25 new Coast restaurants, hotels, stores are coming. Here’s the latest in development.
Gulfport and Ocean Springs are the latest hot spots as new business is popping up across the Coast even before major BP oil spill settlement funding starts to flow.
Mississippi Aquarium is set to open April 30, and it’s already attracting more investment.
“We have had two businesses that have committed to relocating to downtown within a couple of blocks of the aquarium,” said Gulfport Economic Development Director David Parker, and they’re new the city.
The groundbreaking for the $38 million USM’s Ocean Enterprise project at the Port of Gulfport also is attracting more development.
“We have international companies already researching expanding to Gulfport because of the USM research and the blue economy taking place there at the port,” Parker said.
The Gulf Coast Restoration Fund Advisory Board sent a list of 14 recommended projects totaling $85.5 million to the state Legislature for approval this session. At the top of the list is $32.5 million for the Ocean Enterprise project.
The city also is hoping to get funding for a new YMCA north of the interstate at Lorraine Road and Dedeaux that would be centrally located to serve the entire Coast, Parker said.
The buzz in Jackson is that the vote may come at the end of March, Mayor Shea Dobson said at a Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce breakfast. The proposal there is to help build a parking garage downtown as part of a mixed-use development.
Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich detailed in his state of the city address how a new boulevard is being created along with a new main gate on Division Street, and how boardwalks are expanding along Restaurant Row and at Point Cadet.
A master plan for Waveland
Waveland is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina 15 years later. Mayor Mike Smith said, “I have some big interest in Coleman Avenue at the beach,” an area that was wiped out by the storm.
“We’re putting together a master plan for our boardwalk marina project,” he said. “Once everybody sees a completed plan, it’s going to be hard to overlook it.”
The current flood maps for the beach and Coleman probably won’t change, he said, which puts any project there 20 feet in the air. He envisions an elevated and on-grade complex of restaurants and other businesses with entertainment and watersports, similar to the Destin Harborwalk. On the opposite side of the road, an investor has purchased property that is large enough for condo development, he said.
“There’s a big need for things in this area, but there’s no supply,” he said. Since flood elevations have stymied new attractions since Katrina, “We try to do as many festivals as we can,” he said.
Food Truck Friday is a way to bring people to town regularly without construction, and he said there are plans to add a classic car cruise-in to the food truck event.
“That’s kind of outside-the-box thinking we have to do here,” he said.
Building permits topped $300 million across South Mississippi last year, a huge jump from $186 million in 2018. With the warmer weather, 2020 is off to a strong start, sitting at $18 million in new construction for the first 6 weeks.
Here’s a list of what’s new or under construction across the Coast:
New hotels
▪ SpringHill Suites by Marriott, 15610 Daniel Blvd., Gulfport
▪ The Hotel Legends opening soon in downtown Biloxi
▪ The Pearl boutique hotel is under construction in downtown Bay St. Louis
▪ Four hotel rooms are coming this spring in downtown Ocean Springs, above the new Rooftop Taco & Tequila Bar.
▪ Beatnik Hotel on Porter Avenue in Ocean Springs will be a tiny hotel inspired by the beatnik culture when it opens later this spring.
Restaurants
▪ Moe’s Southwest Grill, 11464 U.S. 49, Gulfport
▪ Mateo’s Tex Mex & Margaritas, 1906 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, opening Feb. 27 in the former Wentzel’s location
▪ Pass the Juice, a juice bar at 2709 25th Ave., Gulfport
▪ The District Coffee Company, 1301 Government St., Ocean Springs
▪ Restaurant at the new Camp David RV Park at Cedar Lake, Biloxi
▪ El Milagro, next to Scarlet Pearl Casino in D’Iberville, now has a second location in the old Bernie’s restaurant building off Edgewater Drive in Biloxi.
▪ PJ’s Coffee, 10439 D’Iberville Blvd., D’Iberville
▪ McAlister’s Deli, 4101 Hospital St., Pascagoula
▪ Mr. & Mrs. Crab, open at 9131 U.S. 49, Gulfport
▪ Keg & Barrel coming this spring to The Inlet on U.S. 90 in Ocean Springs
▪ The Cannery Bar and Grill, under construction at 13066 Shriners Blvd., Woolmarket
▪ Craft Advisory Brewing, Ocean Springs will open in April with craft brews, sodas, kombuchas and seltzers, all made in-house.
▪ New Smoothie King with a drive-up window is under construction at 2708 Bienville Blvd. in Ocean Springs
Retail
▪ Mississippi Antique Galleria at Village Square, 1907 E. Pass Road, Gulfport, a 300 vendor mall coming this spring
▪ Five Below retail store has opened at The Promenade in D’Iberville and a combination Carter’s and OshKosh children’s apparel store will open there this winter.
▪ Dressed in Blue Boutique, 8927 Lorraine Road, Gulfport
▪ Pavolini Western Wear, 1060 U.S. 90, Bay St. Louis
▪ The Wedding Collection, 104 U.S. 90, Bay St. Louis
▪ Tractor Supply Co. coming to U.S. 49, Wiggins
▪ Habitat for Humanity’s second ReStore, 3176 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs. Ribbon cutting March 7.
▪ La Passion Chocolates and Gifts, 1116 Cowan Road, Gulfport. Ribbon cutting March 12.
Groundbreaking & expansions
▪ Summerfield Senior Living, 14744 North Swan Road, Gulfport. 21 acres with nature trails, stocked fishing pond, community gardening, farm pets
▪ Foundation work is under way at the Enviva wood pellet plan in Lucedale and the $90 million deep-water marine terminal at the Port of Pascagoula. The company expects to hire 90 full-time employees for the Lucedale plant and 30 for the Pascagoula terminal.
▪ Biloxi Mausoleum, built by Ronnie Barker, will have 504 crypts, 520 niches for cremated remains, and an open-air chapel for services.
▪ Halter Marine and Offshore, $10 million expansion in Pascagoula to perform repair work on larger ships and oil platforms, creating an estimated 100 jobs.
▪ The Basset Home Furnishings building at 1526 E. Pass Road, Gulfport, was sold to Lagniappe Construction, a national senior living construction company, which plans to use the property for offices and training facility in a deal brokered by Stirling Properties.
▪ Lockheed Martin is expanding its operations at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Hancock County with a $20.9 million corporate investment that aims to create 30 jobs.
▪ Five more RV pads being added at Majestic Oaks RV Park, 1750 Pass Road, Biloxi
▪ AAA Self Storage on Eisenhower Drive, Biloxi, acquired more property and is adding two more climate-control buildings and a three-sided pole barn for RV and boat storage.
Largest Coast projects
▪ $26 million — New Harrison County Middle School, 21411 Landon Road, Gulfport
▪ $17.7 million — Two permits for The Inlet at 2501 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs
▪ $7.4 million — North Gulfport Middle School addition, 4715 Illinois Ave., Gulfport
▪ $7 million for Warehouse for American Baitworks Co., 5700 Gulf Tech Drive, Sunplex, Vancleave
▪ $5.2 million for Shell and parking at Huntington Ingalls Industries, 3400 Jerry St. Pe Highway, Pascagoula
▪ $3.7 million for addition to Lighthouse of Ocean Springs, 8905 Ocean Springs Road
▪ $2.8 million for Pallet storage for Enviva, 215 Industrial Road, Pascagoula
▪ $2.3 million for renovation of Saenger Theatre, 170 Reynois St., Biloxi
▪ $1 million for Brookfield Subdivision, Gulfport
▪ $985,000 for renovation at Hancock High School, 8084 Stennis Airport Road, Kiln
▪ $850,000 for renovation at Planet Fitness, 318 U.S. 90, Waveland
▪ $750,000 for strip mall at 615 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs
▪ $605,000 for new commercial at 3612 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs
▪ $584,000 for 24 restrooms at Hancock High School, 7084 Stennis Airport Road, Kiln
▪ $582,000 for addition to tire shop at Love’s Travel Stop, 9240 County Farm Road, Gulfport
▪ $449,000 for renovation at Garden Park Medical Center, 15200 Community Road, Gulfport
▪ $426,000 for renovation at Ocean Springs Hospital, 3109 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs
▪ $400,000 for parking lot and structure for Jernigan Properties, 2045 E. Pass Road, Gulfport
▪ $384,000 for commercial building at 200 N. Beach Blvd., Bay St. Louis
▪ $275,000 for renovation for Walgreen’s, 4500 Old Pass Road, Gulfport
▪ 275,000 for classrooms at Jacobs Well Baptist Church, 29554 Vic Faye Road, Pass Christian
▪ $260,000 for new building for JPC Development, 407 U.S. 90, Bay St. Louis
▪ $253,000 for new Smoothie King at 2708 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs
▪ $250,000 for Biloxi Mausoleum at 1128 Robertson St., Biloxi
▪ $250,000 for warehouse for Jamestown Metal Marine, 4502 Chicot St., Pascagoula
▪ $238,000 for short term rentals at 402 Porter Ave., Ocean Springs
▪ $200,000 for cabinet shop, 19081 Riverline Drive, Saucier
▪ $159,000 for restrooms at John Henry Beck Park, 671 Division St., Biloxi
▪ $150,000 for renovation for Bancorp South at 2909 13th St., Gulfport
▪ $106,000 for renovation at Waffle House, 2992 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs
▪ $100,000 for seafood eatery at 6465 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs
▪ $65,000 for renovation at Edgewater Mall, 2600 Beach Blvd., Biloxi
▪ $50,000 for Subway at 15096 Creosote Road, Gulfport
▪ $50,000 for Little Caesars at 6615 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs
Other new businesses
▪ Five Star Auto Sales, 10530 Auto Mall Parkway, D’Iberville
▪ Edible Glitz & Glitz Meeting Room, 14491 Creosote Road, Gulfport
▪ Beachside Pavilion at South Beach Biloxi Hotel & Suites, 1735 Beach Blvd., Biloxi
▪ Southern Living Assistance, 4011 Beatline Road, Long Beach
▪ The Dermatology Clinic, 6510 U.S. 90, Gautier
▪ Pine Belt Dermatology, 1009 Tommy Munro Drive, Biloxi
▪ Community Bank, 1380 26th Ave., Gulfport
▪ L’Avenir Medical Spa, 112 Court St., Bay St. Louis
▪ Brushes Salon, 15007 Creosote Road, Gulfport
▪ All Safe Technologies, 2620 25th Ave., Gulfport
▪ CPR Cell Phone Repair, 15007 Creosote Road, Gulfport
▪ Waste Pro new satellite facility at 9255 County Farm Road, Gulfport
▪ Benfatti Construction, 2107 Nicholson Ave., Waveland
▪ Bay-Wave Crossfit, 2200 McLaurin St., Waveland
▪ Ebony Sage Apothecary, 314 U.S. 90, Waveland
▪ Royal Palms Spa Salon, 10470 D’Iberville Blvd., D’Iberville
▪ The Courtyard Homes at City Dock, Front Street, Pascagoula
▪ AlphaCare Urgent Care, 1113 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs
▪ Walmart Picayune Training Academy, 235 Frontage Road, Picayune
▪ RG Mindful Health 4 Our Youth, 1526 Mills Ave., Gulfport
▪ Maid for the Day Cleaning Services expands into Hancock and Harrison County
▪ Canopy Children’s Solutions — South MS Child Advocacy Center, 706 Watts Ave., Pascagoula
▪ CASA of Harrison County Resource Center, 47 Maples Drive, Gulfport
▪ Gulf Coast Studios, 34-29th St., Gulfport
▪ AnderCorp, 1404 24th Ave., Suite 300, Gulfport
▪ Jernigan Chiropractic & Rehab, 2045 E. Pass Road, Gulfport
▪ NeoLife Physical Therapy & Wellness Gulfport, 9036 Carl Legget Road, Gulfport
▪ Pep Boys auto repair outside Edgewater Mall
▪ V&L Biloxi CrossFit, 875 Barthes St., Biloxi
▪ Staff Pro Workforce, 284 Debuys Road, Biloxi
▪ Delta Tire World, 14056 Big Ridge Road, Biloxi
▪ The Gardens renovated dining room and bistro, 1260 Ocean Springs Road, Ocean Springs
Liquor licenses
▪ The Red Zone, 101 Live Oak Drive, Diamondhead
▪ Prince Wine & Liquor, 2400 Pass Road, Biloxi
▪ Canal Wine & Spirits, 12251 Canal Road, Gulfport
▪ Cheers Liquor & Wine, 1923 Azalea Drive, Wiggins
▪ One Thirty One on Lameuse, 131 Lameuse St., Biloxi
▪ Jacks by the Tracks, 709 Krebs Ave., Pascagoula
▪ Levy Premium Foodservice at Mississippi Aquarium, 2100 E. Beach Blvd., Gulfport
▪ Coastal Daiquiri Bar & Grill, 501 Jeff Davis Ave., Long Beach
▪ On a Roll Sushi, 206 Jeff Davis Ave., Long Beach
Ribbon cuttings
March 4 — Gulfport Behavioral Health, 11150 U.S. 49 North, Gulfport
March 5 — LP Construction Management, 8927 Lorraine Road, Suite 204-A, Gulfport
March 7 — Habitat for Humanity’s second ReStore, 3176 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs
March 12 — SpringHill Suites by Marriott Gulfport, 15610 Daniel Blvd., Gulfport
March 12 — La Passion Chocolates and Gifts, 1116 Cowan Road, Gulfport
March 17 — Gulfeagle Supply, 3737 25th Ave., Gulfport
April 24 — Lamey Electric new location, 13015 Shriners Blvd., Biloxi
