Gautier votes to use eminent domain against Belk. What does that mean for the store?

The Gautier city council voted Tuesday night to use eminent domain to revoke the Belk department store’s development rights on currently vacant land at the former Singing River Mall.

The land will be used in the city’s Town Center redevelopment plan, which aims to turn the former mall site into a “downtown area.”

Belk is the last remaining store at the mall, which was torn down in 2014.

The Belk store itself will not be involved in the eminent domain proceedings, the City of Gautier said in a press release.

The press release said Gautier will condemn “certain development and other rights to the property” held by Belk since 1978.

The city is represented by Hattiesburg attorney Christopher Howdeshell in the eminent domain proceedings.