Date of Award

5-2009

Document Type

Terminal Project

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Historic Preservation

Advisor

Jonathan H. Poston

Committee Member

Ashley Robbins-Wilson

Committee Member

Frances H. Ford

Committee Member

Robert D. Russell, Jr.

Abstract

In November of 2008, after years of negotiation, the Port Authority of Jamaica reached an agreement with Royal Caribbean to authorize the construction of a pier in the harbor of Falmouth, Jamaica. Respected for its collection of colonial architecture, Falmouth became slated as a “heritage destination” offering an alternative to the well-known Caribbean cruise experiences. However, the project is not a mere pilot program. The $224 million cost represented an incredible investment by the Jamaican government and Royal Caribbean has promised 400,000 visitors annually, a figure that would rank the town among the most frequented Caribbean cruise destinations.

After early economic success at the height of the sugar era in Jamaica, Falmouth has been mired in a depression. Its impressive collection of remaining historic architecture is no coincidence; it is the result of minimal investment throughout most of the past century. Now the town faces the challenge of nurturing a successful redevelopment without sacrificing the architecture that comprises much of its treasured heritage.

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