VITEMA’s New Emergency Operations Facility Now Estimated at $54.2M, More Than Double FEMA’s $22.51M Award; $7.2M in Equipment Unfunded

Six years after the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved $22.51 million for the reconstruction of the Hermon Hill Wind Retrofit and Saferoom, the project’s design phase is now 60% complete, but the estimated cost has risen to about $54.2 million and key portions of the facility remain unfunded.

Daryl Jaschen, director of the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency, provided the update Tuesday before the Committee on Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure, and Planning. He told lawmakers that while the $22.51 million in federal funding remains available, the total estimated project cost had increased significantly as of February 2026.

According to Mr. Jaschen, Spring Line Architects has completed more than half of the design and the “required independent peer review.” As of May 30, 2026, “approximately $2.4 million” had been spent on architectural and engineering services. The design phase is expected to be completed by October 2026, he said.

The project’s second phase, which includes procurement, demolition, construction and closeout, will begin after FEMA approves the Phase I deliverables, Mr. Jaschen explained.