Decades of Biloxi history unearthed during Barq Building renovation. See for yourself.
Decades of remodeling is peeled back layer by later during restoration of the Barq Building to reveal the history of the block-long building — and a few surprises.
Mysteries like why Japanese wallpaper was found in one of those layers on the second floor and whose autographs are on a large board dating back to the 1920s and ‘30s and found tucked in another wall.
The century-old building at the corner of Howard Avenue and Reynoir Street in downtown Biloxi was completed in 1901 to house the Lopez & Co. hardware and grocery store.
It was purchased in 1938 by the Barq family, which bottled Barq’s Root Beer elsewhere in the city.
“We’re about to refurbish it, renovate it and now it will survive on for another 100 years,” developer Lee Young said of the Barq Building.
It’s the next step in creating The District on Howard mixed use project that stared with the restoration of the nearby Kress Building, where actor and Mississippi native Morgan Freeman has opened Ground Zero Blues Club.
Barq through the decades
Now work has progressed to the Barq Building, where crews started months ago removing the mustard-colored siding and mansard roof that were part of the Urban Renewal renovation. It began in 1976 and according to Sun Herald archives, the look was supposed to be “contemporary French-inspired design.”
When that remodel was stripped away, underneath was the original Renaisance architecture with with stone and iron trimmings.
Soon the squat windows installed in the Urban Renewal reno will be gone, replaced with French doors leading from apartments to balconies.
“They all will have balconies,” Young said.
The plan is for commercial on the ground floor, and events center on the second floor and 23 apartments on the second and third floors.
“The mayor wants people living down here so that’s our first priority,” Young said.
What the remodel revealed
Many businesses operated in the Barq Building over the years. Grand Drug Co. was there for more than 50 years. Bradley’s Toggery, Cashbah Gifts, Globe News and Tobacco Store, Austin’s Style Center and JC Penney were among the other tenants, along with dentists, attorneys and other professionals.
As crews tore out years of plaster and sheetrock and other building materials, they uncovered steel beams on the second floor, something project manager Chris Darkshani called a “happy accident.” On one of those huge beams that will support a center hallway between apartments, Mobile Steel Co. is still visible.
Among the other things found during the interior demo are:
▪ Dozens of doors, some with the names of the professionals who worked in the building
▪ Porcelain sinks and other plumbing fixtures
▪ Set of flowered dishes
▪ Junior doctor kit and toy rifle
▪ 1930s electrical panel
▪ Old dentist equipment
▪ Large sliding fire doors
▪ Decorative radiators
▪ Bartop embedded with R-rated photos
▪ Bank vault
‘Cool stuff’ will stay
“All the really cool stuff will remain,” Young said. He’s not sure yet if the bank vault will remain and said it probably will be up to the tenant if it stays or goes.
Not discovered yet are any souvenirs from The Strand movie theater that opened in January 1924, according to documents from the Biloxi Local History & Genealogy Library. In 1928, Noreta Lopez Yerger decided to build a more modern movie theater and The Strand Theatre closed Jan. 15, 1929, the day the Biloxi Saenger opened next door.
The building was remodeled and Grant’s Drug store moved into the space.
Young said when the company purchased the building, they told the Barq family they would honor their name.
Many of the signs on the doors still at the building have the names of longtime Biloxi families, and Young said he wants to offer them to those families who would like that part of the history. Those interested should contact him at Lyoung.ylf@gmail.com.
Anne Gautier, who designed Ground Zero Blues Club, also will do the interior design or the Barq Building and will incorporate the good old things into the building or a display in the lobby.
What’s to come
As crews work on the building, Young said his company is entertaining companies and providing leasing information for those that may want to bring their business to Biloxi and the District on Howard.
“Several well know entertainment companies from New Orleans have expressed interest,” he said.
The front of the building will have recessed storefronts and a covered walkway to create corridors and protect those walking from the weather.
An events center will be built on the west side of the building, with a balcony overlooking Reynoir Street and dining below.
The apartments will be mostly one bedroom mixed with some two-bedroom units. Young said he’s already hearing from young professionals and others who want to move to the building and he said they will hire a professional leasing and rental agency when it gets closer to being complete.
The building did not get water during Katrina, he said, and so much development is coming to downtown Biloxi, “It makes it appealing to live down here,” he said.
This story was originally published May 4, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
