The City of Kosciusko has released an update on the progress of ongoing construction at the site of the future Mississippi Native America Museum.
Mayor Jimmy Cockroft released the following statement to the media Monday morning:
“When the City acquired the building, we recognized it was in a bad state of repair. Any time one works on an old building, one is subject to discover unpredictable situations such as part of the west wall that collapsed. The City had a structural engineer examine the walls and we are waiting on his detailed report. The preliminary indications are parts of the west and north walls will require additional repair or replacement. The City, along with the architect, will be evaluating the report once received and consider our options. Those options may delay progress as we strive to stay within budget. We should be mindful with real estate it is location that is {an} important factor to a property’s value. If the City had not acquired the building, most likely we would have a vacant lot on the square. This property remains the ideal location for the museum and future tourism it will generate.”
Construction on the museum began in December 2017. The first phase was focused on removing the roof and asbestos.
A portion of the wall and ceiling collapsed in late February, delaying the project.
The Mississippi Native American Museum project has been in the works for several years. The first plans were released in November 2015 by the architecture firm Museum Concepts.
The Mississippi legislature set aside $1,000,000 for the project in 2016.
Local officials hope the museum will help promote tourism in the area.
