S.D. Lee Middle School Could Soon Receive New Life

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- There could soon be a makeover coming to the old S.D. Lee Middle School campus in North Columbus.

On Wednesday, the Columbus Redevelopment Authority announced an investment group has plans for the property.

For the past few years the building has been vacant and creating an eyesore for many people, but that may soon change.

“They’re looking at what I would call a mixed-use development,” said John Acker, president of the Columbus Redevelopment Authority. “They’re wanting to do some residential, some loft style, one and two bedroom apartments inside the existing building, so repurposing, renovating the building, the old school that was built in the 50’s, and they’re also looking at commercial development all across the entire site.”

Acker said for the past six months, his board has met with a developer who’s interested in revamping the area.

At this time, Acker said the developer is choosing to remain anonymous, but does have ties to the school and Columbus.

“Highway 45 is a great corridor for Columbus, but at some point you got to develop other areas, so this is developing another area for Columbus to further expand commercial development.” said Acker.

The roughly $15 million project would consist of two phases.

“The apartments are in the Phase I, there are some commercial spaces and some restaurant spaces that are all in Phase I,” Acker described. “Phase II is more general commercial development. As far as what is now the old gym, that will be repurposed into a large commercial space, commercial retail space, and now what is the old football practice field all of that will be developed into commercial space.

The redevelopment of the property isn’t the only good news involving the school.

Acker said the CRA is also trying to get parts of Lee School to be marked as a historic landmark.

“The original part which is the cafeteria, which is the southern most part, the cafeteria and the school that was built in the 50s, that’s the part that we’re trying to get as landmark status,” said Acker.

The remainder of the school building however, will be demolished if this current plan comes to fruition.

The expected completion date for Phase I of the project is set for January 2020, then once that’s complete, work on Phase II will begin.

“A lot of people around town have sentimental attachments to the school and to have a developer come in that wants to keep the school and preserve it and enhance it, it’s just a win-win for everybody,” said Acker.

However, before any redevelopments can take place, this site first has to be re-zoned.

Since this is a school, its zoned R-1 which is residential.

However, Acker said next week the CRA will meet with the planning commission to request it be rezoned to a commercial district.