U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith has relocated her Jackson office to the suburb of Ridgeland, Mississippi.
The senator’s office cited constituent convenience, but the former building’s owner claimed the move was due to safety concerns over protests.
The move has drawn criticism from the Mississippi Democratic Party over the use of taxpayer funds for the more expensive suburban office space.
Local leaders and developers expressed disappointment, emphasizing their commitment to revitalizing and securing Downtown Jackson.
While U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., said in a statement last week that the relocation of her Jackson office to Madison County was “a move intended to better serve constituents in central Mississippi,” there is an indication that senator’s staff felt unsafe in Downtown Jackson.
Hyde-Smith’s offices had been in the Pinnacle Building in Downtown Jackson for many years. The new office is located in the Butler Snow Building in Ridgeland.
“We listened to feedback from constituents and moved to a location that provides greater convenience for those who come to us for assistance,” Hyde-Smith said in a statement. “I look forward to my team continuing to serve our constituents in the metro area from our newly renovated Ridgeland office in the Renaissance at Colony Park.”
However, Kumar Bhavanasi, a New Jersey developer who owns 35 shopping developments throughout the nation, as well as several properties in Downtown Jackson including the Pinnacle, told the Clarion Ledger through text message that Hyde-Smith left because of protests in Downtown Jackson.
In total, Bhavanasi has purchased nearly 1 million square feet of property in Downtown Jackson, which includes 192,000 square feet in the Pinnacle, another 30,000 at the Deposit Guaranty Building as well as the 1,735-space parking garage with first-floor commercial space connected to the Pinnacle building. He also owns Regions Plaza, the tallest building in Mississippi, which has 346,159 square feet and is located within the Capitol Complex Improvement District.
“There were protests every other day and sometimes violent,” Bhavanasi said via text. “I think her staff was very concerned and worried.”
There have been some protests near the state capital several blocks away from the Pinnacle, and there have been protests at the Pinnacle directed at Hyde-Smith, but they have been few and not a daily or weekly occurrence. In addition, there have not been any security issues surrounding the protests.
The move comes as President Donald J. Trump’s announced intentions to send National Guard troops to Memphis within three hours of Jackson as part of his crime crackdown — days after the White House branded Mississippi’s capital city a Democratic failure.
Gov. Tate Reeves recently defended why he sent Mississippi Guard troops to Washington, D.C., but not to Jackson.
Making Pinnacle and Downtown Jackson safer
Bhavanasi has made a concerted effort over the last year, since he bought the Pinnacle property to upgrade the security in and around the building. He has added security personnel in the parking garage as well as an upgraded camera system with facial recognition.
Liz Brister, executive director of Downtown Jackson Partners, said she wishes Hyde-Smith had made a different decision.
“We’re disappointed in the Senator’s decision and realize we do have challenges downtown,” Brister said. “However, we’re very optimistic about meeting these challenges as we have new city leadership, support from our governor and other state leaders and new ownership and investment in several key office buildings. In addition, with the upcoming National Folk Festival in November, Barktoberfest at the Mississippi Museum of Art’s Art Garden this Saturday and a slew of exciting, new downtown events, we are building momentum for downtown Jackson, Mississippi’s downtown, and people are responding as we work hard to create a safe, inviting, fun environment for everyone who lives, works and plays in Downtown Jackson.”
The Mississippi Democratic Party released a statement in regard to the move of Hyde-Smith.
“That decision isn’t free,” the Mississippi Democratic Party statement reads. “Taxpayers will cover the new lease, office renovations, moving costs, signage, and more. It’s public money (your money) funding her retreat from direct contact with the very people she was elected to represent. This isn’t just happening here. Across the country, we’ve seen a trend of public offices leaving capital cities for suburbs. Leaders say it’s about convenience or modernization. But too often, it leads to less transparency, fewer face-to-face conversations, and rising hidden costs.”
When contacted by the Clarion Ledger, Hyde-Smith’s office said it would offer no further comment on the move out of Jackson and into Ridgeland.
Importance of Downtown Jackson to Mississippi
In a recent story in the Clarion Ledger, Reeves talked about the importance of a successful Downtown Jackson for the rest of the state.
“I would submit to you that our successes in our suburbs are limited by how much success we can have in the city,” Reeves said. “I readily admit that other people may disagree with that, and that’s their prerogative, but I think they are wrong. You do not see pluses in the suburbs by necessarily seeing minuses in the city. You want to see pluses in the city and pluses in the suburbs, which leads to more economic growth for the state. And that has always been my mission.”
Bhavanasi has previously said that the governor has been a positive force to work with as part of a larger goal of downtown revitalization.
“When I was able to talk with (Reeves), he was such an advocate for the downtown,” Bhavanasi previously said. “He said that he would always be available to answer any questions or help in any way. He has a plan for safety downtown. He wants to see everyone succeed. He believes in downtown.”
More expensive in the suburbs
While exact numbers were not made available for what Hyde-Smith will be paying for her space in Ridgeland vs. what she was paying in Jackson, generally space in the Butler Snow Building is more expensive than that of office space in Downtown Jackson. Per multiple commercial real estate agents in the Jackson area, office space in the Butler Snow building is being offered for around $36 per square foot, while space in the Pinnacle is currently being offered for around $23 per square foot.
Bhavanasi said he was not aware of how much Hyde-Smith would be paying in Ridgeland and would not say how much she had been paying at the Pinnacle.
However, Bhavanasi has often talked about the Pinnacle being the most attractive office space in Mississippi.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Bhavanasi has said. “It compares to the nicest office buildings that New York City has to offer, and that is not an exaggeration. You only see such buildings in Manhattan. When I first saw it, I fell in love. It is turnkey and can be brought back to what it was instantly. It just needs people in it.”
Hyde-Smith also maintains offices in Gulfport, Oxford, Brookhaven, and Southaven.
Charlie Drape is the Jackson beat reporter. Contact him at cdrape@gannett.com.