City councilor says donors offered to fund demolition of dilapidated North Jackson hotel

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A Jackson city councilman says private donors have contacted him about funding the demolition of a dilapidated hotel along I-55 North.

On Tuesday, Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote asked for an update on the city’s efforts to demolish the O Hotel, saying donors were willing to help fund its demolition.

However, before Foote says he will accept the money, he wants to make sure he can tell them when the building will be demolished.

“If I can find external financing, I don’t know what answer to give them because of the uncertainty of the legal situation,” he said.

The news comes weeks after Jackson Municipal Court Judge Jeffrey Reynolds ordered the city to demolish the facility and provide a plan for how that work could be funded.

The report was due to be submitted to the judge on Monday.

City Attorney Drew Martin said he has notified Judge Reynolds but is still waiting for information from the city’s finance department and council on when that funding might be available.

“There is talk of including it in next year’s budget. If (this amount can be allocated) before that, we can move forward before that,” he said.

Martin said the time before the building can be demolished will also depend on how quickly an appeal in the case is heard in Hinds County Circuit Court.

Reynolds had previously ordered owner Noah Muthana to demolish the establishment. However, he appealed that decision to Hinds County Court. Judge Johnnie McDaniels denied the appeal, and he appealed again to the circuit court.

Reynolds, meanwhile, had ordered Muthana’s arrest in February for failing to comply with court orders to clean up the property. As of Tuesday, he remained at large and was believed to be out of state.

Martin told council members he had requested a status conference with Reynolds to discuss the case and how it might impact the judge’s most recent order.

“If we can move forward immediately, I know that’s the desire of the administration and the council, and we’re pushing for that to happen,” he said.

As for outside donations, Martin and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba urged Foote to move forward and secure the funding, so that demolition could begin shortly after a circuit court ruling is issued.

“As for the shortening of this runway and how we will demolish it, we should get that money now, so that after we get the decision, we are ready to move forward,” Lumumba said.

In the meantime, Martin said he has provided Reynolds with quotes to install barriers around the building to keep vagrants out. Although the case is before the lower court, he expects Reynolds to allow the project to go ahead.

It is unclear how much it will cost to demolish the hotel or install the barriers. No figures were provided at Tuesday’s meeting. We have reached out to Martin’s attorney and are awaiting a response.

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