Nine junior architecture and design students from Mississippi State University spent two days in Greenwood studying the downtown and waterfront areas.
The class, a junior architect studio lead by Sadik Artunc, professor of landscape architecture, worked on the project of revitalizing downtown Greenwood.
The studio was hosted by Brantley Snipes, executive director of Main Street Greenwood.
Abbey Wallace, 21, said that Greenwood has exceptionally high-quality downtown infrastructure waiting to be put to good use.
“All the retail and restaurants exist within Greenwood, but being able to centralize it downtown will encourage more businesses to come in once they see it developing,” she said.
Although many Greenwood residents may think of downtown as entirely separate from the park space and arboretum on the north bank of the Yazoo River, the studio concluded that linking the two areas would strengthen downtown.
Currently, the trip between those two sections of town is a difficult one for pedestrians.
Wallace said Keesler Bridge, while not uncomfortable for pedestrians, “just goes right over the park, which makes it hard to access.” One of the solutions she pitched was a pedestrian-only bridge.
Davartay Miller, 21, said the central problem of town revitalization is getting people within “striking distance” of downtown and keeping them there.
A popular fix among the students is the conversion of vacant upper stories of many downtown buildings into residential spaces.
Justin Gandy, 22, said that if residential use of downtown real estate is to be viable, there should be a small grocery store within easy walking distance. Miller concurred, saying that he thinks people will be willing to pay more for real estate only if they feel certain amenities are readily available.
The studio questioned the necessity of a town of Greenwood’s size having multiple two-lane one-way streets. Howard Street “needs to be a two-way street,” said Wallace.
Miller said there were other options to consider. “My preference is for slimming (the roadway) down,” he said, adding that that would increase pedestrian space on either side of the road and allow restaurants and cafes to offer outdoor seating.
If downtown Greenwood is going to thrive, the studio concluded, the space needs to belong to residents of all income levels, an area in which it falls short.
While in Greenwood, the studio interviewed residents and business owners and met with Mayor Carolyn McAdams.
Artunc, who has taught architecture and design since 1975, said design solutions can do only so much for downtown Greenwood. In his estimation, the town should focus on attracting two chief demographics for growth — professionals under the age of 35 and retirees — which means creating jobs that put the skills developed in universities to work.
Over the next few weeks, student in the studio will develop their own design proposals for downtown Greenwood, which they will present and be graded on in early December.
•Contact Nick Rogers at 581-7235 or nrogers@gwcommonwealth.com.
