Monday,.July 29, 2013, VIRGIN ISLANDS: The VirgiriIslands Daily News 3° TY rT : Struggling Havensight merchants see rent-abatement as last chance for them to resuscitate their businesses By AMANDA NORRIS | “a ; Re. 5 a ee ges ae | Sa aa Pal News Sit el | ec ST. THOMAS —- For merchants [am 4 ? ies a es | fit ie “ME iss et a ee wa 4 at Havensight mail, it’s summer [ee Bap 7 Meee at ete a) oe S Saas. ES i Sa ae Bet Rt) time, but the living is anything but fe | By Bee | eee ee or ay Pics , easy. Sa ae) ae aes > me be \ aan za a a i] Geese | BS “HDS daemons After being granted six months Fok : | / 5 et ca eo ae ak, Sh “\seg ay 1H re i) of free rent by the mall’s owner, the aces é | r _——-\ 3 ag po ‘pate — “s ews | i na, exe Government Employees Retirement [iiey “pea ——ae Mao eS LS iF geet BIE BP Sa aren System, many said this has been [Rega i i | seat | ad an ea el ies | 6 3 the worst off-season they have jee {| f | me cpm ai | nc experienced. ol Ale | ae ee Qe ‘They cited a perfect storm of [ bi i | ' oa ee = a aes ti prolonged road construction in Ec ot | ia i | | « [com mania 1 ‘\ > ey eit front of the mall, fewer cruise ships -== i awe S ere ) = - ea i om i) oe docking in St. Thomas Harbor, Ee i ; —————— — a oa | a We 57 competition from Crown Bay mer- [xu |) igen = ieee ee — - \ en , ; chants and skyrocketing utility fos Es i a fas Sa saerrees oe aes Nee. costs. _ ig th dill eckenop is Ped geaid es ial AG Sees —— i When the GERS board voted to f2'¢ —.49 _ glia ss.) a aee a relieve.the tenants of rent obliga- jo* ~ 9. = NEW STORE HOURS Ee Fo Pinna Hh SE se Sai eg - tions from July 1 to Dec. 31, they. Ly 9° ae 2) Bestar ———— = didso because tenantshadaccumu- fF =x ot creswrrect fl i ne) ee re Be P : sage Mae ee rect lated a delinquency of more than |: theo a. = lstestiiectene 4 — Havensight Mall merchants say because of the ongoing Long Bay road $2 million and reported that they |#™ . oo /[ visa Sor tee ses | project, rising VI. Water and Power Authority bills and