The Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization have been selected to become an affiliate community of the Missouri Main Street Connection.
This program aims at enhancing “the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being of historic downtown business districts in Missouri.” It provides communities with the tools they need to revitalize their downtown or uptown historic areas.
Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization’s vice president Bob Schooley said Missouri Main Street Connection offers training and resources on economic restructuring and organizational help.
“They just sort of hold the hand of organizations like ours that want to get together to promote their flavor,” Schooley said.
He said it is important for Uptown Jackson to be part of this because each city is made unique by its historic areas.
“It’s about learning your assets and what’s important and capitalizing on those to make you distinct,” Schooley said.
To him, the point is to make uptown Jackson a destination with attractions at all hours of the day and night.
“Our citizens and people from outside our city can make a destination of coming to uptown Jackson for retail possibilities, restaurants possibilities, services possibilities,” said Schooley. “The whole idea is to get people to come uptown and to make them enjoy it so much that they stay uptown.”
Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization is now an affiliated members of Missouri Main Street Connection and for the next two years, the organization will come to Jackson to conduct meetings and help them with volunteership and other organizational issues.
“They help us gain guidance, focus, and support,” Schooley said.