Efforts to revitalize the MLK Drive Corridor in Jackson are getting started with some sprucing up. On Saturday, May 6, the City of Jackson and the MLK Corridor Improvement Authority (MLKCIA) are gathering residents and local organizations for a Community Cleanup Day.
Launching from the intersection of S. MLK Drive and E. High Street, volunteers will help remove old fencing, stairs and retaining walls from vacant properties, overgrown landscaping, and litter to make MLK Drive a more welcoming place. Organizers are looking for volunteers to help out for 2 hour shifts. Interested volunteers can sign up online. Refreshments will be provided.
The MLKCIA is made up of properties along the entire length of Prospect Street, MLK Drive south of downtown, and select properties along the MLK Equality Trail and S. Cooper Street. In addition to $4.5 million in funding from the City, the authority will use a portion of existing tax dollars captured from these areas to reinvest in the neighborhood.
John Willis, the authority’s City staff liaison, says while there have been conversations about bringing a grocery store and more housing to the neighborhood, the Community Cleanup Day will be an important first step. “We welcome everyone to be a part of this positive effort to revitalize the south side neighborhood,” Willis said. “The MLKCIA will be bringing lots of exciting improvements in the coming years, but it’s important to first get the corridor looking its best for future investment.”
More information about the MLKCIA can be found on the City website.
