Since at least spring 2022, Oktibbeha County leaders have planned to tear down the old Felix Long Memorial Hospital building located off West Lampkin Street behind Welch Funeral Home.
The building has sat empty since May of that year. Supervisors commissioned Columbus-based Major Design Studios to design the building’s demolition to make room for a new county facility that would host administrative offices and some court operations.
Even the legislature threw in $1 million in 2023 to help with the demolition to jumpstart the process.
So why is the building still there? Why does nothing seem to be happening? What exactly will be done, and when will that work get started?
While some of those answers remain unclear, officials unanimously credit the Mississippi Department of Archives and History for the holdup.
“Under normal circumstances, we would have moved forward on this project and could be so far along as getting ready to complete it,” District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer said. “Because of unforeseen concerns of theirs, we haven’t gotten started yet.”
What is the history of the Felix Long Memorial Hospital?
Built in 1950 and dedicated to the son of the founder of Oktibbeha County Hospital who died working as a physician in World War II, the Felix Long Memorial Hospital began serving as a county office building after OCH Regional Medical Center opened in 1973.
After that, it housed the county’s Extension office, Department of Human Services and Child Protective Services, until those offices were moved in May 2022 to a county building on Lynn Lane.
Why is MDAH involved?
The building is listed Downtown Starkville Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. That means, before it is torn down, MDAH must assess whether it should be given state landmark status.
If not, then the county can proceed with demolition without extra restrictions. If the building is landmarked, the county would need to restore the existing facility in order to use it.
Ryan Ashford, of Major Design Studios, said the firm is waiting for MDAH’s ruling. District 43 State Rep. Rob Roberson, R-Starkville, who also serves as attorney for the county board of supervisors, said MDAH representatives are planning a walkthrough sometime in the next 30 days, but he’s unsure of a timeline beyond that.
“It would take a lot of imagination,” Roberson said, to rehab the building to a condition useful to the county.
“My position is, from a legislative standpoint and as a resident of this community, this is a total teardown,” he said. “There’s asbestos in the building. The building has outlived its usefulness, and I frankly don’t see the historical significance of keeping this building as it sits.”
So what now? And what’s next?
Originally, county leaders envisioned building a facility to house administration, which would free up room in the courthouse annex for the newly established county court to grow alongside circuit court.
Trainer said there could also be an opportunity to move some justice court operations to the new facility, and maybe house overflow operations from the nearby Health Department building that is “out of space.”
With MDAH’s jury still out, Trainer said any plans are “fluid.”
As is funding. Roberson helped procure the first $1 million appropriation last year and had plans to request more this session. But he may “sit out a year” and wait until the county knows what it needs to do architecturally.
No matter what happens, Roberson hopes the result is something the county “can be proud of” that meshes well with the downtown aesthetic.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
