Jackson Free Press

Jackson developer David Watkins wants to move the Town Creek out of its traditional bed and replace it with a scenic, man-made canal stretching from Mill Street to the creek's Pearl River confluence.

"This will be an unbelievable development," said Watkins, the developer behind the renovation of the King Edward Hotel, the Standard Life Building and the revitalization of the Farish Street Entertainment District.

"Think of it as a mile-long swimming pool--about eight-tenths of a mile. The channel itself is 14 feet down. Look down at the river, and it'll be 10 feet below and contain four feet of water."

Watkins plans to re-route the original creek into an underground pipe--capable of containing a 10-foot swell during flood stages--and use the filtered creek to feed his proposed RiverWalk and Town Lake projects. He says his plan to build waterfront property in Downtown Jackson could be completed within five years, if the Levee Board and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can assure him that flooding will no longer be a problem.

"None of this works if we don't have flood control. It would still be subject to the 1979 and 1983 floods," Watkins said. "It may be taken care of with the direction the Corps and the levee board is heading."

The Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District Levee Board approved a resolution last December that moved forward with the Corps' plan to expand levees along the Pearl River, which offers about 80 percent flood-control effectiveness from the kind of damage wrought by the infamous 1979 Easter Flood. The Levee Board now wants to pursue the possibility of building a shallow lake between the projected levees, with relatively minor environmental impact compared to similar lake plans proposed in the past.

Watkins said the new "Lake 255" plan the Levee Board is considering this month would put enough water into Town Creek to facilitate the creation of a new man-made canal with enough water in it to support boating and recreation.

The RiverWalk canal will exit into a 35-acre recreational lake, lined with residential housing and entertainment venues containing developments such as a Civil Rights Museum, a National Museum of Gospel Music, recording and broadcast studios, and a picturesque canal park, among other things.

"It's not that complicated," Watkins said. "Most of the property on the RiverWalk side is already owned by either developers, or the city or the Jackson Redevelopment Authority. Look behind the Convention Center. That's Convention Center property. We own the spot behind the King Edward."

The development would displace property at 995 S. West Street, the site of popular strip club Danny's Downtown. Club manager Mike Garren said he doubted the owners would be willing to sell the property, no matter how much a developer offered.

"If there's a developer wanting to buy this property, tell him we appreciate his offer, but no thanks," said Garren, who said the club was largely restricted to the industrial section near the downtown area because of strict zoning laws, and could find only limited placement in other productive sections of the city. "We have got to be here, but we also just happen to be in a place that's doing quite well."

Watkins envisions the northern section of RiverWalk containing a building combining the Civil Rights Museum and a National Museum of Gospel Music, even though Tougaloo College President Beverly Hogan told the Jackson Free Press last year that her college still planned to move forward with the construction of the Civil Rights Museum, despite financing problems.

A Civil Rights Museum commission appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour approved the location of the National Civil Rights Museum in 2008 near Tougaloo College, despite outcry from advocates like former Jackson Councilman Leslie McLemore and former Jackson Mayor Kane Ditto, who both argued that the museum belonged in an urban setting.

"We think that ultimately what Tougaloo wants is for the Civil Rights Museum to be successful, and we think it will be more successful in downtown Jackson, coordinated into a theme with the Gospel Museum and a focus on music. What will distinguish our civil rights museum from the one in Tennessee and Alabama and Georgia is our history of music in the Civil Rights Movement," Watkins said.

Tougaloo Board of Trustees President LeRoy Walker said he remained confident that Tougaloo would be the future location of the Civil Rights Museum, but added that he was excited about Watkins' plan.

"I'm good friends with David, and I'm enthusiastic about RiverWalk. We studied a similar development in another state, and you would not believe the revenue that can be generated by a project like this."

The RiverWalk design also places residential property at the southwest end of the development, along the east side of Gallatin Street. Watkins predicts installing about 8,000 new residential units, housed in buildings rising 10 or more stories, with low buildings closer to the water but increasing in height according to location, so that all occupants will have a view of the new lake. The lakeshore itself will strictly be public access, complete with fishing piers and walkways.

Condominiums "will start at $300,000 and go up to the millions," Watkins said.

He added, however, that he intends to have affordable apartments interspersed in the same residential area, often within the same buildings.

"We need this community to be a great, big melting pot," Watkins said. "We can't have a homogenous pile of rich folks."

The other side of the lake will contain the Mississippi Arts District, containing a scenic outdoor stage called the Mississippi Music Bowl, along with the proposed new site of the Mississippi Ballet and the Mississippi Institute of Fine Arts, which the developer officially introduced to the public last month.

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said he fully supported Watkins' RiverWalk project, and described the endeavor as one of his main reasons for advocating for the "Lake 255" plan recently endorsed by the Levee Board--of which Johnson is a member.

"There's no question that the city of Jackson would benefit from a project such as this," Johnson said in March. "We can see many examples of the beneficial impact waterfront development can have on a city, and I'm hoping the Corps of Engineers will look at this as a development possibility for our city."

Previous Comments

ID

158016

Comment

I love this man's vision for my city! I also want to see a larger version of that rendering. Anybody got one?

Author

JSL1

Date

2010-06-02T13:33:19-06:00

ID

158020

Comment

Sweet! This would really put Jackson on the map. We all know that if David Watkins is behind it, it's gonna get done. As long as this doesn't enhance flooding, I'm all for it!

Author

golden eagle

Date

2010-06-02T13:58:44-06:00

ID

158022

Comment

why don't we just go ahead and sell ALL of downtown Jackson to David Watkins? I like his projects, but is he really the only man that can do this stuff? JRA already sold him the SL at a 67% discount. Let's let others in the party...

Author

eyerah

Date

2010-06-02T14:16:44-06:00

ID

158023

Comment

I think he's the only one able to put the money where his mouth is, eyerah.

Author

GreatWhiteSlark

Date

2010-06-02T14:26:45-06:00

ID

158024

Comment

More power to any and everyone who works to revitalize Jackson, MS!!!! White, Black, Male, Female, Young, Old - it doesn't matter. Get it together Jackson!

Author

Queen601

Date

2010-06-02T15:40:25-06:00

ID

158025

Comment

There are more people getting in on what's going on in downtown; just that David's getting the most publicity and rightly so. Look how long King Edward and Farish Street stayed stagnant until he got involved. True enough, David can't revitalize Jackson by himself. But if he can do the job, I won't stand in his way.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2010-06-02T15:57:55-06:00

ID

158026

Comment

A riverwalk would be an outstanding idea; my family lives in San Antonio, quite famous for both the Alamo and its Riverwalk. I believe this concept would really put us in the limelight and one of the must-see cities of the South.

Author

jamesparker

Date

2010-06-02T18:14:45-06:00

ID

158027

Comment

In 10 years, David Watkins will Jackson's equivalent of Memphis' Jack Belz. And that's a great compliment.

Author

RobbieR

Date

2010-06-02T18:36:47-06:00

ID

158028

Comment

The rebirth of my beloved Jackson can only happen with a convergence of many, diverse constituents, working in concert. No, I cannot do it by myself and am not so naive to think that would be the case. I need all the help I can get, (perhaps the whole "village.") I am only one individual, with a passion for my city, but I am joined by a virtual army of similarly passionate folks who care about our great Capital city! Eyerah, get your facts straight. We bought the Standard Life at its appraised value. I don't know where you get your information (67% discount???), but it's simply not fact. We didn't ask for a freebie or a subsidy, though we could have and probably should have, given the abuse and criticism we received from a number of quarters (most politically based, I might add). The Standard Life building is a significant element in the revitalization of downtown Jackson, and will generate millions of dollars in tax revenues for the city and state over it's life cycle (as opposed to the other proposals). In case you've not been listening, we've put EVERYTHING we own at risk to develop the King Edward and Standard Life properties (and now the Farish Street properties). Have you done that? Is there anyone else stepping up to the plate? The JRA and City of Jackson negotiated tough deals with us and never cut us any slack. Never. As a taxpayer of Jackson for the last 43 years I am grateful for that. As an owner/developer, I was quite frustrated that I couldn't get a better deal. In any event, I am here to stay and will continue until my last breath to do what I can to make Jackson, Mississippi the envy of the world. Though I'm approaching my 61st birthday, I'm planning on being around for another 61 years to keep doing what I'm doing and to witness what the younger generation here is about to do for Jackson. (so, I'm probably going to outlive you and possibly haunt you if you don't do right! LOL) It is very, very exciting to see the "30 and 40 somethings" in Jackson stretching the imagination, thinking outside of the box and challenging the conventional wisdom with a simple question: WHY NOT? Jackson is alive and well and is one of the best kept secrets in all of America! So, hang on folks, and remember, if you haven't done so already, it's time to "invest in Jackson." Trust me, it may be your smartest investment ever! David Watkins CEO, Watkins Development, LLC

Author

Pops

Date

2010-06-02T21:30:29-06:00

ID

158029

Comment

NIcely put, David. And it was great to meet with y'all today. Exciting times, these.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-06-02T21:52:46-06:00

ID

158030

Comment

Hey Pops, as a 30 something who just this week closed on a house in Jackson, I am investing in a way that is personal and significant to me. Can't wait to see what comes next. Queen, you are right on with your attitude.

Author

Izzy

Date

2010-06-02T21:53:07-06:00

ID

158031

Comment

hey, pops, i apologize if i wasn't clear in me earlier post. it wasn't meant to be a criticism of you. as i said, i like your projects and i support them verbally and with my hard-earned money. my point was that i'm not convinced that JRA and the city are spreading enough opportunity around for some of these larger projects. my comment about Standard Life is based on the fact that the Roberts brothers offered $3million cash for the building and were turned down, that's were the 67% discount came from. i should've been clearer about that. again, i'm not criticising you or your altruistic and business committments to the City of Jackson and its revitalization. as far as your comment about putting everything you own at risk and "have you done that", i have the upmost respect for you doing that. i know that's a tough risk for you to take as a businessman. however, don't take for granted that thousands of us do the same thing everyday, as i like most people are one layoff away from losing everything, yet we still spend the little disposable income we have in Jackson in order to support local businesses like yours. what i can't give back in $ i give back in investing in the human and social capital it takes to help revitalize communities in Jackson so that people have the wherewithall to support local businesses and projects. many of us don't have access to millions of dollars with which to "step up to the plate" as you put it, but we do it in other ways that go hand in hand with helping businesses thrive and downtown to revitalize. you said in your post, "It is very, very exciting to see the "30 and 40 somethings" in Jackson stretching the imagination, thinking outside of the box and challenging the conventional wisdom with a simple question: WHY NOT?" that is simply what i am doing and i'm glad it got you engaged in that conversation. Peace and Blessings

Author

eyerah

Date

2010-06-03T09:51:56-06:00

ID

158032

Comment

Eyerah, i appreciate the dialogue. Excuse me for being tacky in my "have you risked everything" comment. I truly realize that there are many people besides myself out there risking it all to make Jackson a better place. I am grateful for that and am grateful for your contribution to the human and social capital of our city, which is priceless. Your comments about the Standard Life "deal" are the very reason why I seem a bit defensive or overly sensitive. Obviously, my team was never successful in getting the FACTS out there about the Standard Life "deal." So, let me try again one more time and put this conversation behind us. The Roberts Brothers submitted a NON-CONFORMING bid to the JRA RFP. The JRA could not have legally accepted their offer, even assuming that it was genuine. Moreover, in the Roberts Bros proposal they offered $3 million for the sole purpose of buying the building, putting a broadcast tower on the roof and using the 1st two floors of the building for their own company use. They made NO commitment to redevelop the property or to invest any additional capital. So, even if the Roberts Bros bid had been legal, it appears, in retrospect, that we and the JRA were right and that it was in the best interest of the redevelopment efforts of the City/JRA, et al, to take a deal that had a commitment to redevelop the property, rather than sell it to someone with no intention to develop it. We have invested $33 million in the Standard Life building; the city/JRA made a $900k acquisition loan, which will be fully repaid with interest, possibly with a 100% bonus payment if the project is financially successful. We made a binding commitment to redevelop the project fully, adding significant value in terms of ad valorem tax base, adding critical mass to the residential population of downtown, adding tax paying residents to the downtown area (by the way, 75% of those new residents are moving from Madison and Rankin County) and adding momentum to the redevelopment movement. I am taking the time to clarify this issue, not to whine or complain or to argue, but to demonstrate that all of this is hard work, that it is easily misunderstood and all of this is going to require our community to work together, to marshal our limited resources and to work smarter. We need to learn from these experiences, such as the King Edward, the Standard Life, the convention center hotel project, etc., and build upon them and try to avoid mistakes we might have made in the past. There is much more to be done for our city to realize its potential. There are many, many opportunities here for everyone, and the rewards will be there, in the end. I would love to have "others in the party" and pray everyday that they come. The more investors, the more entrepreneurs, the more bankers, the more believers, the better off we will all be, the easier it will be on me and my partners, and the faster we will build the city of our dreams. Peach and Blessings. David Watkins

Author

Pops

Date

2010-06-03T11:13:07-06:00

ID

158033

Comment

make that PEACE and BLESSINGS (or Peach, whatever works!)

Author

Pops

Date

2010-06-03T11:27:05-06:00

ID

158034

Comment

Kudos David for coming on here and speaking for yourself!!!! Most of our city leaders miss the opportunity to correct false information. I have to say, my hat goes out to you for it shows that everything you do for Jackson is just that -- for Jackson! Keep on keeping on Pops! Your transparency is important and appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if the naysayers don't see your vision today, one day they won't be able to deny it! MUAH!!!!

Author

Queen601

Date

2010-06-03T11:51:23-06:00

ID

158038

Comment

Transparency=good.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-06-03T15:55:57-06:00

ID

158044

Comment

much respect. i love this kind of dialogue. this is pretty much the only forum where a hodgepodge of committed Jacksonians can come together to laugh, cry, debate, yell, and collaborate with one another without dealing with filters, time constraints, etc. Thanks for setting the record straight. that kind of info isn't really readily available and it's good to hear it from the horses mouth, so to speak. good luck with the ventures and i look forward to partying on Farish Street in the near future. Go Celtics! (had to throw that in...)

Author

eyerah

Date

2010-06-04T12:53:06-06:00

ID

158045

Comment

I'd rather be called a "horse's mouth" than some of the things folks called my while trying to do the King Edward over the last 7 years! And, yes, the dialogue is most helpful as a way of drilling down to the issues and facts needed to assess and understand the development issues and challenges we face. Save your coins for Farish Street. Seven clubs open this fall (shooting for October), with the remaining 5 set for the Spring of 2011.

Author

Pops

Date

2010-06-04T13:03:58-06:00