| Depot Parking Lot Woes Replaced With Improved Amenities, Aesthetically-Pleasing Lot for Anderson Fest

Ocean Springs News

Depot Parking Lot Woes Replaced With Improved Amenities, Aesthetically-Pleasing Lot for Anderson Fest

Ocean Springs, MS – Despite a month of monsoon-like rains and community angst with the removal of trees in this historic Tree City, the major construction and landscaping of the Depot parking lot in Ocean Springs is near completion – just in time for the annual Peter Anderson Festival this weekend. The Depot serves as the staging area for vendors and the festival’s host, the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce-Main Street-Tourism Bureau.

The parking lot makeover was the starting point for the city’s $4.6 million Downtown StreetScape Project, funded by a Community Development Block Grant. The project will bring landscaping, improved sidewalks, brick-pavers, curbing, lighting, buried utility cables, and approximately 70 trees, varying in heights of 15 and 35 ft. to the downtown area.

“We acknowledge that this process has been painful, but the results clearly speak for themselves,” said Eric Meyer, Director of Community Development and Planning. “The improvements to the Depot parking lot are something we all can be proud of. The Chamber can easily accommodate vendors with the new on-site electrical outlets needed for city events. It is clearly a great attribute for Ocean Springs.”

“It’s better than getting a brand new suit and a new pair of shoes for a bonus,” said Alderman Matt McDonnell, Ward 2. “It was planned out properly; it was implemented higher than our expectations – it’s a wonderful complement to Marshall Park as our gateway into Ocean Springs.”

Following the festival, construction on the Depot parking lot will move to the east side. When completed, the new parking lot will feature 38 parking spaces and a covered transit bus stop. The Downtown StreetScape Project is expected to be completed by this summer.