April 9, 2008 — Members of the Enterprise Zone Commission under the V.I. Economic Development Authority gave a cultural and economic tour of Christiansted Thursday to members of the media and senators' representatives to promote the Enterprise Zone program.
Gerville Larsen, architect and member of St. Croix Historic Preservation Committee, led the tour that began at Fort Christianvaern. Nadine Marchena Kean, director of the commission, answered questions about the program.
The program was created in 1999 to revitalize blighted and distressed areas of the Virgin Islands, including Christiansted and Frederiksted on St. Croix and Savan on St. Thomas. Legislation enacted that year provides for tax incentives and economic development benefits free of regulatory barriers to economic growth.
Kean said under a five-year strategic plan there are seven goals:
–community aesthetics;
–public safety and crime prevention;
–education;
–job training and entrepreneurship;
–funding; infrastructure;
–housing and neighborhood development;
–business development and federal designation.
Kean said that stakeholders who collaborate with the commission include Frederiksted Economic Development Association, Our Town Frederiksted, St. Croix Foundation, V.I. Heritage Foundation, and We Savanerous Inc.
Results of the Scrape, Paint and Rejuvenate, sponsored by the St. Croix Foundation, are evident on Market Square. In 2001, the foundation launched the program, fixing up commercial and residential properties in need of paint and minor repairs.
The tour proceeded from the fort down Hospital Street with Larsen noting historic and architectural significance of buildings in need of restoration and repair. Larsen said of major significance are the buildings dating back 250 years or so whose builders were enslaved African craftsmen. He took the touring party down back streets and described the architecture of small homes owned by freed slaves and sprinkled all over town.
Tour leaders advocated that those houses be kept by present owners, restored and leased out
Some of the larger buildings now used as stores and offices were at one time townhouses for the wealthy.
The tour lasted about two hours and ended at the Kings Court Restaurant.
In a question and answer period there, organizers emphasized the need for the Housing and Finance Authority's Community Development Block Grant program to continue funding Scrape Paint and Rejuvenate and the Reshape our Landscape program.
For more information about the program, call 714-1700.
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