Student housing is a big issue for many HBCUs, and for Jackson State University, they may have found a solution to fix housing issues on their campus. Jackson State University has its eye on an empty hotel in downtown to potentially address its shortage of housing for students.
President Marcus Thompson presented the concept, which involves spending $5 million to buy the Jackson Marriott at 200 E. Amite St., to the university’s governing board last month. He described it as a progressive initiative that would help both Jack State and the city of Jackson.
“As Jackson grows, Jackson State grows, and vice versa, similar to what I believe and I’ve seen over the years at an Oxford or a Starkville,” Thompson told the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees at its retreat at Mississippi State University’s Riley Center in Meridian.
Jackson State is Mississippi’s largest HBCU. According to President Thompson, Jackson State received approximately 800 more housing applications than it could accommodate. Approximately 2,000 beds are available on the campus. Based on government data, Jackson State had around 4,900 undergraduate students in the fall of 2022.
The Marriott, a 303-bed hotel spanning 15 stories, has remained vacant since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has had several owners throughout the years, but the present owner is a limited liability corporation connected to Charles Everhardt, a developer with headquarters in Florida.
“Housing has been a topic and an issue for our university for a number of years,” Thompson said. “We’re really excited about the possibility to bring forward a solution to the issue of housing through this Marriott project.”
Thompson informed the board that Jackson State intends to buy the hotel for $5.25 million, which is around $2 million less than its assessed value. In addition to meeting and parking space and leasing income, it would provide housing accommodations for about 500 students. According to a policy of the IHL board, institutions must get permission before making any real estate transactions over $100,000. If the plan goes through the Marriott, the new housing facility could be available to students in one to two years.
President Thompson originally requested $68 million to build a new resident hall, but earlier this year he asked IHL commissioner Al Rankins for permission to change course and buy an existing building that may become available sooner. Students have been removed from several housing facilities on campus due to various issues. McAllister Whiteside, an all-female dorm, has been closed since 2021 due to electrical, mechanical, utility failures, and broken equipment.
It is unknown what exactly would need to be done or how much the Marriott renovation will cost. According to President Thompson, the Jackson State can utilize specific federal funds to restore teaching areas. A thorough study completed over the summer suggested a “complete gut renovation” that wouldn’t be required.
