A portion of the Tutu High-Rise Housing Community destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Photo Credit: ERNICE GILBERT/VI CONSORTIUM
Governor Albert Bryan announced Thursday a $69 million obligation from FEMA to fund the demolition and replacement of residential buildings at the Tutu High-Rise housing community.
According to a Government House release, the funding will facilitate the demolition and replacement of the first five of 17 residential buildings at Tutu Hi-Rise housing community damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
Virgin Islands Housing Authority Executive Director, Robert Graham, said Thursday that the funding would allow the authority the move forward with its plans to demolish and begin construction to replace buildings 10, 11, 12, 14 and 22 at the complex.
The Tutu Hi-Rise project is broken into three phases and calls for the demolition and reconstruction of approximately 300 units. Phase 1 comprises 84 units.
“I am extremely grateful for the continued support of FEMA and our other federal partners in our recovery and rebuilding efforts,” Mr. Bryan said. “This funding will help us make significant headway in completing one of our major priority projects in the disaster recovery, and I want to thank VIHA Executive Director Robert Graham and ODR Director Adrienne Williams-Octalien for their hard work.”
According to Government House, during his State of the Territory Address in January, Mr. Bryan highlighted the 3-phase redevelopment and repositioning of the Tutu housing community as the beginning of the Bryan/Roach Administration’s opportunity to change the face of public housing throughout the Virgin Islands.
The funding announced Thursday is authorized under Section 428 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.
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