Hometown Tour: Mississippi Gulf Coast

Sometimes, you just have to start over.

“It took a great act of will on their part to say we are going to rebuild this museum,” says Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art Executive Director Denny Mecham. This project was under construction when a casino barge plowed through the site after Hurricane Katrina.

“We feel like the images of its rebuilding would let people know how far Biloxi has come in only 3 years,” says Mecham. Parts of the Mississippi Gulf Coast still suffer decay. The city of Biloxi is working on a massive $355-million project to repair every hydrant, manhole, storm drain and any piece of water pipe in the Katrina flood plane.

“It's going to put the quality of our infrastructure assets at the best it's ever been but more importantly it's going to set the table for economic development because we won't have capacity issues,” says Biloxi City Administrator David Staehling. City officials say construction should start this summer and wrap up in five to six years.