Firm selected for Island Beachcomber Hotel demolition

The V.I. Port Authority awarded a contract to demolish the Island Beachcomber Hotel during a governing board meeting held Wednesday on St. John.

VIPA Engineering Director Preston Beyer reported to the board that the Authority received more than 10 bids to demolish the long vacant St. Thomas property. On Wednesday, the Authority asked for the board’s approval in contracting with DCM Corporation for $356,850 — nearly a hundred thousand dollars less than the next lowest bid.

Executive Director Carlton Dowe attributed the low cost to “supply and demand” a few minutes later, saying the Port Authority benefitted from having so many entities interested in the demolition. “I don’t expect — unless there’s something the Authority ask for — that there will be any situation where they want to change the pricing that we have received,” he said.