[03/07/02]The owner of the old Carr Central High School building said he will seek tax credit financing for a third time to renovate the structure now vacant for 20 years.

“If the tax credits don’t get approved this year I won’t try again,” said Robert Rosenthal. “I’ll just reduce the size of the project.”

There was no public comment Wednesday at a hearing required by the Mississippi Home Corp. for the tax credit financing. Rosenthal sought tax credits for the development last year and in 2000, but was turned down both times.

Rosenthal said that if the project is turned down again he will proceed with the $6 million development with private funds, but he is hopeful it will be approved this time.

“The city is working exceptionally well with me,” he said.

MHC, a quasi-public corporation, targets first-time buyers and has programs for people in low- to moderate-income households. One of its programs provides tax credits to developers to build low-income homes.

Last year, District 2 U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson called on the MHC to reassess the way it spreads funds for low-income housing around the state. Thompson said tax credits were not being given to projects in the most-deserving areas.

Out of the 70 applications to the MHC for $6 million in tax credits in 2000, 21 were approved. In the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Warren County and most of the Delta, only one was approved.

Last year, none of the applications from Warren County for tax credits was approved, but Rosenthal has blamed the previous city administration, saying that former Mayor Robert Walker had sent a letter supporting the project to the MHC a month past the deadline. Walker did, however, back an extension for Rosenthal. Under the deed he was given when he bought the building and acreage from the city for $109,000, title was to revert to the city if the building remained unused and empty.

This year’s deadline for applying for tax credits is March 18 and the public hearing was a required step. The Home Corp., will announce in July what projects are approved.

Rosenthal’s plan has been to convert the building into an assisted-living facility for the elderly. Mayor Laurence Leyens said the city is preparing to cut and clean the lot and remove the remains of the school’s old gym wing, destroyed by arson nearly 12 years ago. He said the city will spend up to $45,000 on the work and then put a lien on the property.

“If he gets the funding, fantastic, but separately we’re going to go ahead and do this work,” Leyens said.

The Carr building, named for early Vicksburg professor J.P. Carr, opened in 1924. It served all grades at various times, but most often is remembered as the town’s main high school for white students. It was a junior high when abandoned by the city’s public school district. It was then discovered that the city, not the school district, held the deed to the building and land.

Although there was no public comment at the hearing Wednesday, Rosenthal said he gets about 40 calls a month from people interested in the project.

“There’s a lot of sentimental feelings that go with the school,” he said.

In 1994, the building was slated for demolition, but got a reprieve when declared a protected state historical property. Leyens said the historical designation of the property may also be leveraged to put additional pressure on Rosenthal to make improvements.