Suffolk News-Herald

A representative from Norfolk’s Neighborhood Design and Resource Center will be speaking in Suffolk this week.

Mary Miller, the center’s housing services manager, will be the guest speaker at the Downtown Business Association’s meeting at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The group meets in the Bank of America boardroom.

The resource center is a &uot;one-stop shop&uot; where residents and professionals in the real estate, architectural, financial and construction industries can access information and resources on housing in Norfolk.

The center has five focus areas:

— Neighborhood planning/design – It offers professional expertise in strategic planning, commercial district revitalization, design guidelines, historic preservation and streetscape design;

— Design services – Residents interested in renovating or remodeling homes or in building a new home can acquire information on preliminary architecture, planning and design services;

— Renovation advisory services – People can get help with planning improvements, preparing work specifications and cost estimation.

— Education/outreach – Increase public awareness about the value of good design in revitalizing older neighborhoods, building new ones and protecting historic resources;

— Financial assistance – Makes residents aware of the plethora of financial and tax incentives they may be eligible for.

With more than 19 years experience in city planning, Miller has a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s in community planning.

For more information, call Andy Damiani at 539-1216.