Additional Renovation Work and New Hotel Rooms Approved For Blackbeard's Castle by HPC

On Tuesday, the St. Thomas/St. John Historic Preservation Commission approved renovation plans for Blackbeard's Castle, and the Bredgade Step Street, among others. The St. Thomas Historical Trust has been working to restore the Bredgade Step Street for a number of years, said representative Kevin Qualls. Thus far, significant progress has been made on repairing the stonework that makes up the steps. “Now you can walk the whole length up and down without any broken stones or holes or anything,” Mr. Qualls noted. Tuesday's application was for lighting. Street lights along the step street no longer work, Mr. Qualls indicated. The Trust has therefore come up with a plan to run conduit through landscaping planters to install lighting at each landing along the way. “I'm very pleased with the work and the progress made thus far,” said State Historical Preservation Office Director Sean Krigger. Asked to provide feedback, Mr. Krigger observed that the proposed lighting “is more on the modern...