Dear Source:
Downtown Revitalization Inc. (DRI) wishes to commend and thank its multiple supporting member organizations, businesses, and individuals for their engagement in the Mission of DRI.
DRI commenced out of a conversation of a group of concerned individuals just four years ago in an effort to facilitate dialog between the public and private sectors and to move projects along related to the revitalization of our Downtown Area.
DRI has sponsored numerous informational community conversations on a wide range of issues related to revitalization of the Downtown Charlotte Amalie over the last three years. These Forums have included and ranged from grants, incentives and general information on revitalizing neighborhoods; to enhancing traffic flow to and from WICO Dock/Havensight, Crown Bay Dock, and Downtown; to homelessness issues and solutions; to public safety in the Downtown; to people interaction; to issues affecting our religious congregations and clergy; to improvements for operations of our restaurants and bars in the Downtown.
More recently, with a close working relationship and co-sponsorship of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce, DRI has enabled public informational updates and input on the WAPA Underground Utilities Project; the impending Main Street enhancements; the Waterfront Boulevard re-design; and Harbor Transportation. We will shortly expand those conversations to include information and community input on the proposed new WICO Berthing Pier.
These efforts have been unprecedented in bringing together the private and government sectors in talking with each other and working together as partners.
If you did not participate in these Forums or conversations, we regret that you were not part of the much-publicized discussions and effort to move our Downtown revitalization forward. Much of the material from the Forums is accessible on the DRI website indicated below.
What is now necessary for these and other revitalization efforts to be successful is community engagement and involvement. Downtown revitalization is not an issue only for those who own property Downtown, or who live or work Downtown, or who go to religious services Downtown, or have historical concerns for the Downtown. It is a matter of concern for all of us as an island and a Territory to enhance our quality of life; our mobility around the island; ensuring compelling visitor experiences; and our overall economy.
We are pleased to be joined with kindling or re-kindling similar efforts in Christiansted and Frederiksted.
In future communications we will make an effort to raise the community’s awareness of what DRI has done and what it is doing going forward. Come join us in these efforts.
We urge every community, civic and business organization; religious congregation; business; and individual in St. Thomas to join DRI in these efforts. There are multiple opportunities to assist, volunteer, and be involved. Look for future Forums. And join DRI by going to the website at: www.downtownrevitalizationinc.com.
The Board of Directors, Downtown Revitalization Inc.
