Author Archives: coleary

Shaw Homestead

Posted on by
Reply

Our work on the historic Shaw Homestead is coming to a close!

The Shaw Homestead is located along the Wolf River in Pearl River County, Mississippi, near the historic town of Barth. The property was first settled in the 1880s under the Federal Homestead Act and the Shaw family lived on the homestead until Hurricane Camille in 1969. The house remained unoccupied until 2006, when it was generously donated to the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain (LTMCP). Over the course of a century, the homestead was subject to the influence of the boom-to-bust timber industry and open range livestock culture, and now benefits from present-day preservation efforts.

Since the LTMCP acquired the homestead, attention and resources have been dedicated to restoring the building and property. In 2011, the LTMCP and the Gulf Coast Community Design Studio (GCCDS) collaborated to hold a series of community events that brought together many local families, providing the opportunity to share oral histories about the Homestead. The events also allowed the general public to visit the site and learn about homestead life, from sheep shearing to syrup sopping!

Soon, a new website will allow the wider community to continue to learn about local traditions associated with the Shaw Homestead and historical rural life in southern Mississippi. For now, please visit the LTMCP website and the GCCDS website to learn more about the project. To view a dozen short videos about homestead life, please visit our YouTube channel! Below, please see a handful of images from the community events.

 

 

 

Bike Biloxi!

Posted on by
Reply

Bike Biloxi is a new project underway in partnership with the Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Biloxi, the Gulf Coast Cycling Club, and the Gulf Coast Heritage Trails Partnership.

With an initial bike route around East Biloxi and several more in the works, Bike Biloxi is beginning to take shape and designate space for visiting and local bike riders. This initiative has the potential to make city streets safer for bicycle riders of all ages and encourage bike transit. Look for signs marking current bike routes throughout the city and stay tuned for future Bike Biloxi events.

Recent developments include new city signs designating the initial bike route, Bike Biloxi t-shirts for sale at the new Biloxi Visitors Center, and more businesses participating in our monthly Bike & Dine.

Join us for our next Bike Biloxi ride! We meet every third Tuesday at 6pm at the historic Bond Grant House, 932 Howard Avenue.

Public Design Intern Program

Posted on by
Reply

The Public Design Intern Program is one year old and we’ve been working on a variety of projects since its inception. Public Design Interns have professional degrees in architecture, landscape architecture or planning, and are hired as staff at the GCCDS. Interns spend 75% of their time working alongside fulltime staff and the other 25% working on coursework, including more exploratory studio projects as well as evening seminars and visits from outside professionals. At the conclusion of the yearlong program, interns receive a graduate certificate in Public Design from the College of Art, Architecture + Design at Mississippi State University. Two new intern positions will be hired for the Spring 2012 semester. Here’s a look at some of the projects that the current interns have been working on:

Howard Avenue Streetscape

This project comprises a streetscape improvement and preliminary development plan for historic downtown Biloxi, which together aim to improve the city’s central public space and enliven the district with increased traffic and civic activity, fostering a sense of downtown identity. Initial proposals include opening Vieux Marche to two-way traffic and re-establishing Howard Avenue as the primary downtown thoroughfare. The project also introduces a more streamlined streetscape that includes parking, street trees, stormwater management, street lights, pedestrian bulbs, awnings, crosswalks and ample sidewalk space.

Port Road Community Engagement

This project entailed research and design work focused on the potential impacts of an impending port expansion and new port connector road in Gulfport, MS. We have worked with a number of local community groups in an effort to research likely externalities of expansion and visualize the proposed road as it affects adjacent neighborhoods. Primary accomplishments so far include extensive mapping of the proposed road and surrounding communities, research regarding environmental and public health impacts, and a precedent study of roadway design interventions.

Vacant Land Study

The vacant land study is just beginning and comprises an investigation of vacant property in East Biloxi. The project aims to develop a vacant land reuse plan for East Biloxi, including land typology, proposed programs, policy recommendations, and implementation strategies that highlight the various roles of public, private and community stakeholders.