Westville Village Renaissance Alliance
About WVRA
The Westville Village Renaissance Alliance (WVRA) is a New Haven, CT-based non-profit organization and a designated Connecticut Main Street organization. WVRA's mission is is to partner with local businesses, property owners, residents and public and private institutions to foster and sustain economic development, community engagement and cultural vitality in Westville Village and the surrounding neighborhoods, while emphasizing historic preservation and placemaking. Our programs focus on revitalizing Westville Village and the surrounding area through:
- Economic Development - business retention, expansion and recruitment; historic preservation efforts;
- Marketing & Promotions - cultural and community-building events such as annual ArtWalk festival, holiday events, and more; joint marketing efforts;
- Placemaking & Design - facade improvements; traffic-calming; walkability, transit, and bikeability; cleanliness and safety; beautification & comfort
History
Founded in 1996 to develop and support the Westville Village ArtWalk, WVRA has become the main advocacy organization for Westville. WVRA advocates on behalf of Westville's commerical and residential districts, representing their needs and interests to the City of New Haven, the State of Connecticut, and other stakeholders who partner in community development, historic preservation, arts programming, and community-based economic revitalization. WVRA has been a designated CT Main Street program since 2008. The Main Street model of downtown revitalization has a proven track record over time of substantial reinvestment in older downtown commercial districts and their surrounding neighborhoods.
An Action Plan for the Revitalization of Westville Village
Working with the Connecticut Main Street Center, WVRA has developed a strategic Action Plan for revitalizing Westville Village. You can download the Action Plan at the bottom of the page.
Board of Directors
Our volunteer Board of Directors includes local residents, business owners, government officials, and institutional and corporate representatives who have a vested interest in the social and commericial success of Westville Village and its surrounding neighborhoods:
Gabriel DaSilva - President; Owner, The Frame Shop & Westville Gallery and DaSilva Gallery; Resident
Helen Rosenberg - Vice-President; City of New Haven, Office of Economic Development; Resident
Jerry Whitaker - Treasurer; Owner, Whitt Accounts, LLC
Kathleen Krolak - Secretary; Economic Development Committee Chair; New Haven EDC; Resident
Lisa Brandes - Membership Committee Chair; Yale Graduate School of Arts & Sciences; Resident
Eric Epstein - Placemaking & Design Committee Chair; Property Owner
Melinda Papowitz - Director of Research, Yale University Office of Development; Resident
Bob Pellegrino - Pellegrino & Pellegrino, LLC; Resident
Mike Storz - President, Chapel Haven
Peter Troiano - Interim VP for Student & University Affairs, Southern CT State University; Resident
Staff
Chris Heitmann - Executive Director
Jane Mills - Associate
Support WVRA!
Donate, join as an annual member and/or volunteer your time and talents to WVRA! Click here for for more information.
Westville Village Renaissance Alliance (WVRA)
838 West Rock Ave Suite A, New Haven CT 06515, (203) 285-8539 wvra@westvilleCT.org
Attached Files
| An Action Plan for the Revitalization of Westville Village.pdf | westvillect | Jul 19, 2011 | 19.24 MB |
| An Action Plan for the Revitalization of Westville Village | |||