Community Renewal in Columbus, Mississippi

We successfully concluded our fifth site visit as part of our Building Strong Communities technical assistance program Being back in my home state of Mississippi is always a joy. I can always count on a warm welcome and good food. My visit to Columbus, Mississippi was no different. Pastor Darren Leach of the Memphis Town Community Action Group (MTCAG) was an incredible host, ready to get to work the moment I arrived.

After a Thursday morning meeting to chart our path for the next two days, we headed to the former site of the Kerr-McGee factory in the heart of the Memphis Town neighborhood. The 90-acre site, which contains contaminated groundwater, sediment, and soil from factory operations, is currently being remediated. Although the factory ceased operations in 2003, contaminants were found in the surrounding neighborhood’s soil before it closed. While some portions of the site have been cleaned up, the community continues to feel the physical and emotional effects of the contamination. In spite of this, Pastor Leach and MTCAG believe the site can be a source of economic revitalization for the community and has been working diligently to bring attention and resources to the effort.

Following our site visit — and an amazing lunch at Helen’s Kitchen (a beloved family restaurant owned by Mississippi House Representative Kabir Kareem) — we met with key stakeholders to begin crafting an equitable development plan for Memphis Town. Our goal was to explore strategies and resources that would position residents for success as the Kerr-McGee site continues to evolve. The Bridge Park’s approach of investing deeply in the community in advance of the park opening resonated strongly with participants as a promising model for Columbus. As in many of the other cities we’ve assisted in building their own anti-displacement strategies, housing emerged as a top priority. The group discussed the city’s high percentage of renters and identified several existing programs that could help residents move toward homeownership.

Additionally, there was strong interest in leveraging arts and culture strategies as Columbus hosts a number of historic establishments along the Mississippi Blues Trail. On 7th Avenue North, where Helen’s Kitchen stands, Black-owned businesses once thrived, and the group brainstormed ideas to restore the corridor to its former vibrancy. Other key themes included workforce development, health and wellness, and small business support. The meeting concluded with participants feeling energized, inspired, and already making plans for next steps.

The following day focused on strategizing those next steps and connecting with other local leaders, including representatives from the housing authority and United Way.

To close out the trip, I joined Pastor Leach, former mayor Keith Gaskin, and local middle school teacher Chuck Yarborough for a recording of their local podcast. The three have been gathering to explore current issues in Columbus, including the Kerr-McGee site. We recorded at Catfish Alley Studio, named after the city’s historic Black business district, which provided the perfect setting to reflect on our visit and share more about the 11th Street Bridge Park.

As the last stop on our journey this year, Columbus shows us how cities across the country – no matter how different – face very similar issues around equitable development and community resiliency. Thanks to the generous support of the Kresge Foundation, the Bridge Park has been able to share our seven-step process nationwide, helping other communities ensure that residents can truly thrive in place. Though this was our last site visit in 2025, our work with the five cities in the program continues and we’ll be sharing updates on their progress soon. Stay tuned. More exciting things are on the way!