Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story stated that Civil & Building and Suffolk Construction were awarded a $3.5 billion reconstruction contract. Rather, the V.I. Education Department received $3.5 billion in disaster recovery funds to reconstruct the schools. The Source regrets the error.
Dozens of contractors filled an assembly hall at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas campus, to hear about plans to rebuild five public schools damaged by natural disaster. Organizers called the event Industry Day, sponsored by representatives of the company that was tapped to get the job done.
A top executive for Civil & Building North America said Thursday was the first time that 80-90 potential partners in construction were gathered for a face-to-face talk about the coming opportunities. Regional Vice President David Marmasse and consultant Alicia Barnes said those attending had already undergone a preliminary screening process to determine what and how well they could contribute to completion of the project.
Barnes, a former V.I. lawmaker, is also a former commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. “This is the first time everyone has been in the same room,” Barnes said.
Marmasse said plans to repair and upgrade building code requirements at E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary School, Lockhart K-8 School, Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Yvonne Milliner Bowsky Elementary School and the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School are currently in the design phase. Plans are also being drawn up to rebuild the Education Department Curriculum Center for St. Thomas-St. John in a new location in downtown Charlotte Amalie.
The Office of Disaster Recovery was instrumental in securing funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to modernize and fortify public facilities after two major hurricanes caused widespread damage in 2017.
The V.I. Education Department was awarded $3.5 billion in disaster recovery funding in 2025; as part of that, Civil & Building, along with Suffolk Construction, a U.S.-based company and building services firm, were awarded a reconstruction contract for the schools. Tom Thrasher, general manager for Suffolk’s East Coast Florida division, said they came on board to help with federal compliance requirements and logistics.
Marmasse said the most important message he wanted to share with local contractors was the need to manage expectations. “The (sic) government and ourselves are promoting a lot of early procurement … in order to optimize our time frame. We want to engage with securing pricing at an early stage in order to get material delivered as soon as possible,” he said.
If all goes as planned, Marmasse said the people of the Virgin Islands will start seeing signs of school reconstruction by early 2026.
A second reconstruction project to perform similar work for St. Croix public schools is reportedly in the bid solicitation stage.
