BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) -- Sandy Glenn is often seen in downtown walking her son's dog.
He lives in a building which has been converted into an apartment complex.
"Everything here has so much character. Booneville has so much to offer. I would love to see it happen," said Glenn.
She is referring to an ambitious plan to revitalize downtown Booneville.
Many Booneville natives remember the old days when buildings were full and downtown was the draw.
"I can remember my father telling me about coming downtown and it being so popular. So many people were downtown just bumping elbows. So, we'd like to get back to some of that," said Booneville and Prentiss County Main Street Association Board Member Junior Burns.
He is among the residents working on a revitalization plan.
"I want the downtown area to be where you can walk around and also have several more retail. I would love to get a lot more retail in Booneville and fill up some of our empty buildings," said Booneville and Prentiss County Main Street Association Manager Trudy Featherston.
"Downtown is a wonderful place to be. People enjoy downtown. Everybody takes care of everybody, so it's a wonderful place for everybody to come. It needs to be built up," said florist Sandra Church.
Committee members want to pursue an assessment to determine what they have to offer and how to make the most of the properties.
Financial incentives may be offered to encourage investment, according to committee members.
New sidewalks, lighting, benches and trash receptacles will materialize through the plan.
Booneville native, Dr. Larry Downs, revamped an older home years ago for his dental practice.
"You lose part of what Booneville is when you lose downtown. Everything is on Highway 45 now and it would be a great asset to the Booneville area to revitalize it," Dr. Downs said.
Planners hope to gain support from the public, encourage investment in sidewalks, and display the names of donors on bricks.
