The city of Jackson’s plan to acquire the former Batte Furniture and Interiors building remains to be seen.
City Council member Ashby Foote of Ward 1, who believes the city should sell some of the buildings it has no use for before buying another, said he hasn’t heard anything else about the purchase. Virgi Lindsay of Ward 7 could not supply news about the purchase.
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba announced on June 22 that the city planned to buy the building at 1010 E. Northside Drive to use as a library. It has also been mentioned as a location for Precinct 4, which is currently located in Colonial Mart Shopping Center, off Old Canton Road.
“We’re very much engaged in the acquisition of the Batte Furniture Building,” Lumumba said at the time.
Lumumba, who appeared to surprise council members with the news, did not disclose any financial details but said the purchase “is taking place.”
“Our public works department, along with myself and the executive team, did a walk-through of the facility, met with the ownership, and our legal and finance team and CAO (chief administration officer) are all aggressively looking at that,” Lumumba said.
Employees in the city’s public works department and members of his executive team have walked through the building with him, Lumumba said, noting that employees in the city’s legal and finance departments along with the chief administrative officer are aware of the plans.
Payne Realty lists the Batte Furniture and Interiors Building, which sits on 1.3 acres, for sale for $1,995,000 or $47.98 per square foot.
The building was constructed in 1962 and housed Batte Furniture and Interiors until it closed in 2019 after 136 years of business. The property, which is just off I-55 North, is zoned C-3 Intense Commercial and includes 54 parking spots.
The acquisition would also include the Joker’s Tavern building, located behind Batte Furniture, for additional parking, Lumumba said.
The three-story building that has square feet on each floor has enough space to house some city offices, Lumumba said.
The Batte Furniture Building is near the abandoned Tisdale Library at 807 E. Northside Drive. It closed in April 2017 after heavy rain and neglect led to contamination with black mold and mildew.
