Who We Are
The Duke Street Refurbishing Project is a collaborative effort between local stakeholders who are dedicated to preserving and promoting the history and culture of one of Kingston’s most iconic neighbourhoods.
Our Mission
The project aims to revitalize Duke Street and position it as the Duke Street Financial and Legal Business District, attractive to investors and businesses, by engaging in a beautification and integrated re-positioning and rebranding exercise that uplifts the business district, visually improves safety and promotes its historical significance.
In doing so, we seek to bring the stories and traditions of Duke Street to life for Jamaicans and for visitors from all over the world.
This unique corporate project is implemented with private and public sector support.
Thank you for joining us on this journey of discovery and thereby becoming part of the revitalization effort. If you wish to participate further, please take a tour of our Walking Street Museum or go to our contact page to see how you can contribute to our efforts.
THE TEAM
- Dr. Blossom O’Meally-Nelson, CD, WGE, CMILT, Coordinator, Management Consultant
- Dayton Wood, General Manager, Kingston Restoration Company
- Anne-Marie Bonner, Project Manager, Consultant, Walking Street Museum
- Beveniesha Moodie-Owasura, Consultant, Jazz on the Duke
- Herbie Miller, Producer, Jazz on the Duke
- Suzanne Francis-Brown, Consultant Historian
- Peter Issa, Contractor
STAKEHOLDERS
The Duke Street Refurbishing Project was initiated by a
group of corporate stakeholders in collaboration with the Kingston Restoration Company. These stakeholders committed a capital sum for the mobilization of the Project and continue to contribute to its sustainability. The project demonstrates what can be accomplished through collaboration and cooperation around a common goal.
- JN Bank
- Sagicor Jamaica Limited
- The Victoria Mutual Group
- British Caribbean Insurance Company (Jamaica) Limited
- Caribbean Property Managers Limited
- National Insurance Fund
- The Port Authority of Jamaica Limited
- National Commercial Bank
- 1834 Limited
- DunnCox ( Attorneys-at-Law)
- Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF)
- Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC)
- First Global Bank
- Kingston Restoration Company
WHY DUKE STREET?
Duke Street is one of the best-known streets in downtown Kingston, boasting some of the most prestigious legal and financial addresses in the city. Like King, Queen and Princess Streets, along with others named for saints, geographical locations and specific political figures of the day, Duke Street appears on the original plan for the city around the turn of the 17th century.
In 2015, Duke Street showed signs of pernicious urban decay and was almost deserted at night due to the lack of general security and adequate lighting. The thinking was that the refurbishing of Duke Street would go a long way in facilitating the process of restoration and revitalization of the entire downtown area.
The project seeks to:
- Upgrade the sidewalks and roadways
- Beautify the streetscape
- Improve street lighting
- Institute a security system with CCTV cameras
- Create an attractive, welcoming and interesting environment by reference to the historical background of many of the buildings on the street
- Encourage commerce and development
- Engender community participation
