Industrial park gets tenant, merchants await designation

JACKSON -- While an established business is relocating to Meier Industrial Site, a 30-acre business park owned by Jackson Industrial Development Co., the 30 merchants of the Uptown Historic District Committee anticipate federal historical district status that will facilitate improvements to businesses.

B&B Door Co. is moving from one of the city's two industrial parks to Meier Industrial Site on Highway PP. A 22,000-square-foot building is being constructed on five acres at the site, according to Jackson Industrial Development Co. president John Thompson.

"As a group, we're excited about it," said Thompson. "The owner needed additional space, and now we have an industry there. We have plans to put in more infrastructure."

Thompson said the site currently has the infrastructure to support the business, which will open in spring or early summer. More streets, sewer and water lines, and electricity are on the drawing boards.

The relatively new industrial site was originally 60 acres, said Thompson, but 30 acres was deeded to the city for a soccer park.

"The remaining acres are for industry," he said. "We have the flexibility to divide the acreage as necessary. We can make parcels in the 2-, 3-, 4-acre range ... any way we want."

Tom Strickland of Strickland Engineering has been spearheading the efforts of the Uptown Historic District Committee to obtain federal status that will provide tax credits for businesses wanting to renovate and improve their looks. The historic designation would also help the committee spruce up the uptown and courthouse area by adding historic-style street lighting, sidewalk benches, waste receptacles and small trees.

"We're getting close to some action by the National Park Service," said Strickland, adding that the historic designation was approved by the state in August. "We've been nominated by the state, and we anticipate we'll be approved."

Strickland said there are about 30 merchants on the committee, and preliminary planning for business improvements are under way.

"We're getting ready to invite business owners to a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce office," he said. "We want to do some streetscape, like what was done in Perryville some years ago. We want to put some historic features on the courthouse lawn. The city is behind us with a lot of enthusiasm."

The federal historic designation will provide tax credits so businesses can replace faded, older canopies with new, colorful ones, said Strickland. Other improvements could also be made.

The committee is working with the city to get the parking on two blocks of High Street changed from parallel parking to angle parking, which would increase the number of parking spaces by about 25.

Marybeth William, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, said the business climate in Jackson remains good. She said Jay's Smokehouse is opening soon, and the business is well known for its catering. Some jobs have been added at Nordenia and ARI, she said.

"We'll have our new Community Profile & Membership Directory out this spring," said Williams. "We've already done a lot of work on it. It's a chamber project and it'll have slick pages. An important part is upgrading the membership directory."

William said the chamber currently has 385 members.