The Courthouse Square Historic Preservation Commission approved a motion to demolish the storage shed adjacent to the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s main building on South 14th Street. The building is listed as non-contributing in the Courthouse Square Historic District. 

YAC is planning for a large addition project to revitalize the space, through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. They received these grants to expand the building to support their mission and activities.

The shed is described in the historic resources survey as an equipment shed with sheet metal roofing and siding. The city owns the property, which was constructed in 1980.

The first step would be to demolish the city-owned property. Only after approval of the demolition can the process move forward. Once approved, YAC can access the grant funds to begin the design phase of the project.

YAC has committed to maintain the shed until new plans are approved, and the city will not issue a demolition permit until designs are approved.

“We’re excited,” said Wayne Andrews, Executive Director of YAC. “This helps us unlock the money to go hire the architect. They like to know that it is not historic before they start spending the money.”