Jackson Free Press

Tune in at noon Friday, March 7, to hear JFP Publisher Todd Stauffer interview Ben Minnifield of Novia Communications and Charles Richardson of the Fondren Renaissance Foundation about the renaissance of Jackson. Show is on WLEZ-FM, 103.7 FM, or listen to a live feed at http://www.wlezfm.com.

Then at 5 p.m., They Might Be Giants will be calling Radio Fondren today to talk about their show at Hal & Mal's Saturday! http://theymightbegiants.com.

Previous Comments

ID

99094

Comment

Jackson may be booming in certain parts. But, you still can't sell a house in South or NE Jackson right now. The roads and infrastructure are collapsing right before our eyes. Atlanta is a good example of a City that tried to pave its way to better looking City before the Olympics. Now they are in deep dodo trying to fix what is under the streets so they can provide basic services that are safe and adequate. I think it is great Downtown and Fondren are up and coming; but, the rest of Jackson - where there are more houses and people - is decaying to a point of no return. It is just a matter of weeks before Adkins Dr will be un-drivable when the street collapses into the ditch. There is next to no Code enforcement in North Jackson which means renters are having a field day driving property values down with less then desirable tenants who don't know better, don't care about the homes they are renting, or the home owners around them. I ain't moving, and I still love Jackson; but, that doesn't mean I have to be happy about they lack of parity in the City!

Author

pikersam

Date

2008-03-07T09:51:09-06:00

ID

99095

Comment

it is about time that someone besides me does not see Jackson through the eyes of someone that lives in fondren. it really disappointments me to see otherwise pleasant and intelligent people scream that jackson is getting better because of some lofts downtown or some more white folk moving into fondren or belhaven from vermont. this city is really dying and black folk are celebrating the concessions as if they are progress. i do not for one second see all of this improvement in the city i love. im sure it starts in certain parts, but when will i receive the benefits. i just dont get the more i read the more it becomes evident that people are typically only concerned with themselves and what surrounds them. it is time for people to accept that living in jackson is more than having coffee at cups, shopping at orange peel, making groceries at mcdades and going to fenians.

Author

skipp

Date

2008-03-07T10:04:09-06:00

ID

99096

Comment

Skipp, I wasn't making this a white black thing... My black neighbors, who are home owners, are just as concerned, and in the same socioeconomic boat that I am in. Maybe a better explanation would help with some of what you wrote. Otherwise, I agree with much of what you said.

Author

pikersam

Date

2008-03-07T10:23:45-06:00

ID

99097

Comment

If you want something done, do it. It's not the government that is helping these projects happen, it's private investors. They don't owe you anything.

Author

QB

Date

2008-03-07T11:01:44-06:00

ID

99098

Comment

Actually, the government is helping in various ways, so let's not sugarcoat that. These are great questions to raise; I showed this to Todd so they can talk about these issues on the radio show.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-03-07T11:04:42-06:00

ID

99099

Comment

this is not a black white thing...however, as a black man who is aware of it...white folk tend to see things in a way and black people tend to see things differently...this site celebrates all that is fondren and belhaven...its so much diversity and all this other stuff that makes liberal white folk giddy...however, when i look at jackson, i still see blight and poor infrastructure...i see people that are somewhat aloof from the reality of jackson because they are walking around fondren screaming how good it is...fondren is cool...i spend time there...however its a lot like madison with a terrible black man mayor instead of a terrible white woman mayor...fondren tries to set itself apart from jackson...not in a racist safecity way, but in a hey were different way...kinda how i dont claim mississippi...i claim jackson...sometimes fondren is kinda viewed like jackson but without all the blacks and crime...not intentionally but in a undertone that is kinda obvious...fondrenites are cool theyre just a little proud...when speaking of jackson when they typically dont leave fondren...so its a situation where jackson is farish street, downtown and fondren...i think that jackson is a large city and that more efforts should be made to improve jackson as a city not as a place that is a few good neighborhoods and everyone else...

Author

skipp

Date

2008-03-07T15:14:07-06:00

ID

99100

Comment

I hear what you're saying Skipp and as someone who practically grew up in South Jackson I would love to see that part of town come back to life. It does seem like the only parts of town that are "coming back" are downtown, Farish, Fondren and Belhaven -- and maybe that is just where it starts -- but I don't know why these things can't be happening all over the city.

Author

andi

Date

2008-03-07T15:34:46-06:00

ID

99101

Comment

I was not able to listen to the radio show, so I don't know what was discussed. To somewhat counter Pike's points, while we can't deny the problems that are going on elsewhere in the city, the fact is that we have to start from somewhere. Remember the complaints about the Superdome being rebuilt before houses were being rebuilt in New Orleans? While it was a legitimate complaint, the city needed revenue very badly just to carry out essential functions. The one way it could be done was through rebuilding the tourism base. Even though New Orleans is still suffering and will do so for a long time to come, imagine how much worse it would be if there were no Superdome for the Saints to play in, no Mardi Gras or no Jazzfest. Most of the tourist trappings in Jackson is in and close to downtown. The revenue that will be brought in from downtown redevelopment will eventually be used to repair streets and water & sewer lines that have been long neglected, in addition to other services like more police officers and fire fighters. There will be more money to tear down run-down and abandoned structures. Another important thing: if we want to see better services in the more immediate future, start spending more of your money for goods and services in Jackson. I'm making a more conscious effort in doing so myself. If you shop at Northpark or Dogwood, you're only helping to subsidize services in those communities.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-03-07T15:40:06-06:00

ID

99102

Comment

"sometimes fondren is kinda viewed like jackson but without all the blacks and crime..." Well, that is unless you hear most Fondren residents talk about NoFo... Seriously. For the record, Fondren (proper) offers little for me. I love the neighborhood, but "downtown" Fondren is becoming a little pretentious and has lost a lot of its edge. I suspect the new development will further yuppify "downtown" Fondren and leave it a destination place for suburbanites and yuppies. I wish all the geeks, freaks, artists, musicians, and alt/hip hop folks would invest in NoFo and help make it more like Little Five Points or a similar hip and young scene that's less about soccer moms and socialites and more about young, weird, edgy, alt folks. That's what many initially hoped to find in Fondren! All those storefronts and affordable rent could make for a very exciting, young scene without all the pretension many feel in downtown Fondren. Think true "artsy" and "eclectic" rather than expensive art and dining.

Author

kaust

Date

2008-03-07T15:47:12-06:00

ID

99103

Comment

im with you on that but how about we spread out completey and do the same thing out south or near the metro...its just that fondren is FONDREN and then its jackson...i would love to see and arts community up and running my wife and talk about all that could happen if a neighborhood was overtaken by artists and young families...its time that we think a little bigger...i really like my house and my neighborhood is cool but i want to live around other folk that want to be creative and open and have fun... i havent shopped outside of the city of jackson in years...my last trip to northpark was when i worked there in 2004 maybe...i typically leave the state to go to the gap...i do not shop in madison...i will not eat at pf changs there...i only pass by that stuff going to see the inlaws

Author

skipp

Date

2008-03-07T16:00:06-06:00

ID

99104

Comment

What does NoFo consist of? Are you talking about around Northview, Triangle Drive and Meadowbrook?

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-03-07T16:30:50-06:00

ID

99105

Comment

Skipp, I'm not sure what can be done to stir change in those areas. I think JSU will actually play a large part in the renaissance of S.Jackson. Minus the power trip they're pulling with the surrounding residents, they'll make a profound and lasting change in the 80 corridor by polishing a lot of that area. I personally think S.Jackson has reached it's "bottom" and will soon start seeing new growth especially as new home buyers begin reinvesting in properties. I certainly hope so. I'd love to see Metrocenter reborn and all those strip malls off McDowell see new growth. That's my old stomping ground and it's sad to see some of those shopping centers nowadays. Of course, I see the same thing just blocks from Fondren proper. So, I hear you on Fondren being it's own microcosm. Hopefully, Fondren will serve as an example to other neighborhoods and highlight that there is potential in each and everyone. I know Fondren wasn't much different from NoFo just a few years back... So, there's hope in nearly every area. I'm just glad to see Westland Plaza looking as good as it does! I go there quite a bit (close to work) and love that it's looking better than it has in years.... I think it'll happen, but it will take time, energy, and devotion from key investors and the residents of those neighborhoods.

Author

kaust

Date

2008-03-07T16:32:35-06:00

ID

99106

Comment

I don't know that it has established boundaries because I'm not sure it's technically an established term. Certainly, it's used loosely by many. Years ago when my friends and I were talking about the difference between our "side" of Fondren and Fondren proper, we decided to start calling our area NoFo (north Fondren). Much like "downtown Fondren" is centered around Fondren Corner, we think of NoFo as centering around Meadowbrook and State. If I had to draw the line, I'd say from Council Circle to Northside Drive... Between Northview/West St and Old Canton.

Author

kaust

Date

2008-03-07T16:42:14-06:00

ID

99107

Comment

I certainly wasn't trying to bash Fondren. What my point is, and this goes for Fondren, is that even in the growth areas the City isn't doing anything about the roads or what is underneath them. Fondren is about to double in population when the Duling building and condos are built; but, has the City done anything about the infrastructure? Nope. So, you will have more water and sewers being used and a lot more traffic on an already messed State St. It took an full blown town effort to get the drainage problem behind Rainbow fixed. Once the new building(s) are finished, there is no telling what the drainage will be like and whether it may cause unforeseen problems. Atlanta is suffering a terrible water crisis because the developers just built and built without worrying about the necessities. Don't even ask about all the fines they pay for not being able to handle the sewage! Yikes! Now, I agree with a lot of what is being said about how the other areas need to grow, and that they can piggy back off of the current development. Thx golden eagle. Like in Atlanta when Little 5 Points was at it's most hip (before the commercial crap moved in), a few good people ventured over to East Atlanta laid down some stakes, and opened a couple of restaurants. Ever since then, the old house got snatched up and now sell for triple what they paid 10 years ago. But, Atlanta had a decent stock of people who already lived in some decent areas to draw from within the City - both black and white. Here in Jackson we are letting many areas go by neglect and poor planning. I just noticed that the old Winn-Dixie on Old Canton has a sign that says "Surplus Warehouse Coming Soon." WTF??? Come on. Like that will help the area and instill neighborhood pride! It is these kinds of decisions, and businesses, that are slowly killing Jackson. I guess the young black professional, the hip, and the affluent are content with less and less real estate to call their own. Instead of using their buying power and calling for more code enforcement to build a better Jackson they are waiting on the new places to be built downtown, building gates, and funding SafeCity! The time is now to snatch up some of the older homes in NJackson and SJackson to own and live in - not to rent to whoever you can!

Author

pikersam

Date

2008-03-07T17:00:35-06:00

ID

99108

Comment

And JPD in Foundren are more like Ridgeland PD. I stopped at krystals late last night on my way home, got my food turned right on state and headed back towards UMC a cop passed me and as i looked through my rearview mirror he turned around and got on my bumper close and i was driving the speed limit, and had his high beam on and followed me for it seemed like the longest time until i got out of Fondren and he turned around. He tailed me because i was driving a 1985 chevy " dope boy car". I wanted to stop and get out and say why are you harassing me but i didn't want to get into no trouble. Is that affective policing or some people have to suffer harassment for the greater good of the community. That some people being people like me.

Author

NewJackson

Date

2008-03-07T17:04:49-06:00

ID

99109

Comment

I listened to the radio broadcast today after reading pikersam's commentary only a few minutes prior. As a NorEast Jacksonian I was disappointed that piker's comments either weren't understood or disregarded. Though, I'm also not sure what I should have expected having not listened to the broadcast for a number of months. One thing I do know, the comment on the radio broadcast that the infrastructure woes in SoJackson were somehow sub-prime mortgage related was quite wide of the mark. Jackson's problems with basic services (roads, water, sewer) have nothing to do with anything beyond our eroding tax base and how any given mayor prioritizes the annual budgetary spend. Ours is a budget problem 25 years in the making that right now is reaching a fever pitch. I feel pikersam's pain and I think many on our side of I55 do also. Water pipes bust everyday, often just yards away from where the last leak was repaired. Water pipe breaks go unresolved for days with water streaming everywhere in our streets. Holes in our streets, exponentially larger than the pots in my kitchen, go unfixed for weeks. There are slow sewage, RAW sewage, leaks throughout NorEast Jackson that only expose themselves during heavy rains. That should worry everyone as I'll bet it is happening elsewhere in Jackson. Golden Eagle, if you believe downtown will alleviate those problems I'm afraid you'll be sadly mistaken. Downtown will only help the bucket of money retain its current sub-adequate level, if that. It won't generate above and beyond tax dollars which is what Jackson needs to perform the basic, and restorative, maintenance necessary to help our west, south, north and east neighborhoods keep their heads above water. We've got a big time problem in the neighborhoods. You can rob Peter to pay Paul only so long before Peter decides pull up the stakes and move the tent elsewhere. Simple homeowner economics. What is happening downtown, in Belhaven and Fondren is great, but there is nowhere near enough there to pay the bills.

Author

GeoRoss

Date

2008-03-07T17:26:13-06:00

ID

99110

Comment

Golden Eagle, if you believe downtown will alleviate those problems I'm afraid you'll be sadly mistaken. I never said downtown redevelopment will solve everything. All I've said was that it would be a catalyst for things to come. Of course, it will take more than downtown to get things going again. City leadership--or lack thereof--is one area to start with.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-03-07T22:55:12-06:00