Mapp Meets With Concerned Citizens Group About Charlotte Amalie Preservation

Governor Kenneth Mapp on Tuesday at Government House in St. Thomas met with members of the Downtown Revitalization, Inc.(DRI), a group comprised of residents, land owners and business owners in the Charlotte Amalie area, who, according to the organization’s website, became frustrated with “inadequate public services, including public safety, lack of parking, traffic congestion, and the physical deterioration of our historic town.”

What started as a small-scale effort in 2009 soon grew into a formidable organization as members coalesced and began actively seeking commitments from government officials to preserve aspects of the historic Charlotte Amalie town, while continuing its development for economic viability.

The group visualizes a town that comes alive with varied businesses serving the residents of the town, and providing a “safe environment to raise a family, experience social and cultural activities, and have areas of healthful recreational choices.”

Charlotte Amalie

Downtown Revitalization Inc., also sees Charlotte Amalie as a town offering a “24/7 life, not one that closes up at 5 p.m.,” and describes the scope of the town as “stretching from Havensite and Sugar Estate in the east to Frenchtown in the west and north from the Waterfront uphill, to include the neighborhoods of Savan, Fireburn Hill, Synagogue Hill, Long Path, Garden Street and Government Hill.”

At the meeting, Governor Mapp encouraged the group to continue its efforts and pledged the support of his administration.

Present at the meeting were the governor and members of his cabinet, including Chief of Staff-Randy Knight, Deputy Chief of Staff Rochelle Corneiro; Senior Fiscal Policy Advisor Simon Jones-Hendrickson; Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty; Commissioner of Public Works (DPW) Gustav James; Jomo McClean, design programmer (DPW); Wystan Benjamin, highway programs manager (DPW).

Present for DRI were Sebastiano Paiewonsky-Cassinelli, David Bornn, Joseph Aubain, Dee Baecher-Brown and Cecile de Jongh.

Other notable persons in attendance included Victor B. Dover and Amy Groves of Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planning, Coral Gables, Fla.; John Woods of Jaredian Design; and Ronald M. Colas, vice president of design engineering firm, Parsons, Brinckerhoff.