►
From YouTube: Howard Avenue update, December 2019
Description
Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich, and Lee Young and Bobby Gideon speak about the promise and progress of downtown Biloxi, espcially the multi-million-dollar project known as The District on Howard Avenue.
A
A
They
own
second
floor,
but
again
that
that
living
and
the
entertainment
opportunities
is
what
we're
trying
to
recreate.
And
you
know
it's
not
just
not
my
vision.
You
know
if
everybody
who
remembered
those
days,
those
riding
down
Howard
Avenue,
you
know
the
group
I,
you
know,
went
to
school
with
him
played
and
and
hang
hung
around
with
that.
It
was
something
more
wouldn't
it
be
nice.
Well,
it's
gonna
be
nice,
the
developer.
We
got
the
right
developer,
that
has
the
ideas
and
we
all
in
sync
about
what
we
have
to
do.
A
B
This
administration
current
administration
has
taken
over.
They
all
have
been
nothing
but
phenomenal
in
how
they've
treated
us
as
a
team
of
developers
in
the
assistance
that
they've
provided
and
I
would
welcome
anybody.
That's
thinking
about
possibly
locating
to
downtown
Biloxi,
to
go
visit
with
the
mayor
and
the
rest
of
the
City
Council,
because
they've
truly
been
remarkable
in
the
assistance.
B
Not
only
you
know,
we've
gotten
some
tax
abatements
things
of
that
nature,
assuming
we
perform
nothing
was
given
to
us.
We
have
to
perform
in
order
to
reach
benefit
from
these
incentives,
but
they've
also,
given
us
guidance,
valuable
guidance
in
what
downtown
Biloxi
used
to
be.
So.
With
that
kind
of
guidance,
we've
tried
to
let
that
steer
us
in
how
we
are
going
to
redevelop
Howard
Avenue
at.
A
B
Our
portion
of
it,
we
were
lucky
that
we
were
able
to
work
in
an
agreement
with
the
Bark's
family,
who
were
also
wanting
to
see
downtown
Biloxi
and
Howard
Avenue
come
back
to
its
glory
days.
They've
been
phenomenal.
We
also
were
able
to
acquire
their
crest
building,
as
well
as
some
other
properties
on
Howard
Avenue.
We
have
big
plans
with
big
plans.
They
don't
happen
overnight
and
so,
as
we
court
potential
investors
for
restaurant
tours
from
various
parts
of
the
country,
you
know
we
bring
them
in
the
City.
B
Council
and
Mayor
have
been
gracious
to
meet
with
these
individuals
and
we've
laid
out
our
you
know.
We've
started
our
game
plan
and
on
the
design
and
revitalization
of
each
of
the
building.
One
of
the
keys
is
to
have
people
living
not
only
working
downtown
but
also
living
downtown,
to
create
a
sense
of
community
again.
B
You
know
we
were
reading
articles
recently
about
what
is
the
plight.
Why
are
young
people
leaving
the
state
of
Mississippi?
We
because
we've
got
great
universities.
We've
got
very
bright
young
individuals.
How
do
we
bring
those
individuals
back
well,
what's
been
missing
on
the
coast?
Is
a
place
you
go
to
Nashville
you
go
to
some
of
these
other
and
I'll,
give
you
there
bigger
cities,
but
what
they
have
is
a
place
for
young
people
to
live,
work
and
entertain
themselves
and
that's
sort
of
what's
been
missing
in
Biloxi.
B
In
our
estimation,
if
we
create
the
proper
mix
juice
environment,
not
only
for
older
people,
snowbirds
what-have-you,
but
we
really
believe
that
that
will
help
create
an
environment
for
young
people
wanting
to
go
work,
it
Ingalls
or
chevron
or
Merritt
hospital.
Any
of
these
bigger
industries
along
the
coast,
the
casinos,
but
they
need
to
be
part
of
a
community
and
that's
what
we
hope
to
create
downtown.
My.
C
Name's
Bobby
Gillan
I'm,
the
director
of
marketing
and
leasing
for
the
district
on
Howard
Avenue
in
downtown
Biloxi.
The
district
on
Howard
Avenue
is
a
downtown
urban
redevelopment
project
spanning
downtown
Biloxi
centered
on
Howard
Avenue,
with
the
Bark's
building,
the
crest
building,
the
former
Upstairs
Downstairs
property,
and
a
number
of
others
throughout
downtown
will
be
bringing
residential
living
back
to
downtown
Biloxi
and
revitalizing.
C
The
community
in
downtown
will
have
residential
living
options
catering
to
a
wide
variety
of
demographics,
from
baby
boomers
to
service
industry,
employees
and
folks
that
are
looking
to
relocate
and
retire
and
want
to
have
a
livable,
walkable
retirement
right
here
on
the
Gulf
of
Mexico.
This
type
of
mixed
use,
redevelopment
in
a
downtown
area
is
not
uncommon
and
has
been
going
on
across
the
country
for
a
number
of
years.
You
look
at
Nashville,
Austin
Oklahoma,
City
Memphis.
C
These
are
all
cities
that
have
thriving
downtown
communities
with
businesses,
restaurants,
nightlife
and,
most
importantly
residents.
We
just
don't
have
that
in
any
density
here
in
the
Gulf
Coast
of
Mississippi
the
dish
the
district
on
Howard
Avenue
will
be
bringing
that
first
of
its
kind
to
this
area.
One
of
our
major
focuses
is
embracing
and
becoming
a
part
of
this
Biloxi
community.
That's
the
most
important
thing
here
is
that
we
are
all
a
community
here:
it's
not
just
the
district
on
Howard
Avenue
on
its
own,
as
you
walk
around
downtown
Biloxi.
C
If
you
haven't
come
down
in
a
little
while
take
a
walk
around
you'll,
see
many
properties
being
reinvested
in
new
businesses
arriving
both
retail
residential
units
coming
online.
The
momentum
is
already
picked
up
and
the
feedback
we've
been
getting
from
the
community
is
wildly
supportive.
We've
become
participants
and
leaders
within
local
community
organizations,
with
the
main
street's
association
with
the
chambers
of
commerce,
the
Gulf
Coast
Business
Council
this
project.
C
We
view
as
a
step
in
the
right
direction
for
the
future
of
the
coastal
Mississippi,
we're
already
in
discussions
and
planning
out
spaces
and
utilities
and
all
of
our
properties
with
various
restaurants,
bars
entertainment
venues
as
well
as
boutique
retail,
your
standard,
Living,
Services,
convenience
stores,
hair
salons,
all
of
the
amenities
that
people
living
downtown
will
need
and
will
want.
So
this
is
not
just
an
entertainment
district.
This
is
also
a
very
livable
downtown
area.
We
are
happy
to
be
part
of
the
new
downtown
Biloxi.