Approval for Emeraude Hotel?
- Thread starter cec1
- Start date
Beachcomber
SBH Insider
It doesn't look nearly as big or garish as I had feared.
I don’t think it will be big or garish. I’ve followed the development plans for years, & I think the owner has shown sensitivity in responding to environmental concerns / criticisms. As a result, the new plan, as I understand it, is to have the front of the development in a line with front of Eden Rock — so no change in frontage elevation — & a major landscaping design at the roadway will yield a garden-, park-like appearance. I fully understand opposition to new construction on this iconic beach . . . but, given compliance with rules & protracted negotiations with respect to design & density, in accordance with local regulations, I think the Hotel is seeking to serve the community with modest impact.
MichaelG
SBH Insider
From the Bois Gratte blog:
After Autour du Rocher and a new restaurant in Saint-Jean, it was the turn of l'Emeraude to obtain its building permit in place of the former hotel.
Once again, there were grounds for refusal, starting with the failure to comply with the ruling that annulled the previous permit: a basement and underground parking lot that proved dangerous for users in the event of sudden flooding. The parking lot is still planned, but will now be closed to customers. But what about the employees, who will be obliged to stay there to ensure the rotation of vehicles? The judges made no distinction between customers and staff, referring only to “users”. Elected representatives are not bothered by such considerations, and believe that the precautions taken for tourists do not apply to seasonal workers.
Forget the devastating effect of the seawater desalination system planned by the owners. The water will be discharged into Baie de Saint-Jean, contributing once again to the soon-to-be-final destruction of the coral reef.
When the first permit was granted, even Bruno Magras demanded an in-depth study of the possible consequences of the system before it was put into service. This time, no such requirement was included in the deliberations: what's the point of taking precautions and nitpicking over vulgar ecological considerations? Who cares if there's coral left in Saint-Barth, we can always decorate the seabed with concrete to make it look cleaner.
So we're left with 3,815 m² of floor space (we don't dare imagine the total footprint), but rest assured, the petitioner will have to replant Gaïac seeds and Creole moorings, in the hope that he'll find a little room between the deckchairs and the septic tanks to do so.
Three permits emblematic of the excesses denounced once again at the last territorial council meeting: worsening traffic, and pressure on housing, the waste treatment plant and the EDF network. But before these celebrations, years of construction work will continue to create every possible inconvenience for the population and visitors: trucks coming and going, HWW at all costs... An alarming assessment of an island adrift, not contradicted or even approved wholeheartedly by the four elected representatives who voted for these three projects.
However, only Hélène Bernier, Maxime Desouches and Bettina Cointre attempted to oppose the Emeraude project within the Executive Council. Romaric Magras and Alexandra Questel, loyal to their spiritual father, voted in favor. As for Xavier Lédée and Marie-Angèle Aubin, they probably haven't yet found “ the arguments to thwart this project ”. Too bad, then they would have had “ the choice to say NO ” (Words, words, words...).
But lack of political courage alone does not explain this disaster. If the Collectivité had adopted new urban planning rules since the last elections, these projects would not have seen the light of day. To do so, we would have had to choose between scuttling a fragile majority or working with all the elected representatives for the well-being of Saint-Barth. It seems that the choice has been made, and that this term of office will ultimately be no more than the continuation of a policy that it claimed to be fighting.
After Autour du Rocher and a new restaurant in Saint-Jean, it was the turn of l'Emeraude to obtain its building permit in place of the former hotel.
Once again, there were grounds for refusal, starting with the failure to comply with the ruling that annulled the previous permit: a basement and underground parking lot that proved dangerous for users in the event of sudden flooding. The parking lot is still planned, but will now be closed to customers. But what about the employees, who will be obliged to stay there to ensure the rotation of vehicles? The judges made no distinction between customers and staff, referring only to “users”. Elected representatives are not bothered by such considerations, and believe that the precautions taken for tourists do not apply to seasonal workers.
Forget the devastating effect of the seawater desalination system planned by the owners. The water will be discharged into Baie de Saint-Jean, contributing once again to the soon-to-be-final destruction of the coral reef.
When the first permit was granted, even Bruno Magras demanded an in-depth study of the possible consequences of the system before it was put into service. This time, no such requirement was included in the deliberations: what's the point of taking precautions and nitpicking over vulgar ecological considerations? Who cares if there's coral left in Saint-Barth, we can always decorate the seabed with concrete to make it look cleaner.
So we're left with 3,815 m² of floor space (we don't dare imagine the total footprint), but rest assured, the petitioner will have to replant Gaïac seeds and Creole moorings, in the hope that he'll find a little room between the deckchairs and the septic tanks to do so.
Three permits emblematic of the excesses denounced once again at the last territorial council meeting: worsening traffic, and pressure on housing, the waste treatment plant and the EDF network. But before these celebrations, years of construction work will continue to create every possible inconvenience for the population and visitors: trucks coming and going, HWW at all costs... An alarming assessment of an island adrift, not contradicted or even approved wholeheartedly by the four elected representatives who voted for these three projects.
However, only Hélène Bernier, Maxime Desouches and Bettina Cointre attempted to oppose the Emeraude project within the Executive Council. Romaric Magras and Alexandra Questel, loyal to their spiritual father, voted in favor. As for Xavier Lédée and Marie-Angèle Aubin, they probably haven't yet found “ the arguments to thwart this project ”. Too bad, then they would have had “ the choice to say NO ” (Words, words, words...).
But lack of political courage alone does not explain this disaster. If the Collectivité had adopted new urban planning rules since the last elections, these projects would not have seen the light of day. To do so, we would have had to choose between scuttling a fragile majority or working with all the elected representatives for the well-being of Saint-Barth. It seems that the choice has been made, and that this term of office will ultimately be no more than the continuation of a policy that it claimed to be fighting.
. . . depends on the season. I suspect that 2K/night in “high season” will be on the low side, with a few rooms under that. Outside of mid-November to mid-April, I would expect to see availability significantly under 2K. As a frame of reference, check rates at Le Barthélemy.
I don’t think the story is so simple.
To begin, my understanding is that the original permit was reinstated by an appellate court in Bordeaux, subject to direction of the Court that the parties seek to find accommodation with respect to issues deemed critical between them. As I am informed, the Court gave the parties, sometime last year, to the beginning of September 2024 in which to work to this end. Resumption of construction, meanwhile, has been at a standstill. Now that the Court deadline has passed, and it seems that some compromise was achieved between the Hotel developer & the Collectivité . . , the property developer is lawfully allowed to proceed to a construction phase. My impression, thus, is that the Developer gave up some of its plans . . . and the Collectivité got, to some degree, a “win” in its very expensive, Quixotic battle.
With respect to developing new urban planning rules, I’ve followed efforts for many years, & it seems that the process is convoluted & Kafkaesque . . . one over which multiple interests on the island (& elsewhere) have battled for years — including with required involvement by French authorities off the island. As a result, it’s unthinkable — IMO — that a new urbanization plan could have been proposed, reviewed, & adopted in the last two years (i.e., since the last Council election) . . . especially in view of unchecked dysfunction in the Council.
Meanwhile, I expect that there’s ongoing work in the Collectivité to develop a new plan . . . fighting the battle of whose ox will be gored in a new plan.
Based on my stays at Le Guanahani, I can almost guarantee there will be practically nothing under $2K. Not even in “low season”. There is no longer much of a difference between high and low season now anyway. And St Jean is more of a prime location than Le Guanahani. Top hotels in Europe follow suit: even early in the season in Positano, at Le Sireneuse (my favorite hotel there) prices are well over 2k Euros for the least expensive room, and the smaller rooms and small suites are going for 3 to 4 k Euros minimum.
. And it will be filled…Beachcomber
SBH Insider
The rendition may have used some artistic license in regards to the traffic.
LuckyKid
SBH Insider
The website (from the QR code on the building permit.)
https://www.emeraudestbarth.com/en
https://www.emeraudestbarth.com/en
