TIM PRATT
STARKVILLE — The Starkville Board of Aldermen is making progress on its quest to build a new municipal complex in the city.
During a lengthy weekend work session, the board set an unofficial timeline for how to proceed with a municipal complex project.
By the end of February, the board hopes to determine a potential site and the feasibility of that site, Mayor Parker Wiseman said. March through July is a “little more open-ended,” but the city hopes to hire a consultant or an expert, such as an architect, to perform additional work on the project, Wiseman said.
“We’d like somebody who can work through more than just broad concepts so, essentially, you can put space dimensions, particular types of buildings and layouts on the particular site you have identified, and what the cost of those different options will be,” Wiseman said.
Another open-ended issue is whether or not the board forms a committee to work with the consultant, which would provide feedback so the city can have a “pretty firm proposal” by the end of July, Wiseman said. The committee, which is still in the theoretical stage, potentially could have representatives from each of the city’s seven wards, plus experts in planning, architecture and other fields.
Wiseman hopes the board can hold a series of public forums from July through September, where the city can take a concept and receive additional public feedback.
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
Here are my thoughts on the municipal complex.
The city purchases Overstreet School from the school system for X million (it would need to be appraised) and renovates it for the municipal complex. That allows a large portion of the bond money to be reinvested directly back into the community.
It also addresses some of the complaints from other attempts.
The complex will be located in a central location close to downtown.
There is plenty of space for parking and expansion in the future.
There is access from three streets.
The current city hall could be renovated for the police department providing them with the additional space they need.
The money from the sale of the property would go back into the community instead of into the hands of a few landowners.
The city would be preserving another historical building in our community.
The school system would get a large cash infusion at a time when it is needed most.
Those are my thoughts. What do others think?
That is a wonderful idea.. Overstreet has all the space needed and the playground could be turned into a parking lot with vast amounts of space.. that is a great idea.. I’m all for it!
The Overstreet idea sure would solve a lot of problems! How is that building currently being used?