While we are rebuilding downtown Jackson, perhaps its time to look at other parts of Jackson in sore need of attention. West Jackson has been neglected for many years, South Jackson is in a state of decline, and NE Jackson, well, believe it or not it is beginning to decline as well. The only area with any success is Fondren/Belhaven and that is because the residents for several years now have taken it upon themselves to improve their areas and fight these trends instead of letting the government do it for them.
Believe it or not, I've been thinking and had an idea (that means pour a drink, go hide, or get the tissues out because you will be laughing so hard) about Northeast Jackson. One of the sources of crime for years has been the apartments at the corner of Ridgewood and Old Canton Road. Back in the 90's when they were Chatham Village Apartments, they took Section 8 housing, sending NE Jackson crime through the roof. The apartments are an eyesore and the owners have made little if any improvements to them. EVERY homeowner in NE Jackson would love to see them torn down but unfortunately, it does not appear such action will happen in the near future.
The downtown development is nice but we need to start focusing on other areas of Jackson for development. Part of the problem is that there is little vacant land to develop as Jackson has been built up for the most part. However, something could be done with the apartments mentioned above.
What would be nice is if a developer bought the apartments and completely demolished them as Jackson Academy did with The Oaks complex. Take a page from The Villas over by the Reservoir and build up a complex of townhouses and condos, focusing on retired people. Keep the prices around the $80-100,000 range. A nice small pond in the center would keep it scenic and allow the developer to charge higher prices for "waterfront" units. Obviously sensible covenants such as no rentals could be used to keep the character of the development from deteriorating. What I have in mind is similar to Lake Beau Pre in Baton Rouge, one mile south of LSU on River Road. http://www.lakebeaupre.com/site28.php.
Kingfish, you're nuts. Am I really? Give the developer all the tax breaks it will take to get the project off the ground. Jackson and Hinds will make it back in property taxes from the units sold. It will improve the area, make the area safer, and probably cause property values in the surrounding area to rise somewhat as well as stemming the decline starting to appear in NE Jackson.
Why would retired invidivuals be interested in such a development? The location would be perfect for them. Across the street is Parham Bridges Park, the nicest park in Jackson. One block away is Walgreens, Kroger, Books-A-Million, the new Willie Morris Library, and other amenities (Don't forget Picadilly ;-) ). The location would also be ideal for single parents who have kids at Jackson Academy and want to live close to the school. Building a walkway through Parham Bridges and the shopping centers would probably be something worth examining as it would connect those areas so such a development (and will someone tell me why the end of the parking lot by Office Depot can't be extended to the red light by Bancorp South on Canton Mart so that people can avoid the frontage road?). The amenities are so close to the proposed development that almost half of the so-called mixed use concept is already in existence.
While downtown Jackson definitely needs the attention it currently receives, its also time to start looking at other areas of Jackson before they reach the point of no return as well. While Downtown is nice, we still have to focus on the other areas that Brandon and Madison have been pillaging for years. The intent of this post was to nudge people towards thinking in that direction and hopefully start such a discussion.
Note: I'm willing to bet Cups would put in a small store at the front of said development. ;-)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
After Downtown, what's next?
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8 comments:
When will downtown be done? How many more years? It has been draining our city budget for well over a decade while our infrastructure crumbles all around us. Your idea, and similar non-downtown projects elsewhere in Jackson, would deliver more in new tax receipts in a shorter period of time than the bucket of red ink the downtown effort has produced. Harvey Johnson said it years ago, the businesses are following the rooftops.
and I said 80-100 range for a reason. That is not a figure set in stone, up to 120 or a little more is fine but the market for $200K luxury condos is probably tapped out and homes over $180,000 don't move that well. Someone living in an older home on social security or retirement income could sell their home, buy one of these townhomes for the same price or so, and have everything much closer to him than if he lived by the reservoir where everything is spread out.
I agree. There are many other parts of Jackson that need attention as well. We could turn parts of South Jackson into a "barrio". That is spanish for neighborhood. It would be great. Festivals, restaurants, specialty stores, and homemade tortillas for everyone. I would make the drive.
You guys are a really tough crowd this week.
As someone dangling on the cusp of retirement....you've got a good idea. I'd live there. And when I get to retirement age if there isn't such available (five years out), I'm heading to Madison County (and I've been in Jackson for 50 years)....
I'd love a place like that - closer to many things, but ONLY if the crime can be controlled.
Charge homeowner's association dues that will pay for some patrolling by securitas.
Securitas? The Mexican Mafia? You must be kidding.
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