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King Edward Hotel: Landmark to get a facelift

For about 40 years, the landmark King Edward Hotel has remained empty, an urban ruin in the middle of Jackson, Mississippi. The hotel was once home to gorgeous marble and limestone lobbies, stained glass windows, a bar, ballroom, lounge and barber shop. Today, it still has hints of its former glory, like a massive front desk and a glass domed roof, but is otherwise gutted.

Finally, the King Edward will be renovated, as part of a larger program to revitalize Jackson's Farish Street Historic District. The project will take an estimated $30-$35 million, but HRI Inc. -- the New Orleans-based development group behind the winning proposal -- is up to the challenge.

HRI, which includes New Orleans Saints All-Pro running back Deuce McAllister, is a winner of the National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. On that occasion, Richard Moe, president of the National Trust, said, "HRI showed that preservation can be economically feasible and socially desirable. HRI turns eyesores into community showpieces. Such projects are a model for preservation in other cities."

Considering that until now, the King Edward's most recent claim to fame was as a stop on the Civil Rights Movement Driving Tour for its role in the white power structure during the Civil Rights Movement (ouch), it looks like it's about time Jackson called up HRI.