BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. &mdash Hurricane Katrina did more than wreak havoc on lives and property when it struck in 2005: It also stripped away much of the charm and ambience that historically drew people here.
But two projects now beginning are intended to restore the feeling of yesteryear and the way the town once appeared.
Streetscape projects in the Depot District and Old Town will result in hundreds of new but Victorian-looking street lights, as well as greenery, curbs and gutters.
"They're laying out survey stakes right now," City Hall official Buz Olsen said Monday. He and Allison Anderson, architect on the streetscapes, had just completed a tour of the work areas.
The work comes compliments of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provided Community Development Block Grants to underwrite the projects.
Anderson said the work eventually should yield a higher payoff than just looking pretty. Hopefully, the streetscapes will encourage locals and visitors alike to get out and share some wealth.
"These projects are for economic revitalization," she said.
Read more at SunHerald.com