Don't Come Back?

CORRECTION: Govt spends over $10 million annually in rent instead of $2 million stated. What should happen to the Ralph T. O’Neal Administration Complex? After years out of full operation and millions of dollars spent on rehabilitation, the BVI is facing a bigger question: Should government move back in, or should the property be transformed into something else? A proposal has suggested turning the Administration Complex into a mix of small-business spaces, conference facilities, and a hotel, while decentralizing government services across the Sister Islands. But before we decide what the building should become, shouldn’t we look at the numbers? How much has already been spent? How much more will rehabilitation cost? How much is government currently paying in rent? What would a commercial redevelopment actually cost—and generate? And what would happen to the private properties currently housing government offices? Compared to what? Because ideas are easy. Feasibility studies, financial models, and measurable results are what matter. Don’t just give us a vision. Show us the numbers.