Tree Urban Design Studio

08/18/2026

For generations, the Downtown Jackson YMCA served as a center for recreation, wellness, and community life in Mississippi’s capital city.

Originally constructed in the 1980s as a modern fitness facility, the building later fell into vacancy and decline, becoming a target for vandalism, illegal dumping, and other forms of neglect.

In 2022, Tree Urban Design preserved the property to prevent its demolition and began exploring a vision for its future. The site was secured and cleaned, and an adaptive reuse strategy was developed to demonstrate how the existing structure could be transformed into a new destination for Downtown Jackson.

Rather than replacing the building, the proposal embraces its existing concrete and steel framework while introducing new natural light, flexible interior spaces, and contemporary uses. The vision includes workspace, recreation, residential units, entertainment, and other creative programming that can once again make the property an active part of downtown life.

Adaptive reuse is both an environmental and economic investment. Preserving existing buildings reduces construction waste, retains embodied materials, and protects the history embedded within a place while creating opportunities for new activity and private investment.

Today, PraCon Global Development is advancing the project toward implementation, building upon the original adaptive reuse vision of The Conservatory. The redevelopment represents an important step toward returning one of Downtown Jackson’s most recognizable landmarks to productive use while contributing to the continued revitalization of the city.

08/17/2026

08/11/2026

Join us for the Museum Trail Community Tree Planting Day on Monday, August 17, at 10:00am as we plant trees and native landscaping along the new Capitol Green Connector in Downtown Jackson.

Volunteers are invited to help bring the new trail corridor to life while creating shade, reducing urban heat, improving stormwater management, and restoring habitat. Tools, gloves, and water will be provided.

Currently under construction, the Capitol Green Connector will create a new pedestrian connection between the Two Mississippi Museums, Old Capitol Museum, GM&O Depot, Hal & Mal’s and Martin’s, Entergy Mississippi offices, and other destinations throughout Downtown.

This project is made possible with support from Entergy Mississippi’s Environmental Initiative Fund, the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund, the Capitol Complex Improvement District, the Jackson Heart Foundation, and the Community Foundation for Mississippi.

Museum Trail Community Tree Planting Day
Monday, August 17, 2026, at 10:00am
Entergy Mississippi, 720 E. South Street

Parking is available on Court Street or along Commerce Street in front of the Entergy building.

07/31/2026

For the past few months, our team has been working with Stone County to strategically plan, define, organize, and enhance the county’s network of community gathering spaces while identifying where future public and private investment can have the greatest impact.

This week, we returned to Stone County to present the draft Gathering Space Action Plan and continue conversations with residents, local leaders, businesses, nonprofits, and municipal partners.

Thanks to all of the public and private partners investing their time, ideas, and leadership to help build a stronger future for Stone County, Missouri.

06/25/2026

As the Pearl River continues to experience periodic flood events, the future site of Riverfront Park stands out as a reminder of the opportunity to create a landscape that works with the river rather than against it.

At the edge of Downtown Jackson, Riverfront Park is envisioned as a 30-acre public greenspace set on a bluff overlooking the Pearl River. The park would provide direct access to the river through expansive open lawns, overlooks, historic landmarks, and a walking trail loop connecting visitors to both the waterfront and the city.

Adjacent to the greenspace, the Spring Lake wetlands present an opportunity for elevated boardwalks, wildlife viewing, kayak access, habitat restoration, and a deeper connection to the river’s natural systems while supporting modern approaches to flood resilience.

TREE imagines Riverfront Park as a place that reconnects the city and the river while working for both people and nature. By integrating public space with ecological restoration and thoughtful flood management, the park represents an opportunity to expand public access, strengthen habitat, and celebrate one of Jackson’s greatest natural assets.

Follow along as we continue exploring the future of Riverfront Park and advocating for public access to the Pearl River.

06/21/2026

We were so glad to have Travis Crabtree, with TREE Urban Design, come and speak to our group at Adams Street Park about the exciting developments with the Pearl River Revitalization Project and what it will mean to the neighborhood and surrounding area.

06/17/2026

Today we joined The Garden Club of Jackson and LeFleur East Foundation for a Wildflower Garden Planting Ceremony at Parham Bridges Park, celebrating another round of improvements and investment.

The new perimeter garden enhances one of Jackson’s most heavily used parks with more than 1,000 native plants, including purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, white yarrow, swamp milkweed, and muhly grass. Located along the Old Canton Road and Ridgewood Road edges, the planting creates new pollinator habitat while adding seasonal beauty and strengthening the park’s connection to Mississippi’s native landscape.

We’re grateful to the partners, volunteers, and supporters who continue helping move this vision forward and invest in the future of Jackson’s parks and public spaces.

06/10/2026

Something good is taking root at Parham Bridges.

On Wednesday, June 17th, we’re planting a wildflower garden with community members, volunteers, and project partners as part of our ongoing redevelopment of the park and continued investment in native landscapes and pollinator habitat.

A big thank you to the Garden Club of Jackson for making this happen alongside us.

Join us from 1:30-3:00PM at the north parking lot, 5055 Old Canton Road.

05/22/2026

This week, we joined The Redeemer’s School alongside Redeemer Community Development, Redeemer Church, students and families, elected officials, donors, project partners, and community stakeholders to officially break ground at the former Chastain Middle School campus in the Broadmoor neighborhood of Jackson, Mississippi.

The event marked a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of the property through phased reinvestment, collaborative planning, and public engagement efforts that began earlier this year.

The project aims to adaptively reuse the vacant 22-acre public school campus into a new destination for learning, creative arts, recreation, and community reinvestment. The campus will become home to The Redeemer’s School alongside an arts and community hub featuring an auditorium, creative classrooms, library space, and other opportunities for entrepreneurship and workforce training.

The exterior of the site is envisioned as a public park and community landscape with a large trail system, play spaces, outdoor gathering plazas, event lawns, and native Jackson prairie gardens.

Long time residents, business owners, local leaders, and students were invited into the project’s onsite Strategy Studio to review concepts and help shape the vision through ongoing community input and strategic planning efforts led by Redeemer Community Development, M|B|P Make Big Plans, and TREE Urban Design Studio.

TREE is grateful to Redeemer Community Development for dreaming big and investing in the future of Broadmoor.