Columbus Seeks to Purchase Flood Prone Properties

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COLUMBUS, Miss. – (WCBI)- The city of Columbus is planning to turn two flood prone lots into something positive for the community.

The city received a federal grant of $370,000 to purchase two lots, one commercial and one residential. The commercial lot is located at the corner of Tuscaloosa Road and Stewart Avenue. It is the home of the old R-N furniture building, and the residential lot sits behind it.

City planner, Christina Berry, hopes the land will become a place where community members can come together. She said, “I’ve been considering using it as, maybe some type of park or even a community garden.”

Before discussions on how to revamp the property can take place, the city must first negotiate deals with the owners. The process may take a while as these negotiations have yet to take place.

If, and when, these lots are purchased, one neighbor is very adamant about what he wants to see. Dempsey Faulkner said, “I’ll fight anything that goes in there except a garden or something like that. I don’t want any type of sports activities and stuff there. We don’t need it.”