Jackson city officials announced today that FEMA has approved additional funding for the new Jackson Community Center.
The project will overall cost $5 million and the City revealed in a press release that the amount of the grant award is now of $3,361,685, instead of the initial $2,400,000.
Jackson’s Mayor Barbara Lohr said the cost of the Tornado Safe Room portion of the new community center turned out to be higher than anticipated in the original grant application.
“The cost was just considerably more than FEMA anticipated so when the cost started coming way, way higher, they gave us the opportunity to get additional funding,” she explained.
The Tornado Safe Room will protect against any tornado up to an F5.
The city’s press release added that permits are ready to be issued for construction and officials hope bids for construction will be issued in August.
“We hope we will be able to actually start construction in September,” said Mayor Lohr.
The Jackson Community Center will offer a wide variety of community activities like programs for personal enrichment classes, opportunities for performing arts, rooms available for small meetings or wedding receptions and a gymnasium.