CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – October 22, 2013 - The Enterprise Zone Commission (EZC), a division of the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (VIEDA), invites the general public of Christiansted to view and select the proposed town plans developed for the revitalization of Christiansted on St. Croix. These proposed town plans will be on display from October 23 - 26 and November 6-9, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Steeple Building in Christiansted, St. Croix. This building, located on Company and Church Street, is part of the National Park Service’s Christiansted National Historic Site.
At this event for the viewing of the proposed town plans, attendees will be allowed to view two proposed town plans, designed by local architects, that have been submitted for the community’s consideration. The town plan that receives the most votes will be selected as the official Christiansted Town Plan. Representatives from the VIEDA and Enterprise Zone Commission will also be available to answer questions.
According to the EZC, the community's full participation is essential for the selection of the best town plan that will help revitalize the town of Christiansted. The proposed Christiansted town plans resulted, in part, by a series of town meetings and workshops - a charrette - that were held in Christiansted in March 2013. The EZC hosted the charrette in which panelists, who specialize in various subjects that affect community and area development; and the general public gathered together to share their ideas, opinions, recommendations, and possible solutions to problems that exist in Christiansted. A consensus of these ideas and solutions shared at the charrette helped to initiate the development of the town plans proposed for Christiansted. The town plan is designed to provide a road map for the economic, social and architectural development of Christiansted. This plan should also reflect the vision of the Christiansted community.
The EZC will also join the C’sted (aka Christiansted) Community Alliance (CCA) in their festivities on Saturday, October 26, 2013 which have been organized to celebrate the town of Christiansted. These festivities will include a Saturday Farmer’s Market, a fair at Limpricht Park, and a book sale at the Christiansted Library. The CCA, which was created in 2013 as a result of the charrette, is a group of local community-oriented individuals that work together to preserve a safe environment for the town of Christiansted while ensuring the cleanliness and revitalization efforts of this town.
Christiansted is one of four designated enterprise zones in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Charrette Center, Inc., describes a typical charrette as “an intensive, multi-disciplinary week-long design workshop designed to facilitate an open discussion between stakeholders of a development project. A team of design experts meets with community groups, developers and neighbors over a period from 3 days to 2 weeks long, gathering information on the issues that face the community. The charrette team then works together to find design solutions that will result in a clear, detailed, realistic vision for future development.”
For more information, contact the Director of the Enterprise Zone Commission, Mrs. Nadine Marchena-Kean, at 340-714-1700, ext. 256, or Enterprise Zone Specialist Mr. Deray Calixte at 340-773-6499. To learn more about the Enterprise Zone Commission, visit http://www.usvieda.org/about-vieda/divisions/enterprise-zone-commission .
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