JACKSON, Mississippi (WLBT) – A local architectural firm has been hired to design a green space for outdoor events adjacent to the Jackson Convention Complex.
On Tuesday, the Jackson City Council approved entering into a contract with Dale Partners to do the work, part of the city’s agreement to repay millions of dollars in federal funds used years ago to purchase land for a convention center-hotel, according to Planning and Development Director Jhai Keeton.
“The national goal was tied to job creation, but since we couldn’t develop that site, we thought it made sense to change that national goal to a land use to solve that problem,” he said. “We haven’t met the national goal. This project would meet it.”
The contract with Dale Partners runs for 16 weeks and is worth $37,500. The company must prepare plans for the green space and provide the city with cost estimates for implementation.
Keeton told the council that the green space would be built on a plot of land in front of the convention center complex between Farish, Pearl, Roach and Pascagoula streets.
“We understand this is not the best and most appropriate use of the property, but we have to meet one of our national HUD 108 goals,” he said. “So it would be intended for long-term use.”
HUD is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In 2008, the city purchased approximately 8 acres of land across from the complex in hopes of securing the land needed to build a convention center-hotel.
The city used about $7 million in HUD funds to cover the purchase costs and agreed to repay the amount through 2028 from proceeds from any construction projects undertaken there, the Northside Sun reported.
However, no development occurred and HUD canceled the loan in 2018. In response, the Lumumba administration negotiated an agreement to repay the funds over a four-year period.
It is unclear whether that agreement has since been changed, as Keeton told the council that Jackson continued to make payments.
As part of the initial repayment terms, the city was required to create a master plan to develop the area. The plan now is to transform the property into a mixed-use development with a 335-room hotel, a 1,200-space parking garage and community green space.
“The hotel and parking garage would be on a block between Pascagoula, Pearl and Farish behind Fourth Avenue. There would be a green space where we build it, and on the block between Roach and Mill Street we would build a mixed-use building,” Keeton said.
“We had no intention of using the 7.75 acres for a convention center hotel, just the block directly across from the convention center dock.”
It is unclear when the property will be developed. In January, the city released a “letter of qualifications” seeking developers interested in developing the site. One of the firms, Facility Solutions Team, is said to be involved in a federal investigation into a bribery scheme involving local elected officials.
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