Jackson Jambalaya

Great! As Madison gets too black, the residents will have someplace else to run to. Sorry about that commute time into Jackson, though...

Sounds like a take-off of Flowood. (Lakeland/Hwy.25 and Airport Road.)

10:00, why would you be sorry about the long drive to Jackson? I have no desire to ever go to Jackson, so I don't. I actually like the long drive so that it helps to keep the Jackson residents away, because we all know what happens when Jackson residents visit our nice little area, don't we?

What will happen when there are eventually too many undesireables in Gluckstadt? Will the white flight leap over Canton? Hour plus commutes to downtown Jackson?

Madison is going to need a hotel when the Madison International Airport opens.

@ 10:00 AM - I'll bite.

My response is same as 11:03 - Why do I need to go to Jackson? I work for a company in Ridgeland... like many other former Jackson based businesses that moved out Jackson and Hinds County.

I didn't realize how little I would go back to the Jackson city limits after I moved to Madison county. It then dawned on me that this is why Jackson is dying. My tax dollars and many other tax contributing - not leaching - citizens are leaving Jackson and not spending money there.

This is a great idea. I hope they make a really luxurious hotel, with a nice restaurant and spa. I think it would be very successful. People from out of town with a bit of sense are willing to pay a premium to not have to stay in Jackson.

10:00 & 11:05 By Joe, I think you're finally catching on.

10 A.M. - What makes you think anyone wants to drive into Jackson, regardless of how long it takes?

What the idiots in Jackson can't seem to wrap their minds around is that Mississippi's Capitol City has a reputation of being not safe. Not just locally but to the traveling public as well. The increasing number of lodging and restaurant options north, east, west and south of Jackson will continue to siphon off business from Jackson.

Does anyone realize where this is? It is right in the middle of residential area! Goodbye property values in that area!

Like it or not it's no secret anymore that the crime in Jackson continues to keep many people from ever wanting to live, stay, visit, or shop there. If you don't work in Jackson most people simply prefer safer places. Even the places so called guarded and safe aren't.

The powers that be in Jackson do know that this is the perception and often the reality in Jackson, They also know that we have a problem keeping criminals locked up. The citizens of Jackson want to make it tougher on crime in every way and so does JPD, but we have a problem with Judges and with the DA. They just don't see it this way. Educating the voter is necessary and time consuming. It has been my experience that those who delight in other's misfortunes are doomed to experience it.

move to the country and build a house. wave a flag and brag about how great it is. attract more people. build more schools. attract even more people. oops, that's not the people I meant to attract. move to the country, build a house. wave a flag and brag about now great it is.

Too black?

Yea there's a complex crime problem in Jackson, Mississippi and throughout the State due to many factors. Relegating it to that is pretty ignorant.

Soon enough you 45+s that can't help but to think that way because of your upbringing will be in nursing homes. Oh how Mississippi will progress then.

@12:21 I dont see how something like this would negatively affect property values in the area, particularly given the fact that service stations and fast food places are prohibited. The rumor is an upscale "market." Anyone in the area would love a small, upscale market to get steaks, etc. This can only IMPROVE the value of the surrounding houses and residential areas. Its about time something like this makes its way up there (and away from the rif-raf of the "other places."

12:21 Apparently everyone except you.

@1:24 - Maybe you don't mind having a hotel or movie theater across the road from your house, but I'd bet everyone that moved away from all that doesn't want hotels and theaters and whatever else is zoning approved across the street from their home.

The problem moving up I-55 is they will run into that undesirable demographic (code word) eventually. Maybe do an end around Injun territory to the west to keep the undesirable demographic (that reference again) at bay.

@12:21 There is already a "market" in this area, Paul Anthony's, and there is a new service station under construction there as well.

12:48

I hate to break it to you, but I'm only 25 and extremely racist. I'll likely outlive you. Sorry.

Affect property values? Maybe to the good. Right now, Gtown is a giant industrial park surrounded by starter houses. They happen to have a nice lake and golf course to the northwest, but other than that, look at the area on either side of the interstate. It looks like any of the I55 exits between McDowell and Galman.

@1:56, we all hoped that the nice shops, hotels, banks, and markets would show up where we built. We weren't fooli enough to think that there wouldn't be development here. We were all just betting our investments that it would be the nicer, high end businesses that would come to the area. Hopefully, that's what this is. We will wait and see.

As a police officer who worked in Madison county I must say that the majority of all crimes committed in Madison county including the cities are done by Jackson/hinds residents. This does not include traffic violations but calls for service at homes and businesses. These are the facts. If you feel the need to investigate go to all law enforcement agencies mentioned above and read the jail docket or go to the different court rooms.

@2:34 very much agree. I dont like in Gluckstadt but have considered moving to the area. Put some more business locations in the area and keep them upscale? Im there. Its very much "industrial" now. This will definitely help the area.

@ 2:41 - Exactly. The area by Stillhouse creek is currently farmland. If you moved out there, you had to expect this would happen. The gamble is that Madison county will attract the right businesses in the area to compliment the population growth.

12:48 Only you liberals have introduced the issue of race into this conversation. Lots of people who moved to/built in a small suburban area do not want a movie theater or hotel across the street - it ruins the residential quality of the neighborhood.

If you want a United Artists-Northpark across the street from your driveway I suspect you would be in the minority compared to your neighbors, who I suspect would not mind continuing to make the trek to Malco when they want to see a new film.

Where is Paul Anthony's out there? I know the old one in Jackson got torn down to make room for WHole Foods. They had some interesting items no other store around here seems to carry. But I still wouldn't want them across the street from my driveway. I have to work around the noise, crowds and traffic congestion - when I get home I like it quiet except for the sounds of kids playing.

There's a Paul Anthony's on Gluckstadt Rd. and one in Canton Mart Square. We that live in Stillhouse Creek are excited about what we've heard is coming to the intersection near our house. Like we said, we knew development was coming. We only hoped that it was the right development. Seems like it is. No one out here thought it was going to remain farmland. And we know our property values will go up for a while. We'll move along before they start coming down in 15 to 25 years. It's how it works.

Paul Anthony's is no longer at Canton Mart Square.

3:52 is spot on.

All it can do is raise property values in the short run. 15-20 years who knows.

A lot of people who look for houses in Gluckstadt may be averse to the lack of a grocery store, shopping, or a gas stations. Anything closer to them is 3 miles less of a drive to Madison.

Go north young men! You will be in Holmes County in a minute! Slam the brakes momma!

Madison International Airport? Oh LOL. That's a funny statement. You know, none of you are even taking the time out to appreciate the growing commercial development coming to Gluckstadt. But you guys do know it has nothing to do with Jackson, or the crime right? And it's funny because people here in Mississippi have NO IDEA that every metro area in the country is supposed to be fully developed! In every other metro area in the country all surrounding communities are developed along WITH the cities! You guys do know that right?? Gluckstadt's growing commercial development has NOTHING to do with crime in Jackson or people's desire to get away from Jackson. There's prime real estate out there and THAT is why commercial development is happening out there.

Someone should take a course in city planning 101.

It's important to protect the residential tax base.

You do that by creating buffer zones from commercial areas.

This is not hard.

This is what works.

Developers would have you believe otherwise.

This is a great short term plan.

Its a long term disaster.

Why do you people in Madison give us such a hard time? I mean all that crime that goes on there in Madison proper. And that ridiculous mayor y'all have! Who in their right mind wouldn't want to move to Gluckstadt?

A movie theater and hotel? No thank you. I live in Timber Ridge. Why can't we get some nice restaurants & bars (not chains)? We desperately need some good food and "young professional" nightlife up here. The demographic would more than support it. We don't want to drive miles to get a good meal and some cocktails.

There's a lot of negativity about Jackson on a thread that is not about Jackson.

Good thing that you guys take every opportunity to make complete asses of yourselves on other threads. One guy was even taking up for the KKK on the story about Weisenberger (who, by the way, was ELECTED in Madison County). There was even a guy on this very thread who described himself as "extremely racist," and you guys say you aren't racist?? (Atleast he is honest).

There is no reason anyone will take you seriously. Anyone who has been on this site for more than five minutes will see that.

This story is about Gluckstadt, not Jackson. Since you guys want to make it about Jackson, I find it very convenient that you guys forget about good things that happen there like additional upscale stores opening in highland village, new restaurants coming to Fondren, celebrity sightings in Belhaven, and, the westin downtown, and luxury apartments going up downtown and in fondren (the meridian).

Directly contrary to some posts on here, there are people that want to stay in Jackson. Not everyone is like you. For that, I thank God.

We need to hurry up and get Gluckstadt incorporated so we have some say so in what goes in Gluckstadt instead of leaving it up to the BOS that can care less. Of course it could be a money maker for them personally??

The Westin isn't coming to Jackson. That went the way of Farish Street and the robotic parking garage of Old Capitol Green. And apartments -luxury or not- don't provide a strong tax base. Renters aren't homeowners and thus, there's not a financial commitment to the area or a personal interest in seeing the area thrive. Signing a one year lease is not the same investment as buying a home and having a personal stake in a neighborhood.

People vote with their wallets. Madison and Rankin continue to grow and Jacktown shrinks. Fondren Belhaven are nice but isolated pockets. Oysters, pizza, and craft beer won't bring back a city led by racists blacks who let criminals run free. Good luck.

Be careful to avoid the Canton school district. If you've been out 463 toward the new upscale Livingston dice-roll development you'll notice the signs proclaiming the available lots to be in the Madison County School zone.

What do they sell at Paul Anthony anyway? I've wondered as there seems to be no marketing associated with the place.

@7:39 - look at the first comment from your fellow Jacksonian.

They trolled and we took the bait. Enjoy your wonderful new shopping destinations in Jackson. The thugs need new places to target. We'll see how long the new businesses can stay open.

Also glad to know I can go star gazing in Belhaven. I always thought it was the best place to be confronted by bums and get mugged.

7:39, I built in Gluckstadt, but did not rule Jackson out. However, I lived in Jackson for a year and routinely read news about violent crime, armed robberies, etc. this stuff was happening in Belhaven! Just this morning, 2 clerks were shot in a gas station on Northside drive. Freaking northside! We had water problems in Belhaven, the streets looked and drive like you were in Botswana. I had more than enough, no thank you. Jackson is a cesspool whose bright spots, unfortunately, are way overshadowed by its racist and incompetent leadership, unfortunately. No way I'm buying a house there. Who would??

Dear 6:32, 6:31, 8:13, and Claire (who apparently believes landlords do not pay taxes),

In other news:

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/09/30/greater-belhaven-among-americas-great-neighborhoods/16515451/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/travel/36-hours-in-jackson-miss.html?_r=0

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/conde-nast-traveler/the-friendliest--unfriend_b_3709207.html

See how I was able to respond without disparaging your community? It is something you can afford to work on.

Also, Claire, do you have any proof that the Westin is not coming to Jackson?

Question? One day not to long ago I was traveling north on 55, it was early around 7:30am. The southbound lane of 55 was bumper to bumper, where are all those people going?

As a homeowner in a neighborhood a little north of these possible developments, I strongly oppose these particular proposals. Keep businesses on Gluckstadt Rd where they won't directly boarder neighborhoods. Of course we all knew the area would become more populated and conjested, however that doesn't mean we need to jump for joy at every proposed idea. Our family would prefer it keep the rural feel, but developers want to capitalize on the recent growth and increased desirability.

She didn't say apartment owners don't pay taxes. She said apartments don't provide a strong tax base. See the difference?

Some people move to the Gluckstadt area to be away from "city life" and for the feel of living in the country with the convenience of shopping minutes away in either direction. i.e. Canton or Madison. What's wrong with a couple minutes drive to the grocery store?

@ 9:03 - For me personally - to work in Ridgeland.

I also see a lot of Hinds county tags coming from Canton. I can only assume a shift lets out from Nissan around that time.

Thank you 9:07 for responding before I could. If apartments -even "luxury" ones- were a feather in a community's cap, then Ridgeland would be Xanadu. If tenants were buying them (i.e.luxury condos), that would be a different story.
As for the Westin, the fact that it's been talked about for years and has still yet to break ground tells me it's not coming. There have been a lot of great ideas and visions for downtown Jackson, but very few have come to fruition. When I see the mayor and the chamber with oversize scissors for a ribbon cutting, I will believe it.

Our young family moved to the west side of Gluckstadt after almost 10 years of owning in NE JXN. Before that, I grew up in Fondren, calling it home for 18 years. My wife and I loved the convenience of living close to JA, but our peace of mind meant more to us than convenience. We were used to the random car break-in, multiple neighbors' locked storage rooms/shed stolen from, and even gas stations being help up in the wee hours, but when it started feeling unsafe to swing thru the closest Walgreens for diapers after 8pm, it was time to go. As a husband and father, it felt like I was jepordizing my family's safety when I spent the night away from home.

Many commenters on this and other threads jab at the "starter homes" or "look-a-like houses" that often make up newer neighborhoods to the north and east of Jackson. Do you not realize that many areas of NE JXN began as starter homes, built using slightly varying floorplans and similar materials, on lots with young trees that provided no shade at the time? Maybe the fist residents of those ranch style starters in the 1950-1960s even got to watch and enjoy deer feeding in their back yard, as my daughter and I did just this morning.

There is no reason anyone will take you seriously.

There is no reason anyone will take you seriously.

Yes those hollywood types with their six man strapped security teams just flock to "The Fondren" & "The Belhaven". There won't be a pale face to be found there in ten years. Let one more high profile murder happen and the slowly sneak out the exits crowd will become every man for himself. The Queens of Madison Real Estate will be giving motorcoach caravans. The crime in Hinds county is growing more violent from younger offenders. @12:48 it's not racism when 95% of booking sheets are young black male thugs who have no future but more crime and jail. Nor is it racism to avoid black masked when all actions of violence in your life have been brought against you by black males. I don't pretend to have black friends. In my life black people have never been in my experience other than a housekeeper or a yard man. I'm 34 and with the young man above let's keep things the way they are. I don't need your black experience.

You will soon see the craft beer guys running to safe haven in Madison County because their client's don't want to chance the streets of Jackson aka little Haiti for a cold one. I lived in Manhattan and New Orleans before returning to MS and buying into Mary's dream. Never once did I feel unsafe in those cities. My car was broken into three times as an MC law student and I could have been killed for a laptop and Burberry raincoat. My neighbors in Madison are great. Young professionals who travel the globe yet call Madison The City home. I have a stake in this development as my home is in Reunion. If done right, great we have options close by. If it is typical Madison Countu BOS BS we will need bigger gates and guard houses on the rear entrances.

@ 9:03

It must have been a star sighting that day in Belhaven. I love to gaze at doped up Hollywood stars that do Lincoln commercials.

KF, PLEASE STOP THE MADNESS!!

10:48, Thank you for posting. You are a perfect example of the unreasonable commenter on here that has no clue that his/her mentality is dying out. You may be 35, but you think like a dinosaur.

I would like to call attention to the following: "all actions of violence in your life have been brought against you by black males. I don't pretend to have black friends. In my life black people have never been in my experience other than a housekeeper or a yard man. I'm 34 and with the young man above let's keep things the way they are. I don't need your black experience."

Beautiful, just beautiful. Keep fostering that atmosphere that make the younger generation want to escape to south of County Line Rd.

'Beautiful, just beautiful. Keep fostering that atmosphere that make the younger generation want to escape to south of County Line Rd. '


I think that might be the most comical thing I've read all day. Donna got on and commented on both active threads. Why do you come here so much Donna? I thought you had your own blog. Do you feel like you have to come here so people will read what you say?

I believe that 3:00 PM is 10:48. He's having an argument with himself.

In any event, while the 'Outside the City' vs 'Inside the City' crowd(s) are arguing with each other (or themselves), a great many of the rest of us are preparing to LEAVE THE REGION, ALTOGETHER.

Rankin County is devolving, and all that is keeping Madison County from following the same trajectory is Mary Hawkins Butler. Heaven forbid she should leave.

I don't believe for a minute, that the "Four-or-five-star Hotel" proposed for Gluckstadt is anything other than part of a typical BAIT & SWITCH ploy: a standard tool used by Developers.

When they finally "git down tuh thuh nut-cuttin'", the "Boutique Hotel" will turn out to be a Holiday Inn Express - if we're lucky.

@ 3:46 the only reason to go South of County Line Rd is to get your car serviced or heading to Destin. I'll be sure to look for this mass exodus of youths trying to make it over the East Berlin fence we call County Line Rd. You scare me more than McDaniel voters.

I have sat back and read so many pro Jackson - screw the suburbs comments and I have sat back and read the pro suburb ( mostly madison) anti Jackson comments just scratching my head. I have finally bothered to google the issue in a broader context and I found a voice of reason that pretty much articulates what I've been thinking this whole time.

Please read:

http://www.greencity.com/smartgrowth.htm

Will someone open a case of Midol? If you want to live in Jackson, live there. If you don't want to live in Jackson, don't live there.

It's not hard people.

Kingfish, I think I'll take a break from following this blog. Too much selfish "my place is better than your crummy place" attacks. We're in an endless loop when folks on both sides say the same things over and over. "Ad nauseum" is applicable; I am sickened. I will miss all the great things going on here, but life is too short. I'll check back in hopes there's an outbreak of common sense.

They are getting repetitive but there is nothing stopping you from just reading the posts alone.

Any updates? Did these 2 rezoning issues pass?

Good point, KF. No sense throwing the baby out with the bath water.

I think this would be a great addition to the area .
It states a theatre and hotel but that doesn't mean that's what is planned to go there only that it could. i don't believe that it will hinder property values. I think it would be a very convenient thing to those nearby. The area is growing and will continue to.