Mississippi Rebuilding
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Current Ideas

Cottages become a growth industry

Governor's Commission report

Final team reports


January 18, 2007
Cities in Transition

August 23, 2006
Katrina Plus One
The Katrina Cottage Story

April 26, 2006

Six Months of Progress

January 16, 2006

Affordable Houses Address Gulf Needs

January 11, 2006

Katrina Cottage Unveiled

December 19, 2005
An Abundance of Follow-Up
Moss Point Mini-Charrette

December 3, 2005
CNU Teams Return

November 17, 2005
Final Team Reports Are Released


October 18, 2005
Journal: A Tremendous Start

October 17, 2005
Journal: Time's Up
Team Presentations

October 16, 2005
Journal: Community Input
Draft Community Plans
Architectural Designs

October 15, 2005
Journal: Plans Emerge

October 14, 2005
Journal: Focus on Design
Draft Community Plans

October 13, 2005
Journal: Teams Visit Communities
Draft Goals and Objectives

October 12, 2005
Journal: Renewal Forum Begins

Prelude
Governor Enlists CNU


GIS Database



Gautier
Gautier's evolving design solutions support its goals of redevelopment while pursuing its opportunities for ecotourism. Adhering to the concept of centers and connections, Gautier Center includes Gautier Commons in front of the Gulf Coast Community College, a redeveloped Singing River Mall, and a transit-oriented development (TOD) around a proposed light rail stop. The TOD expansion north of Shell Landing includes a connection to Sandhill Crane Park. Ecotourism options abound in The Point marina and ecovillage district, which is modeled after a fish camp theme.


Moss Point
Reviving the historic character of Moss Point begins with three main project areas: downtown, Kreole neighborhood, and the Escatawpa Village area. Downtown will benefit from a reworking of its street network, plus the introduction of two- and three-story live/work buildings, including restaurants and retail shops. After viewing the new FEMA maps, critical services such as the city hall, police station, and fire station were moved out of the velocity and flood zones. In the Kreole neighborhood off Highway 90, a ferry or kayak landing is proposed, allowing residents and visitors to pursue activities in the natural environment. Escatawpa Village, a district within Moss Point, is an acceptable location for new development; likewise, a new commercial district near the airport provides additional opportunities for economy stimulation.


Ocean Springs
As it passes by Ocean Springs, Highway 90 will be transformed from strip mall conditions to a transit-oriented development, infilling properties along this thoroughfare and incorporating a new anchor store on the ground floor of taller buildings. The highway will connect to a rail transit station reached via a pedestrian-friendly street with views of the existing harbor and working waterfront. Policy changes include an overhaul of the city‚s ordinances to use a form-based code approach, specifically addressing lot alternatives and lot sizes, plus other obstacles to traditional neighborhood development. Affordable housing and commerce options are another component of the overall plan, as is an attempt to establish "park once" environments.


Bay St. Louis
Connectivity, civic amenities, and hurricane-resistant buildings top the lengthy list of Bay St. Louis‚ design goals. A well-connected network of walkable streets and green spaces lace together the existing neighborhood centers. The waterfront receives rebuilt historic houses, constructed with hurricane-resistant materials, with additional housing behind the fortified dwellings. A Center for Renewal is planned, which will provide design and construction advice, as well as pattern book information, business incubator resources, and zoning and code guidance to encourage more pedestrian-friendly development.


Long Beach
Responding to breaking FEMA regulations, the Long Beach design team has realigned Highway 90 200 feet to the north, creating an eight-acre park between the highway and the beach, and moving the urban edge out of the FEMA V zone completely. Civic squares include one at the north end of Main Street, which anchors the street and helps to solve an existing traffic flow problem. A second park named Remembrance Park anchors the space in front of the school, where Third and Fourth Streets meet at Jefferson Davis Street. A square enhances the intersection of Cleveland and Klondike, serving as a marker to visitors from north of town. A high-density beachfront promenade will help to bolster tourism while providing a destination for residents.


Pascagoula
Major interventions are proposed for Pascagoula's street network, including a new transit line, expansion of the waterfront park, and redevelopment of the west riverfront. The addition of amenity retail and low- to mid-rise residential buildings promises to bring further vitality to the downtown core. Moving the existing golf course to a new location allows the creation of a linear public park in town. Clusters of neighborhood retail options helps to evolve walkable neighborhood environments. A ferry service allows visitors and residents to escape to the barrier islands for recreation.


Biloxi
Biloxi's plan is composed of a series of neighborhoods, each connected via a reestablished street grid. Strategies for the historic downtown include adding 500 new residential units in four- and five-story buildings with retail and office on the ground floor. The casino district of Casino Point in the east end will be delineated into three distinct areas, and will provide a civic, cultural, and arts presence. In the east end traditional neighborhoods, a range of housing and building types gathered around neighborhood centers will restore the fabric of the community. The west and east beachfront gateways will be marked by a world-class water boulevard from Gulfport to the end of the eastern point. And Keesler Air Force Base will be connected to the city by relocating its three principal entrances, then rebuilding its housing into TND-style dwellings.


D'Iberville
A new waterfront for D'Iberville is proposed, with waterfront gaming and a French Quarter as its highlights. I-15 is extended, connecting to ecological areas and turning D'Iberville into a commercial hub. Additionally, an extension to Popps Ferry Road completes this thoroughfare, transforming it into a viable alternate route to Highway 90. More dense development concentrated around schools, retail, and service-based areas provides more opportunities for daily interactions and purchase of necessities. Central Avenue benefits from redevelopment into a main street connecting a coastal esplanade to the retail hub farther north.


Gulfport
Gulfport's abundant land south of Highway 90 is envisioned as an extension of Gulfport's downtown, redeveloped into a mixed-use "docklands" district that includes not only industrial uses, but also residential, retail, cultural, park, aquarium, and ferry uses. Existing truck and rail lines are raised above the streets on a European-styled, walled viaduct, with shops, offices, and cafés occupying the spaces beneath it. Encouraging the cruise industry will give Gulfport international appeal, as will reinstating its shrimping industry and providing an open fishers'/farmers' market. The marina will host watercraft from cruise ships, yachts, and private boats, to ferry service to Ship Island. A new church and lighthouse are also possibilities.


Waveland
Design goals for Waveland reflect the immediate and lasting needs of its residents. Highway 90 is seen as an economic tax base and want to see it rebound as quickly as possible. Highway 90 will be transformed into a boulevard, with its intersection with Nicholson becoming a focal point for new development. Mixed-use development along the highway, as well as residential development, should bolster the area's tax base. Coleman Avenue is next on the list, slated to regain its character through the addition of new buildings, including a new town hall, a new American Legion Hall, and a public pavilion, among other additions.


Pass Christian
Pass Christian's revitalization begins with a smart code for its downtown, a smart code for Wal-Mart, and a third, city-wide, smart code. A strong pattern book for the historic downtown will ensure that appropriate buildings will enhance the urban fabric. Using the new codes as blueprints for renewal, the city can choose the path in which it will rebuild, while maintaining its relaxed, fishing-village ambience. It can add four-plex condos and a hotel designed in the antebellum style. A second marina will increase options for recreational boating and fishing. The city's tax base can be rebuilt by encouraging non-casino, regional tourism.