Oktibbeha County’s New Lake Project Faces a Stalemate
The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors’ efforts to repurpose the Felix Long Hospital property into a new county facility have stalled, reminiscent of the long and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to restore the Oktibbeha County Lake.
A Historical Challenge
The county-owned Felix Long Hospital was opened in 1950, serving the community until its closure in 1973, following the inauguration of a new city hospital. The hospital has been vacant since 2022, waiting for a new purpose that would benefit the citizens of Oktibbeha County.
Plans in Motion
The supervisory board commissioned Columbus-based Major Design Studio to conceive design plans for the demolition of the hospital, which would then make room for administrative offices and court operations. The legislature saw potential in the project and approved $1 million to accelerate the demolition process in 2023. However, the project has recently reached an impasse and is currently in a holding pattern.
Convolutions and Deliberations
The development plans need approval from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History since the old hospital is positioned in Downtown Starkville Historic District, a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The estimations for restoration costs differ greatly: a full rebuild of the facility of 38,200 square feet comes with a price tag of $24.2 million, while a partial renovation and additional new structures, culminating in a total 51,720 square foot, would require an investment of approximately $28.2 million, as per preliminary documents.
However, the board decided to supply only the covering sheets instead of the detailed estimations to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, a choice probably leading to further delays and complications.
The Unsettling Question of Funding
Given the supervisors’ indecision and lack of a consensus on a concrete restoration plan and the absence of designated funds, skepticism over the project has increased. There’s no clear direction on whether funds can be incorporated into the budget without a significant increase in property taxes or if a bond would be pursued to cover the expenses. The lack of a concrete financial plan for the project renders any speculation superfluous.
Demolition: The Pragmatist Approach
The most practical step, in the prevailing circumstances, seems to be demolishing the hospital and biding the time until resources for development and funding get allocated. The timeline of this process is unclear, indicating further debates over the issue in the future.
To Conclude
Oktibbeha County finds itself caught in the crosshairs of historic preservation and public development. The decision to renovate or demolish the old hospital building will not only mark an important point in local history but also define the direction that the county will take in terms of infrastructure and community service.
