The pastor of a South Jackson church plans to buy Wingfield High School and sell the property where his house of worship is currently located.Bishop Ronnie Crudup’s New Horizon Church International is currently located in the old Sack and Save grocery building on Ellis Avenue, just off I-20.Crudup said church leaders decided last year to sell the nearly 270,000-square-foot site that has housed the church and ministry center for the past 15 years.Jackson Public Schools is closing Wingfield and other school buildings at the end of this academic year and moving the students to other schools because of declining enrollment. Crudup said he recently approached JPS leaders about his interest in purchasing Wingfield. But Crudup is a member of a community advisory committee which is advising JPS and the Jackson school board on how to repurpose a number of schools the district is shutting down.Crudup said he doesn’t believe there’s a conflict with being a member of the committee and his plans to purchase Wingfield. Crudup said he asked school leaders if he should resign from the committee to minimize the appearance of impropriety. He said he was told not to step down, but that he should recuse himself in voting on what to do with Wingfield.Crudup said the new owners of the New Horizon plan to bring new retail to South Jackson.The bishop didn’t say how much he would have to pay for Wingfield.
The pastor of a South Jackson church plans to buy Wingfield High School and sell the property where his house of worship is currently located.
Bishop Ronnie Crudup’s New Horizon Church International is currently located in the old Sack and Save grocery building on Ellis Avenue, just off I-20.
Crudup said church leaders decided last year to sell the nearly 270,000-square-foot site that has housed the church and ministry center for the past 15 years.
Jackson Public Schools is closing Wingfield and other school buildings at the end of this academic year and moving the students to other schools because of declining enrollment.
Crudup said he recently approached JPS leaders about his interest in purchasing Wingfield. But Crudup is a member of a community advisory committee which is advising JPS and the Jackson school board on how to repurpose a number of schools the district is shutting down.
Crudup said he doesn’t believe there’s a conflict with being a member of the committee and his plans to purchase Wingfield. Crudup said he asked school leaders if he should resign from the committee to minimize the appearance of impropriety. He said he was told not to step down, but that he should recuse himself in voting on what to do with Wingfield.
Crudup said the new owners of the New Horizon plan to bring new retail to South Jackson.
The bishop didn’t say how much he would have to pay for Wingfield.
