ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, February 23, 1997              TAG: 9702210037
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: 1    EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER 

HAYES, SEAY PROJECT IS A FRESH START FOR HAITI

Hotels, a lake shaped like a butterfly and a hillside dotted with homes. This could be the description of any upscale U.S. community, yet it is a vision for Haiti, the western hemisphere's poorest country.

The concept was born in Roanoke at Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern Inc., a firm of architects, engineers and planners. The design of a new community in Haiti is the firm's most significant international project under way.

Company representatives, accompanying Gov. George Allen on a trade mission to Mexico, connected with a Haitian engineer who later invited the company's participation in the project. A developer intends to put homes, businesses and public facilities on a 385-acre former colonial estate and sugar cane plantation, about 12 miles outside Port-au-Prince.

Hayes, Seay officials said the project is the most significant commercial venture in the struggling nation of 6 million people, which has a legacy of economic and political turmoil.

Haitian investors wanted citizen input, so Hayes Seay arranged for an unusual brainstorming session to be held in Haiti.

"We had people get out of their shoes and come walk out on the base map and take a marker and actually talk about features of the site or possible road locations and give us their ideas," said Michael Brennan, a senior associate at the firm.

With the concept plan drawn, the company is designing $20 million worth of infrastructure.

The project is envisioned as a fresh start, far removed from the problems of Port-au-Prince, where human waste flows in ditches and trash piles up. A future visitor to the planned new community's shopping district may think of Coconut Grove, Fla., on which it will be based.

The nation's handicaps were evident to Hayes, Seay staff members on their travels to the country. "It isn't unusual to be in the middle of a meeting and the power goes out. There are rolling blackouts at certain times of the day," said Steve Clinton, international division president.

But its strengths were evident, too. The Haitians were optimistic and above all gracious, emphasizing frequent handshakes and serving coffee in a silver pot.

LENGTH: Medium:   51 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern's design (below) 
          envisions an upscaled planned community  of homes, businesses and 
          public facilities on a 385-acre former colonial estate and sugar 
          cane plantation (above), about 12 miles outside Port-au-Prince. 
          color. Graphic: Illustration. color.