Waterfront in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI. Photo Credit: ERNICE GILBERT, V.I. CONSORTIUM.
ST. THOMAS — The V.I. Port Authority announced Friday that it has begun demolition work at the former Adelita Cancryn Junior High School property, marking the start of Phase One of the long-planned Charlotte Amalie Harbor dredging project aimed at accommodating larger cruise ships at the West Indian Company Dock.
According to VIPA, demolition activities are underway at the Cancryn site along Veterans Drive, where the cleared property will be repurposed to support harbor dredging operations. Once demolition is complete, the location will be used for the storage and transportation of materials dredged from the harbor. The dredging itself is expected to begin next year.
VIPA said Custom Builders has been awarded the contract to carry out the demolition. Work began this week with initial clearing of the property, and secured fencing with controlled access is being installed. Building clearance and remediation activities are scheduled to begin on January 16, 2026, followed by the start of structural demolition on February 7, 2026.
Demolition work will take place during regular weekday hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays. The overall demolition project is expected to continue through late September 2026, according to the Port Authority.
VIPA advised the public to use caution when traveling near the project area and to comply with all posted signage as work progresses. Questions regarding the demolition or the broader harbor dredging initiative may be directed to the authority’s public relations office.
The demolition of the former Cancryn school represents the first tangible phase of the Charlotte Amalie Harbor dredging project, which is designed to improve port infrastructure and enable the harbor to accommodate larger cruise vessels at the West Indian Company Dock.
