Press Releases

Tradition Hosts Prince Charles' Foundation Representatives

Tradition Developer Joseph C. Canizaro, along with area business leaders, rolled out the red carpet to welcome the leader of Prince Charles' charity to support sustainable communities.

On March 10, Hank Dittmar, Chief Executive of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, toured several Harrison County developments and spoke to area business and community leaders about the foundation's efforts to promote affordable housing and teach traditional homebuilding crafts, sustainability principles and green building practices. Dittmar currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the world-renowned Congress for New Urbanism. The international organization promotes the creation and restoration of compact, walkable, mixed-use cities, towns and neighborhoods, such as The Village at Tradition, now under development in central Harrison County on Highway 67 seven miles north of Gulfport and Biloxi. Tour stops included Hope VI, the East Biloxi Coordination Center, Mississippi State University Community Design Studio, the Veteran's Administration site in Gulfport and a North Gulfport Community Land Trust's model home.

The Prince of Wales and his foundation believe there is a link between people's wellbeing and their built environment. The foundation's mission is to help others understand and apply time-tested principles and build in a sustainable way — thus reaping improvements in public health, livelier and safer streets and a more affordable lifestyle for families and individuals. After Katrina, the Prince's Foundation established a training program for teachers of traditional building crafts at Delgado College in New Orleans.

"The immensely successful town of Poundbury established in England by Prince Charles demonstrates how traditional architecture and modern town planning can create a thriving new community where people live and work in close proximity," said Gerald Blessey, President of Tradition Properties.

The event was co-sponsored by the Gulf Coast Business Council and the Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation.