Meet Tom Strickland, the man who started Jackson's uptown revitalization

Tom Strickland did not set out to lead an initiative to revitalize and restore uptown Jackson, but he doesn’t object to the situation, either.

In 2000, Strickland thought he’d look into getting his building at 113 W. Main St. in Jackson placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

He hired a consultant who suggested he consider creating a historic district instead.

“There were a lot of back-and-forth conversations and open meetings with owners and merchants about what we were trying to achieve, but this has been well received by the community,” Strickland said. “The city was behind us, too. That really helped.”

Uptown Jackson is a geographical area bordered by Hubble Creek to the west and Goose Creek to the east, Highway 72 to the south and Route D to the north, but the historic district is bound by Court, Main, Missouri and High streets.

Tom Strickland, owner of Strickland Engineering, talks Wednesday at his office in Jackson.Fred Lynch

Buildings in this area have historical significance to the city of Jackson, and Strickland wanted to find a way to help other property owners have the means to restore architecture and ambiance to historic standards while rejuvenating an area of town with special meaning to him.

Strickland was instrumental in uptown Jackson’s revitalization, said Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization board member Barbara Lohr as she presented Strickland with the group’s Achievement Award on Tuesday.

Strickland Engineering has been in uptown Jackson 34 years, beginning in 1983, and has grown from one employee to 12.

Strickland said he expects to hire more in the next few months.

“We’re still growing,” he said.

“Tom was a driving force in establishing the Uptown Jackson Business District and also getting it listed on the national register,” Lohr said.

“He got a consultant, and together, they checked every business to see if they wanted to join.”

Lohr said Strickland and his consultant looked into tax credits or grants available to work on returning the buildings’ facades to a more historic look.

He also worked to secure a Missouri Department of Transportation enhancement grant, which allowed sidewalk widening, landscaping improvement, street lighting upgrades and filling coal chutes.

“Before that grant, those coal chutes were wide open, and anyone could’ve walked right in through them into a couple of our uptown businesses,” Lohr said.

Coal chutes historically were used to deposit coal into buildings, typically in basements near the furnace, Lohr said.

Since many buildings have upgraded their heating systems, these chutes posed an unnecessary risk to business owners, and Strickland’s creation of a solution was a boon to uptown.

Strickland said when accepting the award, “There have been and continue to be a lot of renovations going on.”

Most recently, two months ago, the building next to Strickland Engineering, formerly Val’s Upholstery, opened as Ann Louise Bridal Shop after extensive renovations were completed.

Work is nearing completion on Uptown Lofts, a set of four mini apartments located on the second floor of Strickland’s building at 121 W. Main St.

Strickland’s work on the former Sanders Hardware building at 113 W. Main St., began when he acquired the building in 2000.

Strickland removed heavy plaster from the red-brick walls upstairs and built out the main level into several office spaces, which now are occupied by Esprit Jolie photography, the Cape County Sewer District and the United States Army Corps of Engineers, among others.

“It’s worked out great to have the sewer district and the Corps of Engineers in our building,” he said.

Strickland Engineering does land surveying as well as civil and electrical engineering projects, so it makes a lot of sense to be close to people he works with closely, he said.

Strickland Engineering has been buying buildings on Main Street in Jackson as they have become available because he sees a need for more office and retail spaces in uptown, he said.

“We’re looking forward to the upgrades to the water lines coming this spring,” he said, because that will allow for better water pressure, and better firefighting capability.

“Hydrants can perform at pressure, and sprinkler systems can be installed, which are required under the new fire codes,” he said.

Strickland already has upgraded water lines that serve his buildings at 111, 113 and 121 W. Main St. He saw a need to install fire-sprinkler systems in apartments and retail spaces, and he said he wanted to be sure he was in line with what would be required.

Uptown Jackson is a beautiful area with a lot of growth potential, Strickland said, and he looks forward to putting in the necessary time and planning to achieve that growth.

“We’ll eventually connect the two buildings here separated by a three-foot gap,” he said, “and extend existing stairways, walkways.”

He pointed out an external staircase that could not be put in place until an existing power line utility pole was removed, so his company had to run new lines underground to a new transfer station they installed.

“It takes a lot of planning to get that accomplished, a lot of steps happening together and in the right order. But it makes sense to me to bring it all together like that,” he said.

Strickland said there is a lot of opportunity for other buildings to do what they’ve done here, and he hopes to see continued renovations from other building owners in the district.

“Jackson’s a great community,” he said. “We like to see where it’s heading, too.”

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address: 113 W. Main St., Jackson