David Band's trial begins - Grand Bay issues

longtimer · Post by **longtimer** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:25 pm

If you take pride in ownership at Grand Bay or you are a beloved renter, don't read any further.

Band is getting a little hot under the collar. His trial started Monday in Sarasota and is expected to last two weeks. See today's article from the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20 ... 9526?tc=ar

More trials will be coming to keep people employed. It's really too bad the views of Cruz Bay are ruined forever. I don't think Band, Frye, Libby or the St. John realtors that sold Grand Bay from blue prints cared about the island or its people.

hugo · Post by **hugo** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 5:41 pm

Cared? Are you kidding? Why would they?

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 8:08 pm

Thanks for the link, I didn't know anybody was being held accountable, it seemed like it was getting swept under the rug.

byado18 · Post by **byado18** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 8:14 pm

I wonder if this is why all the unsold units were pulled from the market!?

California Girl · Post by **California Girl** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:30 pm

longtimer wrote:I don't think Band, Frye, Libby or the St. John realtors that sold Grand Bay from blue prints cared about the island or its people.

Thanks for posting this link, longtimer, I'm finding this all extremely fascinating. As I sit out here in the bleachers I can see both from the viewpoint of the people who have purchased/rented at Grande Bay, and also see just how slimy this Band guy is. Like I said, fascinating.

Betty · Post by **Betty** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:29 am

the unsold units are going back on the market as time shares. That is why they were pulled.

Exit Zero · Post by **Exit Zero** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:03 am

Timeshares - now there is a financial instrument that is rarely ever abused and really always seems to be represented by only the most stellar of reputable and honorable salespeople with just the clients best interests at heart.
Certainly the STJ Real Estate salespeople who received the Standard 6% sales commission on Grande Bay will be saddened by this new opportunity.
Great article, thank You for posting it.
www.stjohnsource.com also has an informative article about the' failed condo project '.

toni · Post by **toni** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 5:56 am

Ok, I must be confused; I thought this was the guy who was the Pond Bay fiasco? Or is he both? Guess I didn't realize that Grand Bay was still uncompleted.

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:53 am

Why is there no mention of all the rules that were broken (i.e. building height)? I guess Florida probably isn't the place for that discussion. Will anybody ever be held accountable for that?

longtimer · Post by **longtimer** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:35 am

Here's the 2nd article on Band's trial. Construction errors - imagine that. And I thought these were seasoned investors & builders.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20 ... st-cutting

Regarding time share units, is that illegal in a R-4 district? I don't think so.

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:45 am

Teresa_Rae wrote:Why is there no mention of all the rules that were broken (i.e. building height)? I guess Florida probably isn't the place for that discussion. Will anybody ever be held accountable for that?

I am also wonder that.

My dad was a developer (single-family and commercial projects) and in a prior job, I worked in the same line of business. I am baffled by the things that happen on STJ.

Where I live, getting approval for a sign can take several township meetings and constant inspection by officials to make sure one doesn't try to move the sign 6 inches closer to the road than allowed.

So many fingers are pointed at the developers (and maybe rightly so) but where are the STJ elected or appointed officials in all this? Were they paid to look the other way?

California Girl · Post by **California Girl** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:02 pm

Still fascinated.

Herald Tribune wrote: The attorney also noted that, according to partnership documents, Band could only be removed by a vote of two-thirds of Grande Bay's partnership interests -- even though the overwhelming majority of partner shares were held by Band, family members or close friends.

Hmmmm. How conveeeenient! (said in my best SNL "Church Lady" voice)

Herald Tribune wrote:Keane also asserted that an indemnification in the partnership contract gave Band immunity from mistakes.

Can I get a job contract that gives me immunity from mistakes, too?

hugo · Post by **hugo** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:09 pm

What elected or appointed officials? We have one senator, who is "at large" (elected by all three islands, must reside on St. John) and one Administrator (appointed by the Governor, no qualifications required). All of our decisions are made by St. Thomas, and we can easily see how much they care about their own island--much less St. John, which is regarded at best with condescension, at worst with jealousy and greed.

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:40 pm

hugo wrote:What elected or appointed officials? We have one senator, who is "at large" (elected by all three islands, must reside on St. John) and one Administrator (appointed by the Governor, no qualifications required). All of our decisions are made by St. Thomas, and we can easily see how much they care about their own island--much less St. John, which is regarded at best with condescension, at worst with jealousy and greed.

Ok, now it is starting to makes more sense to me. So the USVIs doesn't have zoning or code enforcement? No one to say "hey, that building is too high or whatever and you must correct it."

augie · Post by **augie** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:23 pm

PA Girl wrote:Ok, now it is starting to makes more sense to me. So the USVIs doesn't have zoning or code enforcement? No one to say "hey, that building is too high or whatever and you must correct it."

Go look at some of the villa building blogs. I'd opine that rather than "no code enforcement" they have a lot of "$elective code enforcement"...

usvi-on-line