City holding design charrette

COLUMBUS — A charrette is being be held in the City of Columbus Sept. 1-3. The Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) through a West Alabama/East Mississippi (WAEM) grant, is conducting the three-day program.

During the program, MMSA and the city of Columbus are putting their heads together to develop a conceptual framework plan for knitting together prior planning exercises with a longterm revitalization plan for the community.

According to MMSA director of design services Randy Wilson, the charrette program works in concert with the Main Street Four Point Approach. Wilson likens the Main Street approach to design to a four-legged stool where each of the legs (market analysis, branding and marketing, design and planning and implementation strategies) work together to create a balanced holistic approach to community re-development.

The design team produces diagrams, plans, renderings, photo-manipulations, branding and marketing collateral and other deliverables to illustrate its recommendations.

During the charrette, a kick-off town meeting and final presentation will be made available for public input and feedback. A follow-up report poster will be provided to the community as an implementation toolkit.