State of the City address to focus on expanding progress to Jacksons corridors – MLive.com

JACKSON, MI Jackson Mayor Derek Dobies is expected to tout the city's 2019 successes and lay out plans for new task forces and committees at Wednesday night's State of the City address.

The event begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 26, in the Michigan Theatre of Jackson, 124 N. Mechanic St. Attendance is free.

Projects like the $1.9-million renovation of the King Center which is ready to begin and the construction of a $13-million apartment complex downtown will be among the 2019 highlights Dobies will mention, he said.

King Center to close through summer for $1.9M renovation

He also plans to announce new task forces, commissions and committees including a pair of "corridor improvement authorities," Dobies said. These groups are meant to inspire improvements along a pair of corridors to downtown, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and East Michigan Avenue, he said.

The success of the city is contingent on ordinary citizens also stepping up and leaning into that progress, Dobies said. Weve seen what can be done with the Bright Walls project, when people took ownership on making their city a better place.

Ken Toll, United Way of Jackson County president/CEO, is the guest speaker. Hell address his organizations initiatives to battle poverty in Jackson and how people can get involved.

Follow along with a live stream of Dobies speech on the Jackson Citizen Patriot Facebook page or for updates via the Twitter hashtag #JacksonSOTC.

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State of the City address to focus on expanding progress to Jacksons corridors - MLive.com