The $200 million Yacht Haven Grande development being built in the U.S. Virgin Islands is not just a parking lot for supersized boats and the site of 12 luxury condominiums with views of one of the Caribbean’s prettiest harbors.
It is a prototype for marinas that the New York developer Andrew Farkas hopes to build in the Caribbean and around the world: In addition to slips big enough for 450-foot yachts, the development along the St. Thomas waterfront will include residential, commercial and entertainment components.
“We look at marinas as more than a dock. We look at marinas as a five-star hotel,” said Kristen Fritz, marina services manager for Island Global Yachting, the developer behind Yacht Haven Grande, the first phase of which is expected to open in November. “Our strategy is to be the premier brand in megayachts. Period. We think the service level is low. We want to make the experience a little bit different.”