Downtown Jackson Project

The Downtown Jackson Project is dedicated to helping revitalize the city’s core by balancing vibrant nightlife, business growth, and community wellbeing. Led by research efforts supporting Liz Brister, president of Downtown Jackson Partners and Millsaps alumna, the team focuses on ordinance research to address key challenges affecting downtown’s development. These include managing late-night bar hours to reduce crime risk, defining clear entertainment districts to minimize conflicts between nightlife and residential areas, and modernizing outdated noise ordinances for more effective enforcement. Drawing lessons from comparable cities like Macon, GA, and Birmingham, AL, the project provides evidence-based insights to guide policy improvements without dictating solutions. The goal is to nurture a lively yet safe downtown that serves residents, workers, and visitors alike.

In addition to policy research, ELSEWORKS has collaborated with community leaders Jeff Speed and Kip Gibert of East Capitol Street Properties to develop strategic business proposals for vacant properties. These concepts focus on attracting small businesses—such as coffee shops, bakeries, and smoothie bars—that deliver meaningful value not only to tourists but to the everyday downtown community. Through these partnerships and research efforts, the project aims to transform Downtown Jackson into what Liz Brister calls “Mississippi’s Downtown”: a dynamic, thriving place where businesses prosper, residents feel secure, and people statewide can proudly gather. The initiative embraces a holistic vision that combines smart policy, thoughtful investment, and grassroots collaboration to shape the future of Jackson’s urban heart.