Editor’s note: This essay is part of Mississippi Today Ideas, a platform for thoughtful Mississippians to share fact-based ideas about our state’s past, present and future. You can read more about the section here. Additionally, Mississippi Today is proud to have moved its offices to downtown Jackson in early June. Read more about our decision here.

When Kumar Bhavanasi purchased the historic Deposit Guaranty Building and adjacent Pinnacle Building in downtown Jackson recently, it affirmed a message of optimism that many of us have been communicating for a while.

In the two high-rise structures, Bhavanasi, a developer from New Jersey, saw the vast potential of Mississippi’s central business district and burgeoning residential neighborhood. It mirrored  the vision of Jackson residents and many others across the state who see the potential lying in wait. In so many ways, our downtown is an artist’s canvas, just beginning to be painted.

“There is something beautiful about a blank canvas,” an author wrote. “It’s the paint that changes its meaning and the hand that creates the story. Every piece begins the same, but in the end they are uniquely different.”

Downtown is, indeed, different from any other place — in Jackson, in Mississippi and in the nation.  Two hundred years of history have helped make it so.  We are a center of government, a business hub, a political seat, a residential quarter, an arts and  entertainment venue and a gathering place. Downtown Jackson is the capital of Mississippi, a title that is not likely to ever change.

Given all that, the question of whether to put every effort into making downtown better than it’s ever been over two centuries has already been answered. The wheels to make that happen — to transform downtown into a paragon — already are moving. And now it’s augmented by fresh, imaginative leadership at City Hall.

Consider: 

• Safety, once an issue here, has been dramatically improved with the expansion of Capitol police in downtown. With a new headquarters near the state Capitol, more patrols and greater communication with businesses and residents, these officers have sent a message that downtown will be secure. With our new mayor now in office, we expect that to improve even more with the help of Jackson police. Citizen confidence is our goal, and we will bolster that further with additional security measures to be announced soon.

• Residential space, which has transformed many downtowns in neighboring states, is being expanded in Jackson to accommodate the increasing numbers of people who see our downtown as a unique and safe place to live and work. That includes developer Bhavanasi’s planned apartments for the 18-story Deposit Guaranty Building with its beautiful early 20th century architecture. Currently, about 700 people call downtown home. With more residents will come more ancillary businesses such as a grocery store, new restaurants and entertainment sites. We are a growing neighborhood in the center of Jackson. 

• New quality-of-life projects to enhance our capital district and truly make it “Mississippi’s Downtown” are moving quickly. Construction of a new state park just north of the historic Old Capitol Building and overlooking our renowned Two Mississippi Museums is underway. Meanwhile, major improvements are being planned for Smith Park, one of the oldest city parks in America and a jewel in the heart of downtown. A few blocks away, construction is wrapping up on Jackson’s all-new, state-of-the-art planetarium, which is expected to attract residents from across the state and beyond. And Thalia Mara Hall, home to the International Ballet Competition, will soon re-open its doors with more improvements as the district’s arts anchor. 

These are just a few of the efforts and projects underway to make downtown Jackson a reflection of  who we are as Mississippians.

For me, it’s been a 35-year commitment to this city that led to Downtown Jackson Partners as its new president. The sense of pride and ownership in Jackson that I feel is something I want to encourage and cultivate in others. Our future rides on an expectation that we will thrive.

A vibrant capital city is tantamount to a dynamic state. Downtown is at the heart of it all. Downtown belongs to each of us. Downtown is our canvas to paint.

Liz Brister is president of Downtown Jackson Partners, a legislatively authorized business improvement district representing downtown property owners, and focused on growing, enhancing and promoting the district for businesses, residents and visitors.