NATCHEZ — After decades of service, the Senior Citizens’ Multipurpose Center needs a good facelift.

This comes as no surprise, though, as the center is 102 years old.

“It just needs a good renovation,” Program Director Carla Monroe said Tuesday while standing in the center’s recreation room, which currently has portions blocked off from where water has seeped through the ceiling.

The last time the center, located at 800 Washington St., received a full renovation was in 1999.

Since that year, the basement has flooded several times, the roof has leaked and paint has begun to peel in many places, among other infrastructure deterioration.

Sabrena Bartley, executive director of the center, has pushed for renovations several times to the Natchez Board of Aldermen.

“There are several structural damages that need to be addressed immediately,” Bartley said. “We also need some electrical and plumbing work. Those are just some immediate needs.”

Some structural damage that needs to be addressed, Bartley said, are leftover deterioration in the walls and ceiling in the gaming room from where the roof leaked.

In April, nearly 30 senior citizens who actively use the center attended a board meeting to voice their concerns.

Based on the center’s structural needs, Community Development Director James Johnston said it would cost the city approximately $1.5 million to fully renovate the center.

However, the board said securing that much money for the project is unlikely.

Since that meeting, Johnston has been working to begin the process of getting grant money to meet some of the center’s needs.

“We are doing an environmental assessment of the building right now,” Johnston said. “We haven’t received any funding yet, so nothing is guaranteed, though.”

Johnston said he has reached out to the Mississippi Development Authority for grant money.

“We submitted an application in May for consideration,” he said.

In an effort to be proactive while the city waits to hear back from the MDA, Johnston said city inspections employees have been surveying the center to determine what infrastructure needs should be addressed first.

At first glance, Johnston said the center needs a new fire alarm system, updated electrical wiring and repaired heating and cooling system.

“We are just trying to get one step ahead,” Johnston said.

Monroe said she hopes those updates come before winter.

“With the wind blowing through in the winter, it can get really cold in here,” said Monroe, adding that the center has had a few blown-out windows recently.

Bartley echoed Monroe, and said she’s counting on the city to get funds to renovate the center soon.

With more than 100 people using the center daily, Bartley said the building sees a lot of action.

“It’s a beautiful building, and it needs some attention,” she said.