The old Meridian Police Station could soon be demolished as state officials are set to consider stripping it of its historic landmark status.

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees will consider removal of the station’s Mississippi Landmark Designation at its upcoming meeting on Jan. 19. If approved, the action will open up the property to demolition and other renovation efforts not allowed under historic preservation rules.

The old Meridian Police Station was designed and built by Meridian native Chris Risher Sr., an architect well known for his modernist style. Constructed in 1977 the station is considered one of the most prominent modernism structures in the state and one of Risher’s crowning achievements.

The station was granted a Mississippi Landmark Designation by MDAH in 2015 due to its architectural significance. In an August 2021 letter to MDAH, then city Chief Administrative Officer Tim Miller explained the landmark status was pursued to meet requirements for funding that could be used to repair the station.

Those repairs never materialized, however, and city officials have struggled to find a buyer willing to put in the time and money needed to preserve the structure. The building has sat unused since Meridian Police Department relocated to its current home on 22nd Avenue in 2013.

In his letter, Miller said the building has since become an eyesore in the increasingly popular downtown area and is a problem the city needs to address.

“This building, in its current form, has served his purpose,” Miller wrote. “It remains as a vacant eyesore in the middle of our growing downtown. We ask that the Mississippi Department of Archives and History consider removing the historical designation so that the building or space may be a positive place and begin serving purpose again.”

Several prospective buyers have come close to purchasing the property in recent years, but all of the deals have fallen through before being closed.

The Meridian City Council in 2018 approved selling the building to John Purdy, owner of Threefoot Brewing Company and an architect himself, for about $45,000. Purdy had expressed both an architectural interest in the building and planned to restore it and turn a part of the building into a tap room for his brewery.

The sale, however, was disrupted after another potential buyer, Mitchell Marshall, raised objections about the fairness of the deal. The two would be buyers ended up in court over the issue, and in late 2018, Purdy withdrew his offer. Marshall, who had offered $60,000 compared to Purdy’s $45,000, did not pursue buying the station either

The City Council later approved the sale of the old police station to contractor Greg Creel in April 2020 for $35,000, but that deal also fell through before the sale could be finalized.

In 2022, the council heard from two developers, Meridian architect Jerry Hobgood, who worked under Risher and is a fierce advocate for saving the old station, and Edmond Watters, who owns an engineering firm Strada Professionals LLC. Hobgood told the council he wanted to renovate the station and turn it into a community event space and educational facility, while Watters said his plan called for a mix of residential housing, commercial offices and events space.

Neither was successful in acquiring the property.

Removing the old police station’s designation as a Mississippi Landmark has been discussed as a potential move by the city since the station first closed in 2013. As long as the landmark designation exists, the building cannot be torn down, and any attempts to repair or renovate the structure must first be approved by MDAH and abide by historic preservation guidelines.

In a written report to Mayor Jimmie Smith on Sept. 29, local architect Bob Luke laid out the current status of the building and the obstacles needing to be overcome to make the station useable again. An Aug. 14 site visit to the station found years of water intrusion have taken their toll creating mold, rotting interior finishings and undermining the integrity of the structure. The water has also caused areas of the roof decking to rot and collapse, Luke wrote in his report

Additionally, inspection of the building found instances of concrete spalling, a delimitation of the concrete that causes cracking and pieces to break off, near the stairs, Luke wrote. The spalling raises concerns about further structural issues, he said.

“The spalling of the concrete at the stairs and potential spalling at the second floor is concerning and would need to be further investigated to see if that portion of the structure is even salvageable,” Luke wrote. “Beyond that, we know the existing structural roof deck, roof membrane, interior finishes, brick veneer, stair and restroom layouts cannot be saved and would have to be replaced. The costs of these replacements may outweigh their actual value as well as their value to the community.”

The issues noted in the August site visit were based on non-destructive observations, Luke said, and further testing will likely be needed to realize the full scope of the building’s needs.

In a notice of intent filed with MDAH on Oct. 4, the city clarifies its intent to tear down the building should the Landmark designation be removed.

“And so, after holding the building for so long with no benefit and only expense to the taxpayer and with the outlook for its re-development bleaker than ever, the city is requesting the removal of the Mississippi Landmark status with the intent to demolish the facility in the future,” the project description states.

Smith has repeatedly denied involvement in the effort to strip the old police station of its landmark status pointing questions to the City Council. City Council president Joe Norwood Jr. said he was not aware of any involvement by the council in asking MDAH to review the station’s status and referred questions to the mayor’s office.

A petition to keep the old police station as the Mississippi Landmark gathered more than 160 signatures before organizers submitted the document, along with the collected signatures, to MDAH on Dec. 29.

Sarah Warnock, director of public relations for MDAH, said residents wanting to share their views on the station’s landmark status have until Jan. 9 to submit public comments ahead of the Board of Trustees’ Jan. 19 meeting. Written comments can be addressed to Clay Mapp, Mississippi Landmarks Coordinator, Historic Preservation Division, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, P.O. Box 571, Jackson, MS 39205 or via email at mslandmark@mdah.ms.gov.