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Progress-Index, 09/27/2006
Getting a Better View: Downtown Harbour Initiative takes shape in Petersburg
By Julie Buchanan, Staff Writer
PETERSBURG — About 60 people last night came to the Petersburg Regional Art Center for the monthly meeting to discuss the Downtown Harbor Initiative.
The project is meant to give citizens a voice when it comes to the development of downtown Petersburg, particularly the area along the city’s waterfront.
Members of Downtown Petersburg Inc., the group that organizes the annual Nostalgiafest in Old Towne, have been working the entire year to draw public support for the initiative. They’ve kept up citizen interest with a series of monthly meetings on the Region/Urban Design Assistance Team — a special planning study that would use community input to draft a plan for the future of downtown.
DPI has submitted its application to the American Institute of Architects, which oversees the R/UDAT study. It would bring in an outside group of professionals to work on the intensive, week-long design project.
A representative from the AIA is scheduled to visit with the R/UDAT steering committee today at PRAC to discuss details of the visit.
Committee co-chairman Terry Ammons said it will hopefully occur in November.
Last night, those who attended the meeting heard a presentation from Veronica Jemmott, a representative of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. LISC has recently expanded to Petersburg and plans to partner with community groups to improve the quality of the city’s neighborhoods and housing.
LISC has already been successful in helping to revitalize Richmond neighborhoods such as Church Hill, Blackwell and Oregon Hill.
DPI members also informed the audience about a fund-raising auction of antiques and collectibles that will take place at 10 a.m. Oct. 14 beside the Old Towne Civic Center. Money collected will go toward funding the $55,000 R/UDAT study.
Jim Wilson, president of DPI, said last night the organization has raised $32,000 so far in cash and in-kind donations.
For more information on the Downtown Harbor Initiative, visit www.petersburgharbor.org
• Julie Buchanan may be reached at 732-3456, ext. 255.
