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V.I. residents invited to view, vote for Upstreet Community Plan

VIEDA's Enterprise and Commercial Zone Commission to host viewing

of proposed community plans for the neighborhood of Upstreet

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – June 22, 2015 - The Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (VIEDA) announces that the Enterprise and Commercial Zone Commission (ECZC), an entity of the VIEDA, invites the residents of Upstreet and the general public to view and select from among proposed community plans that have been developed to help revitalize the neighborhood of Upstreet on St. Thomas.

These proposed community plans will be on display at the Winston Raymo Center on St. Thomas on Thursday, June 25 and Friday, June 26 from 3PM to 7PM and on Saturday, June 27, 2015 from 9AM to 1PM. This center is located across from the Lionel Roberts Stadium and adjacent to the basketball court in Upstreet. Attendees will have the opportunity to view and cast their vote for one of three proposed community plans for Upstreet. The plans were designed for the community’s consideration by three teams of local design planners from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

The design teams - led by Robert deJongh, John Woods and Mike deHaas - will also deliver a presentation about their plans on June 25, 2015 at 5:30PM at the Winston Raymo Center. "The community plan that receives the most votes will be selected and presented to the ECZC Board to be approved as the official community plan for Upstreet. Representatives from the VIEDA and the Enterprise and Commercial Zone Commission will also be present to answer questions at the viewing of the community plans," said VIEDA Acting Chief Executive Officer Wayne L. Biggs, Jr.

According to the ECZC, the community's full participation is necessary for the selection of the best plan that will represent the community's vision for the revitalization of Upstreet. The community plan is designed to provide a road map for the economic, social and architectural development of this neighborhood and should also reflect the vision of the Upstreet community. Upstreet is one of four designated enterprise zones in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The proposed community plans were initiated, in part, by a charrette, a series of town meetings and workshops that were held in Upstreet in 2014. The ECZC hosted the charrette at which panelists - who specialize in various subjects that affect community and area development - along with the general public gathered together for an intense meeting to share their ideas, opinions, recommendations, and possible solutions to the challenges that exist in Upstreet. A consensus of these ideas and solutions that were shared at the charrette helped to initiate the development of the community plans that are proposed for Upstreet.

The Enterprise and Commercial Zone Commission assists residents and local small business owners with rehabilitating properties that are located within designated enterprise zones in the Territory. The enterprise zones in the USVI are Garden Street-Upstreet and Savanne-Downstreet on St. Thomas, and Frederiksted and Christiansted on St. Croix.

For more information, contact the Director of the Enterprise and Commercial Zone Commission Nadine T. Marchena Kean at (340) 714-1700, ext. 256; or Enterprise Zone Specialist Raheem Smith at ext. 253.   To learn more about the Enterprise and Commercial Zone Commission, visit www.usvieda.org .                   .

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