Wal-mart's Plan for Pass Christian

Wal-mart is in discussions with Pass Christian, MS about how it will rebuild it's store that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

The redevelopment team envisions a two-story building with Wal-Mart on the ground floor and spaces on top for other businesses. Hall has said previously the facade could be built in the style of the community. A mixed commercial and residential Wal-Mart Village, offering affordable housing and narrow, walkable streets, could be built up around it.

Hall said the suggestion for Pass Christian's Wal-Mart could be the wave of the future. The store's rebuilding would be a boost to the city that would help it recapture some of its tax base.

The team gave a presentation, outlining plans that rely heavily on green spaces, to about 80 Pass Christian citizens.

Buildings that are zoned for multiple uses, such as apartments, condos, and retail shops, also are part of the plans. A public transportation system would run through the city with apartments and condominiums lining the CSX railroads tracks, which the team says would be more useful as a path for commuter trains.

This story is of interest to me due to my connection with Pass Christian. Roxi and I made three trips to her grandparents' camp in Pass Christian this past year and it was located directly adjacent to the Wal-mart. Her grandparents will most likely not rebuild the house as it was, but if these plans are approved, their property might end up seeing a new development in the future. Although in my experience Wal-marts are very crowded at all times and I wonder how that might carry over to this "village" proposal. Of course this is just one idea. Whatever the final decision is I would like to hope that July 4, 2005 was not our last visit to Pass Christian.