COLUMBUS, Mississippi – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Kevin Edwards

The Columbus Redevelopment Authority recently decided to seek proposals for the potential redevelopment of the Burns Bottom area from developers. The zone covers a five-block area between Third & Fourth Street and Second & Seventh Avenue North. Formal advertising will begin on Feb. 22nd, with the hopes that a selection will be made by the end of August; proposals will be accepted until April 26th.

The CRA, which has already purchased dozens of plots there (mostly ones that are vacant or dilapidated), says that they “[seek] to transform the site into a destination for residential living accompanied by dining, shopping and other amenities.” It also says the developer selected would ideally “incorporate a variety of uses to stimulate activity at the site, such as street-facing retail.

“We want to show (developers) that (the CRA has) gone through enough hoops to know that the property is viable for development,” said City Engineer Kevin Stafford, one of the authors of the RFP.

The CRA has a $3 million fund available to them for use on infrastructure projects in the area. “That’s a big incentive with cash in hand,” Stafford said. “All these other things are things we could offer you. This is something on the table that you’re going to need to use.”

A public interest meeting has been tentatively scheduled for March of this year so that residents can weigh in with their own concerns and questions; the CAC has offered to play host to the event at no cost.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/proposals-sought-for-burns-bottom-redevelopment/

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