PermaCrete in Paradise
Ed Thompson's business card might well have the slogan "Have PermaCrete - Will Travel." As PermaCrete's on-call professional, Ed's skills are in demand throughout the world, and his most recent destination was the Caribbean island of St. Croix, the largest of the Virgin Islands and located just southeast of Jamaica, where he worked with a local contractor, Eason Jeffers. As the saying goes -a tough assignment, but someone has to do it.
The project is an 18,500 square foot home owned by Dr. Cora Christian and her husband, Dr. Simon Jones-Hendrickson. When completed this truly magnificent residence will have Perma Crete installed on interior and exterior walls, as well as on the pool deck. The exterior walls are a combination of concrete blocks on the lower level and Insulated Concrete Forms(ICF) on the upper level. After the lower level was completed, the owners learned about ICF and decided to utilize that industry-leading building material on the rest of the house, knowing Perma Crete finishes both surfaces equally well.
Aside from enjoying the view from the second highest point on the island, the owners also have a vision. Their intent is develop their 100 acres into an assisted living community encompassing nursing facilities, fine dining, golf and other recreation opportunities, and two hundred feet of gorgeous ocean front landscaping. Having recognized a need on the island for providing care and enjoyment for older residents, the owners are truly adding a new and exciting dimension to their "paradise." The savvy couple also recognized the value of Perma Crete in their dream project.
"We are so very pleased with what we see as a beautiful, yet strong component to our home," Dr. Christian observed. "And I am confident the ICF application will be equally excellent."
With its rich history of Indian, Spanish, and Danish influences, St. Croix enjoys a climate with a temperature averaging between 77-85 year 'round and welcome rains that keep the flora lush and thriving. Perma Crete is at home in this environment, making this product very attractive to the builders. The strength and versatility of Perma Crete add both beauty and integrity to the couple's home and, indeed, a sense of knowing they are making a unique contribution to their island paradise. We at PermaCrete are fortunate to have Dr. Christian and Dr. Jones-Hendrickson as customers and equally proud to have Ed on our team. Now if he would just come back to the office....