Jackson Progress-Argus

The former McIntosh State Bank Mortgage Center building is being purchased by the City of Jackson for use as its new City Hall.

Jackson — The City of Jackson is buying a building that officials plan to make the new City Hall.

City Council members voted Friday to purchase the former McIntosh State Bank Mortgage Center building on Oak Street. City Clerk Lara Brewer said the 6,100-square-foot building will become City Hall, after some minor interior and exterior work.

She said the sale, which is due to close in 30 days, will include the purchase of the furniture, phones and other appointments inside, including the artwork on the walls.

The building will be modified to include a drive-through window and a counter at which the public can transact business, Brewer said.

Jackson Mayor Wayne Phillips said the move could happen in a few months.

He said the city will pay $355,000 for the building, and $45,000 for its contents.

He said the city has had an eye on the property since McIntosh State Bank was taken over by Hamilton State Bank last summer. Phillips said that’s when the city started negotiating with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which was involved in the bank acquisition.

“They made us an offer and we decided we better go ahead and buy the thing,” he said. “We got it at about a quarter of what the value was ... You couldn’t build any property for that.”

Brewer said that once City Hall moves to its new location, the Jackson Police Department will expand to take over space in the current offices of City Hall on South Mulberry Street.

Phillips said the police department will occupy part of the current City Hall space, and the rest will be used for storage.

The current City Hall building was built in 1958. Phillips said that due to space limitations, some of the city’s records are being stored in the basement of the Municipal Court building across the street, exposing them to potential damage from flooding.

“This is going to give us the storage that we need, plus expansion room for the future,” Phillips said.

He said the location of the Mortgage Center building, next to the new city parking lot, about a block away from the current City Hall, will be convenient for residents. The drive-through window will allow city residents to more easily pay utility bills.

He said the bank remodeled the interior of the building several years ago. “They did an outstanding job when they remodeled it,” he said. “It met all our needs. So close, and it’s in such good shape. There’s not hardly anything we would have to do to it, and have all our needs met for years.”

Before the Oak Street building was a McIntosh Bank property, it housed McLaurin Graphics, and before that, Phillips said it was a Red & White grocery store.

He said the Jackson City Council will continue to meet in the Municipal Court building.