A villa on the beach of Great Cruz Bay on the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands has gone from eyesore to landmark thanks to a major restoration following Hurricane Irma's direct hit on the Caribbean island in 2017.
The storm severely damaged the home’s roof, which was already in need of structural repair, and underscored the need to seal in its largely open-to-the-elements floor plan more securely. The finished result makes the most of the stunning location — the owners have rechristened the place “C’est la Sea” — “It is the Sea,” in English — which could be any Francophone’s utterance upon arrival.