While some areas around Brookhaven are in need of a few coats ofpaint and a new layer of asphalt, the overall aesthetic conditionof the city is attractive and inviting to visitors, according to anongoing study being conducted by the Mississippi State UniversityCommunity Action Team’s “First Impressions” study.

Team project manager Julie Jordan outlined the high and lowpoints from the center of downtown out to the city limits Thursdaymorning during the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of CommerceQuarterly Membership Breakfast at Western Sizzlin.

“As visitors, we see things you don’t see anymore,” she said.”We’re here to try to show you some of those things and help youimprove your city.”

Jordan’s biggest advice to city leaders is to continue the workbeing done to revitalize downtown and apply the same efforts allover.

“I think you guys get it,” she said. “You just need to keepgoing – it’s not necessarily that you need to change a lot, justkeep moving forward.”

Trees need to be utilized in several parts of Brookhaven, Jordansaid. She recommended city leaders develop new ordinances – “smartcodes” – that contain beautification stipulations that wouldrequire parking lots, sidewalks and building facades to meetaesthetic standards.

“When redevelopment takes place, you take the traditionaldevelopment of downtown and move it out as best you can,” she said.”That’s something that can be done right now, and it doesn’t costanything.”

Jordan also recommended looking into ways to hide future powerand cable lines downtown, if not the ones already in place. Themany lines crisscrossing downtown are one of the area’s fewdetractors, she said.

The downtown area can be improved by doing other the littlethings, Jordan said. Older buildings need to be painted – somedesperately, she said – while older trash receptacles should bereplaced.

“A little painting goes a long way,” she said.

One of the downtown areas in need of a face-lift is the businessstrip on First Street across from the Lincoln County-BrookhavenGovernment Complex.

“It needs some updating – it just needs something,” shesaid.

Jordan said the area could look just as good Cherokee Streetwith a little work, such as new awnings, fresh paint andbeautification of the courthouse’s northern and western parkinglots. The old Keys Motors dealership building, if revitalized,would make a “great corner lot,” she said.

Jordan also attempted to spur property owners into action.

“Merchants can go a long way in improving their streets if theyput some flower pots and park benches out there,” she said. “Thecity doesn’t have to do everything.”

Jordan said some of Brookhaven’s best qualities outside ofdowntown are the “welcoming” nature of its thoroughfares. She saidBrookway Boulevard is designed to accommodate modern businessdemands while preserving the city’s country feel, withestablishments placed back off the roadway and lines of treespreserving the peace.

“Brookway Boulevard is probably one of the most attractiveentrances to a town we’ve seen,” Jordan said. “Those trees create abuffer, and it’s really important to maintain a feeling of warmthas you enter the community. Keep those trees – keep ’em, keep ’em,keep ’em.”

Jordan recommended planting more trees and doing other smallthings to beautify Brookhaven’s other entrances, particularly theintersection of Highway 84 and Monticello Street east of town.

On a larger scale, Jordan said Brookhaven’s health carecommunity is in good shape, but the pursuit of assisted livingfacilities could serve as an economic boost.

She said the city has a good variety of housing opportunities,but several residents interviewed during the study voiced concernthat the cost of housing in Brookhaven is too high.

Jordan said the two areas that need the most work are the oldindustrial sector just north of downtown and the community aroundAlexander Junior High School.

“AJHS is a rundown neighborhood,” she said. “Out of all the areaschools, it’s in the worst location. Curb-side appeal matters withschools as much as it does with businesses.”

The best thing for city leaders to do, Jordan said, is todevelop a long-term plan to reduce urban sprawl and set thestandard for beautification.

“You have to decide what Brookhaven will look like right now,”she said. “It’s not about changing, it’s about developing a plan ofwhat you want it to look like 50 years from now. And it will take50 years to get there, because it took you 150 years to get whereyou are now.”

Brookhaven Mayor Bob Massengill said it was helpful for him andother city leaders to see the city through Jordan’s and teammembers’ eyes, pointing out that many community leaders with theability to work on city improvements were present for themeeting.

“We’re going to build on our strengths and try to begin workingon the challenges,” he said. “The board and I are committed to thedevelopment of downtown, but we’re also committed to thedevelopment of the entire community.”

Massengill said many of Jordan’s points of emphasis arepriorities established by the board when the term began.