Future

The dockside casino industry boom at Biloxi in the 1990s has caused increased demand for lodging and housing. The Highway 603 (North Washington Avenue) corridor north of Fort Bayou, which connects Ocean Springs with Interstate-10 has seen rapid growth in motels, restaurants, and ancillary services. Ocean Springs will face increasing pressure from developers to build new housing developments, commercial buildings, and motel-hotel complexes within the limits of the city. With this exponential growth in mind, the citizens of Ocean Springs must remember that the ambiance of the town is based on its roots in Colonial history and the total environment. These include the 19th Century architecture, the Walter I. Anderson art legacy, green space, the abundance of live oak and magnolia trees, and the estuarine marshes. Only by protecting these assets will our heritage survive into the 21st Century intact.