Commercial and residential construction continues to move forward despite the coronavirus threat.
In fact, in a five-week period from when the pandemic began shutting down the local economy — March 16 through April 20 — the city’s Community Development Department has issued $6.57 million in construction permits.
The construction numbers, along with the latest coronavirus numbers and the path forward to re-opening businesses, are among the items in today’s Be Prepared video.
Community Development Director Jerry Creel says the majority of the viral construction was $4.98 million in new housing starts, 32 homes in all. In fact, the city has about 160 homes under construction at the moment.
Says Creel: “These are all projects where construction companies can move forward while respecting social distancing rules.”
In the Eastland Subdivision, on the west side of Old Highway 67 north of Woolmarket Road, a total of 41 new homes have received building permits, with many currently under construction, Creel says.
Also issued in the past few weeks was a construction permit for a new go-cart track and pit buildings, which is being constructed by Big Play at the corner of Veterans and U.S. 90, where the Gus Stevens supper club once stood years ago.
Among the other active construction sites: The Blake Assisted Living and Memory Care Community on Popp’s Ferry Road, the Performing Arts Center at Biloxi High School, the new downtown location of Community Bank, Newman’s Seafood on Caillavet Street, Camp David RV Resort on Cedar Lake Road, the RW RV Resort on Veterans Avenue, and the J-Mart Chevron Convenience Store on Highway 67.
Facebook: See today’s update
YouTube: See today’s update
See the overall tracking chart
See the daily comparison
See the White House plan for Opening up America Again
News & notes: School lunches, dog parks, traffic
School lunches: Biloxi Public School has announced that meal pickups will now be Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Gorenflo, North Bay, Popp’s Ferry. The meals, which contain lunch and breakfast for the following day, are for those 18 and under. They had been offered daily until last week.
Dog parks: The city’s two dog parks, which had been closed weeks ago because of social distancing issues, are now open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The parks are on Popp’s Ferry Road and in Hiller Park. Dog owners must adhere to social distancing.
Traffic: The city has transmitted three traffic and weather advisories to its B-Alert audience in the past several hours. To receive the text messages, text BILOXI to 888777. To learn more about the free service, click here.
