The St. Croix Heritage House Society, through its SHH: Invest USVI initiative, will host a “Meet & Greet Gathering Spot” on Thursday, July 30, at 5:30 p.m. at Club Comanche Hotel in Christiansted, inviting residents to learn more about the organization’s long-term vision for St. Croix’s economic and historic revitalization.
Held in partnership with Club Comanche Hotel, the event will focus on attracting new investment while revitalizing, restoring and preserving St. Croix’s two historic towns. Organizers will also discuss opportunities tied to the island’s National Heritage Area designation, Opportunity Zone status and plans for what the organization envisions as the future 3rd Wall Street Financial District.
The gathering follows the June 26 Pre-America250 Program and National Heritage Area Day celebration, where community leaders introduced a long-term strategy to leverage St. Croix’s designation as the first National Heritage Area in a U.S. territory and the only one predominantly representing Caribbean American history and culture. The designation, signed into law in January 2023, recognizes the island’s biodiversity, historic architecture and contributions to American history.
During that event, Anthony Weeks, chair and CEO of SEDI-CASE and the governor’s Special Economic Envoy to Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region, described the National Heritage Area designation as St. Croix’s “superpower.”
“There are more than 300 cities in America, but only 62 National Heritage Areas,” Weeks said during the June celebration. “We are the only Caribbean American National Heritage Area.”
Weeks said the July 30 gathering moves the conversation from celebrating the designation to outlining the road map for making the most of it.
“We’re going to share the plan โ exactly what are the things we’re going to do for St. Croix to ready the island for this opportunity,” Weeks said. “We’ll talk about the critical infrastructure, investments and improvements that need to take place in order to position St. Croix for long-term success.”
He said the organization wants to ensure St. Croix is prepared to welcome visitors who are drawn to the island because of its unique heritage designation.
“We have the honor of being a designated National Heritage Area, and we need to be prepared to receive visitors who choose St. Croix because of that distinction,” Weeks said. “We have to develop a product and present it in the way it should be presented so that when people come for the first time, they continue to come back.”
Weeks said the organization believes the designation presents an opportunity to expand heritage tourism while strengthening the local economy. During the June celebration, he noted that heritage travelers typically stay longer and spend more than traditional leisure visitors, creating opportunities for local businesses and encouraging investment in historic districts.
Among the initiatives to be discussed is the organization’s vision for “3rd Wall Street,” an effort to establish downtown Christiansted as a financial services district inspired by Alexander Hamilton, who spent part of his youth on St. Croix before becoming one of the architects of the nation’s financial system.
Weeks said attracting investment management firms and other financial services businesses could strengthen the island’s economy by creating jobs, supporting retailers and generating new economic activity throughout Christiansted and Frederiksted.
He acknowledged that preparing St. Croix for future growth will require significant investment.
“We all can see that the towns need some TLC,” Weeks said, pointing to aging buildings, cleanliness, homelessness and challenges facing retailers. “We need investments that address both the larger economy and the needs of our historic commercial districts.”
Club Comanche Hotel was selected as the venue because of its historical significance and its role in the organization’s broader vision for downtown Christiansted. During the June launch, hotel officials shared plans to restore the waterfront property โ originally built in 1756 โ into a destination celebrating St. Croix’s history. Weeks noted the building also served as the office of the physician who treated Alexander Hamilton’s mother after she contracted yellow fever.
The evening will begin with an open house, allowing guests to view restoration work completed at the hotel, followed by a cocktail meet-and-greet before the formal presentation.
Weeks said he hopes the gathering encourages residents to consider the future of St. Croix and the role they can play in helping shape it.
“Every community wants to grow its local economy and achieve greater prosperity. Every community desires to be a location where people want to visit, live, engage in meaningful work, and pursue their passions. In short, every community wants to be a vibrant, safe, and livable place, striving for the best quality of life. This is what the St. Croix Heritage House Society aims to achieve,” Weeks said.
The event is open to the public, although organizers ask attendees to RSVP because seating is limited. Reservations can be made atย www.StCroixHeritageHouse.org.
