Jackson Free Press

The Jackson Redevelopment Authority approved a $1 million loan yesterday to the The Farish Street Group to continue their renovations on Farish Street, and passed a resolution recommending that the city expand the Jackson Medical Mall Urban Renewal Area.

The loan, approved by JRA is a consent agreement that authorizes a Central Mississippi Planning and Development District loan to the Farish Street Group--the organization behind renovations and business leasing of the Farish Street resort district.

CMPDD, which offers fixed-rate loans to developers for community improvement, proffered the loans to Farish Street parcels 106, 202, 210 and 212-through-216. Brad "Kamikaze" Franklin Farish Street Group director of media and community affairs said the parcels are immediately north of businesses opening near the current location of F. Jones Corner in October, including The Subway Lounge, the Big Apple Inn and a new restaurant under the auspices of Al Stamps. Franklin could not immediately name the new businesses the parcels would house.

The $1 million loan is only one of many loans to Farish, according to JRA attorney Pernila Brown, who pointed out that CMPDD only grants loans in $1 million increments. JRA member Matt Thomas questioned how many more loans would be needed to complete the project.

"Without our consent they cannot place this loan and the Farish Street Group will not receive this money for interim construction and the project will likely come to a halt," Brown told the board.

During the same meeting, the JRA recommended that the Jackson Mall Urban Renewal Area be expanded to encompass property at the site of the former Hood Furniture factory.

Developer Carl Allen, working with MPI Center LLC, of Starkville, and Southern Consultants Inc. President Susan Lunardini, attempted to turn the site into a mixed-use neighborhood called Livingston Village in 2009. Developers sought to rezone the industrial site for mixed use construction, but financing fell through.

Medical Mall Foundation Executive Director Primus Wheeler did not immediately return calls for comment on the foundation's plans for the property, although the foundation is moving forward on the construction of new residential property along the mall's adjoining streets within the next two years.

On a separate issue, Larry Jones, representing the economic development branch of the city's Department of Planning and Development, informed JRA members that the city may have fielded a buyer for the former Atmos building, on Capitol Street. The city purchased the building during the Melton administration, and has considered housing city staff within the building or selling it. Members of the JRA were considering a contract with Wisconsin-based Johnson Controls Inc., to make the Atmos building more energy-efficient when Jones suggested delaying the effort due to the possibility of the building coming under new ownership.

"I can't tell you who the buyer could be," Jones told the Jackson Free Press after the meeting, explaining that it was too early to make any official announcements.

Clarification:Developer Carl Allen, working with MPI Center LLC, of Starkville, and Southern Consultants Inc. President Susan Lunardini, attempted to turn the site into a mixed-use neighborhood called Livingston Village in 2009. (Neither Allen or Lunardini are currently affiliated with MPI's continuing effort.) Developers sought to rezone the industrial site for mixed use construction, but financing fell through.