Martin Luther King Jr. probably would have been pretty proud if he could have seen the work going on Monday morning at the proposed public arts center in downtown Hattiesburg.
More than 30 volunteers from Mississippi Power, the city of Hattiesburg, William Carey University and Jobs for Mississippi Graduates spent about four hours during the Martin Luther King Day of Service helping to clear and clear out the former Hattiesburg American on Main Street to help begin transforming the building into the upcoming center. As part of the project – which was organized by Mississippi Power – participants replaced damaged ceiling tiles and light bulbs, cleaned windows, dismantled partitions, cleaned restrooms and swept and mopped floors.
“We call it a day of service – it’s a day on versus a day off – and it’s to continue the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” Mississippi Power area manager Annie McMillan said. “It’s part of Mississippi Power’s DNA – we give back to the community regardless of where we serve, so this is just one part of that.
“We see it as giving back to our citizens in this area. We have folks that live throughout our service territory, and this is our way of giving back to the community.”
The building, which was vacated in the summer of 2014 when Hattiesburg American staff moved to a new location on Mamie Street, was purchased by Dr. David McKellar. McKellar then donated the facility to the city of Hattiesburg to use as a community arts center under the direction of the Hattiesburg Arts Council.
Since that time, local officials have looked into several uses for the arts council, including but not limited to music lessons, painting, ballet, movie showing, photography, ballroom dancing and culinary arts.
About two years ago, Hattiesburg architect Sarah Newton drew up a schematic design for the building, including floor plans and alterations. The $50,000 cost of that process was split evenly between the city and Forrest County.
Hattiesburg City Council Vice President Mary Dryden spent Monday morning at the center with the volunteers, envisioning ideas for what the space could be used for.
“This space is just phenomenal to me,” she said of the front area of the building. “It’s perfect for ballet lessons, yoga class, for ballroom dancing – it’s just perfect. We’re leaving it ready to go for the arts council.”
Volunteers focused mainly on that part of the building and the outside lawn and parking lot – including placing mulch for flowerbeds – so that space can be used while the back part of the building is renovated.
“We’re getting the front part of the building done so that it can actually be used,” Dryden said. “It still can be improved, but it could actually be used right now. And that’s what we want to do, is get people using the building, so it doesn’t just sit here empty.
“The back part of the building, we hope we can have some pop-up things in there, but it’s definitely going to need the most renovations. But it’s a perfect gathering space. You could do lots of things, from banquets to fashion shows and on and on.”
A projected cost estimate for the building, which has been maintained by the city since December 2017, was set at $4.5 to $6 million.
Shortly after the city took ownership of the building, HAC executive director Rebekah Stark Johnson and other officials looked into the idea of receiving New Markets Tax Credits, which are designed to attract capital to communities by providing private investors with a federal tax credit for investments made in business or economic development projects.
That venture was made difficult when the city lost its bond rating in 2017 because of the late completion of the city’s Fiscal Year 2015 Audit. Now that Moody’s Investor’s Services recently restored the rating to an initial Aa3, however, a new application can be made after additional design work is done to complete renovation plans for the building.
Funding for additional architectural plans could come from a proposed 1 percent increase on the city’s restaurant and hotel tax, which would help fund city park and recreation projects, as well as certain athletic facilities at the University of Southern Mississippi. That issue is expected to come before a public vote at some point in the future.
“That’s $1.2 million that would come to the city annually – some of that can be put into the arts center,” Dryden said. “That also allows for some infrastructure needs if we’re able to move some parks and recreation funds.
“So we want people to understand that that’s just one more cent at restaurants and hotels only. But that way we spread the cost out to people that visit our city, and not just the people that live here.”
Other measures, such as community fundraisers, also are a possibility for the project.
“I think we need to involve the entire community, because this has the potential to be the arts hub of the southeast,” Dryden said. “We’re in the perfect location, we’ve got the most incredible talent and teachers.
“The resources are here, and with this structure, it just gives us a ton of possibilities.”
