Encouraged by a new government appropriation of $334,500, residents and local officials say they are looking forward to the completion of renovations to Coki Point Beach, which will soon be entering its third and final phase.

The Public Finance Authority approved the extra money during its June board meeting and turned down three other funding requests from Housing, Parks and Recreation—which has been driving the renovations—in hopes of further speeding up the process.

The project has been languishing for years but was accelerated in 2010 after a shootout at the beach resulted in the deaths of one local man and a teenaged tourist from Puerto Rico.

Residents and business owners in the area have long complained about the violence, but touring the beach recently, it appears that the government’s increased attention to the project has helped to calm things down. Along with visible police patrols at either end of the sandy stretch, Licensing and Consumer Affairs enforcement officers stationed at the beach have been able to rein in the barkers, and keep a close eye on area vendors.

"It’s summer now, so things are slow, but you can definitely see businesses and people coming back to the beach," said Raymond "Rocky" Isaac, who has lived close to the beach for what he said is his whole life. "And the crime is way, way down. As long as the police are visible, crime is going to take a back seat."

David Whisler, a long time resident of St. Thomas and now the superintendent on the Coki Point renovations, said Tuesday that cooperation from residents such as Isaac, along with the various vendors at the beach, have ensured that the project has remained intact, without any disturbances, stolen items or even graffiti on the premises.

"We’ve made friends with everybody, and they’ve really watched out for us," he said. "Everyone wants this to happen, so they’ve been vigilant in making sure nothing is disturbed."

Whisler said his team and HPR managers met Tuesday morning to finalize plans for the new funding, which will be used to put perimeter fencing around the adjacent cemetery, and to house two nearby vendors on wooden pavilions.

"So, once we’re finished, everything will have a fresh, clean look," he added.

Seven other vendors will be housed on the main boardwalk, which will be attached to the recently completed restrooms facilities slated to open in September. Housing, Parks and Recreation’s St. Thomas project manager Roy Canton explained Tuesday that the department initially had a little more than $1.9 million for phase I and II of the project but had to scale back after the estimates came in higher than expected.

The department had to revise its scope of work after an archeological study of the area turned up several historical finds, including gravesites that Canton said needed to be preserved.

The finished product is still close to the original plans, however, but has lower-cost stone work and wooden planking around the bathrooms. Whisler said he put in some extra elbow grease to give the wood a cherry stain, while adding some unique features — such as Caribbean-style ceilings and novelty doors on the men’s and women’s restrooms — to the building.

The facility is also turtle friendly, with special lighting and slats under the bathrooms to prevent them from crawling underneath. The bathrooms are handicapped accessible, with a ramp to the front, and there is also a waste containment area to one side for the local vendors, with meters available for power and water.

Canton said Tuesday that the department is currently waiting for an occupancy permit before opening the restroom facility, but added that everything will get the all-clear in time for the opening of the new tourist season.

The $334,500 appropriation will be coming from the PFA’s project and administration fund.