By Justin Vicory, Mississippi Clarion Ledger 12/2/20
A local developer on Wednesday announced plans to bring a craft brewery to Jackson, the latest addition to a $20-million town center project that will span two city blocks in the Belhaven community.
The brewery will be located in the former laundry of the Baptist Medical Center a block east of the hospital.
Developers said the facility is slated to open by fall 2021.
The Fertile Ground Beer Co. will feature a taproom that serves locally-made beer and offer a large welcoming interior, outdoor area and access to other attractions in the area, said company co-founder and founder of McLaughlin, PC law firm, Matthew McLaughlin.
About 7,000 square feet of the brewery will be outdoors for those concerned about the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing,
“The brewery will have craft beer options for everyone, from the beer enthusiast to the newcomer,” McLaughlin said.
Developers have additional plans for the 19,000 square foot space — which they call The Laundry Market — including retail, restaurant, office space and an open-air market.
Lucky Town Brewing Company was the first brewery in Jackson while it was in operation. The brewery announced last year it was closing after six years in business. McLaughlin said he believes there is still a market for craft beer in the capital city.
“We wanted to build on Lucky Town and the beer culture that is already in place,” McLaughlin said. “We think Jackson really needs something like this,” said McLaughlin.
Latest addition to Belhaven Town Center
The brewery and market will be the latest addition to the Belhaven Town Center,
which covers 3.56 acres and offers close to 120,000 square feet of office, residential, retail, restaurant and entertainment space.
The area is bordered by North Street to the west, N. Jefferson Street to the east, Carlisle Street to the south and Poplar Boulevard to the north. The brewery will be located directly to the east of Poplar Boulevard.
So far, the development has spawned two restaurants, Campbell’s Craft Donuts and Elvie’s Restaurant, and a smoothie and juice bar called Spectrum Sip.
There are also plans in the works to build a courtyard for musical and theatrical events.
David Turner, the owner of David Turner Companies, is the project construction manager and general contractor. He is partnering with Reed Hogan Sr., his son Reed Hogan and Ruffin Lowry — all Belhaven residents — on the multimillion-dollar project.
“Our goal with BTC has been to incrementally develop thoughtfully designed places that will be an asset to the community for generations to come,” Turner said. “The transformation that took place in Phase I has been exciting to be a part of and I can’t wait to see how The Laundry Market with Fertile Ground will bring our vision into a reality.”
Belhaven Town Center:$20 million Belhaven Town Center development: Restaurants, courtyard and more
Brewery in the works for years
The idea for the brewery and the center has been in the works for at least the last seven years, Turner said. It is based on what’s called the urban magnet theory, an overall design that reflects the character of the neighborhood. This includes keeping the architecture historically accurate as well as providing a place for the community to gather for activities.
The development is purposely located about a block away from the more heavily trafficked North State and Fortification streets. It’s away from the hustle and bustle, but also close to the residential expanse of Greater Belhaven, which has more than 1,000 homes to draw from.
The brewery’s founders say it will offer a place to gather, socialize and bring families, while enjoying a passion for craft beer. It is the result of years of discussion, Turner said.
“Matthew and I were on the Belhaven Improvement Association board about a decade ago when I was just starting to think about BTC,” Turner said. “Matthew remembers me talking about this project and specifically that I wanted to get a brewery one day at this location.
To read the full article click here.