Page 94 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2019

CITY CLOSE UPS history on howard
Vieux Marché
HOWARD AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION PROCEEDING IN BILOXI
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photos courtesy of City of Biloxi
Reconstruction of the downtown section of Howard Avenue, formerly known as Vieux Marche, is set to be complete by the first quarter of 2019. “Development of the Barq’s building is underway, and the old Kress and Woolworths buildings have been sold,” Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said. “There has been a great interest shown in development and the idea of multipurpose use on Howard Avenue.”
While initially set for completion in October of 2018, engineers and contractors working on the nearly $2
million reconstruction say that unexpected obstacles pushed back the project finish date. As workers proceeded with the project many surprises were unearthed, including abandoned 6- and 12-inch water mains
and underground remnants of canopies that had been installed back in the days of Vieux Marche.
“Most of the work in the beginning was below ground construction, such as storm drains and water mains,” says Andy Phelan of Pickering Firm engineering, “but with that
work complete, it’s beginning to look like a real roadway project, with the stone road base being installed, along with the curb and gutter.”
With the groundwork finished, workers were able to focus on
New roads mimic the original brick roadway.
above ground efforts. Phelan
says that project engineers
have relied on old pictures of downtown Biloxi for inspiration throughout the project. “This has been an exciting project,” he said. “Meticulous design was necessary to closely mimic the original brick roadway with two-way traffic
and parking on both sides. It’s a unique opportunity to capture the look and feel that Howard Avenue enjoyed in its heyday.”
Amidst the rebuilding of Howard Avenue, Machado-
Patano Engineering Services
is continuing its remake of the former Merchiston Hall building, while Community Bank is designing its new downtown presence, where the former federal courthouse once stood. And soon a new Waffle House, elevated and unlike any of the other five in the city, will begin
construction on U.S. 90 near Bellman.
The City of Biloxi hopes to see continued growth and vitality, especially in the downtown area. “Development in downtown is important, and we expect it to be an entertainment venue as well as provide living space,” said Gilich. With the completion of Howard Avenue, the city will be one step closer to the goal of a downtown lifestyle.
94 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • January 2019