Jackson faces lawsuit for ending a lease. Mayor says move is 'necessary'

City employees will be moving out of the Metrocenter Mall "in the coming weeks" to 633 North State Street, which is the old Mississippi Department of Corrections building, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba announced at a press conference on Monday.

"It will be centrally located downtown for residents who need to go to those services," Lumumba said.

The building is located near the corner of North State Street and High Street.

The move comes after the Jackson City Council voted to terminate the lease with Retro Metro LLC, the company who owns the space the city was renting in the Metrocenter Mall. Council members made the decision after employees from various city departments complained about "inhumane" working conditions, including the lack of air conditioning, pests, mold, dead vermin and plumbing and sewage issues. Lumumba thanked Council members for their decision.

"The conditions of the Metrocenter and the parking lot and everything surrounding it has lent itself to our need to leave and find more suitable accommodations. Not only for those that work in city departments each day, but for the public that we interface with," Lumumba said.

The departments that will be moving include the Jackson department of parks and recreation, human resources and human and cultural services, among others. The Jackson Police Department's precinct two is also located in the mall, but Lumumba said the city and department are still trying to figure out where the precinct should move. Until then, it will be located in the mall.

Lumumba did not go into any further detail since the city is facing a lawsuit from Retro Metro LLC for terminating the 20-year lease, which was signed in 2011. The company has previously said they believe the city is partially responsible for the repairs of the mall and for condition the building is now in.

"They are certainly entitled to not only their position, but to levee any efforts to protect their interests and we will do so (too)," Lumumba said. "This isn't a personal decision, but it's a necessary decision."

Lumumba was asked if taxpayers are still going to have foot the bill for the remaining nine years on the contract but said, "We wouldn't put the residents or ourselves in that kind of predicament."

"We can't afford that. That's not our expectation. I won't get into legal strategy, but we're ending the lease," Lumumba said. "At this present moment in time, the evidence is clear that it is necessary we move to another facility."

"Extensive" concerns have been documented from the city to Retro Metro LLC about the working conditions at the mall, the mayor said.

"This is not something that was done in a moment. This was something that I dare say (was) years worth of communication about various issues," Lumumba said. "You will find extensive correspondence about these issues."

Other issues that were announced at the press conference:

• There will be a back-to-school event for Jackson Public School students and parents Saturday, July 29 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Jackson Zoo. The first 1,000 students in attendance will receive free school supplies.

• The Jackson Police Department announced 42 auto burglaries over the weekend in north Jackson. A suspect was arrested in the morning Monday and will be charged with "at least" 15 of those burglaries, though he could be charged with all of them, Jackson's Interim Chief of Police Joseph Wade said.

• Multiple armed robberies were also reported over the weekend. Cameo Stuckey, 30, was arrested by the Jackson Police Narcotics Unit Sunday morning for the crimes.

Contact Charlie Drape at cdrape@gannett.com or on Twitter @CharlesDrape

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: City offices are moving to a new location in downtown Jackson