boardwalk, paid for with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.