11 Most Endangered Historic Places
Farish Street Historic District
Year Listed: 1995
Location: Jackson, Mississippi
Current Status: Favorable
Threat: Neglect
Significance
During the century between the end of the Civil War and the end of segregation, the Farish Street neighborhood was a thriving middle-class African American community whose self-sufficiency was a response to the segregated and often hostile society outside. But like many other inner-city areas, Farish Street suffers from the effects of years of neglect. Many revitalization plans have been formulated, but few have proven successful. More than 200 buildings have been demolished in little more than a decade, but the 700 that remain represent a rich heritage worthy of research, preservation, interpretation and active use. Without comprehensive planning and reinvestment, continued decline will still the heartbeat of this once-vibrant monument to the indomitable spirit of African American citizens.
Updates
2010: Within the Farish Street Historic District, 39 shotgun houses have been rehabilitated for low-income housing, twinning the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives and the Investment Tax Credit for Low Income Housing. The district’s Scott Ford House received a Save America’s Treasures Grant in the amount of $50,000. A Memphis, Tennessee developer – Performa – has been contacted to develop a two-block portion of the Farish Street neighborhood as an entertainment district. Most recently, infrastructure repairs (water and sewer lines and roadway and sidewalk installation) have been completed in the 2-block area comprising the Entertainment District. In the time since completion of infrastructure repair, multiple businesses have committed to locating in the area.
2009: A state-funded low interest loan program attracted a developer to the Farish Street Historic District who began rehabilitating a mixture of Farish Street's commercial and residential properties. Work proceeded slowly, and then was halted as funds dwindled. A new developer has been drawn to the project, and over the last several years has focused on redeveloping Farish Street's 5-block commercial core as an "Entertainment District." Work there is nearing completion, with this portion of Farish Street planned for opening in the fall of 2009. Work occurs more slowly in the residential area, with developers considering changing the existing single-family zoning designation to a classification which would permit low density development. This historic district continues to be threatened by deferred maintenance and abandoned buildings.
