Jackson Free Press

[verbatim] March 30, 2005—Highway 80, once one of the most important business corridors in the city of Jackson, is now lined with closed businesses, boarded up windows and dilapidated buildings. The few business owners who have remained in the area are concerned about their future there.

Howard Buford of Buford Plumbing said the area "definitely needs some help. It has become a blight area, with vacant buildings. It seems like it's been more or less forgotten by the leadership of Jackson." Buford moved the business to the area in 1970, and at the time, the area was thriving. "When Metrocenter came in, the area was just booming. Now I'm worried about the future of Metrocenter." Buford said the entire area is just drab now. "I really thought when the new Home Depot came in, things would get better. I think so many people are afraid to just try to give it a go here. If one good restaurant would come to the area, I believe others would follow."

Bob Reed of Rainbow Signs says that he's all in favor of someone trying to help things along on Highway 80. "The city seems to have forgotten we're here." One of the main things Reed says has caused the decline in the area is crime. "Drugs and crime go hand in hand, and the area is rampant with both."

Chip Triplett of Park Development has apartments in the area. "We'd like to see the crime and drug problem eliminated. Someone needs to take control of the situation." Triplett says the perception for some people is also a reality. "If this crime problem could be brought under control, some businesses would probably come back and flourish. But look at the old K-Mart building, and now McDonald's is gone. That's something that can't be ignored."

Businessman Manny Crystal of Jackson Iron and Metal says that Highway 80 has fallen into a state of disrepair. "Highway 80 was once a very important business area of the city. However, over the years, the area seems to have attracted certain activities that are not necessarily beneficial to what the city should be. I know it's a problem that's found in most cities this size, but that doesn't mean we should accept it. What needs to be done is a cleaning up of the negative parts of the corridor. It seems that crime, prostitution and drugs are all inter-related, and the more that can be cleaned up, the better, unless of course, you're in a business that caters to that kind of activity."

A city-wide economic development rally will be held to highlight "Highway 80—The Forgotten Corridor," on Thursday, March 31st at 5pm on the parking lot of the Wilson Kia Car Dealership (2131 Highway 80 West). A catfish dinner will be served, and there will be live entertainment. Frank Melton will be the featured speaker.

Suggested contribution for the event is $10 a person, and can be purchased at the Melton for Mayor campaign office (corner of State and Tombigbee) or at the event.

Previous Comments

ID

168836

Comment

jeff good says in his story that frank melton is extremely upbeat and positive. hmmm... this may well be the case, but nothing i have read concerning this man has even a hint of hopefulness. in fact, it seems that at every press conference and in every press release, he's trashing my city. either it's the hundreds of (perceived) murders that happen here every day, or it's urban blight caused by former (white) mayors who held the door open and waved goodbye as so many residents and businesses moved to the 'burbs. how on earth can we accuse/blame mayor johnson for the K-Mart closing?? i find it interesting and amusing that at every turn, melton's campaign fusses about this problem or that problem, and then offers no real-world solution. i don't want no stinkin' police state. maybe mr. melton should run for mayor out in houston. is his wife moving here any time soon? i want a new truthwatch devoted to that.

Author

Jay

Date

2005-04-01T13:26:06-06:00

ID

168837

Comment

Jay, I think it would be Tyler should he run over there. All I know about his wife is that her sister told me they wouldn't decide until later, and that it was between them, strongly implying that it's not any of our business. And the way Melton talks about her strong pediatrics practice, it doesn't sound like she's packing up and moving east anytime soon. My focus in asking her was how often he would be out of the city, which I think is a relevant question for a potential mayor, but I didn't really get anywhere with that. She says he now often flies back to see his wife in his private jet. Does that matter? I don't know. It's up to the voters. People only seem to be offended by the carpetbaggers who don't agree with them. ;-)

Author

ladd

Date

2005-04-01T13:37:56-06:00

ID

168838

Comment

how on earth can we accuse/blame mayor johnson for the K-Mart closing?? Good point Jay. You really can't blame the mayor for the fact that Hwy 80 is no longer a bustling commercial corridor. This is a result of changes in the market and in residenial population patterns, and is a perfect example of a more general problem in out current pattern of urban development. We simply keep building, leaving the old malls and retail centers vacant. I was driving down Lakeland last weekend for the first time in a long while, and I was amazed at all the new commercial development out there. If this trend continues, County Line Rd. might be the next Hwy 80.

Author

Justin

Date

2005-04-01T15:42:08-06:00

ID

168839

Comment

the explosion of development in flowood in the past three years is breathtaking, yes. i already avoid cty line like the plague, but the ironic thing is that by rankin continuing their epic battle against the bottle and not allowing liquor sales, i think their restaurant market is going to stay relatively small. a ruth's chris or a p.f. chang's isn't going to locate anywhere they can't serve a $9 glass of glenfiddich. i have heard rumors that a p.f. chang's will be built at the old agency exit sometime this year... and one more thing on cty line... that huge storage complex that's gone? they're putting a LOWE'S right there. i expect in a couple of years they're going to start stacking the big boxes on top of each other and constructing massive car-escalators. or something. jeez.

Author

Jay

Date

2005-04-01T16:06:40-06:00

ID

168840

Comment

Yes, the Metrocenter has been going through some problems lately and we lost the K-Mart. But what the heck is Melton going to do about it that Johnson isn't already doing? I don't think Johnson woke up right after Melton's press conference and went "Oh! Highway 80! I completely forgot!" Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2005-04-01T22:25:04-06:00

ID

168841

Comment

[quote]Good point Jay. You really can't blame the mayor for the fact that Hwy 80 is no longer a bustling commercial corridor. This is a result of changes in the market and in residenial population patterns, and is a perfect example of a more general problem in out current pattern of urban development. We simply keep building, leaving the old malls and retail centers vacant. I was driving down Lakeland last weekend for the first time in a long while, and I was amazed at all the new commercial development out there. If this trend continues, County Line Rd. might be the next Hwy 80.[/quote] - Justin K-Mart is almost as bad as Wal-Mart in moving around and in and out of cities. I noticed the same thing in Montgomery, AL.... It always seemed the K-Mart was in a new location or closed every time I'd go to visit my grandmother. I think 80 suffered "the grass is greener" syndrome when Northpark happened. Of course, that's about the same time the exodus towards NE Jackson and Ridgeland occured. There's a lot that goes into the 80 problem and I don't think it's a quick fix. It took decades to reach the stage where it is... It'll take years of faith and action to get that area back to it's "glory days." As for the Lowe's... I think that's an ignorant, ignorant, ignorant move. Seems more affordable to re-purpose the K-Mart building that's vacant. It's about the same difference from Home Depot and has direct interstate access. But who am I? Certainly not the real estate buyer for Lowe's. I, for one, wouldn't dare down County Line to go to Lowe's when Target and Home Depot (among others) are right off the interstate and State St./HWY 51. As if that street isn't crazy enough... Can't wait to see all those mammoth SUVs, delivery trucks, etc. piling into Lowe's on that street. Talk about congestion, headaches and more than likely MORE potholes. Tom, I watched on a local TV show where Johnson spoke of work in the HWY 80 area months ago... So, you're right that a press release/conference weren't sparked by Melton. Hell, it could be the other way around if you look at the timelines.

Author

kaust

Date

2005-04-02T13:19:15-06:00