Completion of Quai Rockefeller

Yesterday, Tuesday, May 6, the Territorial Authority accepted the completion of the work on the Rockefeller Quay in Gustavia. The development project for this nearly 2,060 square meter space began in 2020, three years after the historic land was acquired for ten million euros. Yesterday, the President of the Territorial Authority, Xavier Lédée, took advantage of the Transat Paprec event to highlight the completion of the work launched under the previous term of office chaired by Bruno Magras. 

"Designed as a place for living, sharing, and conviviality, the Rockefeller Space illustrates the Territorial Authority's commitment to a modern, secure development in harmony with the island's identity," a press kit states. To develop this living space, the Territorial Authority spent more than 3.2 million euros, including some modifications to the initial project. Thus, the basin that was to be installed in the center of the site was redesigned as a water mirror. "Due to technical constraints and safety considerations," explains the Collectivité. "In 2021, the maritime works on the quay reexamined the planned connection with the harbor, which formed a closed basin 1.60m deep and 1.20m of water. This device presented real risks for users, particularly young children. The regional planning commission of September 19, 2024, therefore approved its transformation into a water mirror." These arguments were not enough to convince the opposition group Saint-Barth D'Abord. 

In an online publication, the SBDA group regretted the disappearance of the basin in favor of a water mirror. "The most worrying thing for us remains the water mirror, which does not meet the health standards required for this type of infrastructure because it is supplied by water from the port," the elected officials wrote. Knowing that several children use it, prior treatment would have been necessary. Furthermore, like any stagnant surface, this device, in addition to the slate tiles, will be prone to becoming covered in slippery seaweed, representing a real danger." For its part, the presidency of the Collectivité puts forward the absence of a risk of drowning, the regular high-pressure cleaning linked to a "complex" filtration system, a permanent renewal of seawater that will prevent the formation of stagnant water, and the possibility of completely drying out the square to host events such as a market, concerts, etc. Initially, the project also included a storage area for the National Sea Rescue Society (SNSM) and a diving club. The Collectivité preferred to opt for a Maison des Associations, with shared premises and meeting spaces. This choice is also criticized by the SBDA group, which believes that a "new association service of the Collectivité" near the sea "serves no purpose." The new fish market, on the other hand, will be located in the Espace Rockefeller. "It provides professionals with a modern facility that meets their expectations and allows them to welcome buyers in the best possible conditions," assures the Collectivité. But the new space will also, and above all, be a public area where walkers and other residents can gather. With friends or family, overlooking Gustavia harbor, they will be able to observe the progress of construction on the future performance hall and its parking lot.