The District on Howard Avenue

The Biloxi City Council has approved a $54 million development plan in downtown Biloxi.

Two hundred and thirty thousand square feet for different businesses and 330 residential units is the ideal plan to revitalize downtown Biloxi with the District on Howard Avenue. Developer Lee Young said, “We are trying to go forward with what the mayor’s wishes are. He wants to see a vital downtown with people living, eating, shopping, and enjoying themselves downtown.”

Young plans to bring a New Orleans magazine street type of atmosphere to Biloxi. “On the top floors, roof top bars and then downstairs, retail shops and plenty of restaurants.”

Young tells News 25 the district is a huge opportunity to increase tourism attraction compared to other cities like Destin and Pensacola. “We, Biloxi that is, dwarves those markets in tourism dollars, hotels, you name it.”

Since the city approved the project, district developers are constantly in meetings to get a master plan together before starting construction. “That may seem easy, but everybody has an opinion on how things need to look and feel to produce the best product possible.”

The City of Biloxi will assist developers with sales and property tax rebates if the district produces the appropriate amount of revenue. Once the project is complete, Young says he should have no problem fulfilling that promise.