Design . Build . Learn . Repeat

As a way to pass the terribly dull hours of Friday afternoon, let’s wrap up what’s been going on this week:

• Compiled a spreadsheet of all the property on Oak Street (above) to help us determine what properties might need zoning changes or help rebuilding. Perversely, this was a lot of fun.
• Piles were driven for Hung’s house on Crawford Street (see previous post). Apparently, they ran into just about every obstacle under the sun, including a huge taproot about 6 feet down, but succeeded in the end.
• My floor plans for the Nguyen family (a four-bedroom house just across the street from Hung’s) went through a major revision to better take advantage of their wide lot. Now I’m figuring out a roof plan that will suit the house.
• Drew up the first design recommendation of the Moss Point Downtown Redevelopment Committee (click on “Denny Street Relocation” on the left, that’s all me!)
• Sergio Palleroni and five students from the University of Texas at Austin will be here this weekend to work at Patty’s, installing a greenhouse that they began constructing at home and hopefully helping out with some other work that needs to be done.

Looking forward to the weekend. Among other things, I get to help teach some kids how to play frisbee, and go to an awesome garden party at the Wisteria Estates!

Rebuilding Infrastructure & Culture on Biloxi’s Oak Street

February 27, 2008

by Elise Roberts, WLOX

It was a meeting of the minds for some people who live in East Biloxi. Wednesday night people came together to give their feedback on plans to revitalize the Oak Street community.

“We lost so much of the face of our community, and that’s something we cannot reclaim,” said Thao Vu with the Boat People SOS.

Vu says after Hurricane Katrina, very few homes and businesses returned to the area. Instead, many relocated to D’Iberville and Ocean Springs. That’s why her organization, as well as several others from the Vietnamese Community are working together to make plans to rebuild Oak Street.

Wednesday night was the first of many workshops aimed at getting a uniform design for the historic community.

“Change can be good, but there’s also many things that you want to keep - tradition, cultural heritage. And that’s something we keep in mind on Oak Street,” Vu said.

Architect David Perkes agrees.

“It’s all kinds of various pieces in motion,” Perkes said.

He is the director of the Gulf Coast Design Studio, the company that worked with property owners and residents to create five design plans for Oak Street. They include a Vietnamese District, similar to what you would see in larger cities, a residential area, an international street made up of restaurants, bars and shops, a mixed use community and a tourist condo living area.

“Our role here is to help the community visualize their own community,” Perkes said.

Right now, Oak Street is lined with several residences and businesses. It is also the home of a Vietnamese church where hundreds of people attend mass every day.

“We would like the leaders of these churches and temples to really help because they are the leaders of this community,” said Vu.

Some residents are still torn on which plans will work best, but they do want more grocery stores that serve both Vietnamese and American food. They also want restaurants that stay open later. All are ideas organizers call key to revitalizing a community where everyone will want to live, work and play.

If you were not able to attend the meeting and you have some ideas, can call Boat People SOS at 228-436-9999.

Oak Street is the bookend for my mental map of East Biloxi, the last real stop of consequence before you head east to Ocean Springs. It’s not only because most of my projects are within a few blocks of the street, although (from east to west) Hoxie, Crawford, and Rosetti Streets are all ones I visit often. It’s the character of the street; even in its diminished state, you find the Vietnamese/French “Le Bakery”, the “Pho 777″ restaurant, the Hong Kong Market with its (to me) exotic foods, several convenience stores, the Vietnamese church and Buddhist temple, and more.

Spanning the Point from the Back Bay to the beach, Oak Street owes a great deal to shrimping and fishing, once the primary industries in East Biloxi. These jobs attracted large numbers of Vietnamese fishermen during the 1970s and 80s (1). Shrimping and fishing have been in decline since the 90s, and Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the fleet as well as displacing many of the workers. The booming casino industry has provided some new jobs; the Grand Casino anchors the beach end of Oak Street and the Isle of Capri and others are nearby.

Sporadically, some residents — black, white, Vietnamese, and more — are returning. Since Katrina, waves of volunteers have patronized the restaurants and businesses that have rebuilt at this unlikely (inter)national crossroads. Still, the community is struggling to regain its identity and cohesiveness. Change is definitely going to come to the neighborhood. The question is, will the residents be the ones who decide what kind?

I believe they should, and in this spirit we’re holding a community meeting tomorrow night for Oak Street residents, business owners, and other interested parties. Hosting are NAVASA (the National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies), Boat People SOS, and of course the East Biloxi Coordination Center (and GCCDS), all organizations that have been aiding the residents of Oak Street and the surrounding neighborhoods since Hurricane Katrina. Trinh from NAVASA and I and a number of others have been working to put together the meeting, with these principles in mind:

1. People should be involved in the decisions that affect their lives.
2. A strong neighborhood has citizens who are civically engaged and invested in its well-being.
3. The values, assets, and goals identified by the community can shape the planning process.

Armed with five scenarios for the future of Oak Street, we hope to start a vigorous discussion. (We are also armed with pens, lots of paper, and a small battalion of Vietnamese translators). I’ll report back on the results after it happens!

(more…)