HomeProgress-Index, 01/24/2007
R/UDAT team leader chosen
By F.M. Wiggins, Staff Writer
PETERSBURG — Jane Jenkins has been named as the leader of the Petersburg Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team. Downtown Harbor Initiative, a program of Downtown Petersburg Inc., made the announcement Tuesday night during its regular monthly town hall meeting.
“We now have a team and we know when they’re coming so it’s a very exciting time for us,” said Dulaney Ward, DHI co-chairman.
Ward said that he expects that Jenkins will come to the next regular R/UDAT meeting on Feb. 27 at the Petersburg Regional Arts Center.
Jenkins and six others, including Charles Zucker, a Washington-based consultant who visited Petersburg in September, will return to the city March 29 and begin an intensive four-day process of designing a strategic plan for the community.
“They will probably be working non-stop,” Ward said.
Ward added that those involved in the R/UDAT process have worked hard to get this far but that now the really hard work will begin.
Steve Perez, chairman of the R/UDAT public relations committee, said the plans which will be developed by the team will be unique.
“These will be plans that are influenced by the citizens and it seems that is a rarity and that most of the time such development plans are developed by those in the government,” Perez said.
Ward added that it is exciting to finally have a definite date of when the team will come to the town.
The R/UDAT team will consist of seven national experts chosen by the American Institute of Architects in consultation with the local R/UDAT steering committee. Team members will serve without compensation and will address specific issues in Petersburg related to economic development, transportation, the harbor and waterfront development.
Jenkins is currently the executive director of Downtown Boulder Inc. and has also served with the Boulder Improvement District in Boulder, Colo.
• F.M. Wiggins may be reached at 732-3456, ext. 254 or fwiggins@progress-index.com
