Firm hired to make Jackson Street ‘downtown’

RIDGELAND — A “more local, more downtown” walkable Jackson Street is the aim of a plan here after a Memphis firm was hired this week to assist in the planning and design of the long-discussed project.

‘We are excited about this,” Ridgeland Mayor Gene F. McGee said. “Excited to see this moving forward.”

City officials unanimously voted on the consent agenda at their Feb. 1 regularly scheduled meeting to award Kimley-Horn, a Memphis-based firm, an $85,000 contract to assist with the details and design of a Jackson Street Master Plan.

“We want to make Jackson Street pedestrian-friendly and business-friendly,” McGee said. “I think they will do a good job forming a plan the city can implement.”

Ridgeland Director of Community Development and Public Works Alan Hart said that developing the plan should take the city between six and nine months.

He said they hope to develop a plan that “celebrates” the historic Railroad District and “appreciates historic aspects” of the area while establishing a walkable downtown.

He said they identified the Memphis outfit as a “great group” that will assist with multiple aspects of the plan including landscape design and architecture and other engineering aspects.

Developing a walkable downtown has been a long-time goal of Ridgeland’s leadership going back to at least the early 90s. 

In 2019 the area was officially christened “The Railroad District” in a ribbon-cutting ceremony in November at the Plaza at Old Town Crossing.

The Plaza itself was recognized with a historic marker in the summer of 2014.