February, 2010-St.Croix, Virgin Islands - The cities of Frederiksted and Christiansted on the island of St. Croix take their tourist industry seriously, and they care about the aesthetics of their scenic downtown streets. So, five years ago, when world-famous architect and engineer Ray Grenald approached the St. Croix Foundation with an idea about street lighting that uses unobtrusive fixtures and bulbs that flatter people and buildings, the foundation listened. Now those streets boast 50 new compact fluorescent lighting fixtures that are not just aesthetically pleasing but energy efficient.

Roger Dewey, executive director of the St. Croix Foundation, worked with the Virgin Islands Energy Office (VIEO) and contracted NR Electric to do the installation. The project was funded with $20,000 from the VIEO Discretionary Grant Program and $4,000 in matching funds from the foundation, supplied by a private donor specifically for this project. Grenald volunteered his time and donated his design.

The fixtures were installed on buildings on King, Strand, and Company streets in Christiansted and King and Strand streets in Frederiksted. Arcade walkways line most of the downtown streets, so the lights have been placed on the ceilings of the arcades. The fixtures, which are almost invisible, send light up to be reflected down.

Before the lights could be installed, the foundation required that the property owners commit to leaving the lights on all night. The owners were agreeable, especially because the fixtures cost only about $0.04 per night to burn.

Grenald, who has worked on lighting projects for the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Liberty Bell, wanted to set a mood so people could safely experience the uniqueness of the island in the evenings without glaring lights.