OSJ: Tell us how you and Rob discovered St. John?

KV: I came to St. John from Illinois in 1994 – the “vacation and fell in love story” – and moved here in 1996 and worked as a Dive Master and charter yacht chef for several years. I purchased land here in 1999. I returned to the states to sell a business and met my husband, Rob, in Colorado, and “farmed him in” to St. John. We spent winters here and ran our Colorado motel in summers. We moved here permanently three years ago after I completed a degree in Environmental Communications at Colorado State University – with the intent of making a positive difference for Coral Bay’s reefs. I have worked for the Coral Bay Community Council as an intern and for Island Green Building Association for the past two years. Rob has spent most of his time building our house; he is a great builder, carpenter and handyman with a passion for the environment and the outdoors.


OSJ: What’s your house in Coral Bay like?

KV: We have land in Freeman’s Ground, near Shipwreck Landing, and we have owner-built a small, 750 square foot one-bedroom house. We’ve been careful to leave as much of the native forest intact as possible, clearing only enough for the house footprint, and sharing a driveway with our neighbor to reduce excavation. We have solar hot water and grid-tied solar, and already a great start on growing our own food. Our 180-degree view is of Coral Harbor, Hurricane Hole and the BVI. We live there with our two cats, Scribbles and My Kitty.


OSJ: What else keeps Rob busy?

KV: Rob’s a volunteer with St. John Rescue, so he is on call all day, every day and night.


OSJ: Can we see what Voyages would look like with a third floor?

KV: I hope to provide that at the public hearing. The building will be attractive, with small balconies and more vegetation in front – all native plants – and a one-way drop-off/reception with parking out back.


OSJ: Can the Voyages building’s infrastructure handle two-dozen hotel rooms?

KV: The Voyages building has an existing Cromaglass septic treatment system that handles 3,000 gallons a day. Cromaglass has installed over 200 commercial and hotel septic systems in the Caribbean, including Cane Garden Bay in Tortola. Their engineer estimates our usage at 75 to 100 gallons per room, per day, including laundry. We hope to use much less with water conserving features. So the existing system is more than adequate, plus we can easily add modular components if needed. We will most likely have only 25 rooms. If permissible, we plan to include grey water treatment to reuse non-potable water for irrigation and other possible uses.



A public hearing on a rezoning for Coral Bay Inn is scheduled for Wednesday, September 7 at 6 p.m. at Guy Benjamin School in Coral Bay.