Greenwood / leflore county

Like much of the Delta, still experiencing
a slowdown, but planning wisely for its future

City making most of numerous opportunities

BY MARK BIRD
DBJ Contributing Writer

A good perspective on the state of the city of Greenwood comes from one of those interviewed for this story, Alex Malouf of the John Richard Collection. Says Malouf, “It’s always a little surprising how steady the Greenwood economy is. We don’t see major upswings, but also no major downturns when things slow down. Even with all the job losses we’ve seen here, Greenwood still doesn’t seem to be hurting like many communities.

“The city has a good location, a very aggressive industrial development team, a strong Chamber of Commerce, and a revitalized downtown,” Malouf says.

Indeed, these are some of Greenwood’s major strengths. Add to that an increasing awareness of the value of its history and culture as a draw for tourists, and the continued success and expansion of local businesses which have made themselves known far beyond the Delta–and you get a picture of a Delta town that is riding out a rough time but planning intelligently for a better future.

“Obviously, our city has taken some of the same blows, and has the same problems, that others have,” says Greenwood Mayor Harry Smith. “But we are working through the problems, and there are many positive things going on. Among these are a number of major construction projects, both public and private, with more in the planning stages.”

Among these projects are the complete renovation of the historic Keesler Bridge, scheduled for completion later this year, and the planned April opening of a new police facility. Improvements to Martin Luther King Drive, one of the city’s major thoroughfares, are also nearing completion.
“Downtown renewal continues as the completion of the Alluvian Hotel nears,” Smith adds. “A number of new retail shops have opened, and more are on the way. Our rail relocation project is underway, and our new major connector street in northwest Greenwood is fully funded; right-of-way is now being acquired.”
Citing increased sales tax in every month of the current fiscal year, as well as some successes in attracting new businesses and helping established businesses grow, Smith states, “We believe our economy is beginning to grow again.”

“We all hope that Greenwood can attract new businesses and experience a turnaround,” comments Wayne Smith with Trustmark Bank. “We’ve lost some 2,200 jobs in the last year or so, and some 6,000 jobs over the past several years. On the positive side, our Chamber of Commerce is very active in efforts to replace those jobs.

“As for Trustmark, we’re hoping for a 5% overall increase in deposits and loans this year. Things look a little flat right now, but that is normal for this time of year. With the economic and Middle East uncertainties, it seems a lot of people are taking their money and ‘sitting on the sidelines’ instead of investing in the stock market, they’re putting their money into more liquid assets which are more readily available.”
Greenwood is a very competitive banking market, Smith points out. To keep up with competition, he says Trustmark’s primary goal is to offer a very high level of customer service. “Even though we’re a large bank, we still believe in the importance of relationship banking,” he says.

The wet weather of recent months has had an impact on the construction market, reports builder Kenneth Thompson. “There is work out there, and we’ve got a backlog,” he comments. “But the wet weather has really slowed us up, and this year has started out wet, too.”

Thompson’s current projects include a new addition at Milwaukee Tools, as well as the Staplcotn project and other renovations in downtown Greenwood. The firm is also working on the new welcome center in Coahoma County, a National Guard armory in Batesville, and a junior high school in Yazoo City.
Even with these jobs in progress, Thompson says he has to characterize 2003 as a “surviving” year. “We really need to be blessed with some good weather,” he says.

While Mike Upchurch of Upchurch Plumbing also speaks of a general slowdown and a scarcity of upcoming projects in the Delta, the firm has been quite busy with a number of recently-completed or nearly-completed area jobs. These include the new administration building at Delta State University, the Alluvian Hotel, the Milwaukee Tools addition, and an expansion at Greenwood’s Indywood assisted living facility, among others. Work is also underway at the MDOT Welcome Center in Coahoma County and renovations at Greenville’s First Baptist Church.

“There doesn’t appear to be any new private work coming in,” he comments, “and with so many empty buildings, businesses that do come in don’t need to utilize firms like ours for those existing buildings. We’re having to go outside the Delta region of the state to find new work.”
ITC Deltacom, with operations in ten states, provides commercial telecommunications services to Greenwood businesses. Allen Wood, Jr. reports that while business is good, it is more difficult in light of the economic downturn.

“There are some exciting offerings on the network side,” he adds, “particularly in the area of IP/VPN, which stands for Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks. IP-based systems are particularly good for businesses with multiple locations or with a lot of people who travel. People on the road can connect to the network not only for data, but now for voice as well.”

While very sophisticated technology is available in the Delta now, Wood says that there needs to be an increase in the kinds of businesses which have the need for emerging technologies before the area catches up with other parts of the country.
As the country’s population ages, there is a growing need for the care of older Americans with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. One facility serving this need in Greenwood is Garden Park Adult Day Care.
Says Director Rebecca Small, “Our facility offers care for those who are not ready for nursing homes, and we offer a wide variety of services to both participants and their families. Among these are local transportation and assistance with daily living activities. We also serve as an educational resource for the families of those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.” In addition to providing therapeutic and cognitive activities, art and music programs are offered, as well as outdoor activities and tours. A support group for caregivers begins in April, Small reports.
An important fund-raising event for Garden Park is its pottery sale, to be held this year on May 2. “All the money we raise goes to fund our activities,” says Small. “The community has been very supportive of events like this.”

Cancer patients who once had to commute to Greenville, Jackson, or even more distant cities for treatment can now receive the care they need right in Greenwood at the North Central Mississippi Regional Cancer Center. Medical director Dr. Arnold Smith reports some positive developments at the Center in recent months.
“We now have a hypothermia device, which is very helpful for pancreatic cancer treatment,” Smith says. “It utilizes radio frequency waves, and not only relieves pain, but increases the sensitivity of deep-seated tumors to radiation.

International recognition has also come to the center through the publication of an article in the prestigious British journal Medical Hypotheses. The article reviewed Center patients receiving biological treatments, and the positive effects of those treatments on cholesterol levels.

The Center has not escaped the effects of the legal crisis which has threatened the medical community in the state. Indeed, it has hit a little too close to home, as Smith tells of his own son, who has entered the medical profession but decided to practice out-of-state. “I could not in good conscience have recommended that he set up practice here, given the current environment,” Smith comments. “There has been a chilling impact on recruitment, in the Delta in particular and the state as a whole.”

The John Richard Collection has established itself as a premier designer of distinctive furniture and accessories throughout the United States and beyond. Alex Malouf reports several expansions in their product offerings.
“We have a new contract lighting business under the Alexander-John label,” he says. “It includes chandeliers, flush mount lighting, pendants, and others. We’ve opened a sales office in Houston, showrooms in Greenwood and Dallas, and are hiring some seventy sales representatives.
Also new is the European Crossroads division, offering furnishings in French, English, and transitional styles, will be distributed globally from Greenwood. Malouf cites extensive research behind the company’s expansions, stating a philosophy that an aggressive stance during a sluggish time will help John-Richard gain market share and be well positioned for better times ahead.

Viking Range is another Greenwood-based manufacturer that has made its name known throughout the world. During the past 12 months, the company has regularly introduced new additions to its line of professional and commercial-type kitchen appliances for the home. Adding in some physical expansions, the company has experienced a very active year, says Jane Crump.
“The Viking Training Center staff trained over 1,000 trainees during 2002,” she reports. “Attendees included Viking dealers and distributors. Since the center opened in 1998, the Center staff has trained 3,755 trainees.
“Because of the introduction of Viking cookware and cutlery, and the start-up of the Viking online store, the Distribution Center was recently enlarged-it is now over 41,200 square feet. Our Design Center expansion was also completed last year, bringing its size now to 4,800 square feet.”
Viking is also the driving force behind The Alluvian Hotel, scheduled to be completed later this year, and a focal point of Greenwood’s downtown revitalization efforts.
The Alluvian Hotel and Viking Range itself are mentioned as draws to the Greenwood area by Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Suzy Gordon Johnson. “Travelers are looking for different experiences, and they like to see how and where things are made,” she comments, “so Viking helps bring in a lot of people. The revitalization and renovation of downtown are very exciting, and The Alluvian will be a big attraction there.”
As she explains, much of the CVB’s efforts are focused on bringing in people from farther away, and getting them to stay overnight or longer in the area. Events such as the annual Balloonfest and Civil War reenactment draw people from Jackson, areas further south in the state, and even greater distances, she reports.

“So many cities were effected by the September 11 events, and many of them have not rebounded,” she comments. “It’s unfortunate to say, but in many ways those effects have actually helped tourism for towns such as Greenwood. People are looking for safe venues and hometown values, and there’s a renewed interest in family activities. We get a lot of family reunions here-many families are going to smaller towns for their reunions, even if they’re not originally from those towns. One thing our office is working on is a Family and Class Reunion Planning Guide.”
Another project in the works focuses on Highway 82, which transverses the state. The Greenwood CVB is working with the Tuscaloosa, Alabama CVB on the effort, which hopes to bring communities all along Highway 82 together in a combined promotion of the attractions and culture of the region.
“I’ve got the best job in Greenwood,” Suzy Gordon Johnson states, “because I get to share my hometown with the world.” DBJ