CRA ready for revamp of Burns Bottom area
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Redevelopment Authority is ready to get the ball rolling on improving the area around the Roger Short Soccer Complex.
Board member Jason Spears gave the Columbus City Council a progress report on redevelopment efforts in the Burns Bottom area.
The CRA is advertising for Requests for Proposals from parties who would like to develop all or parts of the five-block area that sits adjacent to the soccer complex and Farmers Market.
The CRA has appropriated about $3 million in state money that they would like to put toward infrastructure needs when a developer or developers begin to move in.
The Burns Bottom project, recently dubbed “Parkview”, has been in the works since 2015.
Since 2017, some 70 properties have been purchased by CRA.
It’s been a long process, but everyone wants to see it done right.
“The work they did to acquire these properties is not an easy task, because many times you have to find the heirs of these properties. And that can go many years back. So, it’s been a process, but it looks like we’re getting close to the finish line,” said Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin.
The Redevelopment Authority is planning a public meeting on March 20 at the Columbus Arts Council where it will display renderings of potential developments and take questions about the project.
