D’Iberville riding a boom
Friday, October 31st, 2008
Within its compact 7.1 square miles, D’Iberville has plenty of development either under way, approved or proposed.
The intersection of interstates 10 and 110 puts a big plus sign on the city and the access and visibility has brought developers knocking.
To the northwest of the intersection the long-awaited Target store and Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurants plus dozens of other national retailers and eateries are coming to The Promenade. At the construction site Wednesday, City Manager Richard Rose showed where a Radio Shack, a shoe store and other retail including Kohl’s Department Store, PetSmart and Best Buy will be built.
The northeast quadrant of the city also is booming. Every week, the D’Iberville/St. Martin Chamber of Commerce holds one or two ribbon cuttings, and Wednesday welcomed Which Wich sandwich shop. A Courtyard by Marriott hotel is under construction within walking distance of the movie theater and across the street from where a bowling alley and a Kangarooz indoor play area are being built.
“The retail people are coming here and looking. We’re not having to go out to them,” and Planning and Zoning Director Deonne Olier said now, “It’s a good thing we’ve got entertainment coming in for kids.”
Having the community split by highways might seem like a disadvantage, but it opens opportunities, said Rose. “The four corners of retail in the South is right here on the Gulf Coast,” said City Planner Jeff Taylor.
D’Iberville took advantage of the grant money available after Hurricane Katrina and Taylor said they will use it to rebuild Central Avenue, improve business facades, install water and sewer lines, create a town green and improve the roads. Work should start in January on Central Avenue and improvements to Sangani Boulevard and eventually all the commercial areas on Sangani and the Promenade Parkway will be linked by one five-lane road.
Rose said the city staff gives the same consideration to a small sandwich shop as it does to a major retail development, and is both thorough and quick with the approval process.
“We argue and we fight,” said Hank Rogers, building department director, but in the end officials do what is best for the city and have the support of the D’Iberville City Council. Communication is the key, and Rogers said it’s more than physically working in the same area. “It’s an attitude,” and all the planners are passionate about what they do and about improving the quality of life in the city.
Copyright 2008 Sun Herald
All Rights Reserved
|
