Jackson group working on local DREAM involvement

A group of Jackson residents is working to boost interest in the city's DREAM Initiative status, which was granted in September.

The Jackson Uptown Redevelopment Organization has been meeting once a month at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce to discuss options for promoting local involvement in the DREAM Initiative. The group's work will complement a comprehensive plan created by a research firm.

The city has hired Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets Inc. of St. Louis to provide retail and residential market analyses, financial projections, marketing assessments and streetscape and building design services, which will result in a comprehensive plan for uptown Jackson.

In March, no area business owners came to the first public meeting on the DREAM Initiative. At the time, Jackson planning and zoning superintendent Janet Sanders said the city didn't want to end up making all of the decisions about DREAM projects when business owners have the option of being involved.

Sanders is now representing the city on the board, which includes uptown business owners and a chamber of commerce representative. The board is headed by Adam Ross, manager of Ross Furniture. Sanders said the board is working now to create a set of bylaws and a mission statement so it can pursue a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization status. With that status, it can continue the work to better the uptown area after the DREAM program ends.

Ross said the group discussed plans Tuesday to take surveys at the upcoming Jackson Homecomers to find out what people would like to see in the area and get more input from uptown businesses. Group members also discussed the possibility of hosting some type of festival in the fall that would attract interest in DREAM, Ross said.

While planning for larger projects is still off in the future, Sanders said, the group doesn't want to sit and wait for the St. Louis firm to finish gathering information for the comprehensive plan before getting the word out. They group is trying to recruit more people locally so that when the firm turns in its findings, everyone within the DREAM Initiative boundaries will know how to help.

"As the process goes along, there will be more committees formed to give input on specific projects and more opportunities to be active," Sanders said.

Sanders said she is still working on concrete information about the DREAM Initiative before sending out letters about the program to property owners inside the DREAM area.

Mike Hemmer, senior project manager at Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, said the firm will participate in meetings held by the Jackson Uptown Redevelopment Organization. The firm will also conduct focus groups to find out what property and business owners envision for the uptown area. Hemmer said the firm's focus groups will be conducted without a presence from city officials so the groups can provide opinions confidentially. The firm will then analyze its findings and turn the focus groups' input over to the city with recommendations and a plan to implement them.

The board may also use some of its meeting time for brainstorming ideas for the uptown area. Ross said members had talked about ideas for a museum, landscaping and signage. The board's next meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, and the public is welcome. Those with questions about the DREAM Initiative can contact Sanders at 243-3568.

eragan@semissourian.com

243-6635

Pertinent address:

125 E. Main St., Jackson, MO