A new sign in an empty lot off 22nd Avenue in Meridian reads, “Coming soon…Future home of the Lauderdale County Government Complex.”

County and community leaders gathered at the site of the old Village Fair Mall Friday morning to reveal the conceptual site plan for the new courthouse project.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel,” said District 3 Supervisor Josh Todd. “We pushed that ball uphill for seven years and now we’re finally getting a little momentum going downhill, so just bear with us and you’ll be able to see the progress as time goes on.”

The mall, which closed in 1997 and has been considered an eyesore, was visible in the distance.

Earlier this month, county crews demolished the old Firestone tire service station nearby.

The county purchased the 39-acre property in June for $1.25 million.

County Administrator Chris Lafferty said Thursday that about 12 interested companies from Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana recently toured the vacant building to assess what would go into removing asbestos before the building can be demolished. 

“Through that assessment, it’s been stated that this could be the largest abatement project in the southeast for next year,” Lafferty said. 

The county had hoped to have the work done in six months, but Lafferty told the board that some contractors indicated it could take longer than that.

He said leaders would weigh the cost of trying to get the work done in six months, which could require crews to work nearly nonstop, against extending the period of abatement by approximately three months.

“There’s also a lot of stuff that can go on during that time, so it won’t affect the overall timeline of the project,” Lafferty said. “What it will do is, it will give us the opportunity to work on multiple sections of that project at the same time.”

Circuit Court Judge Charles Wright Jr., who attended the project announcement, has been working in the current courthouse downtown since he got out of law school.

“It’s not safe for the public,” he said. “It’s the people’s house, so we need to have something that they’ll be proud of and this is a good step forward.”

Despite repeated concerns raised by the grand juries who serve in it, there are no plans to move any county departments out of the 114-year-old courthouse ahead of the completion of its replacement.

Although a certified asbestos inspector and lead risk assessor reported nine asbestos-containing materials and seven lead-based paints in the courthouse last year, there were no immediate issues the board needed to address, Lafferty said.

According to county leaders, the board previously provided an option for county departments to move out, but they decided to stay, rather than move twice.

LPK Architects will be responsible for the new courthouse design and W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company will handle cost management for the project.

Bob Luke, the managing principal for LPK Architects, said two and a half years was a realistic timeline for the project’s completion.

“We’re working on the programming and determining with (county leaders) their needs, their spatial needs and the relationship between the departments so we can be most efficient in spending the taxpayer dollars,” Luke said. “We want to be as much of a one-stop shop as possible.”

The county does not plan to use all of the space on the site for its departments. 

“We want to put a lot of this back on the private side, that creates revenue,” said District 1 Supervisor Jonathan Wells. “We have a vision.”

Part of the vision is improving the appearance of 22nd Avenue, also known as Sela Ward Parkway, which leads drivers into downtown.

Earlier this week, leaders and supporters broke ground on the Mississippi Children’s Museum-Meridian, which is expected to open in 2021.

Last week, engineering firm Neel-Schaffer, Inc. showed city leaders its conceptual plans for a project to enhance 22nd Avenue with sidewalks and landscaping.

“There is hope,” Todd said. “We won’t let mold grow on that sign.”