Jackson Free Press

Clarification appended below

The Jackson Redevelopment Authority is looking to clear up a $61,253 bill lingering from Watkins and Young PLLC for office space in the renovated Union Station.

JRA members noted during their July meeting that the firm has been delinquent on payments since June 15 for office space on the upper floor of the scenic Union Station building, which serves as a station port for the city's municipal bus line, a Greyhound bus terminal, a terminal for Amtrak trains, and as a host for business suites and a cafeteria. Occasionally, the building is also used for public events.

Members of the JRA, which operates Union Station and leases other downtown property, remarked during the meeting that the lease on the property holds the signature of attorney David Watkins, the developer behind the recent renovation of the King Edward Hotel and the nearby Standard Life Building.

Watkins said he is a former partner of Watkins & Young, however, having left the firm in 2008, leaving his partner Jim Young with the business and the responsibility for paying the bill.

"No, I don't intend to make a payment on his behalf," Watkins said, when asked if he planned to dedicate any cash to the delinquency. Watkins said Watkins and Young PLLC was not behind in payments at the time of Watkins' 2008 departure from the firm. Jason Goree, vice president of Watkins Development LLC, said Watkins Development is not behind in any payments to JRA for the company's offices housed in Union Station.

Watkins' name remains on firm letterhead, however: a point of awkwardness considering the developer is pushing for new construction projects inside city limits. Those projects include relocating Jackson Public Schools' administrative offices to his recently purchased property in the Metrocenter Mall on Highway 80, and a proposed graduate school for fine arts on Capitol Street, among other developments. Watkins is also the name behind the development of the Farish Street Entertainment District, which contains more property leased by the JRA.

"I retired, and the name Watkins & Young LLC is the name of a business I was associated with, and as long as I'm not working in law, (Young) is allowed to use it, and he's stated that he wants to use it," Watkins said.

When Watkins abandoned the legal field for a stint in development he also resigned as attorney for the Jackson Public Schools Board.

JRA attorney Zachary Taylor said the board needs to pursue Young for the payment, but Young says he has a dispute with the amount he's paying for utilities in the building.

"There are discussions ongoing back to 2004 about the utility bills, but it's still in the discussion stage," Young told the Jackson Free Press.

The JRA expects Young to contest his costs for the Union Station's common area utility expenses. Different organizations share electricity and water costs for the building, but some businesses, such as the Greyhound bus terminal, run 24 hours and use considerably more utilities than strictly daytime office users. Young claims he is paying a disproportionate amount for utilities and wants to recalculate the charges contained within his JRA lease.

Board members scheduled Young to plead his issue before the board at its next meeting Aug. 24. If the board and Young do not come to an agreement on the issue, the JRA could submit request for bids on the property within 30 days.

Young agreed that he has yet to decide if he will renew his lease on the building and contends the JRA overcharges him on his lease: "That's a discussion I intend to take up with the JRA," he said.

Editor's Note: The above story has been edited since publication to include the following clarification at the request of JRA: "Watkins said Watkins and Young PLLC was not behind in payments at the time of Watkins' 2008 departure from the firm. Jason Goree, vice president of Watkins Development LLC, said Watkins Development is not behind in any payments to JRA for the company's offices housed in Union Station."

Previous Comments

ID

159576

Comment

Adam just asked me to add the following clarification to the above story to make it clear that David Watkins is not arrears on rent, which the original story implied more than it made explicit. We apologize for any confusion: Watkins said Watkins and Young PLLC was not behind in payments at the time of Watkins’ 2008 departure from the firm. Jason Goree, vice president of Watkins Development LLC, said Watkins Development is not behind in any payments to JRA for the company’s offices housed in Union Station.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-08-27T12:12:36-06:00