Vandalism threatens nearly $1 billion Metrocenter Mall redevelopment in Jackson
By Nicholas Brooks
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JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — Contractors working to redevelop Jackson’s former Metrocenter Mall say vandalism over the last several weeks has caused millions of dollars in damage, creating another obstacle for a proposed nearly $1 billion redevelopment.
During an exclusive tour with 16 WAPT News, the inside of the former mall showed shattered glass covering floors, holes in walls, stripped electrical wiring, broken doors and debris scattered throughout the property.
Mark Pendleton, a BioCrete Global worker who says he inspects the facility daily, told 16 WAPT News that much of the damage was not there just a few weeks ago.
“They busted these windows out just to get into an area they don’t need to be in,” Pendleton said.
Pendleton said he has run at least 10 unauthorized people off the property. He also described finding evidence of people attempting to stay inside the building and said he put out a fire inside the facility last week.
“Last week I put a fire out that was going on inside,” Pendleton said.
Bob Hickingbottom, general manager of the Metrocenter project, said the vandalism has become increasingly aggressive over the past two to three weeks.
Hickingbottom said the damage could cost millions of dollars to repair and is putting additional financial pressure on the redevelopment effort.
Despite the damage, Hickingbottom said businesses have already committed to the proposed project.
“We have grocery stores that are already committed, we have drugstores. We have schools, clinics, and the like,” Hickingbottom said.
Developers are still waiting on required permits and approval from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality before cleanup and construction can begin.
Contractors say proposed security measures include a 10-foot wall around the property, a single entrance and exit, and security personnel at the entrance. In the meantime, they are considering additional ways to secure the building, including welding doors shut.
“We’re probably gonna try to weld the door shut,” Hickingbottom said, describing the challenges of keeping people out.
16 WAPT News reached out to the Jackson Police Department for information about reports of vandalism at the mall. The department had not responded at the time of the report.
There is no clear timeline for when cleanup and construction will begin.
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