Uptown

Jackson is unique in that our historical business district is referred to as "uptown." Most cities have a downtown or Main Street area, but not too many have the designation of "uptown." Our historical uptown area has as its centerpiece the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse, and surrounded by historical buildings on the Square, High and Main Streets.

This last week I attended the annual meeting of the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization. The organization is made up of a group of dedicated individuals, businesses and property owners who want to make the uptown Jackson area a vibrant growing part of our community. Their goal is to enhance the historic uptown area in order to develop it as a community anchor and a destination for business, tourism and entertainment.

The organization's four main committees; promotion, design, organization and economic vitality have been very busy over the last year enhancing uptown Jackson.

The promotion committee has created and maintains the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization website and Facebook page and publishes a newsletter. They have also designed a rewards promotion with the uptown merchants which is running during the time period of the roundabout construction. This committee also takes the lead promoting the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization's major events of the year, such as Jackson In Bloom, Oktoberfest, the Christmas parade and various events centered on the Cape Girardeau County Historical Center and uptown area.

The design committee works closely with building owners in designing the façade improvements for the historical buildings. They have also been instrumental in assisting with the design of key attributes of the roundabout landscaping and construction. They have stepped forward to fund the maintenance of these areas.

Their new project, Beyond the Metal Box, is designed to transform the plain utility boxes into works of art, creating a more vibrant cityscape for all to enjoy. Similar projects in other cities such as Manchester and Columbia, Missouri, and Jackson, Mississippi, have been very successful.

The group is looking for individual artists, community organizations or businesses to help design and put art in the public realm by painting the boxes with pictures, scenes, or abstracts. If interested, please go to the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization website, ujro.org, to receive more information and for an application. The first group of boxes applications are due by Aug. 1.

The other two committees, organization and economic vitality, work to track statistics and measure successes, and work with present and future businesses on financial plans. They work with the board of directors to ensure the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization is a financially sound organization that can grow and expand in the future.

The Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization is now a member of the Missouri Main Street Connection. Missouri Main Street is a statewide not-for-profit organization that assists local communities in enhancing their historic business districts. They provide guidance, training, mentoring, assessments and accreditation reviews.

The Cape Girardeau Old Town Cape group has been a longtime member of the Missouri Main Street Connection and has received national recognition through their partnership with them.

Uptown Jackson is home to Jackson's city hall, the Cape Girardeau County courts and offices, Cape Girardeau County Historical Center, the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, the United States Post Office and many businesses, churches and homes. It is an important part of our regional community.

I would like to thank all the volunteers and members of the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization for their efforts and hard work. If you would like to be involved, I encourage you to contact them through their website or call the group's president, Bob Schooley, at (573) 382-3467.

Dwain Hahs is the mayor of Jackson.