The National Trust for Historic Preservation has named the Sun-n-Sand Motor Hotel as one of America�s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2020.
In a release, the Mississippi Heritage Trust�provided some background on the historic location in Jackson:
Constructed in 1960 in the heart of Mississippi�s Capital City, the Sun-n-Sand exemplifies mid-century design with its metal screens, large expanses of glass and colorful Googie sign.��During its 40 years of operation, the Sun-n-Sand was the home away from home for Mississippi legislators.��The Sun-n-Sand is where a young State Representative, John Grisham, wrote�A Time To Kill�and where the courageous women of the interracial, interfaith movement “Wednesdays in Mississippi”�met to further the cause of Civil Rights.
The Sun-n-Sand closed its doors in 2002 and was named to the Mississippi Heritage Trust�s list of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in Mississippi in 2005.��Over the years, the Mississippi Heritage Trust has fielded numerous calls from developers interested in the property, but the owner, who was receiving a reported $78,000 a year from the State of Mississippi to lease the hotel’s parking lot, was unwilling to sell.�
In 2019, the State of Mississippi purchased the Sun-n-Sand for a reported $1.1 million dollars and stated its intention to demolish the building to construct a parking lot.��Since that time, community leaders have been advocating for the State of Mississippi to consider proposals from interested developers to convert this Mississippi Landmark into apartments, live-work units, or a hotel rather than demolish it.��The threat to this modernist building that speaks to Mississippi�s political, architectural, literary, and Civil Rights is imminent, as the State of Mississippi has already received bids for demolition.
According to the Mississippi Heritage Trust, to demolish the Sun-n-Sand and build a 260-spot surface parking lot, it will cost the state an estimated $2,095,000.
�The Sun-n-Sand Motor Hotel has a history that is as vibrant and distinctive as its architecture, and the National Trust believes it can have an even brighter future,� stated Katherine Malone-France, Chief Preservation Officer for National Trust for Historic Preservation. �Reusing and revitalizing the Sun-n-Sand would help the State of Mississippi celebrate its rich history�including the story of ongoing racial reconciliation represented by �Wednesdays in Mississippi��while putting the building back into use in a way that could create jobs and stimulate economic growth.��
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