During Thursday’s meeting, the Economic Development Park Commission (EDPC), which is part of the Economic Development Authority (EDA), advanced two significant initiatives: it approved lease negotiations to establish large-scale plastic recycling operations on St. Croix and validated the selection of a contractor to complete hurricane-related repairs on a historic building in Frederiksted.
Commissioners gave the green light for RePlastic Recycle LLC to move into Building 3 at the William D. Roebuck Industrial Park, a 20,000-square-foot space currently occupied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency until December. The company, which already operates in a smaller facility, will expand its work on plastic recycling and upcycling. “We say it as a great opportunity to get one tenant in as soon as another one is leaving,” said Mark Finch, Director of Physical Plant.
Finch emphasized the importance of plastic recycling on St. Croix, noting that the company produces items such as signage, furniture, and even beer taps for a local brew pub using recycled materials. The larger space will allow RePlastic to handle greater volumes of plastic.
To support the company’s relocation, the EDPC will grant a three-month rental abatement while the tenant retrofits the space. RePlastic will pay common area fees during that time. Lease negotiations will begin at $10 per square foot, with a two-year rent freeze before annual increases tied to inflation. “Happy that we’re looking to move forward with something like this,” said Commission Chair Kevin Rodriguez. “Shows great support for the industry and as well for the Virgin Islands community.”
In addition to the recycling project, commissioners also reviewed plans for hurricane repairs to the Fleming Building in Frederiksted. Caribbean Contracting Services was identified as the preferred contractor after three bids were evaluated. Finch explained the reasoning: “We have a history, I think, of not selecting the lowest bidder just because [it’s] the lowest bidder. We really did a good job of coming together and really taking a deep dive, as deep a dive as we possibly could in each of these companies, and really picking the best choice.”
This time, the lowest bid also proved to be the most suitable. Caribbean Contracting Services submitted a proposal of $1,090,380. Economic Development Authority CEO Wayne Biggs confirmed the evaluation process included not only EDPC staff but also engineers, architects, and historical preservation representatives from external agencies. “I think we do a pretty complete job as we look at RFPs and IFBs,” said Biggs.
Biggs further noted that Adrienne Williams-Octalien, director of the Office of Disaster Recovery, was “elated” by the recommendation, citing the contractor’s strong reputation with other government agencies.
The budgets for Lonesome Dove’s first two fiscal years were also approved: $1,020,000 for FY2025 and $964,500 for FY2026. Each includes about $700,000 earmarked for payments to the Bureau of Internal Revenue toward the company’s tax obligations. Alongside this, Benham & Hodge was selected to provide accounting services, BDO USA as auditors, and Ace American Insurance Company for liability coverage.
Before concluding, commissioners agreed to meet quarterly going forward, with the next session tentatively set for December 17.
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