Work: Old Capitol Green: sustainable community

The design for the Old Capitol Green Master Plan, a 5 million sq ft, 13-block development, included the production of Architectural, Urban and Landscape Design Guidelines integrated with sustainable and infrastructure strategies. The Guidelines and new zoning for the development were adopted and ratified by the City of Jackson in 2009.  

The development was a pilot project of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System and aimed to set new standards for controlled growth and high density mixed-used development. In tandem with the developer we worked directly with an exclusive group of international building industry manufacturers (Johnson Controls, Kohler, USG, Philips, Kone, Milliken, Eaton, Watertronics, Haworth, Forbo, among others) to inform the production line of their markets to act more sustainably and ultimately make their products more customizable – in a systematic way. Old Capitol Green is a case study for a truely "green" sustainable community development. 

The masterplan significantly altered the street layout and included the creation of a “GreenBlock” infrastructure system that worked to integrate downtown pocket park space built-in to the street network, providing a quality of life for downtown residents. New roads and necessary infrastructure supporting the entire development necessitated a good, and continuous, working relationship and partnership with the City of Jackson, the State of Mississippi, as well as Entergy a landowner and power company of the Jackson, Mississippi area. 

The “1822 Square” was the first of thirteen blocks to undergo public-private funding, land acquisition, and Construction Documentation. This first phase of development includes: a 800 stall robotic parking garage, 1.4 acre public plaza, 180 unit residential building, 220,000SF Office tower, 20,000 SF of ground floor commercial space, and infrastructure improvements. 

The plan motto “Cherishing the Past, Embracing the Future” reflects the team’s desire to marry the historic traditions of Jackson with a vision for the Old Capitol Green as a new, competitive, and sustainable development within the regional (and global) economy. It is a unique opportunity to address the ills of uncontrolled development of the past and transform a significant portion of Jackson into a vibrant urban neighborhood. The project utilized on-site renewable energy sources (photovoltaics, solar domestic hot water, etc.) with an emphasis on visibility & public education.