Vicksburg Warren School District officials say they are disheartened that the City of Vicksburg wants to convert a former armory into a garage instead of deeding the building to the district.

Superintendent James Price said Friday he was told this week that the VWSD would not be receiving the property at 1000 Lee St., near Vicksburg High School. The building is adjacent to the campus and across from the stadium.

The former home of the 386th Transportation Company, a U.S. Army Reserve unit, the building was vacated this summer.

&#8220We’re terribly disappointed,” said Price. &#8220We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board. We had been thinking for five years the city was going to give it to us and right now we’re in shock.”

Price said the district had planned to move Vicksburg High’s Junior ROTC Army program into the building, to free up space in the main building.

The two-story, brick building was ready for the JROTC to &#8220move right in,” said Lt. Col. Robert Armstrong, head of the school’s 160-student unit.

The armory property would have been a perfect fit, said Armstrong. It has an indoor drill area and pistol range, classrooms and storage.

Armstrong, who has been at VHS for two years, said former JROTC instructor Philip Lawson had told him to expect to have the building in &#8220a few years.” Armstrong said he was under the impression that the details had been worked out.

While the current JROTC setup can accommodate all of the program’s classroom needs, said Armstrong, a shortage of storage and activity space is hampering additional activities, such as organizing a pistol shooting team.

&#8220The programs have grown, but the space hasn’t,” he said.

Vicksburg Mayor Laurence Leyens said he’s disappointed the deal couldn’t be worked out, but said the city needs the space as much as the school.

&#8220We own the property and (the government) owned the building,” said Leyens. &#8220When they were finished, it reverted back to us.”

Further, said Leyens, the deal was never formalized; it was simply a suggestion that the building go to the school.

Because the structure was used by a military unit and was well-maintained, move-in costs would have been minimal, said Price and Armstrong.

That’s one of the main reasons the city is interested in the building, said Leyens.

&#8220We’re consolidating our city services, and we’ve been trying to have everything centralized,” said Leyens.

Currently, vehicles and heavy equipment used by the Right of Way and Parks and Recreation departments, as well as other city entities, some of which are located on Army Navy Drive, around the corner from the armory, must be moved across town to the city garage for service. Having workshops and maintenance in the same area will reduce wear and tear on equipment, Leyens said.

&#8220There’s clearly a city need for,” the building, said Leyens.

North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield said that while the idea was introduced before his term in office, he will push for the building to be turned over to the school district.

&#8220They need that property because they’re landlocked,” Mayfield said. &#8220I would much rather see schoolchildren in that building than see cars being maintained or repaired.”

Meanwhile, Armstrong said, he may be forced to limit the number of students who can participate in JROTC because of space issues.

And, &#8220there’s really no place to build anything,” at VHS, said Price.

&#8220It’s a blow to everybody because it limits opportunities,” said Armstrong. &#8220When you work for four or five years and then it just all falls apart at the last minute,” it is disappointing.

Leyens and Mayfield said a move-in date for the city has not determined.