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Charrette set for the city of Canton
Charrette set for the city of Canton
Madison County Journal
The Madison County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) will fund an economic development planning charrette for the city of Canton from April 30 through May 3, 2012.
The charrette will be conducted by the Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) of which the Canton Chamber Main Street Association has been a member since 1990.
A charrette is an intensive, design-oriented revitalization program open to the public and conducted by MMSA and design, branding and marketing professionals.
Components of the charrette include addressing the physical design, market assessment and marketing campaign, and implementation of recommendations to the steering committee.
The MMSA Charrette Team will be meeting with the steering committee as well as city officials and businesses located in the downtown district. The meetings will be held for stakeholder input and feedback.
The team will produce branding and marketing collateral to illustrate their recommendations and present to the community on the final evening of the charrette.
Mayor wants NDDA under Natchez Inc.
Mayor wants NDDA under Natchez Inc.
By Lindsey Shelton
NatchezDemocrat.com
NATCHEZ — Mayor Jake Middleton said he would like to see Natchez Inc. become involved in the Natchez Downtown Development Association to help keep the association a member of a statewide economic development program.
In order to keep its membership in the Mississippi Main Street Association, the Natchez Downtown Development Association must meet a number of requirements, one of which is to have a director.
The association is currently without a director, and Middleton said he would like the association to operate under the umbrella of Natchez Inc. as the Natchez Main Street Association. He said he believes that downtown development is essential to industrial and economic development.
“Downtown is one of the things industrial developers look at,” he said. “If you don’t have a viable downtown and if you have a bunch of empty storefronts, that’s not going to bring anyone to Natchez.”
Middleton said hiring a Natchez Inc. employee to serve as a full-time or part-time director would allow seamless integration of the association into Natchez Inc.
Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said the concept of creating Natchez Main Street Association as a part of Natchez Inc. would need further discussion and investigation to determine if it would be a fit for Natchez Inc.
Russ said, however, he believes people will soon see Natchez Inc. grow in the area of small business development. He said Natchez Inc. will hold an entrepreneurship academy in the next couple of months that will take 15 entrepreneurs through extensive training on small business ownership.
The city is currently getting the budget for the Natchez Downtown Development Association to present to Natchez Inc., Middleton said, so the idea of Natchez Inc.’s involvement in the association can be discussed further.
Russ said Natchez Inc. is currently very busy pursuing 14 active clients with a total capital investment of approximately $2 billion and more than 1,000 jobs.
“That fact, coupled with other projects, has our resources and personnel stretched to its current limit,” Russ said.
Middleton said he understands a lot of Natchez Inc.’s money and effort is being put into several projects, such as improving the railroad.
“I am 100 percent for the railroad,” he said. “It’s very, very important. But I’m just saying don’t forget about the retailers downtown, it’s just as important to have a viable downtown area.”
Downtown Biloxi Businesses celebrated during February
Downtown Biloxi Businesses celebrated during February
Biloxi Main Street has declared the month of February to be "Support Downtown Biloxi Business" Month. Please help downtown Biloxi by shopping locally, eating locally, and supporting local businesses.
Please present this Coupon to any of the businesses listed below and receive $1.00 off any purchase of $5.00 or more. Participating businesses are: ecoGeno, French Kiss Pastries, The Col-umns at 132, The Half Shell Oyster House, and Port City Cafe. Please print and use this coupon during the month of February.
We need your help to ensure the success of these new businesses. Let's make February "Support Downtown Biloxi Business" month.
For more information, contact Kay Miller, Director of Biloxi Main Street:
Kay Miller-Carter
City of Biloxi
Downtown Services Manager
PO Box 253
Biloxi, MS 39533
228-435-6339
228-263-6339 cell
228-435-6248 fax
Pontotoc considers master plan
Pontotoc considers master plan
By Susan Parker
WTVA.com
PONTOTOC, Miss. (WTVA) — How does a town achieve the "wow" factor? That's a question hoped to be answered in Pontotoc where economic development officials are joining forces with a host of leaders to possibly map out the town's strategy for the future.
Pontotoc County Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Association Manager Ellen Russell wishes the former Michaels Department Store had an occupant.
"A lot of times when you see a vacant building it's for rent or for sale, you see that for sale sign sticking out there and you go by and think empty building, but a lot of times some people see it as an opportunity," Russell said.
It's finding those who feel that way she hopes to achieve with the formation of a plan to map out Pontotoc's future.
She is among those who are calling on city officials to allow the Mississippi Main Street Association and the Stennis Institute to develop a Community Master Plan.
The in depth study would ultimately help Pontotoc make the most of local assets and come up with a way to share what they have with the world.
The goal would be to attract new businesses as well as residents to Pontotoc.
Definitely for a plan is Milicent Seawright.
She and her family have owned a downtown Pontotoc business since 1895.
"People are moving out of the downtown area. We would like to create places downtown for people to come back and make it a vibrant, small downtown," Seawright said.
"A blueprint would actually help us step forward faster than getting bogged down and we can't shoot from the hip and say this is a good day to do something but we need to have a planned strategy to be able to grow," Russell added.
"Our schools are rated so high here and that came about because we had a master plan so, I think our town needs a master plan to move forward to beautify and to bring new businesses in as well as to support these old businesses that have been here," Seawright added.
Russell says she would like to see vacant buildings become multi-use properties with apartments above and businesses on the ground floor.
She would also like to see recreational opportunities for Pontotoc's young people enhanced.
Pontotoc has already captured the national spotlight.
In 2011, Pontotoc was named best place in Mississippi to raise your kids by Bloomberg Business Review.
The Pontotoc Board of Alderman will meet next week to discuss the master plan pursuit.
The plan could cost up to $40,000.
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