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Aside from those who questioned the exterior structural integrity, sounds like there are some major interior building/code issues.

Their concerns certainly do sound valid. Does anyone know what the term "French metropole" means?

Metropolitan France - the part in Europe

I regards to the article I believe it means citizens of Mainland France as oppose to local St Martin born.

Oh Dear.

Thank you. That says a lot.

It appears that those of us, including me, that thought that a government project surely would be built to comply with building codes, were wrong. The idea for this started out right, to me. The execution has been just so, an execution.

Metropole France excludes overseas territories.

Sounds like one big mess! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Crazy.gif" alt="" />

We looked at the units up close over new years. They look pretty strong, with nice decks, the wall and as much beach to work with as any body else.Some of the tenants were there and they were discussing things and you could hear references to the rent.but they did appear positive.

I reaffirmed my view that the parking lot will be a destination for cruise tours. And if one bus a day has 100 euros for the vendor, they will pay the 3000 euro rent just fine in the high season.

My biggest observation of this development was from a hobie cat sailboat going back and forth on the bay. It really looks ugly and out of place and it is the only stretch of orient that is completely void of any trees and vegetation.

I'm sure they'll get some fixes made and be up and running by next christmas. Start a new pool. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

It seems that Semsamar should pay to bring the buildings up to code. Am I missing something?!

One would think the construction company or the group running the show would bear responsibility to at least have the structure to minimum occupancy code, that is IF there is such a thing.

If they in fact had the number of people/businesses wanting a unit perhaps the thought was to just get them done and the renters would do the rest?

If there is a building code. The constructon plans adhering to that code would have to be approved before construction begins. Also each phase of the construction process would have to be checked and approved by a building code officer so that what was done conforms to the drawings. So IF this was the process .. as the buildings stand.. they were built to French SXM code. And any modifications to the buildings would have to be to the building code and signed off by a code inspector.

SXM??? Wendell

In theory, that all makes sense. Having been through some construction (as I know you have been also) and related inspections, what the finished product is here doesn't make total sense. Something seems to be missing somewhere between the construction process, the approved plans, what the tenants needed or expected and the end result.

I wonder if there was any "under the table" money changing hands during this? If what is being reported is accurate, looks like a mess to me.

SXM as usual. As for accuracy of reporting. That is anyones guess. yellow journalism seem to be more prevelent now.

I think the windfall for OB is that the untouched restaurants now have about half the competition now. The soon to be new restauranrs will have a short life span due to the increased overhead, so they can't be competeive .

But the ships tour busses will have a nice place to park. And the tourists can walk to the older cheaper prices restaurants.

Remember there are only X amount of tourists from the ships. So if the ships tour busses take more passengers to OB that means some place in SXM is getting less passenger business. And if they go by tour busses that means less passengers for taxi drivers.

SXM??? Wendell

It's all trickle down and as stated, there are only so many passengers - i.e. potential patrons and those rents will require the sale of a lot of piña coladas.

While we don't spend a great deal of time on OB and really don't know the business owners involved here, I have much sympathy for the businesses who appear to be getting screwed at every opportunity through this whole deal. If someone's making out on these 'improvements' it sure doesn't sound like it's them. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

"But the ships tour buses will have a nice place to park".

Interesting comment
At first I thought cleaning up that parking area would great. The current cruise buses drop their passengers normally around Bikini at the end of the main road, and then go somewhere to wait. I don't believe they leave by the back way due to the poor road. Now however with the better parking perhaps they will continue to drop as before - the 8 redo over resto's won't get those potential customers, but the buses might come and park in the nice new parking area, taking up spaces that cars [and small resto patrons] might have used
??
Overall a mess
J&B

I really doubt that BIG busses will be able to park there permanently, unless they block a WHOLE section of parking, unless there are specific bus parking spaces, which there may be, I don't know. I actually thought, silly me, that the parking was supposed to be paved. But looking at the pictures I just posted in the other thread, the parking lot is definitely NOT paved as of now anyway.

The parking lot is large and I think there will be enough space for buses. They may not park there permanently but certainly will have lots of space to drop and pick up easily. There is also a large area on the other side of the road which has been used previously for cars to park. Perhaps they will develop that as well to get more parking space.Right now that area gets very wet when it rains.

I really don't think the parking lot right behind the buildings will be paved, but it does have a good coat of gravel so it won't be so muddy when it rains.

It will be interesting to see how this all transpires, if things there ever get up and running!

The parking lot was full today and no buses were parked.

Paving it would only create a bigger mess as all that rain water would need somewhere to go unless they installed very large drains.

Huhm, ok, could be. I'm not an engineer..

What I remember seeing in the original plans (there was a posted link here) that there was angled bus parking like in the parking lot in Marigot.

SXM??? Wendell

They could tie in with the drains in the new buildings....oh wait...there are no drains!!

Someone posted that orange fever is lime green. There is no name as yet on that building but it is really close to Pedro's. The other regular green is about where orange fever used to be. Which is theirs does anybody know?
Adam & Eve is there as well. Luis is back.
One of the places has put plants behind their place. Looks nice will get photo tomorrow.
Weather great.

Luis is lime green. It was reported somewhere that Orange Fever would be the Green, but, that's Med green, not lime. Then the red is Sun Beach Clubbers (I think), dark purple is Aloha. Next is yellow and that is a boutique (not open) and then orange is La String. Adam & Eve is toward the middle. Rumor is that Orange Fever has not signed yet. I'll try to check it out tomorrow and see if I have it right. I'm close anyway.

Would appreciate any updates and any new pictures!

Makes one wonder who is checking this construction indeed. I remember picts of the framing going up and every basic rule about proper window and door headers being ignored. Now all this??

The snow load is considerably less than we have. Unless they use tiles, the roof load is minimal. A couple 2x4s would carry the load over a 10 foot span.

Anybody got anything new to report? I am having trouble imagining a vacation without Orange Fever pizza.