Orient Bay News Article, Today Sxm

http://today.sx/tourism/top-tourist-attraction-desolate-disaster-area/

It is STILL unbearable to look at.

So sad to see what had become the life blood of French St. Martin reduced to this. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I was surprised by these two statements in the article about Club Orient:

“The property’s main shareholder, Bostonian Bob Morrison, is reportedly ailing and it is doubtful that rebuilding Club Orient is high on his current to-do list.”

“Now it would not surprise anybody if the current main shareholder, Bob Morrison, would leave it all behind.”

So sad…

Still too early to predict what will happen to our beloved island and Orient in particular. No surprise the multi million dollar shacks that were built on Orient collapsed. The most poorly constructed buildings I have ever seen. As to Club O who knows, they are raising money for the staff but the fate of the club itself seems to be in doubt. Time will tell.

This is the opinion of a clearly pessimistic author, not the result of any investigation. It is also in contradiction to several public comments made by Club O. Take it with the appropriately sized grain of salt.

When I think about to all the fuss and infighting over the "new" Orient, many people said that these structures were shoddy to say the least, then the huge rents that the business people had to pay, then the unknown of whether you would get back your original business....all for naught. Many said on this site that these structures would not withstand a storm...so true now, so sad

some really good thinking needs to go into the rebuilding along the Orient shoreline.

Either realize the risks and rebuild inexpensively ala the old shack motif knowing it's going to get wiped out often or rebuild to withstand cat 4/5 canes which means further back, more elevation, more concrete, better roofing, windows and shutters.

Insurance should be priced accordingly



<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

further back at orient beach is unfortunately the road below la Plantation, at club O it is the bottom of the ring road, this land is owned by others...I don't want to call out the obvious, but nothing is made to withstand 10 feet of pounding water with waves. go to Eckerd College in St Pete and look at their marine sciences building construction, exactly the same height as club o or anything down there off the water, and tell me how expensive that is going to be BUT it would survive anything short of a Noah type event.....

I just hope that whatever happens, the money being collected, deposits being kept and or waived, will go to the people that need it, if Orient resorts will not re-open..or rebuilt.

Youre right. Anything permanent is going to get swamped by surge every so often. So either be prepared and insured to rebuild or get mobile. Im thinking luxury air conditioned tents with doors on concrete/tiled slabs.

Build a shelter on higher ground or one on pilings near the boutique for putting away tents and mattresses and fixtures. Possible human shelter too.

Sounds dumb huh.......proper insurance and a second set of unassembled chalets in the U?S. Somewhere would be the quickest wat to rebuild...........but then you got the water, sewage and electricity factors.

They are smart, theyll figure it out i hope like they have before.