$789 Million St. Croix School Rebuild Aims to Transform Education and Expand Opportunities for Local Contractors

A $789 million contract to rebuild public schools in St. Croix is emerging as more than a major construction project. It is becoming a model for how infrastructure investment can drive local economic participation.

The Suffolk-CBNA Joint Venture has been selected to lead the design-build reconstruction of four public elementary schools and the St. Croix Curriculum Center as part of the territory’s Rebuild USVI initiative. The project includes the redevelopment of Alexander Henderson, Alfredo Andrews, Claude O. Markoe, and Pearl B. Larson elementary schools, alongside the new curriculum center designed to strengthen education and workforce readiness across the island.

The project’s impact extends beyond modern school facilities. It is also designed to create meaningful opportunities for Virgin Islands businesses and workers through a local participation strategy centered on the joint venture’s Build With Us USVI initiative.

The program focuses on preparing local contractors, suppliers, and workforce participants to compete for project opportunities tied to the territory’s rebuilding effort. Recently, the initiative convened more than 40 local contractors for training workshops on federal contracting requirements, project prequalification, and best practices for participating in large-scale public infrastructure projects.

Officials from the Virgin Islands Office of Disaster Recovery and the Virgin Islands Department of Education participated in the sessions, reinforcing the government’s commitment to ensuring that rebuilding investments translate into long-term economic development for the territory.

The effort reflects a broader shift toward integrating local content strategies into major infrastructure investments. These strategies are increasingly used to ensure that public projects generate local job creation, supplier development, and community economic benefits.

For the Suffolk-CBNA partnership, combining global expertise with local knowledge is central to the project’s delivery. Suffolk brings national experience in advanced construction technologies and complex project management, while CBNA, part of the Bouygues Construction Group, contributes extensive Caribbean experience and strong regional relationships.

The project will be delivered using a progressive design-build model that allows architects, engineers, and construction teams to collaborate from the earliest stages of development. This approach can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and accelerate timelines, which are critical advantages for communities rebuilding after major disasters.

“Education is the foundation of resilient communities,” said Tom Thrasher, General Manager of East Coast Florida at Suffolk. “Together with CBNA, we are committed to delivering schools that inspire learning while strengthening long-term resilience for the people of St. Croix.”

For Bouygues Construction, which generated €10.3 billion in revenue in 2024, the contract strengthens its Caribbean portfolio. For Suffolk, an $8 billion U.S. construction enterprise, the project reinforces its leadership in large-scale public infrastructure development.

The long-term success of the St. Croix Education Bundle will likely be measured not only by the schools it builds, but also by the contractors, workers, and local businesses empowered to participate in the rebuilding of the U.S. Virgin Islands.