“This is our front door,” Holmes explains. “There’s a tremendous amount of undeveloped land along U.S. Highway 49, and we’re starting to see serious activity there.” Recent arrivals like HomeGoods and Aldi have opened to packed crowds, joining a wave of smaller local retailers and national brands exploring the corridor. “We’re seeing a healthy mix of mom-andpop shops and larger chains,” Holmes says. “It’s a great sign of momentum.” Residential demand is keeping pace. North of Interstate 10, developers are breaking ground on new subdivisions and apartment complexes to meet rising demand for single-family housing. “The need is enormous,”Mayor Keating says.“Harrison County and Gulfport together could see a demand for more than 10,000 new residential lots over the next decade.” With commercial, industrial, and residential growth converging, the corridor has become a vital engine for the city’s next chapter. 117 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 GULFPORT, MS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx