NATCHEZ — Construction crews began roof work last week on the Natchez Police facility, the first of four city buildings that will get repairs for leaky roofs during the next four months.

Crews for E. Cornell Malone Corporation, began tearing off and replacing the police department’s roof March 5.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen awarded a $425,850 construction contract for the project to the Jackson-based company in November.

Vern Loyd, the company’s general superintendent, said the work crews are tearing off and replacing the asphalt-based roof in sections.

Crews are scheduled to finish up main roofing work on the police department March 23 and secondary work on April 20.

Amelia Salmon, the architect for the project, said work is scheduled to begin on Natchez Fire Station No. 2 on John R. Junkin Drive on April 2 and continue through May 5.

The Natchez Senior Citizens Center is next on the list for roof replacement, then the Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American Culture Museum, with all work scheduled to wrap up in mid-July.

The roofing project will also replace the senior center’s missing metal cornice, a portion of the green tile roof on the NAPAC building and damaged window panels on the fire station.

The roofing project is being funded through a $562,884 grant, which requires no matching funds, awarded to the City of Natchez in 2010. The Mississippi Development Authority administers the grant, which is funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program.

The grant covers 100 percent of the roof project, including the grant administration, architect and construction fees.

In addition to new roofs, the buildings could also be getting some extra work.

The grant has an approximately $86,000 contingency. The extra funds, Salmon said, can be used for unforeseen repairs that might be found once the current roofs are torn off the buildings.

Salmon said the funds could also be used to repair interior damage to the buildings that was caused by the leaky roofs.

Any extra damages, Salmon said, will been assessed further into the project.

“We’re waiting to see how things go and if there is much leeway in the budget,” Salmon said. “Before we spend money to go in and identify a whole bunch of extra work, we need to make sure we have the leeway in the budget.”