Jackson Free Press

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton's plan to demolish almost 80 abandoned and dilapidated structures inside the Historic Farish Street District hit a speed bump today after the Jackson Historic Preservation Commission made clear it was unwilling to approve the mass demolition.

The city put in 49 requests for permission to demolish 79 structures--an unprecedented number of requests according to Ward 2 commission member Terrence Mosley. Jackson Code Enforcement Director Joe Lewis said the buildings needed to come down because they were a safety hazard and encouraged crime in the area.

Acting upon the advice of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, however, commission members were loathe to approve the mass obliteration for fear of jeopardizing the district's historic designation.

Ward 1 commission member Wayne Timmer said the homes themselves were not the center of the crime problem in the district.

"Demolishing houses is not the answer to the city's crime problem. ... To say that tearing houses down is the answer--nobody's been able too prove that to me. The city needs a plan to handle crime ... We can't just say, 'Let's tear it all down.' Once the houses are gone, we've found we've lost our historic resources," Timmer said.

Ward 6 commission member Ben Mokry said he was hesitant to approve any request by the city to remove the structures because the city had not yet explained what it would do with the newly emptied lots to preserve the district's designation.

"We still don't know the (city's) plan. ... I feel like we should expect more," Mokry said. "Our goal is to preserve the district."

The historic designation allows developers who want to renovate in the area to reclaim about 51 percent of their renovation costs through state and federal tax relief, as well as opening access to some grants. The district had about 800 homes at the time of its historic designation. That number has since dropped to about 400, through neglect, weather, vandalization and arson. Commission members say the district risks its designation if it loses too many of the historic properties comprising it.

"If we wake up and lose the district, that's our concern," said Mosley.

The commission managed to address less than 20 of the city's individual requests, unanimously or nearly unanimously denying most.

Lewis complained that removing the properties would help the city deal with crime in the area.

"Ask people in areas where we've torn down houses and they'll tell you that we've done them a huge service. The properties here are not safe and they encourage crime," Lewis argued.

Ward 7 commission member John Weaver said it was not the preservation commission's job to deal with the city's crime problem, however, but to preserve the district.

"The people of the city (government) in charge of the problems in the area should address the issues. That's not what we do," Weaver said.

Melton announced in early April that he intended to demolish more than 30 dilapidated homes on Farish Street and the Cohea Street area, adding in a May administration meeting that he had an unnamed developer who wanted to renovate the Cohea Street homes and then move them to the coast for Katrina victims.

"There's a gentleman who wants to come in and move every house out of there ... If I didn't misunderstand him, he'd going to pay the city $2,000 per house to move them," Melton said.

Melton never named the developer looking to relocate the Cohea Street homes, but he made the Cohea demolition a high priority to make way for new construction he said was slated for July. The commission vote delays the mayor's summer plan.

Commission member Coleman Lowry said the Jackson City Council could override the commission, but Council President Ben Allen said he did not know how the council would vote.

"A majority of the council doesn't want to lose the historic designation, but we also know we got a huge problem with abandoned property over there," Allen said. "This is a new development, and we'll have to consider that before I can answer."

Tucked away among the crowd of 79 targeted structures was A-1 Pallets.

Melton virtually declared war on the pallet recycling company in May, saying he wanted the business torn down and removed by the end of the year. Melton said the business, which once housed an old soybean mill, is an eyesore and breaks numerous city codes. Lewis wrote the business up for violations in May, saying the business had blocked doors, an inaccessible fire lane, broken windows and pigeons, among other problems.

A-1 Pallet owner Charlotte Reeves was at the commission meeting and prepared to argue against the city's request, but the commission had tabled the A-1 Pallet item until July 10 at its June 13 work session.

"We're a legitimate business, and we have a right to be in business," Reeves said. "No, this isn't a pretty place, but we've cut the grass, we've hired security, and the health department says we're OK. Personally, I just wish the city would leave us alone."

Reeves will address her company's alleged code violations at a June 19 City Council meeting.

Previous Comments

ID

92853

Comment

Isn't there a national designated body that could determine how many structures need to be in place in order to keep the designation? Seems if it's a matter of math, the comission wouldn't need to guess. Though it seems their other concern is what will be built in place of those demolished structures - whether new construction will hurt the designation. Does anyone know what's going on with Farish St. development? That would play a part in all this.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-06-15T06:40:05-06:00

ID

92854

Comment

This is predictable. Another half-baked Melton proclamation bites the dust. It's hard to imagine that Melton's shenanigans are exactly encouraging the Farish Street developers to move forward. He seems bent on running any developer except his good buddy Gene Phillips.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-15T08:35:04-06:00

ID

92855

Comment

Exactly ladd! And, I don't know if anyone has noticed; but, the property that Leland Speeds company is developing downtown didn't run into any Melton Red Tape like the other two projects going on downtown. Hmmm?

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-06-15T09:16:45-06:00

ID

92856

Comment

Contrary to popular opinion - Farish St. is not a "high crime district." I know everyone of the business owners on Farish Street a I visit the church occasionally. The folks on Farish St. look out for each other. The prostitutes have even relocated. melton knows nothing about building up: His focus is always on tearing down. I knew that he would run into a brick wall that would be uneasy to move with that hair- brained idea to destroy that much property. I'm keeping a close eye on Ben Allen. He has done pretty good lately with seperating himself from frank and his foolishness. I hope that he will no help in jepardizing the "Historic District."

Author

justjess

Date

2007-06-15T10:05:35-06:00

ID

92857

Comment

justjess, i'm not downtown often, but whenever I happen to go through there, Farish St. is pretty quiet. Seems fine to me, especially the brick paved street.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-15T10:29:19-06:00

ID

92858

Comment

well, it'd be interesting to know what ComStat says about that area. I work downtown & hardly see any life along the street (except Peaches) thus when I drive thru I tend to be more wary.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-06-15T11:00:53-06:00

ID

92859

Comment

If you are demolishing buildings in a historic district, then there should be some time and effort devoted to developing some semblance of a plan that addresses what you will do in the area after the buildings are gone. But that would take teamwork & community involvement....need I say more?

Author

lanier77

Date

2007-06-15T11:14:40-06:00

ID

92860

Comment

let's build a community center there - how about after school programs and a small recording studio you could use to mentor kids aobut the music business?

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-06-15T11:36:12-06:00

ID

92861

Comment

I'm truly puzzled by this whole thing. FM has never followed the law and now he's asking permission to tear something down? Why don't he just load up the Mobile Command Center and take a few of his young buddies and tear down whatever he wants. He got away with it and will continue to do so IMHO.

Author

honey2me

Date

2007-06-15T12:33:56-06:00

ID

92862

Comment

If you are demolishing buildings in a historic district, then there should be some time and effort devoted to developing some semblance of a plan that addresses what you will do in the area after the buildings are gone. But that would take teamwork & community involvement....need I say more? That's it right there. When you alienate people, you make costly errors like this.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-15T14:28:35-06:00

ID

92863

Comment

let's build a community center there - how about after school programs and a small recording studio you could use to mentor kids aobut the music business? Oh yeah, the recording studio. Wonder how that's coming. I'm truly puzzled by this whole thing. FM has never followed the law and now he's asking permission to tear something down? Why don't he just load up the Mobile Command Center and take a few of his young buddies and tear down whatever he wants. He got away with it and will continue to do so IMHO. C'mon, give the little man his gold star and lollipop for asking. :-)

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-15T14:32:15-06:00

ID

92864

Comment

LW, I guess the YMCA, 2 churches, and a head start school are not enough "community center" for Melton and his bunch? Farish St is supposed to be an "entertainment district" not a "kids zone!" One of the biggest problems in this town is the lack of concentrated entertainment spots for adults. You have to pretty much drive from one bar to another - considering the choices we have now. If they put in too much housing development then you won't have anywhere for Farish St to grow should the "entertainment district" take off. Beale St. was only one or two blocks to start then grew into the icon it is now! And, what would an "entertainment district" that is only a fraction of Beale St do for Jackson? PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS! SALES TAX DOLLARS! ALCOHOL TAX DOLLARS! RESTUARANT TAX DOLLARS (8%)!! And, what can you do with all those tax dollars? BUILD COMMUNITY CENTERS! As far as the "recording studio" goes - the City doesn't need to be in the record business. Period! If you want a recording studio then get the big-time musicians (e.g. Banner) of the local world to pony up some bucks then go help raise the rest of the money like Dave Matthews did for his town!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-06-15T15:32:49-06:00

ID

92865

Comment

Just saw on the news that Barack Obama is in Jackson for a fundraiser tonight, and he stopped by Peaches' Cafe for some cobbler.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-15T17:28:04-06:00

ID

92866

Comment

Just saw on the news that Barack Obama is in Jackson for a fundraiser tonight, and he stopped by Peaches' Cafe for some cobbler. And I was there, too...on the sidewalk, that is. I even got to shake his hand--twice! I wanted him to take a picture with me, but he declined. I tried to improvise a shot of him and me in the picture, but I took an extremely poor shot. You could see him, but as for me, only my forehead.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-06-16T12:46:57-06:00

ID

92867

Comment

I tried to improvise a shot of him and me in the picture, but I took an extremely poor shot. You could see him, but as for me, only my forehead. C'mon, let's see it. LOL

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-16T16:53:16-06:00

ID

92868

Comment

I haven't downloaded the pictures onto my PC yet. I'll probably get around to doing it sometime this weekend.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-06-16T21:25:17-06:00

ID

92869

Comment

Barack Obama was treated like a "step-child" by the media here in Jackson. Only a little coverage at Peaches. The local channels only showed the front of the TelCom Center where he was speaking: Not the man.

Author

justjess

Date

2007-06-19T10:47:28-06:00

ID

92870

Comment

Don't jump to conclusions, justjess. I just walked back into the office this a.m. and discovered that the campaign jumped through hoops to limit and control media coverage, especially of the TelCom event. I'm in the middle of that situation right now, and I'll keep you posted on it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-19T10:52:49-06:00

ID

92871

Comment

I don't get why he wouldn't want more media coverage especially in a town like Jackson...hmmm...

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-06-19T11:27:37-06:00

ID

92872

Comment

He should have done a rally. How do they expect to ever change the political dynamic in the state if candidates like Obama do so little to get voters excited while they're here? Flyover country, indeed.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-19T11:31:25-06:00

ID

92873

Comment

Also, folks, we're off-thread. Someone start an Obama thread in the forums if you want to talk more about it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-19T11:31:56-06:00

ID

92874

Comment

New Obama thread here.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-19T13:10:03-06:00