Understanding Caribbean Walkable Urban Heritage ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA
Final Report Submitted To: Organization of American States Department of Sustainable Development 1889 F St., NW, 7th Floor Washington, DC 20006, USA Final Report Submitted By: Caribbean Network for Urban and Land Management (CNULM/blueSpace), University of the West Indies Jeffrey Soule, FAICP (US/ICOMOS) Gregory Scruggs (Columbia University) FINAL REPORT – May 19, 2014
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Contents I. Preface ......................................................................................................................................... 3 1.0 Overview of Project .................................................................................................................. 4 2.0 Overview of Historic Urban Landscapes .................................................................................. 5 3.0. Understanding Caribbean Walkable Urban Heritage in the city of St. George’s Grenada ..... 8 3.1. Background and Overview .................................................................................................. 8 3.2. St. George’s Built Environment Quality for Pedestrians and Cyclists ................................ 8 3.3. Dossier: Approach to the Protection, Conservation and Nomination of St. George’s Fortified System (Grenada)....................................................................................................... 12 3.4. Existing Literature ............................................................................................................. 12 3.5. Current Preservation Policies ............................................................................................. 12 3.6. National Programs to Support Cultural Heritage ............................................................... 13 3.7. Adherence to Sustainable Development Principles ........................................................... 13 3.8. Local Economic Development Existing Practices and Potential ....................................... 14 3.9. Local Cultural Development Existing Practices and Potential .......................................... 14 3.10. Integration into Surrounding Land Uses and Settlement Patterns ................................... 15 3.11. Best Practice: Physical Planning Unit Conservation Guidelines ..................................... 15 4.0 Tools and Techniques ............................................................................................................. 17 4.1 Planning Framework and Expertise .................................................................................... 17 4.2 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) ........................................................................................ 17 4.3 Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) ............................................................................. 17 4.4 Guidelines for Historic Preservation Organizations ........................................................... 18 4.5 University Support Programs and Projects ......................................................................... 19 4.6 Local Events and Promotion Techniques to Build Support ................................................ 19 4.7 Training Programs for Skilled Building Craftspeople ........................................................ 19 4.8 Financial Incentives and Disincentives ............................................................................... 20 4.9 Code and Planning Enforcement ........................................................................................ 20 4.10 Public Education Tools and Techniques ........................................................................... 20 4.11. Interviews and Focus Groups........................................................................................... 21 4.12 Public Meetings ................................................................................................................ 21 4.13. Surveys ............................................................................................................................. 22 4.14 Charrettes .......................................................................................................................... 22 4.15. Community Assistance Team .......................................................................................... 22 4.16. Electronic Media .............................................................................................................. 22 CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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4.17. Design Guidelines ............................................................................................................ 22 5.0 Recommendations for St. George’s Grenada.......................................................................... 24 5.1. Recommendations to Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendliness ................................. 24 5.2. Recommendation for Demonstration Site: Cultural Corridor ............................................ 24 5.3. Summary Recommendations on St. George’s for Policymakers ....................................... 25 6.0 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 28 ANNEX I: VALLETTA PRINCIPLES AND HUL GUIDELINES ............................................ 29 ANNEX II. PROJECT TEAM ...................................................................................................... 34
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I. Preface This report is one of the four city reports produced from the project. “Understanding and Improving Walkable Caribbean Urban Heritage: Paramaribo, Bridgetown, St. George’s and East Port-of-Spain.”(see Chapter 1: Overview of Project). It attempts to understand Caribbean Walkable Urban Heritage in the city of St. George’s, Grenada and comprises of three major chapters: Chapter 1: Overview of the Project, Chapter 2: Overview of Historic Urban Landscapes in the Caribbean, Chapter 3: Caribbean Walkable Urban Heritage in the city of St. George’s, Grenada which gives a detailed analysis of St. George’s built environment quality for pedestrians and cyclists as well as the existing planning policies and institutional frameworks for the city, Chapter 4: Tools, Techniques and Chapter 5: Recommendations that can be utilized to improve the country’s position on walkability and heritage conservation, Chapter 6: Bibliography.
For each of the aforementioned cities, a project report following a similar format was produced. It should be noted that though there are some case specific findings and recommendations, many are of general relevance and will be applied to the other city reports.
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1.0 Overview of Project “Understanding and Improving Walkable Caribbean Urban Heritage: Paramaribo, Bridgetown, St. George’s and East Port-of-Spain” is a project executed under an Organization of the American States (OAS) grant by the Caribbean Network for Urban and Land Management (CNULM) in collaboration with partners from the U.S. ICOMOS and the American Planning Association. Lead organization, the Caribbean Network for Urban Land Management (CNULM), a regular research partner of CARICOM, is a uniquely qualified academic center with a regional scope housed at the University of West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. CNULM’s partners for this project will also bring extensive experience on international urban planning and historic preservation. The four Caribbean cities selected for this project represent a spectrum of legislative and institutional approaches to preserving urban heritage sites that exemplify smart urban design to decrease car use and encourage pedestrian and cycling activity. Collectively, these cities represent a body of knowledge that can strengthen regional efforts to implement best practices for the promotion of pedestrian activity through urban design that encourages historic preservation and economic development of physical and cultural assets. A careful analysis of their existing urban heritage plans, national and local legislative and institutional frameworks, and the pedestrian quality of their built environments will yield readily applicable recommendations to improve Caribbean historic urban areas. The project aims to comparatively analyze built and cultural heritage of four Caribbean cities, for elements of smart urban design that decrease car use and encourage walking and cycling as well as potential to generate local economic development and serve as a model for new urban development. The project also seeks to better understand how existing and potential Caribbean urban UNESCO World Heritage Sites respond to the standards of the Valletta Principles and HUL guidelines in their legislative and institutional frameworks, as well as their practical implementations of such policies. Such an understanding will inform precise policy recommendations to local and national governments, as well as to relevant councils of CARICOM, which maintains a regional urban agenda for the Caribbean.
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2.0 Overview of Historic Urban Landscapes Despite geographic constraints, Caribbean land use patterns do not favor walkability or pedestrian activity. The automobile dominates, even for short distances, and a lack of safe streets and sidewalks as well as insufficient public transportation contributes to the problem. However, the historic urban cores of colonial-era Caribbean cities represent a wealth of potential for the promotion of sustainable communities with smart urban design that encourages walkability over car use. Home to some of the oldest non-indigenous urban settlements in the Americas, they represent a unique blend of European architecture, New World materials, and multicultural influence. Settled long before the advent of the automobile, their built environment foundations are based on walkability and pedestrian access and can serve as development and settlement pattern models. However, rapid urbanization in the Caribbean creates the challenge of preserving the built and cultural urban heritage of sustainable communities with walkable urban design while simultaneously catering to the constantly evolving development needs of Caribbean cities, where energy and climate concerns are increasingly paramount. Many former colonial Caribbean cities have outgrown their initial physical and economic capacity and require planning interventions that will allow for the useful retention of the historic urban fabric, while promoting new opportunities for local economic development. Cities are centers of economic growth and cultural exchange. An understanding of their built and cultural heritage is important in order to catalyze economic development. Traditionally, efforts have largely focused on preserving historic communities, sites, and buildings in order to attract international tourists. While useful, this approach is limited in that issues such as the functionality of historic urban spaces, their accessibility and seamless integration into surrounding land uses, and their role in local cultural development and identity is sometimes overlooked. A more holistic approach to urban regeneration and revitalization is needed in the Caribbean, and existing ideas can be drawn from cities whose urban cores are or aspire to be UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In recognition of this fact, the Bridgetown Heritage Declaration of the Conference of Caribbean National Trusts and Preservation Societies 2014, at the urging of the authors of this report, included the statement: “Noting an urgent need to carefully use our land resources, we commit to promote the value of historical settlement patterns and traditional building techniques in new development and redevelopment.” There are several Caribbean cities that are recognized by the international standard for historic preservation of urban landscapes through designation by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which recognizes works of humanity with outstanding universal value as World Heritage Sites. UNESCO is advised on this matter by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the professional organization for World Heritage Sites and historic preservation generally that has member chapters in individual countries.
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The process by which a city is recognized involves applying to UNESCO for the designation with a qualitative analysis and a conservation management plan to protect the space and its context. Since 1972, this concept has been evolving within UNESCO, from recognizing monuments to collections of monuments to entire World Heritage Sites. This most recent concept uses a comprehensive planning approach to address historic preservation by promoting “The Valletta Principles for the Safeguarding and Management of Historic Cities, Towns and Urban Areas,” which were developed by ICOMOS. In addition, as part of the evolution of thinking about cultural conservation and heritage in urban situations, UNESCO recently published recommendations for the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL), a major statement about planning, regulation, and management of cities in general. According to the World Heritage Center, “The Historic Urban Landscape approach aims at preserving the quality of the human environment and enhancing the productivity of urban spaces. It integrates the goals of urban heritage conservation with the goals of social and economic development.”1 The HUL approach broadens the framework for our global commonwealth of urban heritage, through recognition that tangible and intangible heritage is valued for differing reasons and motivations by residents, tourists, politicians, employers, municipal governments, developers, and the preservation community. UNESCO’s HUL recommendation is that stewardship of urban heritage is a shared integrative undertaking that affirms heritage as a sustainable element of the future and requires planning, regulatory tools, education, and resource commitments. Both the HUL approach and the Valletta Principles make several references to the importance of pedestrian activity. They rightly note: “Most historic towns and urban areas were designed for pedestrians and slow forms of transport. Gradually these places were invaded by the car, causing their degradation. At the same time, quality of life has reduced. Traffic infrastructure (car parks, subway stations, etc) must be planned in ways that will not damage the historic fabric or its environment. A historic town should encourage the creation of transport with a light footprint. It is important to encourage pedestrian circulation. To achieve this, traffic should be drastically limited and parking facilities reduced. At the same time, sustainable, non‐polluting public transport systems need to be introduced, and soft mobility promoted. Roadways should be studied and planned to give priority to pedestrians. Parking facilities should preferably be located outside protected zones and, if possible, outside buffer zones.” The consistent goals of the Valletta Principles thus emphasize the importance of walkability as a core component of preserving urban heritage. To address these and other concerns, the Valletta Principles promote good governance that involves all local stakeholders in the policymaking process for World Heritage Sites. With regards to the particular designation, they explain, “The traditional systems of urban governance should examine all aspects of cultural and social diversity, so as to establish new democratic “A New International Instrument: The Proposed UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL), ICOMOS, 16 Aug 2011, http://www.icomos.org/Preliminary_report_and_first_draft_16_August_EN.DOC. 1
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institutions to suit the new reality.” As such, “Planning in historic urban areas must be a participatory process, involving all stakeholders.”2 This planning, moreover, takes the following form: “A conservation plan must be based on urban planning for the whole town, including analysis of archaeological, historical, architectural, technical, sociological and economical values. It should define a conservation project, and be combined with a management plan and followed by permanent monitoring.”3 Given this specific requirement, when local governments struggle with these requirements and are placed on the “endangered” list, UNESCO provides a technical assistance team to address the specific challenges of the given World Heritage Site. For more details on the HUL recommendations and Valletta Principles, see Annex I.
All citations in this paragraph from “The Valletta Principles for the Safeguarding and Management of Historic Cities, Towns and Uran Areas,” ICOMOS International, Page 10. 3 “The Valletta Principles for the Safeguarding and Management of Historic Cities, Towns and Uran Areas,” ICOMOS International, Page 16. 2
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3.0. Understanding Caribbean Walkable Urban Heritage in the city of St. George’s Grenada 3.1. Background and Overview The capital city of Grenada was founded by the French in the 1650s. Their presence is visible in the red roofed houses common throughout the city and in certain architectural aspects of the military fortifications that ring the city from its hilltops. In 1762, the British captured Grenada during the Seven Years’ War, and it subsequently remained a British colony until independence in 1974. St. George’s developed as an important commercial port, especially for the island’s spice trade. The British added to the military fortification system, incorporating the latest in fort design, thus leading to a unique collection of forts that blend French and British architectural styles. A total of eight forts were constructed that ring St. George’s remarkable natural harbor. The British also constructed administrative buildings. From 1885 to 1960, St. George’s served as the capital of the British Windward Islands. In 1983, a coup led to a brief military government, which executed several prominent political figures, including Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, inside Fort George. In the present day, Fort Geroge, on a point facing the ocean, is home to the Police Headquarters and Training School. Behind the harbor on the inland hills, Fort Frederick has been restored and is open to the public, while nearby Fort Matthew, which served as an insane asylum from 1880-1987, is abandoned and in need of repair. The remaining five forts have disappeared or are in complete ruins. In 2004, the National Cultural and Heritage Committee, acting in partnership with the Physical Planning Unit of the Ministry of Works, submitted a proposal to place the St. George’s Fortified System on the UNESCO Tentative List, where it has remained ever since. Later that same year, Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada and caused significant damage to the entire island, including St. George’s.
3.2. St. George’s Built Environment Quality for Pedestrians and Cyclists St. George’s is a dense, walkable city with a strong urban fabric. It has a significant commercial presence in addition to government buildings, both of which bring Grenadians to the capital. Grenada has experienced less of the suburbanization of larger neighbors like Barbados and Trinidad, with most of the population clustered in smaller villages if not in the capital city. There are relatively few enclosed malls or shopping centers, which supports St. George’s commercial vitality. However, the streets of St. George’s are exceptionally congested. In many narrow streets, especially ones with markets or street vendors, there is not enough room for both cars and pedestrians. Sidewalks exist but are often too narrow for the volume of pedestrians, which is a good problem to have that simply must be better managed. The city is punctured by several hills, including the one upon which Fort George rests, that separates the postcard picturesque Carenage (harbor waterfront) from the west side of St. George’s, where the cruise ship terminal, bus terminal, and main market are located. While there are walkable connections, such as the CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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Sendall Tunnel, pedestrians must share the roadway with vehicles. There are is no bike infrastructure in St. George’s, and given the amount of congestion in the central city, navigating by bike would be a challenge. The Carenage and other routes that move vehicle traffic through the city could accommodate bicycles, however, provided they avoid the major hills.
Above: The Carenage at its best for pedestrians – wide walkways and a shaded trellis. Below: The Carenage at its worst for pedestrians – narrow sidewalk close to the water.
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Above: A street in St. Geroge’s crowded with vendors, cars, and pedestrians Below: Pedestrians forced to share the roadway with cars in St. George’s.
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Left: A historic market building supports pedestrian activity and local economic development. The shaded awning makes for a more comfortable vendor and customer experience, while the narrow lane prohibits cars from intruding. Below left: The Sendall Tunnel, a historic engineering project in St. George’s, privileges automobile traffic and forces pedestrians to share a narrow, confined space with cars.
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3.3. Dossier: Approach to the Protection, Conservation and Nomination of St. George’s Fortified System (Grenada) In order to secure a place on the UNESCO Tentative List, the Government of Grenada, with the support of the World Heritage Centre and the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, hired a consultant, David Lesterhuis, to prepare a dossier for the site’s nomination in August 2004. It focuses mostly on the forts themselves, including technical specifications and prospects for restoration, but it does address the buffer zones that would surround the forts and restrict development. Although ten years old, the report is still very much applicable and should be included in any renewed effort to create a management plan for St. George’s.
3.4. Existing Literature While the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada has generated a number of political books on the island, the literature on the capital, St. George’s, and its built heritage is limited. The Grenada National Trust developed Architectural Design Guidelines for St. George’s, Grenada in 1988 with the assistance of USAID. The Grenada National Museum has published several books by Michael Jessamy, Heritage Conservation Officer with the Ministry of Tourism: Forts of Grenada (1983); Architectural Heritage of Grenada (1986); Forts and Coastal Batteries of Grenada (1998); St. George’s: the Prettiest Town in the Caribbean (with George Brizan, 2004). One would suspect that the military fortifications, especially Fort George, with its original 18 th century example of a Vauban-style masonry fortress, would attract more attention from scholars of military architecture.
3.5. Current Preservation Policies St. George’s benefits from a several pieces of legislative that help support historic preservation: National Trust Act of 1967 Grenada National Trust Strategic Plan 2013-2017 Grenada National Strategic Development Plan 2007-2017 Grenada National Physical Development Plan (2003) Physical Planning and Development Control Act 25 (2002) The Grenada National Trust has a mandate to promote “the preservation of places of historic and architectural interest or national beauty.” The Trust acts in an advisory capacity providing comments on listed buildings of significance and sits on the Planning Advisory Committee. It may also generate funds through ownership of properties. In the well-designed and written Strategic Plan 2013-2017, these underpinnings are highlighted and the importance of securing a UNESCO designation for St. George’s is listed as a top priority. The National Strategic Development Plan 2007-2017 makes specific reference to the importance of leveraging Grenada’s cultural capital, though it does not mention the efforts to designate the St. George’s Fortified System a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It does, however, address urban CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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planning, by calling for urban renewal plans every three years, highlighting the importance of improved traffic flow in St. George’s, and calling for the implementation of the National Physical Development Plan. There are also currently development plans for the Carenage and the Port. We have not reviewed the legislation for these programs but it is important that the development management authority should allow such special development bodies to buy and sell property and have the ability to act once they have been established. Finally, according to the Lesterhuis dossier, “in the Physical Planning and Development Control Act, the Planning and Development Authority (PDA) is appointed as the national service for the identification, conservation and rehabilitation of the natural and cultural heritage of Grenada (section 40). The Natural and Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee (NCHAC) is the advisory body to the PDA with representatives from relevant ministries and NGOs. The Act contains broad provisions for the licensing and control of all activities, which may cause degradation of the natural and cultural heritage.”
3.6. National Programs to Support Cultural Heritage See 4.12. Best Practice: Physical Planning Unit Conservation Guidelines.
3.7. Adherence to Sustainable Development Principles Grenada is a small island developing state (SIDS) and actively participates in the global SIDS community’s commitment to sustainability. In light of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20), Grenada has a roadmap for building a green economy to induce poverty eradication and sustainable development. This includes a micro-pilot demonstration in Carriacou, a small island that is part of the country of Grenada, with a focus on a water-energy-waste integrated system, an educational center for low-carbon technology and natural resource management, eco-friendly tourism infrastructure, and low-carbon transport system. The country is also pursuing projects related to the management of water resources in northern Grenada, community-based coastal ecosystem restoration, renewable energy sources for medical and community centers during natural disasters, early warning systems for floods and droughts, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable fisheries. While Grenada’s preparatory documents for Rio +20 do mention the threats of global climate change, they do not mention sea-level rise or the coastal zone, a particular threat to a SIDS, where population tends to be clustered along the coast. Moreover, the documents make no mention of urban areas in general or St. George’s specifically, suggesting that the country is focused predominately on national level sustainability and not yet on subnational agglomerations, namely cities, towns, and villages.
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3.8. Local Economic Development Existing Practices and Potential St. Geroge’s is a bustling commercial as well as administrative capital and could build on several existing opportunities to enhance local economic development. The city’s public market is one of the most vibrant and centrally located in any Caribbean city, with both a historic marketplace and more makeshift vendors in the street. Given Grenada’s agricultural heritage, particularly as the “spice island” of nutmeg, the market is a prime opportunity to support local agriculture, educate the public about healthy food choices, expand the product base to include other locally produced goods, and enhance the vitality of St. George’s, particularly on non-business days. Given the preexisting Saturday market, St. George’s is already doing an admirable job at bringing foot traffic into the central city on weekends. However, a market manager or other overseeing body could help coordinate the market into more “controlled chaos” that would benefit vendors and customers alike. The cruise ship terminal also disembarks on the west side of St. George’s, encouraging tourists to explore the city on foot. Better wayfinding that would direct visitors both to historic sites and commercial corridors could improve local economic development, especially if focused on Grenadian products as opposed to cheap tourist trinkets produced outside the country. A “Buy Grenada” campaign – similar to the “Buy Bajan” label in Barbados – could support local artisans, food producers, and small manufacturers among both visitors and locals. Finally, the Grenadian economy derives a significant percentage of its GDP from St. George’s University, a medical and veterinary school with a total enrollment of 6,302 for the 2013-2014 school year. Given that Grenada’s entire population is about 105,000, the student body adds nearly 6% to the number of people living in the country. This captive audience of mostly American students with some degree of disposable income is a huge resource for the city of St. George’s, which after all is the namesake of the university, but is largely untapped. In particular, the students live in an isolated campus that does not have strong transportation connections to the capital city even though the distance is only five miles. Encouraging the university to expand its campus bus service to include routes to and from St. George’s, and simultaneously promoting the attractions of St. Geroge’s to students, would be a mutually beneficial economic undertaking.
3.9. Local Cultural Development Existing Practices and Potential Like all Caribbean countries, Grenada has an annual Carnival. Spice Mas, as it is known, is held in June, which puts it off cycle from some of the other larger Caribbean Carnivals, such as Trinidad (February/March) and Barbados’ Cropover (August). This is a competitive advantage for Grenada, and currently St. George’s plays a significant role in the Spice Mas festivities, hosting nearly one-third of the designated Carnival sites in large venues such as the National Stadium, Fort Matthew, and Fort Frederick, as well as smaller playing fields and recreation grounds. Linking Carnival and other intangible heritage with St. George’s will encourage local cultural development. Finally, the capital city has a small cluster of cultural institutions near Fort George, in the area that would fall within the potential UNESCO World Heritage Site buffer zone. These include, CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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chiefly, the Grenada National Museum, as well as the Grenada Arts Council Gallery and a couple other small art galleries. Supporting this cultural cluster in the future planning process for St. George’s and branding this corner of the city as a cultural destination would help these institutions act as mutually reinforcing anchors for local cultural development.
3.10. Integration into Surrounding Land Uses and Settlement Patterns While Grenada does have some strip-style development following the major roads that ring the island’s coastline, for the most part the population lives in small towns and villages. Concerns about sea-level rise and natural disasters notwithstanding, from an overall land use perspective this is a smart approach to a limited supply of land, especially on an island that maintains an agricultural presence. As the largest city on the island, however, St. George’s can and should serve as a model for urban living that gives priority to pedestrians and cyclists within town and village limits. At present, the shared roadway challenges of congested St. George’s, while more extreme, are similar to challenges in other towns like Gouyave, Sauteurs, and Grenville. Finally, the southwestern corner of Grenada, near the Maurice Bishop International Airport and St. George’s University, has a more sprawling land use pattern, especially the concentration of beach resorts, and would benefit from following St. George’s historic layout that encourages density in a pedestrian-friendly environment.
3.11. Best Practice: Physical Planning Unit Conservation Guidelines The St. George’s Fortified System was placed on UNESCO’s Tentative List in 2004. While the focus of the World Heritage Site itself would be the forts, the buffer zones would encompass the town below, thus incorporating St. George’s proper into a World Heritage Site. This is an innovative approach that leverages a built heritage asset, in this case the fortified system, to strengthen urban planning in the area surrounding the historic property. While historic St. George’s may not qualify on its own merits for a UNESCO designation in the same way that historic Bridgetown or inner-city Paramaribo do, the St. George’s Fortified System can nevertheless overlay the town with a UNESCO designation via the buffer zone, which would in turn strengthen conservation, planning, and smart urban design in the capital. To that end, the Physical Planning Unit prepared conservation guidelines for St. George’s in 2009 that address restoration, signage, open space, demolition, and new construction. All of these guidelines would support an improved pedestrian environment in St. George’s. This document also outlines a proposed heritage conservation area for the town of St. George’s and proposed planning controls within conservation areas. Proposed interventions include dedicated bike lanes along the Carenage and other waterfront areas, as well as improved sidewalks. If the St. George’s Fortified System receives a UNESCO designation, this will be a boon for the built environment in all of St. George’s. For other Caribbean cities that have historic sites or monuments but not necessarily an entire historic urban landscape that would qualify for UNESCO designation, St. George’s “back door” CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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approach to applying stricter land use controls and urban planning guidelines to a historic city is a viable method.
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4.0 Tools and Techniques 4.1 Planning Framework and Expertise Urban planning is the baseline for any successes in managing these historic cities, encouraging their revitalization, and promoting their compact settlement patterns in new developments. While national planning takes place in various capacities, policymakers should be attentive to their largest cities and pursue urban plans as well. In all four cities, adequate resources should be allocated for a comprehensive plan that incorporates sustainability, walkability, and development guidelines. Grenada has a sound planning framework and expertise. The staff available have skills and ability but in our evaluation, there seems to be a need for more staff to accommodate the pressures on development review and ensure the mandates of all the various acts and functions are adequately managed. The Physical Planning Unit’s Design Guidelines are a good basis for integrating heritage conservation into the overall strategy, but a comprehensive urban plan addressing this report’s recommendations outside heritage on topics such as integrating green infrastructure and improving circulation and walkability would be beneficial.
4.2 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) A capital improvement plan (CIP) would be a useful tool to link planning objectives with both timing and budgeting. A CIP would also be helpful in engagement of the various stakeholders in the planning and development process by linking public investment to expected outcomes. A return on investment approach to infrastructure is critical to make sure expenditures of public funds are seen as catalysts for the goals of physical, social, and economic sustainability. This requires that in addition to feasibility and adherence with the plan, a project must have a financial analysis to determine what the overall development impact generated will be, so that financial investments by the public are seen as expediting private investment. Without a capital improvement plan, there is no way for the public and other stakeholders to know what the government’s priorities are and what the overall strategy is. Although there special districts existing or proposed in St. George’s, a CIP would nevertheless, help organize infrastructure investment. However, successful CIPs require good governance and as long as there is not an open and participatory system of setting physical and financial priorities, there will not be improvement to the overall urban situation.
4.3 Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) Business improvement districts (BIDs) are mechanisms by which local businesses voluntarily tax themselves to provide a higher standard of service, for instance in trash pickup, street maintenance, landscaping, and other public services. By creating a separate entity outside the government to manage the funds, businesses are assuaged that their contributions are only financing direct improvements to their area and will not be used for other public purposes. CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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The closest existing practice similar to a BID would be the Barbados Chamber of Commerce, which funds its urban revitalization program, The Revitalise Bridgetown Initiative / Bridgetown Alive, through business contributions. The report has designated this program a best practice and it could be strengthened by a BID that would have a physical presence on the streets of Bridgetown – cleaning the streets, orienting visitors, and providing a public safety function in clothing and equipment branded “Bridgetown Alive.” The city of St. George’s should emulate this example and take the legislative steps necessary to permit BIDs, and then establish them in their urban core areas. The commercial corridors of St. George’s including the public market and cruise ship terminal zones would all be viable locations for BIDs.
4.4 Guidelines for Historic Preservation Organizations As a corollary to the importance of urban planning, any revitalization strategy based on heritage must partner with a strong, functioning historic preservation organization, such as a national trust, with a delegated authority to list sites on a register of historic places and ideally have the power to buy and sell properties in order to facilitate the restoration process through strategic investment and bolster their financial stability. This capacity in particular would dramatically improve such organizations’ abilities to translate their advocacy into action. Revenue streams related to the services that such organizations provide would also help strengthen their capacity. For example, setting aside a percentage of the tax on visitor accommodations and services as earmarked for the local national trust or equivalent would provide a steady source of revenue. Given that visitors enjoy heritage sites during their visits, many of which they do not have to pay fees for, especially if they are walking along a street in a historic city as opposed to actually entering a building, such a scheme would promote a virtuous cycle. Belize has recently adopted a tax on cruise ships – a major player in both Barbados and Grenada – with an earmark for the national trust, an idea that should be adopted throughout the Caribbean. The first International Conference of Caribbean National Trusts and Preservation Societies held in 2014 in Bridgetown, where the outcomes of this report were presented in a keynote address, hopefully heralds a new era for such organizations. For St. George’s, the National Trust Act of 1967 provides for such a framework, but the Grenada National Trust funding and integration into so many plans and policies requires a more robust staff, especially if a dossier will be prepared for a serious bid at a UNESCO designation. Current funding from the Ministry of Education is a token EC$10,000 annually, which makes the potential funding, streams above all the more relevant. Moreover, the Trust has a visionary strategic plan that is a good framework for improving their impact over time through mechanisms like the ones described above, and its recommendations should be adopted by parliament, including the adoption of an official inventory of heritage sites.
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4.5 University Support Programs and Projects Universities are anchor institutions that can provide many benefits to urban cores. Due to their scale, their impact is much larger than individual businesses in terms of job creation and physical footprint, which allows them to invest strategically and comprehensively in real estate and thus revitalize blocks or neighborhoods. Moreover, students can liven up dead areas and universities are hubs of activity during non-business hours. Given their public service, education, and research mission, universities are great partners for the public sector. All four cities are located near major universities that could and should create a stronger link to the city. The St. George’s University (SGU) is a great resource for Grenada and accounts for 25% of the national GDP. Unfortunately, the campus is rather isolated and students have little engagement with St. George’s. There should be a stronger student presence in the historic core of St. George’s, rather than just the suburban campus. We would strongly encourage more discussion about SGU creating a program downtown that could focus on continuing education, certificates, and engagement of the local population in educational offerings, along with opportunities for structuring classes for current students. A public clinic, in the city, staffed by SGU students, and the extension of the SGU transportation system to shuttle students to and from the city, are two concrete steps that would improve this relationship.
4.6 Local Events and Promotion Techniques to Build Support Half the battle of preservation is public awareness, from events to publications to media coverage. However, use of social media in order to reach a younger audience that may not read books and magazines should be improved. Integrating heritage, sustainability, and planning into the wide array of other organizations’ events and activities could also be expanded to get more awareness of the assets and opportunities for people to participate. Lectures, walking tours, and meetings with key stakeholders are among the items that could be enhanced. A particular strength in these cities is the incorporation of cultural events and festivals into the urban core. While heritage conservation officer Michael Jessamy is a tireless promoter of St. George’s, it is a job for more than one man. Overall awareness of St. George’s historic assets seems low and historic sites are not always open to the public, such as Fort George, which is a police facility. Carnival activities in St. George’s should be integrated with awareness campaigns and public education concerning the historic city.
4.7 Training Programs for Skilled Building Craftspeople The restoration of historic buildings is a huge and underexploited economic opportunity in St. George’s. However, programs must be established to teach these crafts. Many models exist, including successful training programs in Savannah, Georgia at the Savannah Technical College and the Escuelas Talleres of Cuba. Such a program would do much to connect the issue of CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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heritage restoration to broader economic development issues, thus attracting the government’s interest. There are no systematic efforts to train artisans in the skills needed to maintain and reproduce the styles of buildings found in Grenada. Such a program would bolster St. George’s UNESCO bid and provide an immediate supply of jobs for graduates of the program. The T.A. Marryshow Community College could host the program locally.
4.8 Financial Incentives and Disincentives One of the frequent topics in St. George’s, Grenada, is the lack of funding for historic projects and public works and improvements in general. For walkability and sustainability to be enhanced based on the historic patterns of development, funding should be prioritized to meet those objectives rather than 1950s-style large infrastructure projects, such as the waterfront developments proposed in Paramaribo and Port of Spain. Instead, using financial incentives more aggressively to channel private development to more compact and walkable locations that take advantage of the historic resources of these cities is an area that should be further developed. Many examples exist in U.S. cities using property tax incentives and tax credits from the local, state, and federal government for rehabilitation and reuse of historic buildings. Façade improvement grants and property tax overlay districts are other common tools. These new incentives could be amendments to proposed legislation, as in Suriname and Trinidad, or new legislation.
4.9 Code and Planning Enforcement As discussed, planning departments need more and experienced staff along with more eyes and ears on the street to help with code enforcement and planning. Using stronger public participation and partnerships that are suggested in Paramaribo’s and Bridgetown’s management plans could improve the enforcement process. However, the real long-term solution is to engage businesses, property owners, renters and other agencies and organizations in an educational campaign that will demonstrate the value and benefits of improving these cities and indeed, the whole country’s cultural assets. With limited infrastructure and tight finances, it is essential for the public to understand and support the use of compact settlement patterns, walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, useful densities, and mixed land use, as in the cities’ historic centers. Local government could play an important role in code and planning enforcement. However, there is no unit of local government in St. George’s. Bridgetown briefly had a mayor in the 1950s and would benefit from a return to local government, which would also strengthen the profile of St. George’s.
4.10 Public Education Tools and Techniques Developing a culture of community planning and participation must be cultivated over time to show the community that the process works and produces positive results. Every city or town is CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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a collection of communities of interests. A solid participation program understands how both the individual and the communities of interest benefit from a comprehensive vision. To explore citizen engagement, start with a discussion of issues that offer an opportunity for people to talk to each other in a nonthreatening environment. Develop a community vision as the base of understanding, shared purpose, and collective support for moving forward on specific activities. Participation problems arise when a broad discussion of values and ideas comes too late. In a community where no vision setting has occurred, a specific proposal will be viewed based on isolated wants and needs and communities of interest. A vision and plan adds knowledge of civic benefits, costs and community impact, and the basis for further plans, strategies and tools. Often, elected or appointed officials fear participation because they view it as a loss of control. On the contrary, a jointly developed vision provides the leaders with the basis of agreement to move forward with an agenda to meet local needs. With a community vision and participation, mayors can have their short-term projects and visible achievements, but within an overall strategy—a winwin situation. Building the context and setting a discussion framework will entail a wide variety of techniques.
4.11. Interviews and Focus Groups People will privately volunteer information they may be reluctant to state in public, so meeting and interviewing key representatives in a community can give great insight into the way to approach community engagement. Individuals who can reach out to underrepresented communities, stakeholders, and decision makers are tremendous assets. These “bridge builders” are essential to help you develop your message and understand the values and priorities of all the various communities within your geographic area. Focus groups provide an opportunity to test messages and ideas with a representative sample of your community before you develop the overall outreach. Focus groups are a logical way to follow up on individual interviews and serve to refine your methods, questions and approach.
4.12 Public Meetings Most commonly, neighborhood groups or agencies will hold a public meeting to offer the public a chance to participate. Pitfalls here are lack of adequate information either before the meeting or at the meeting, poorly managed meeting dynamics, and multiple agendas all competing for time and attention. The standard monthly business meetings of neighborhood groups, councils, and commissions rarely serve true engagement—informed impact on decision making—and should be seen primarily as one of a variety of means to inform participants.
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4.13. Surveys Community-based surveys can be helpful but only if they are developed and conducted according to accepted methodology. One way to make sure this is done is to get a local nonprofit or university to help.
4.14 Charrettes A short-term intensive workshop aimed at a physical issue e.g., a new development, a park design, or street improvements. During a charrette, the community works with design experts to develop scenarios for the design, each scenario is reviewed and the information is used to inform future development.
4.15. Community Assistance Team A community often can find assistance through local, national, and international organizations to provide technical assistance on a particular issue. Often, universities are good sources for this kind of technical help, as well. The community describes the issue and a group of experts focused on that issue engages local residents to develop a set of recommendations.
4.16. Electronic Media Informing and fostering community discussion can be aided by websites, blogs, and so on, but in many cases this can only be used by those who have access to such information, such as representatives of organizations, government agencies, and private firms. In many international areas, it will have less benefit to the general public, but should be used where available. Civic engagement is essential to good planning and good governance. Using the outline here and some of the tools and techniques that apply to your own situation, you can improve the quality of life for everyone. A detailed guide with more case studies from the U.S. can be found at http://www.planning.org/communicationsguide.
4.17. Design Guidelines There are few specific standards for the protection of historic sites, open spaces and views, and the enforcement of the existing guidelines and the staff ability to properly review development alterations and proposals seems to be a major weak point in all four cities. There is a special need for guidelines on street corridors along the lines of a “complete streets” model, which provide for a balance of pedestrian, bike, auto and business uses. Walkability is severely constrained by lack of corridor management, maintenance and street design standards that should include ample sidewalks and bike lanes. The implementation of better street signage, reduction of advertising billboards and establishment of a street tree conservation and planting law are CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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additional elements to improve the public area quality. Right now, these cities have a pattern that is suitable for walkability but the design of many streets and sidewalks doesn’t fully take advantage of the compact pattern and land use densities. The Careenage redevelopment project, in St. George’s could be a model for implementing comprehensive standards for public space design including pedestrian and bike amenities, signage, and plantings.
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5.0 Recommendations for St. George’s Grenada 5.1. Recommendations to Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendliness
Focus on safer pedestrian routes along the historic Carenage and better connections between the Carenage and other parts of St. George’s Improve pedestrian-oriented businesses by recruiting them to occupy vacant and underutilized buildings Update wayfinding signage to support pedestrian navigation of the city Step up designation and enforcement of historic status for the city’s built environment Vigorously enforce parking rules in order to keep cars from clogging the narrow streets Improve public open space and facilities, such as street furniture, crosswalks, and public lighting, for instance in the area around the cruise ship port and the Carenage. Review public transportation systems and suggest improvement to routes, stops and promotion; consider a fixed-route circulator system from St. George’s University (SGU) and other key points Develop a stronger link to the students and faculty at SGU; establish a presence in the downtown; improve awareness and outreach to the students so that they spend more time and money in St. George’s proper Improve revenue for public amenities by an economic development strategy, e.g. take advantage of international development interests to help restore major buildings and sites damaged by Hurricane Ivan. Continue to pursue UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for the St. George’s Fortified System by preparing a management plan; include the center city in the site’s buffer area.
5.2. Recommendation for Demonstration Site: Cultural Corridor The cluster of cultural institutions on the west end of the Careenage, including the Grenada National Museum, the Grenada Arts Council Gallery, and a couple other small art galleries, could serve as a hub of activity in St. George’s bringing together locals, tourists, and medical students. Few improvements to the streetscape are needed in this case; rather, these institutions could band together and organize events, exhibitions, concerts, and other activities on a Friday evening or other time outside of business hours with the explicit goal of bringing cultural activity into the city on a regular basis. The First Fridays concept in Philadelphia’s Old City, another historic district, is a good model.
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5.3. Summary Recommendations on St. George’s for Policymakers
There must be a serious inventory and listing of the key buildings, streets, and public areas in St. George’s, with the Grenada National Trust empowered to take charge of such an effort Updated legislation and rules on redevelopment use, form, and design are needed National Physical Development Plan needs to be updated and enforced by creating a development corporation with authority to act independently once given a mandate and guidelines Government House site redevelopment should be a priority for outside partnership/funding Decision makers need to see the value of the existing city and its form and let the local advocates and design community take the lead on many of the ideas and actions The citizens should be engaged in a public awareness campaign to support and advocate for the protection of St. George’s’ unique character Create a planning commission to oversee enforcement and design review to reduce the urge to react to local political pressures on specific proposals Engage the trustees and leaders of St. George’s University to find more means of collaboration and support.
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Attention to design is critical to avoid intrusions that are out of character in both the proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site (right) and the proposed buffer zone (left).
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Above: Vacant and decaying historic assets show the need for an overall strategy that brings public and private sector interests together. Below: Restoring the historic fortifications with outside private investment would put these unique resources to work for St. George’s in particular and Grenada more generally.
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6.0 Bibliography Approach to the Protection, Conservation and Nomination of St. George’s Fortified System (Grenada) by David Lesterhuis (2004). St. George’s Town Past and Present Initiatives (CNULM)
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ANNEX I: VALLETTA PRINCIPLES AND HUL GUIDELINES Here we have abstracted a summary of the Valletta Principles and Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) Guidelines for reference. These elements should be reviewed along with the recommendations and that discussions take place within the community to ensure further application of the principles in the planning and management system. Elements to be preserved 1. The authenticity and integrity of historic towns, whose essential character is expressed by the nature and coherence of all their tangible and intangible elements, notably: a. Urban patterns as defined by the street grid, the lots, the green spaces and the relationships between buildings and green and open spaces; b. The form and appearance, interior and exterior, of buildings as defined by their structure, volume, style, scale, materials, color and decoration; c. The relationship between the town or urban area and its surrounding setting, both natural and man‐ made; (Washington Charter) d. The various functions that the town or urban area has acquired overtime; e. Cultural traditions, traditional techniques, spirit of place and everything that contributes to the identity of a place; 2. The relationships between the site in its totality, its constituent parts, the context of the site, and the parts that make up this context; 3. Social fabric, cultural diversity; 4. Non‐ renewable resources, minimizing their consumption and encouraging their reuse and a. New functions New functions and activities should be compatible with the character of the historic towns or urban area.” (Washington Charter) The introduction of new activities must not compromise the survival of traditional activities or anything that supports the daily life of the local inhabitants. This could help to preserve the historical cultural diversity and plurality, some of the most valuable elements in this context. Before introducing a new activity, it is necessary to consider the number of users involved, the length of utilization, compatibility with other existing activities and the impact on traditional local practices. Such new functions must also satisfy the need for sustainable development, in line with the concept of the historic town as a unique and irreplaceable ecosystem. b. Contemporary architecture When it is necessary to construct new buildings or to adapt existing ones, contemporary architecture must be coherent with the existing spatial layout in historic towns as in the rest of the urban environment. Contemporary architecture should find its expression CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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while respecting the scale of the site, and have a clear rapport with existing architecture and the development patterns of its context. Analysis of the urban context should precede any new construction not only so as to define the general character of the group of buildings but also to analyze its dominant features, e.g. the harmony of heights, colors, materials and forms, in the way the façades and roofs are built, the relationship between the volume of buildings and the spatial volume, as well as their average proportions and their position. Particular attention should be given to the size of the lots since there is a danger that any reorganization of the lots may cause a change of mass which could be deleterious to the harmony of the whole (Nairobi Recommendation art. 28). Perspectives, views, focal points and visual corridors are integral parts of the perception of historic spaces. They must be respected in the event of new interventions. Before any intervention, the existing context should be carefully analyzed and documented. View cones, both to and from new constructions, should be identified, studied and maintained. The introduction of a new building into a historical context or landscape must be evaluated from a formal and functional point of view, especially when it is designated for new activities. c. Public space Public space in historic towns is not just an essential resource for circulation, but is also a place for contemplation, learning and enjoyment of the town. Its design and layout, including the choice of street furniture, as well as its management, must protect its character and beauty, and promote its use as a public place dedicated to social communication. The balance between public open space and the dense built environment must be carefully analyzed and controlled in the event of new interventions and new uses. e. Facilities and modifications Urban planning to safeguard historic towns must take into consideration the residents’ need for facilities. The integration of new facilities into historic buildings is a challenge that local authorities must not ignore. f. Mobility Traffic inside a historic town or urban area must be strictly controlled by regulations. (Washington Charter) When urban or regional planning provides for the construction of major motorways, they must not penetrate a historic town or urban area, but they should improve access to them. (Washington Charter) Most historic towns and urban areas were designed for pedestrians and slow forms of transport. Gradually these places were invaded by the car, causing their degradation. At the same time, quality of life has been reduced. Traffic infrastructure (car parks, bus and subway stations, etc.) must be planned in ways that will not damage the historic fabric or its environment. A historic town should encourage the creation of transport with a light footprint. It is important to encourage pedestrian circulation. To achieve this, traffic should be drastically limited and parking facilities reduced. At the same time, sustainable, non‐ polluting public transport systems CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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need to be introduced, and soft mobility promoted. Roadways should be studied and planned to give priority to pedestrians. Parking facilities should preferably be located outside protected zones and, if possible, outside buffer zones. Underground infrastructure, such as subways, must be planned so as not to damage historic or archaeological fabric or its environment. Major highway networks must avoid protected areas and buffer zones. g. Tourism Tourism can play a positive role in the development and revitalization of historic towns and urban areas. The development of tourism in historic towns should be based on the enhancement of monuments and open spaces; on respect and support for local community identity and its culture and traditional activities; and on the safeguarding of regional and environmental character. Tourism activity must respect and not interfere with the daily life of residents. Too great an influx of tourists is a danger for the preservation of monuments and historic areas. Conservation and management plans must take into account the expected impact of tourism, and regulate the process, for the benefit of the heritage and of local residents. h. Risks Whatever the nature of a disaster affecting a historic town or urban area, preventative and repair measures must be adapted to the specific character of the properties concerned.” (Washington Charter) Conservation plans offer an opportunity to improve risk preparedness and to promote environmental management and the principles of sustainability. i. Energy saving All interventions in historic towns and urban areas, while respecting historic heritage characteristics, should aim to improve energy efficiency and to reduce pollutants. The use of renewable energy resources should be enhanced. Any new construction in historic areas must be energy efficient. Urban green spaces, green corridors and other measures should be adopted to avoid urban heat islands. j. Participation The participation and the involvement of the residents ‐ and all local interest groups ‐ are essential for the success of the conservation program and should be encouraged. The conservation of historic towns and urban areas concerns their residents first of all.” (Washington Charter, art 3). Planning in historic urban areas must be a participatory process, involving all stakeholders. In order to encourage their participation and involvement, a general information program should be set up for all residents, beginning with children of school age. The actions of conservation associations must be encouraged and financial measures put in place to facilitate the conservation and restoration of the built environment. CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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Mutual understanding, based on public awareness, and the search for common objectives between local communities and professional groups, is the basis of the successful conservation, revitalization and development of historic towns. Information technology enables direct and immediate communication. This allows for active and responsible participation by local groups. Authorities must be encouraged to take an interest in the safeguarding of historic towns and urban areas, in order to establish financial measures which will enable management and improvement plans to succeed. k. Conservation Plan The conservation plan should aim at ensuring at harmonious relationship between historic urban areas. (Washington Charter art. 5) It covers both tangible and intangible elements, in order to protect a place’s identity without impeding its evolution. The principal objectives of the conservation plan “should be clearly stated as should the legal, administrative and financial measures necessary to attain them.” (Washington Charter art. 5) A conservation plan must be based on urban planning for the whole town, including analysis of archaeological, historical, architectural, technical, sociological and economical values. It should define a conservation project, and be combined with a management plan and followed by permanent monitoring. The conservation plan must determine the terms, rules, objectives and outcomes of any changes. It “should determine which buildings ‐ and spaces ‐ must be preserved, which should be preserved under certain circumstances and which, “under quite exceptional circumstances, might be expendable.” (Washington Charter) Before any intervention, existing conditions should be rigorously documented. The conservation plan must identify and protect the elements contributing to the values and character of the town, as well as the components that enrich and demonstrate the character of the historic town and urban area. The proposals in the conservation plan must be articulated in a realistic fashion, from the legislative, financial and economic point of view, as well as with regard to the required standards and restrictions. “The Conservation Plan should be supported by the residents of the historic area.” (Washington Charter art.5) When there is no conservation plan, all necessary conservation and development activities in a historic town must be carried out in accordance with the principles and objectives of conservation and enhancement. Management Plan An effective management system should be devised according to the type and characteristics of each historic town and urban area, and their cultural and natural context. It should integrate traditional practices, and be coordinated with other urban and regional planning tools in force. A management plan is based on the knowledge, conservation and enhancement of tangible and intangible resources. Therefore it must: ‐ determine the cultural values; ‐ identify stakeholders and their values; CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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identify potential conflicts; determine conservation targets; determine legal, financial, administrative and technical methods and tools; understand strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; define suitable strategies, deadlines for the work, and specific actions.
The production of such a management plan should be a participatory process. In addition to the information provided by local authorities, officials, field survey and detailed documentation, the Plan should include, as an appendix, the conclusions from stakeholder discussions and an analysis of the conflicts arising in these inherently contradictory debates.
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ANNEX II. PROJECT TEAM The Caribbean Network for Urban and Land Management (CNULM) was formed in 2008 with the mandate of facilitating urban planning practices that respond to the unique issues and challenges present across the Caribbean. We have adopted the name “blueSpace” to capture the image of individuals and organizations in the Caribbean, collectively addressing its developmental needs. We undertake a diverse range of activities which are supported by international partners.
Jeff Soule, FAICP is Director of Outreach and International Programs at the American Planning Association. He currently serves as Treasurer of the US/ICOMOS Board of Trustees and as U.S. delegate to the General Assembly for ICOMOS. He is a member of the Cultural Towns Scientific Committee of ICOMOS. Mr. Soule is a Senior Fellow of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) program, which supported his participation in this project.
Gregory Scruggs is an M.A. candidate in Regional Studies of Latin America and the Caribbean at Columbia University. He is also a research associate at the Latin Lab, an urban planning research center focused on Latin America and the Caribbean at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. From 2010-2013, he was a consultant to the American Planning Association for Latin America and the Caribbean. CNULM/blueSpace Caribbean Jeffrey Soule and Gregory Scruggs
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