TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Latest Orient Beach Construction Update

Some good friends that are on island right now sent these pictures taken yesterday. Nothing super new but it is apparent that they prepared the entire site but are working on one unit at a time, starting at the "Pedro's" end. The first unit appears to have the floor completed.

Thanks for posting..... love seeing progress!! I am a bit confused though.....can't figure out what that first picture would be......looks awful close to the water...and looks much closer than the other pictures looked. any clue?

Thanks for posting the pictures! Progress seems slow at the moment, and hard to have progress when there is no one working!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> ...although it could be the picture was taken after hours though. Here's hoping they get it more in gear..

Looks like I will have to make at lot of stops on my beach walks in January to inspect the "construction" in all the new establishment's ! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

I wonder if the beach bars/restaurants will be back in the same order as they were before?

As long as the Perch doesn't move, I'm fine. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I noticed that OP said "taken yesterday". I would imagine they get Sunday off.......

Thanks. I missed that..

The plan called for 8 establishments and there looks like room for that many but I am curious...who gets first dibs? Obviously the way they are going the south end will be up and running first. Do the previous owners have 'slots'. I mean who gets the first place, the second, etc.?

Sorry, I just realized that I just asked the same question that whammy did...my bad.

I really don't think anyone here would have any idea as to the answer to that question.

I doubt the south one will open first. Instead they will probably all be available to open when the whole project is done. Which would make sense to me.

Went back and checked the news reports more carefully...the development is supposed to have 4 pads with 2 restaurants and one shop on each pad for a total of 4 shops and 8 restaurants.

I remember those details
I can easily account for 8 resto's, but re the 4 shops
I can only think of 2?, so that means 2 new shops?
The market area behind which was a collection of green? wood roofs will get new quarters near the parking lot.
Were there more than 2 shops in that strip?
J&B

There were at least three shops...Sexy Fruits...and the other wrap store right next door. Plus the souvenier shop that opened a couple of years ago in the two containers. It was located where the shack burned down near le string. and the other guys who had the outdoor open air shacks for souveneirs....and Luis...the bathing suit guy....to name a few

So club O, and what else is open in September, please?

Pedros, and everything from Kontiki on north is open, and not involved in the renovations.

Great.Thx!

Here are some more current construction pics taken on Tuesday 9-2-15. It doesn't look from these pictures that that construction styles is the most hurricane proof. I would have assumed that these structures would have been constructed from reinforced concrete or masonry. But maybe they have a way on increasing the wind loads on this type of construction???

Yes, one would think it would be concrete or something. Huhm. It does appaer to be fairly far away from the water though..

We live in a hurricane zone, and our codes require additional nails in the sheathing and the roof, and bigger lag bolts attaching the plate to the foundation. You can still build something out of wood that will withstand hurricane-force winds.

Well, that's true, yes, but concrete is MUCH better. There's a reason why almost all older houses in Florida are block or brick.

I thought the whole reason to tear these down was to replace with cement block structures. That is what I heard originally. Guess I heard wrong from what these pictures show. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Well the construction is certainly going to be BETTER than what was there, and moving the structures back from the ocean will help also. However, I had actually thought what they were going to be putting up was some type of a pre-fab deal, which I had 'assumed' would be some kind of poured concrete walls. I guess we'll see what happens from here.

There does seem to be a lot of rebar still on the ground. Could it be that these wood walls are forms for poured concrete walls? And the rebar will be used inside the forms?

Just a thought....

Rebar looks too far away to be part of the structures. More likely being tied. Into the sea walls that were part of the design. Not sure what the benefit of that would be...

Yes, Eric saw that also, that there is a lot of rebar there. Possibly that is the explanation.

Great pics,
Thanks so much for the update.
carib cheers
doctorj <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

That was my thinking too.

my educated guess is that those walls will NOT be concrete. First of all they are not using plywood.....using instead the particle board sheathing. Wet concrete would not cure well with that type of plywood..it soaks up too much water. second..if it was forms...it wouldnt have the header on top of the doors. most concrete structures are made of concrete block, and filled in... i would've thought that the concrete block would've been used to protect against storms....not a wooden based structure...but it is SXM.

Yes it is SXM but the buildings that are being replaced and every other bar / restaurant on the beach are basically wood structures on concrete pads, just like these are.

Also agree with EdB that you don't form concrete walls that way. The weight of the mix would blow out those walls before you could even fill them.

I think there is a recognition that if you build on the beach the big one can take down anything. I still think the rebar is for the seawall (yet to be built).

Time will tell but they seem to be making solid progress.

One thing that was nice about the old buildings was the open side and front walls allowing for flow of breezes with each being "free-standing" (not attached to another business).....Wondering in the pictures of buildings above, if windows will be cut out on side or if just the end facing ocean will be open to air....

Semi-related question: Do any taxis drop off & pick up cruise people at Pedro's now?

By my experience, the taxis stand at Pedro's is more busy than ever and the passengers appear to be cruisers.

Hi Carol

In "Pre Fab" construction the walls, roofs etc are made off site in a factory to a predefined design. Then these components are shipped to the site and connected together there.

I have seem some absolutely beautiful, elaborate pre fab homes.

Or you can get generic, simplistic cookie cutter structures.

Sadly the Orient structures seem to fall into the latter category.

All of Club O's chalets are pre-fabs.

Here are some more updates on the progress.

thanks for posting the pictures! Definitely looks to be just wooden buildings, and not forms for pouring concrete walls. Oh well. At least they are moving along.

Thank you, Michael, we love the updates & are still keeping our fingers crossed for mid Nov.

Just wish I was actually there to see the progress in person. I guess I will just have to wait until February......

Progress is happening there for sure. It definitely could be open before our next trip ends. Hopefully they will open as each unit is completed and not wait until they are all finished. The operators need to get back in business and make some money after the long absence.