St. Croix Info

About St. Croix
Imagine snorkeling in pristine bays of turquoise waters, relaxing on white sand beaches with the sound of palm fronds rustling overhead. Welcome to life on St. Croix! Just 82 square miles, St. Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, lying forty miles south of her sister islands of St. Thomas and St. John in the western Caribbean. St. Croix is located 1100 miles southeast of Miami and 1650 miles southeast of New York. Many flights arrive conveniently through Puerto Rico, our American neighbor just 90 miles to the west. The Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic Standard time zone which is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard time, but only for the winter months, as the Virgin Islands do not participate in daylight savings.

St. Croix is home to approximately 55,000 residents representing a vast array of cultural backgrounds. St. Croix has been blending backgrounds since olden times from the native Caribs who greeted Columbus, to African slaves under Danish rule, to today’s tourists greeted with a local smile.

Weather
Living up to its name as America’s Paradise, St. Croix’s weather is enviable no matter where you’re coming from. Tropical trade winds keep the island cool year-round with average temperatures ranging from 77 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter to 82 degrees in the summer. The average rainfall is 40 inches per year, with moderate 70-80% humidity year-round.

History
Christopher Columbus arrived in St. Croix November 14, 1493, his first stop on his second voyage to the New World. He sent a crew ashore in search of fresh water and a skirmish ensued as a canoe of Caribs came out to meet the newcomers. There were deaths on both sides, though no one knows for sure what really happened. Columbus claimed the island for Spain, calling it Santa Cruz or “Holy Cross.” (The French would later name the island St. Croix.) Continuing north, awed by the number of green hills rising out of the water, Columbus named the entire group of islands the Virgin Islands in honor of St. Ursula and her martyred virgins.

The Spanish didn’t concern themselves right away with the settlement of the Lesser Antilles, concentrating more on the larger islands to the west. However, the two centuries that followed were full of battles between the Spanish, English, Dutch, and French all for control of St. Croix.

Seven flags have flown over St. Croix: those of Spain, England, Holland, France, the Knights of Malta, Denmark, and finally, the United States. The influence of the long Danish rule in St. Croix is very evident on the island including the forts in both Christiansted and Frederiksted, the town names themselves, and the elegant and sturdy architectural styles. St. Croix enjoyed a time of prosperity under the Danes in the 18th century as a result of the successful exporting of sugar, molasses, rum, and cotton.

Concerned about protecting the Panama Canal in World War I, the U.S. bought St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas from Denmark on March 31, 1917 for $25 million in gold. Eventually granted territorial status, the Virgin Islands saw a shift in the economic focus as tourists began discovering the islands in the 1950s. In the 1960s major industries were established on St. Croix, including the Hess Oil Company, today known as Hovensa

Religion
St. Croix has been called the Land of Churches for both the number and variation of places of worship that dot our landscape. It has been estimated that over 140 congregations meet for worship on St. Croix.
Major religious influences arrived with each boatload of settlers. The first to come were the Moravians whose handsome yellow church still watches the entrance to Christiansted from its small hilltop. The English brought their Anglican (Episcopalian) churches built in beautiful Gothic style: St. John’s in Christiansted and St. Paul’s in Frederkisted. Holy Cross in Christiansted is the Virgin Islands’ oldest Catholic church; also significant are St. Ann’s mid-island and St. Patrick’s in Frederiksted. The Danes brought the Lutheran church which also has a congregation in each town. These are just a few of the many churches on St. Croix from Seventh Day Adventist to Methodist, Baptist, Church of God, and many more.

Other faiths also abound. We have a Jewish reformed synagogue, a Hindu temple, and a Moslem mosque.
A complete listing is published by Interfaith Coalition or call (340) 778-2880 for more information.

Schools
St. Croix offers a wide variety of schools, both public and private, for all age children, from nursery care to The University of the Virgin Islands. For a complete list of all of the local schools, please contact the Virgin Islands Government Education Department, at (340) 773-1095. For your convenience, below is a list of private schools including contact information:

• AZ Academy. Phone: (340) 773-7909. Contact: Paula Heller
• Country Day School: Phone: (340) 778-1974. Contact: Charles Adams, www.StCroixCountryDay.com
• Glenn Christian Academy. Phone: (340) 778-1932. Contact: Tamara Daniel
• Good Hope School: Phone: (340) 772-0022. Contact: Sue Ward, www.ghsvi.org
• Kingshill School. Phone: (340) 778-6564. Contact: Janie Koopmans
• The Manor School. Phone: (340) 773-1448 Contact: Judeth Gadd
• Nazarine Christian School. Phone: (340) 773-0042. Helen Yasper
• Randolph Lockhart Christian School. Phone (340) 719-2000.
• Rattan Montessori School. Phone (340) 773-8600. Contact: Norajane Little or Maureen Garcia
• St. Mary’s Catholic School. Phone (340) 773-0117. Contact: Elizabeth Hering
• St. Patrick’s School. Phone (340) 772-5052. Contact: Melissa Ortiz
• School of the Good Shepherd. Phone (340) 772-2280.Contact: Mary Ellen French
• Seventh Day Adventist School. Phone (340) 773-6350. Contact: Kodzo Ekpe
• West Indies Heritage Institute, Inc. Phone (340) 773-7221.

Internet Access
Several companies provide Internet service on St. Croix. Most commonly used is the traditional dial-up connection that costs approximately $22-$30 per month for residential service. DSL service is available in some areas around the island at a cost of approximately $65-$75 per month. Satellite Internet access is also available, but comes with a slightly higher price tag that includes purchase and installation of the equipment.

A list of internet providers is below. Please call to find out if DSL service is available in your area.

• AT&T of the Virgin Islands (340) 776-6000
• Choice Communications (340) 778-5840
• VI Powernet (340) 779-9999
• Paradise Satellite (340) 719-2488

Tax Incentives
The Economic Development Commission (EDC), or Economic Development Authority (EDA), is a branch of the government that seeks to foster economic growth within the United States Virgin Islands. The EDC offers tax incentives to qualifying U.S. corporations that move or open businesses in the U.S.V.I. The federal and territorial governments created this incentive to create jobs and stimulate the local economy.
The tax incentives include substantial reductions in, or exemptions from many of the taxes imposed on U.S. businesses. For example, businesses can receive up to a 90% exemption on corporate income taxes, and up to 100% exemption on property taxes, gross receipts taxes, and excise taxes for building materials for up to 15 years. Qualifying businesses must in manufacturing, goods producing, product assembly, or a service business that provide a certain service to customers outside the Virgin Islands, For more information regarding the EDC, please call (340) 774-8104, or toll free, 1-877-432-8784, or visit their website at www.usvieda.org.

Real Estate on St. Croix
There are more than fifteen commercial centers with office and commercial space on St. Croix, with several more under construction. These spaces range from historical landmark buildings in downtown Christiansted and Frederiksted, to more modern and commercial sites. Typically, office space rents for $10-$20 per square foot annually, while retail space rents for $10-$50 a square foot annually, depending upon location. Christiansted and Sunny Isle Shopping Center locations usually demand higher rental rates. The St. Croix Industrial Park, developed by the Virgin Island government and the public Industrial Park Corporation also had rental space available at rates starting at $2.50 per square foot for companies that qualify for benefits granted by the EDC. Prices for bare land in appropriate commercial areas range from $60,000-$120,000 per acre, depending upon location.

Real-Estate FAQ