Event Planning at Fort Christian Faces New Oversight by Historical Preservation

Organizers of events booked at Fort Christian in St. Thomas must now receive Historical Preservation Committee approval for signage erected on the building. That’s according to STT-STJ HPC Chair Akil Petersen, who said that the new process came out of a request from the Division of Libraries, which runs the fort.

During Tuesday’s committee meeting, members sat to consider two such applications, the first of what Mr. Petersen expects to be “more and more” as time goes on.

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The first application for signage came from Melvin Romney, the organizer behind Fort Fete Virgin Islands. The event, which is in its third year, is timed to begin the St. Thomas Carnival season, Mr. Romney noted.

Signage for the event will be attached to the rails surrounding the building using zip ties or string/rope, so the underlying structure of the fort will not need to be touched, Mr. Romney said.

While at least one member of the committee opined that a large public party was an excellent use of the fort, Sean Krigger, director of the State Historical Preservation Office, had some reservations. With Fort Christian serving as office space for SHPO, Mr. Krigger said he has had the opportunity to become extremely familiar with the historical building. “I have personally identified new cracks that have developed that...weren’t there before,” he stated, cautioning that noise levels have to be carefully monitored. “This is a very old building and sounds have an impact on the structure.”