WTJX’s New Headquarters in St. Thomas Clears Major Hurdle with CZM Approval

Plans include state-of-the-art production space, cistern water supply, and robust hurricane resistance for the territory's public broadcaster

New headquarters for the territory’s public broadcaster WTJX is one step closer to reality after the St. Thomas committee of the VI Coastal Zone Management Commission voted to concur with the issuance of federal consistency determination for the project.

At Tuesday’s CZM decision meeting, project architects reminded commissioners of the work that was going to be done. First, “we are removing all the existing construction and infrastructure on the site to a raw site,” said Jerry Traino of Springline Architects. “Once cleared to build, the new building will now be situated towards the center of the site, with the parking to the north of that.”‌

CZM commissioners were reminded that with no water and sewer connections on the hill occupied by WTJX, the building would be serviced by a cistern in the first instance, with supplies bolstered by trucked water. A septic tank and onsite wastewater plant would also be installed, with the water treated sufficiently that it could be subsequently used for irrigation. Provisions will be made for utility connections should services from local utility companies be extended to the site in the future, commissioners were told.‌