New Southern apartments reopen, better than ever a

[Rural King]

New Southern apartments reopen, better than ever after tornadoes

By NED B. HUNTER

[email protected]

Jul 20 2005

Downtown apartments restored after 2003 storms

The paint is still sticky.

The elevator still padded for protection.

Nonetheless, on Tuesday, the process began for new and former residents of downtown Jackson's New Southern apartment complex to return in earnest to their former homes.

Severely damaged by wind and rain in the May 2003 tornadoes, the complex on East Baltimore Street needs only minor finishing touches to complete the restoration process. It's a process that has taken just more than two years and an estimated $5.5 million to complete, said Hal Crocker of Crocker Construction Co.

''There were three separate finance packages,'' he said. ''HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) was $2 million, there was $3 million in insurance and $500,000 for historical renovation through historical tax credits.'

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The rest can be read here:

http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi...200507207392276

The Jackson Sun

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The is Jackson's tallest building and its great to hear it has re-opened better than ever. Downtown Jackson was devestated by the tornadoes, but hopefully the city will in the storm's damaging wake see some spurred on downtown redevelopment.

[satalac]

New Southern apartments reopen, better than ever after tornadoes

By NED B. HUNTER

[email protected]

Jul 20 2005

Downtown apartments restored after 2003 storms

The paint is still sticky.

The elevator still padded for protection.

Nonetheless, on Tuesday, the process began for new and former residents of downtown Jackson's New Southern apartment complex to return in earnest to their former homes.

Severely damaged by wind and rain in the May 2003 tornadoes, the complex on East Baltimore Street needs only minor finishing touches to complete the restoration process. It's a process that has taken just more than two years and an estimated $5.5 million to complete, said Hal Crocker of Crocker Construction Co.

''There were three separate finance packages,'' he said. ''HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) was $2 million, there was $3 million in insurance and $500,000 for historical renovation through historical tax credits.'

--------------------

The rest can be read here:

http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi...200507207392276

The Jackson Sun

-----------------------------

The is Jackson's tallest building and its great to hear it has re-opened better than ever. Downtown Jackson was devestated by the tornadoes, but hopefully the city will in the storm's damaging wake see some spurred on downtown redevelopment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah, that tornado did a ton of damage over there. my dad's side of the family lives in jackson, so we went down there after the tornado hit. it was awful. downtown is looking a lot better now though. i've always liked their downtown for some reason. it's just got a cool close community vibe to it. my favorite has to be the greyhound bus station over there. i'll try to post a pic i took of it from the last time i took pics of downtown jackson.

[Rural King]

yeah, that tornado did a ton of damage over there. my dad's side of the family lives in jackson, so we went down there after the tornado hit. it was awful. downtown is looking a lot better now though. i've always liked their downtown for some reason. it's just got a cool close community vibe to it. my favorite has to be the greyhound bus station over there. i'll try to post a pic i took of it from the last time i took pics of downtown jackson.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The bus station is awesome.

Downtown Jackson is made up of alot of local, state, and federal office buildings and courthouses. Its not a bad downtown, but it lags behind its peers of Paducah, KY and Cape Girardeau, MO in revitalization and bringing folks downtwon. There are still few reasons to go downtown, although I think they are slowly trying to change that. The city missed a huge oppotunity to put their AA baseball stadium in or near downtown, instead they put it outside in the middle of nowhere off I-40.

Some photos would be awesome satalac. I actually have a slew of photos, but I no longer have a scanner, plus I have a digital camera now. I haven't been down there to take any photos with the digital yet, but I'll get around to it eventually.

[satalac]

i was thinking the exact same thing about the stadium. why they put pringles park there, i have no clue. the only reason i can think of is ease of access for the surrounding cities (humbolt and such). it would have helped downtown a lot. it might be a week or two before i can get the pics on here. i'm in the process of moving to murfreesboro and have yet to unpack my good computer. haha. i also have some pics of the artesian well by the train museum and that bright yellow house close to the greyhound. btw, do you live in jackson?

[Rural King]

I live north of Jackson, in the Union City area.

I think know the yellow house you are talking about by the Greyhound station. Seems like I remember that house standing out when I was my pics last fall, I might even have a pic of it as well.

As for the stadium I think they put it out there because they thought folks would find it easy just to get on I-40 and just take an exit, problem is its not even right off the exit. Its down a road, take a left, out across the street from a some large Japanese manufacturing plant. It seems lots of folks don't want to drive otu there because 1.) its in the middle of nowhere and 2.) there is no other entertainment, dining, etc near it. It probably would have worked alot if they built it out by Vann Drive or the 45 By-Pass where all the restuarants are, or attempted to revitalize downtown with it.

[cheeriokid61]

Does anyone know the population of Jackson? And yes, I would love some pictures.

By the way, what is this apartment building for? Is it just regular apartments, condos, senior living, etc?

[Rural King]

The apartment building was originally a high end downtown hotel that hosted in its hayday many a famous person coming through (ie country stars and the like) and several significant politicians. I forget who all know, I just read that while skimming a book in Jackson once. You know one of those thin little books with a few really interesting facts but is mostly stuff you don't care about and still costs like 50 bucks. LOL

Jackson, TN

City: 59,643

Metro: 107,377

---------------------2000-----1990-----Change---Percent

Jackson, TN MSA---107,377--90,801----16,576----18.3%

Jackson is the 7th largest city in Tennessee.

Mufreesboro is 5th and Clarksville is sixth I believe, but it might be the other way around.

[cheeriokid61]

No, that's correct. I know Franklin is tenth, if anyone cares.

What county is Jackson in? Is it consolidated (is that the right word?) with the county, or not? It has a very good growth rate.

[satalac]

No, that's correct. I know Franklin is tenth, if anyone cares.

What county is Jackson in? Is it consolidated (is that the right word?) with the county, or not? It has a very good growth rate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

jackson is in madison county. vann drive and 45 would have been a good place to build too. maybe where that best buy is now. that place has exploded in the last few years. they have something new there everytime i visit. oh yeah, i'm going to jackson this weekend so i'll see if i can get some more pics of downtown and get them on the site. sorry i haven't posted any yet, still getting everything sorted out. it is consolidated i believe. i've always heard it called jackson-madison county. rural king would probably know better than i do though. btw rural king, have you ever heard of mccoy's heating and air?

[Rural King]

Jackson and Madison County County are seperate, but share some aspects of governance jointly, like there is Jackson-Madison County Schools, Jackson-Madison County Library System, and there used to be the Jackson-Madison County Hospital, but its now operated by West Tennessee Healthcare.

So they have consolidated some principal services, but still retain seperate county and a city governments.

I have heard of McCoy's Heating and Air. Not sure where though, maybe off the radio. Don't know anything about it though.

Do you come to Jackson often? Its downtown is making some great strides since the tornado came through. They just finished a new and very large state government addition over by the Carl Perkins Auditorium. I think its a state building at least, might be a federal building, pretty sure its a state one though .

Its definately a booming city, but its got some issues with crime and sprawl as if it were much larger city than it actually currently is. Just a effect of rapid growth I suppose.

[sleepy]

Its definately a booming city, but its got some issues with crime and sprawl as if it were much larger city than it actually currently is. Just a effect of rapid growth I suppose.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From Mapquest, it looks like I-40 was built about 5 miles out from the center of Jackson. They did that with most smaller towns which is a big mistake since everything will snake out from the towns in strip development out to the interstate.

A couple miles nearer in would have been better.

[Rural King]

I agree with you sleepy. I think I-40 being so far is the prime reason Jackson has sprawled so much, esp. in that direction.

Here pretty soon you won't be able to tell when your leaving Humboldt ( which is a sizable industrial town on the Gibson/Madison Co line) and when you are entering Jackson, since it will all basically be one long series of developments of one sort of another.

[sleepy]

I agree with you sleepy. I think I-40 being so far is the prime reason Jackson has sprawled so much, esp. in that direction.

Here pretty soon you won't be able to tell when your leaving Humboldt ( which is a sizable industrial town on the Gibson/Madison Co line) and when you are entering Jackson, since it will all basically be one long series of developments of one sort of another.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've taught at a college in Mason City IA which is a city of 29,000--the largest city between Des Moines and Minneapolis if you can believe it. For some dumb reason, I-35 was built 6 miles west of town. So the city grew in that direction with every kind of SuperCenter and chain restaurant there is. Of course, downtown died.

I compare that to Austin MN where I-90 went straight through town. It's got all the big boxes and chains but they're within a mile or two of downtown, and downtown is thriving.

[satalac]

I have heard of McCoy's Heating and Air. Not sure where though, maybe off the radio. Don't know anything about it though.

oh ok, that's my uncle's company. he's got some commercials on tv in that area too where he's got a shotgun and some pigs running out of an air conditioner unit. you kind of have to see it for it to make sense though. i go to jackson probably about 4-5 times a year if not more. i agree about humbolt and jackson merging on 45. i bet in 10 years it'll be full of subdivisions. the crime in jackson has bothered me also. didn't it at one point have the highest murder per capita of any city in the united stated under 100,000 people?

[sleepy]

the crime in jackson has bothered me also. didn't it at one point have the highest murder per capita of any city in the united stated under 100,000 people?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've heard things like that as well, including that it topped Memphis in certain crime categories.

Anyway, like most crime, I imagine it's in certain areas, and it certainly hasn't made much of an impact on Jackson's thriving economy or growth rates.

[satalac]

I've heard things like that as well, including that it topped Memphis in certain crime categories.

Anyway, like most crime, I imagine it's in certain areas, and it certainly hasn't made much of an impact on Jackson's thriving economy or growth rates.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah, it is in certain areas of jackson. jackson is doing really well for itself. it's been fun watching it grow as i've gotten older. it's like my second home (well tied with knoxville). i still can't get over how the bypass area around vann drive has exploded. i was really sad to learn that porter cable is going away though

[Rural King]

^Porter Cable going away? Black and Decker bought it sometime back in 2004 from Pentair and laid off 350, but now they are hiring 250 back. So hopefully things will continue in that direction for the firm and eventually it will be running back at its pre-Black & Decker levels.

I don't think when Pentair sold Porter that it was in all that great of shape, thus the reason for the initial reduction in workforce.

As for the Vann Drive and 45 By-Pass area it really has grown alot of these past 7-8 years, esp around the Columns area. Its insanely hard to get on I-40 or the By-Pass from the Columns. The area around Oil Wells Rd north of Vann Drive is getting to be very built up too.

oh ok, that's my uncle's company. he's got some commercials on tv in that area too where he's got a shotgun and some pigs running out of an air conditioner unit. you kind of have to see it for it to make sense though.    i go to jackson probably about 4-5 times a year if not more. i agree about humbolt and jackson merging on 45. i bet in 10 years it'll be full of subdivisions. the crime in jackson has bothered me also. didn't it at one point have the highest murder per capita of any city in the united stated under 100,000 people?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I knew I had heard the name of that business before. I will look for his spots on WBBJ ABC CH 7 out of Jackson.

I think it was ranked third at one point for murders per capita for a city under 100K, but it may well since or before been #1 at some point.

[satalac]

^Porter Cable going away? Black and Decker bought it sometime back in 2004 from Pentair and laid off 350, but now they are hiring 250 back. So hopefully things will continue in that direction for the firm and eventually it will be running back at its pre-Black & Decker levels.

whew. i had been told that the plant was closing down. i'm glad that it's still up and running.

[Rural King]

^ Yep its okay, unless something drastically bad happened that I didn't hear about.

[satalac]

hey rural king, did you see this from today's jackson sun? i just got back from jackson and read this. sounds exciting. btw, didn't get a chance to get any pics downtown this weekend. with a heat index of 110, i decided to stay poolside

[satalac]

ok, here are some of those pics from earlier that i promised.

the artiesian well

the greyhound station

that really bright yellow house haha

[Rural King]

hey rural king, did you see this from today's jackson sun? i just got back from jackson and read this. sounds exciting. btw, didn't get a chance to get any pics downtown this weekend. with a heat index of 110, i decided to stay poolside 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually I rarely read the Jackson Sun on Sunday, I usually read the Commerical Appeal, however I do read it almost everyday during the week on the internet. So I looked up today's edition and saw what you were talking about.

That is the first I heard about this Phase 1 development for downtown. If they can pull off that big of a project and attract a multi-screen theatre and assortment of dining and retail to boot it will be a great jump start to making downtown a destination.

I don't blame you about not taking pics. It has been way to hot to do much in West Tennessee with our heat advisories of 105-115. Its been like the Amazon or Congo outside. I had to mow tonight, it was pretty rough having to mow several acres even in the late afternoon-530 till 700.

The pics you did post are nice, esp. the Greyhound Station and the Yellow House. The house adds some color to downtown don't ya thing? LOL

[satalac]

Actually I rarely read the Jackson Sun on Sunday, I usually read the Commerical Appeal, however I do read it almost everyday during the week on the internet. So I looked up today's edition and saw what you were talking about.

That is the first I heard about this Phase 1 development for downtown. If they can pull off that big of a project and attract a multi-screen theatre and assortment of dining and retail to boot it will be a great jump start to making downtown a destination.

I don't blame you about not taking pics. It has been way to hot to do much in West Tennessee with our heat advisories of 105-115. Its been like the Amazon or Congo outside. I had to mow tonight, it was pretty rough having to mow several acres even in the late afternoon-530 till 700.

The pics you did post are nice, esp. the Greyhound Station and the Yellow House. The house adds some color to downtown don't ya thing? LOL

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i agree, if phase 1 happens, it'll be awesome in revitalizing that area. unless another tornado hits

yeah, that house is um......bright. haha.

[Rural King]

^ You should hear WBBJ AB 7 when it storms. If there is even a hint of strong thunderstorms they break in and cover it minute to minute now. The tornado has left a major scar on the city and its citizens. I'd rather folks be prepared and concerned though than to not be, since summer thunderstorms are something that have to be taken seriously.

[satalac]

^ You should hear WBBJ AB 7 when it storms. If there is even a hint of strong thunderstorms they break in and cover it minute to minute now. The tornado has left a major scar on the city and its citizens. I'd rather folks be prepared and concerned though than to not be, since summer thunderstorms are something that have to be taken seriously.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

oh i definatly agree. that tornado probably will save lives in the future. jackson is a lot better prepared for one since that one hit.