Downtown is trendsetter for city’s growth, Speed says|[01/17/07]

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Vicksburg’s downtown merchants are the &#8220keepers of the flame,” Leland Speed, former executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority, told Vicksburg Main Street members at the association’s 23rd annual meeting Tuesday.

&#8220Vicksburg is one of the really interesting success stories we have going on,” he said. &#8220Your downtown is your real uniqueness.”

The three-year MDA director, who announced his resignation in November, said a town must be attractive for it to experience growth, citing examples, such as Oxford and Natchez. And Vicksburg is moving in the right direction, he added.

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&#8220I admire what you’re doing – what you have done,” he said. &#8220But, you’re just getting started.”

Tuesday night in Jackson, Mayor Frank Melton announced that Speed, a successful private developer, would be heading a city agency there that guides major development projects.

Speed, who has given the same message in Vicksburg before, said he believes Vicksburg and Warren County need to layer various elements, rediscover the local heritage and combine quality of life to capitalize on its growth.

&#8220You have the right players in the right positions. Now, you have to deal with the cruel reality…and get to work,” he said.

Increasing downtown housing is one suggestion he gave to help boost Vicksburg and the downtown area.

Several projects are under way to do just that, ranging from increasing the pace of converting upper floors of existing buildings into apartments to new construction on vacant land near Washington and Jackson streets.

Speed is awaiting the Jackson Redevelopment Authority’s approval of his appointment by Melton. He would be the second state-level economic development chief to join city forces. Jimmy Heidel, who has been MDA chief for eight years, was also executive vice president of the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Warren County Economic Development Foundation, as well as the Warren County Port Commission, before and after serving in the Fordice administrations. He became an economic development consultant for Jackson in late 2005.

Bringing more apartments to the taxing district is one of the goals for the Main Street board, said chairman Harry Sharp.

&#8220We don’t have enough housing,” he said.

In 2006, Main Street collected $5,650 in membership from 42 businesses. The organization serves a special tax district covering much of the downtown area and has been expanded. Twenty-three new businesses came to the district, and more are planned for early this year, Sharp said.

Some of the association’s goals for this year are increasing advertising efforts for downtown, continuing the sponsorship of 11 major events and bringing development to downtown.

&#8220Our long-term goal is that we need to continue expanding Main Street,” he said. &#8220It would ultimately include all of Washington Street out to the bridge, and all of Clay Street to the outlet mall.”

A Main Street board of directors is elected from the Main Street membership, which includes property owners and individuals from within the district. The board meets every third Tuesday at 8:45 a.m. Director Rosalie Theobald and assistant director Erin Hern are Main Street’s day-to-day managers.