The future of Jackson’s flagship library was up in the air last week, after city officials announced they were willing to sell it and county leaders announced they wanted it.
Recently, the Hinds County board of supervisors sent a letter to the city saying they’d like to take the Eudora Welty Library if the city wanted to get rid of it.
The branch has been plagued with structural issues for years, culminating in its temporary closure last year by the Mississippi state fire marshal.
Jackson city leaders say they’re willing to sell the building to the county but want to make sure any deal that’s made will help finance the construction of a new “21st Century” library.
“Our main objective is to deliver a downtown library that is consistent with 21st Century libraries,” said Chief Administrative Officer Robert Blaine.
The city hopes that proceeds from the building’s sale will go toward the construction of that new library.
On June 20, board president Mike Morgan sent a letter to the mayor and city council asking for first right of refusal on the facility. “If the city of Jackson has interest in disposing of the building, the county has interest in acquiring the building,” he wrote on behalf of the board.
The facility, which is located at 300 N. State St., is home to the county’s Emergency Operations Center, as well as the backup facility for Jackson’s emergency dispatch, the letter reads.
“The cost of relocating E-911 alone would significantly exceed any tax revenue generated by returning the building to the private sector,” Morgan wrote.
District One Supervisor Robert Graham also worried what impact selling the facility would have on the EOC. “If the city decides to sell, we don’t know how long it will take to find another building,” he said.
Among challenges, the EOC needs to be in a facility that is near stormproof, so it can continue operating in the event of natural disasters, county officials previously told the Sun.
Blaine said the city has already reached out to the county to discuss EOC issues.
Welty is owned by the city, while the library itself is managed by the Jackson-Hinds Library System.
Blaine said some individuals have shown interest in purchasing the building, but no formal offers have been made.
He said the city was in the beginning phases to determine if the building could be sold.
“We are bringing in someone to evaluate the structure to make sure that our assessment that it has reached (the end) of its useful life is accurate,” he said.
Under state law, governments cannot discard the property unless it has reached the end of its useful life.
Further, before the building could be sold, the city would issue a request for proposals from potential buyers to determine the best use for the site.
Welty has been located at its current location since 1986. The building was originally home to a Sear’s store and was retrofitted to house the library.
Last year, leaks and black mold forced the closure of the building’s administrative offices. And in October, the state fire marshal temporarily shuttered the facility due to numerous safety violations.
Today, patrons only have access to the first floor and neither elevator is in use.
See more library coverage at northsidesun.com.
