| Projects | Madison, Mississippi Building the Next Step Through Cooperation Background The Small Town Center was approached by the City of Madison, Mississippi with a request for the Center to study the downtown Depot District and make recommendations for improvements. It was initiated as a follow-up to a study that the Small Town Center had conducted in 1983 with Robert Craycroft as the director of the project. Starting in January of 1997, a series of meetings with the Madison Merchants Association and the representatives of the City were initiated to discuss and debate the conditions which needed immediate and long term planning. The Small Town Center developed a set of architectural and planning criteria. The establishment of these criteria are an important step in the Madison Merchant Association's plan to revitalize and further improve the visual character of the Depot District. Process Initially, Shannon Criss spent time with the Madison Merchants Association and Neal Jones, the Community Economic Development officer of Madison, helping the group to identify the issues that were detouring progress in the betterment of public space in the Depot District. Through the task of collecting information, talking to residents, researching the history of the area, walking the streets, sketching and measuring conditions in the area, critical issues were identified. The Small Town Center recorded areas of concern and began to reveal patterns and conditions that give the community its unique character as well as identify conditions that needed improvement. It is through those criteria that the merchants and city representatives could begin to clarify what needed to be accomplished. All of this information was presented at a series of workshop meetings throughout the spring and early summer of 1997. These sessions educated the merchants and the city officials of possible solutions, and most importantly, gathered individual's perceptions of the area. Results A final document was compiled that reveals the observations and real achievements that the process brought about. Specific issues that need more exploration or direct action were identified. As a result of this work the Madison Merchants Association and the City of Madison continue to meet and imagine the completion of certain directives that were identified and to imagine others that arise with changing property owners and new construction.

This project was partially funded by the Madison Merchants Association, the City of Madison and the Office of Research at Mississippi State University. The Mississippi State University students involved were Jennifer Dobson and Brian Wiginton. The director of the project was Shannon Criss.   Work with the Small Town Center began in 1983 by developing a comprehensive plan.     Courtyard Ammenities: 1. Porch for dining 2. Connecting sidewalk and handicap accessible ramp 3. Accessible sidewalks 4. Arbor 5. Pocket Space 6. Brick-pave crosswalk 7.Connection to P.J. Perks diner car 8. Public Garden