Excitement growing over Vision Neshoba

Over the past year, community leaders have been hard at work on Vision Neshoba, the ambitious generational master plan designed to shape the future of Philadelphia, Choctaw, and Neshoba County. 

This initiative, led by the Community Development Partnership in collaboration with Orion Planning & Design (OPD), aims to develop strategies for economic growth, infrastructure, and quality of life improvements.

The plan officially launched in September 2023 with a community-wide unveiling. It emphasizes that Vision Neshoba is more than just a downtown project—it’s a roadmap for the entire county, including the Choctaw Indian Reservation. 

“This is about the future generations of Philadelphia, Choctaw, and Neshoba County,” said Annette Watkins, Vision Neshoba co-chair. 

Vision Neshoba’s goal is to establish a legacy through thoughtful planning that addresses housing, economic vitality, transportation, and cultural spaces.

From the start, Vision Neshoba has prioritized community input, organizing public gatherings, workshops, and surveys to ensure residents have a voice in shaping the master plan. During a kickoff session in October 2023, residents highlighted community values, including family, faith, and the town’s unique character. 

Local leaders and residents stressed the need for jobs, dining options, youth engagement, educational opportunities to encourage young people to stay in the area, and much more. 

According to OPD’s findings, the community’s population includes a high percentage of youth under 17, highlighting the importance of focusing on future employment and educational resources. Suggestions included creating shadowing and summer job programs for teenagers to help retain young talent in Neshoba County.

The Vision Neshoba master plan, officially revealed to the community in August, covers specific areas of development, each designed to enrich the community’s infrastructure and economy. 

Key focus areas include the Downtown Core, with proposals like Hotel Philadelphia, a Legacy Plaza, and an Artisan Market. Mobility improvements aim to create a Park Loop and Pearl River Trail, improve freight routes, and increase pedestrian-friendly streetscapes.

Additional development plans address building a Trillium Village neighborhood, adding infill housing, and growing the Industrial Park. Economic strategies involve establishing a Vision Neshoba Fund leveraging food and beverage revenue, while the Development Policy emphasizes zoning, environmental preservation, and workforce training.

“This plan is crafted with human hands and will require commitment to bring it to life,” OPD’s Bob Barber said, emphasizing that while some strategies may be challenging, the vision is to see sustainable results over time.

Vision Neshoba represents a collective commitment to make Philadelphia, Choctaw, and Neshoba County an even better place to live, work, and grow for generations to come, proponents have said.

Elizabeth Frohse, Vision Neshoba co-chair, said that the crucial next step is for community leaders to identify “low-hanging fruit” within the plan and prioritize these projects moving forward.

Frohse envisions improvements to city entryways and updated road signage as likely early projects, along with other smaller-scale initiatives, before addressing larger goals.

“We need an ongoing Vision Neshoba team or committee,” Frohse said. “Someone has to take charge. I see the building official, Jay Eakes, playing a significant role in this.”

Frohse noted the need for a dedicated grant writer, as many of the plan’s projects will require grant funding. She also added that the Vision Neshoba resolution endorsement will soon be presented to city aldermen, county supervisors, and Tribal leadership for formal acknowledgment.

Frohse said OPD would continue to stay connected with the community, providing updates and suggestions as implementation progresses.

“I’m excited about it,” she said. “It’s what we needed, giving us direction and a checklist of steps to tackle next. It’s an ongoing process, and we can’t let it die.”

For more information, visit visionneshoba.com.