Cost of "99 Steps" Restoration Rises From $115K to $725K as PFA Approves Budget Increase
On Wednesday, the V.I. Public Finance Authority held their regular meeting, and discussed a request to increase the budget for the repair of Store Taerne Gade, widely known as 99 Steps.
2025-04-25 13:08:39 - VI News Staff
Work began on the project last December, with a scheduled completion date of April 2025. Initial estimates from the Department of Public Works were that renovations and repairs would cost just under $115,000. Eventually, with only one bid on the table, the PFA approved a contract with Custom Builders for a maximum of $275,000 altogether.
The contractor is now proposing several change orders to address issues including revised quantities of materials, changes to the type of lighting to be installed, correcting client error, and making changes recommended by the State Historic Preservation Commission. Altogether, the changes would cost just over $134,000, bringing the total estimated cost above $409,000.
“Board members, this is proof of the age old adage ‘no good deed goes unpunished,’” PFA chair Governor Albert Bryan Jr. chuckled wryly. “This project started like, $100,000 to fix the stairs and it just keeps going.”
He noted that there was an additional consideration of approximately $300,000 which would be needed to replace the sewer line in the area. “If we don't, it'll have to be dug up again during the renovation of all our entire sewer system,” Governor Bryan warned. “We were trying to find and identify some funds from Waste Management or somewhere else to do this project.”