Developing a Model of Adaptive Reuse in Jackson, Mississippi

Client
Mississippi Center for Justice
Faculty
Alan Cohn
Team
Shengdi Chen, Joanna Farley, Xin Ge, Emily Riquelme
The Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) is a nonprofit, public interest law firm that collaborates with communities to promote justice in the areas of housing, health, education, economic security, and disaster recovery. MCJ engaged a Capstone team in addressing issues surrounding "blighted" properties—vacant and abandoned properties that have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhoods—in the Jackson and Mississippi Delta regions. The team conducted a literature review, case studies, and in-depth interviews with stakeholders to identify barriers and opportunities and establish a model that will mitigate the negative impact of blighted properties on communities, while simultaneously addressing the need in low- and middle-income housing areas. The team presented a set of strategies for overcoming barriers and maximizing opportunities for adaptive reuse and presented a final report containing recommendations for a structure and system that can guide MCJ’s efforts.
Capstone Year