Page 107 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2018

ABOVE LEFT: THE MENAGERIE is a
renovated warehouse featuring 44
small business booths owned by local
entrepreneurs, plus a popular café that serves breakfast and lunch. This Market Street gem came to fruition under the stewardship of Maxwell.
ABOVE RIGHT: EVENTS SUCH AS FREEFLOWIN’ ON THE RIVERFRONT music and art festival is one of the many popular events sponsored or supported by Main Street Pascagoula. It attracts thousands of spectators and many participants.
RIGHT: ANCHOR SQUARE is a 16-cottage business incubator in downtown Pascagoula. These businesses receive rent abatement through incentives provided by the PRA, and enjoy promotional support from Main Street. When a business exceeds a revenue threshold, the PRA board works with the city to help them relocate to a larger, affordable retail space, in the central business district.
knows how serious we are about code enforcement
and poorly kept neighborhoods. Next, find ways to create affordable housing so ‘daytime’ workers can live here and be a part of the community, while growing home ownership numbers,” said Mayor Dane Maxwell, referring to the hundreds of area workers at large, local employers such as Chevron and Huntington-Ingalls that come into the area daily.
Pascagoula’s Main Street is accredited by the state association and led by a volunteer chair, appointed board members and one staff member. They convene discussions aimed at helping small businesses grow through civic pride, cultural engagement, and historical awareness about the significance of the central business district. They also produce or support a wide array
of civic, athletic, cultural and social events in the city, all aimed at promoting the quality of life or raising awareness of the community.
At its annual luncheon in Jackson on June 21, Mississippi Main Street recognized the Brady Family of Pascagoula for their commitment to downtown with the launch of their second restaurant venture, Brady’s Steak and Seafood, located on the beautiful Pascagoula River that boarders the city to the west. It has rapidly become
a favorite gathering place on the waterfront and very popular among locals and regionally.
This geographical area is a focus for the three key vitalization organizations: The City of Pascagoula;
the Pascagoula Redevelopment Authority (PRA); and Main Street. Along with its two beachfront public
parks, a nationally recognized pier, and four city boat launches, the downtown area is also seeing growth.
Two major building projects are currently underway. One is a restoration project of a former Hancock Bank building, which will include retail space and housing. The second is a new riverfront townhome project, slated to also feature commercial space. The vision for this area includes a city dock for water craft large and small, enticing day trippers from throughout the Gulf Coast to stop and enjoy Pascagoula and see its many historical sites while enjoying its boutiques and restaurants.
“I’m working to connect funding organizations,
to attract developers and builders with clear paths
to incentives and tax credits. And partnering with organizations like Main Street, which enhances people’s experience in Pascagoula and supports special events that draw people to the area. I’m oversimplifying all we’re doing, but from 30,000 feet that is our formula for smart growth and revitalization,” Mayor Maxwell said.
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