On August 29, 2005, the wind along the Gulf Coast was blowing with unprecedented force; water levels from storm surge were rising to record levels. Hurricane Katrina swept through, causing damage on a scale that had not been seen there since 1969’s Hurricane Camille, three and a half decades earlier. New Orleans got the lion’s share of headlines; but the 50,000 Gulf residents of Biloxi, MS—a town once known as “the US Riviera”—would see the damage from a 30-foot storm surge change nearly all of their lives and their community forever. More than a decade later, though, it is a story with a happy ending.
Although most residents had heeded evacuation orders, emergency response personnel with the fire and police departments—along with a handful of dedicated city officials and public works crew—stayed behind on higher ground, ready to address the critical needs.
The new MGM Park and Stadium on Beach Boulevard
Tonya Hebert, FEMA coordinator with the mayor’s office, recalls the storm vividly. She says, “You know, even before the flooding started in New Orleans, we had no access to TV, no electricity, no landlines or cell phone service, no Internet, nothing. We had no information other than what we saw out the window. But the people of the Gulf Coast are very resilient. We have been through hurricanes before and we know there will be another one at some point, so we band together and help each other, and that’s probably what gets us through these horrific situations. It’s all about trying to help one another.”
Hebert says that keeping citizens informed is the City’s foremost responsibility so that residents can take appropriate precautions. Even before the storm hit, Biloxi had already been in a readiness mode with its own emergency declaration, as well as declarations from the State and County. Additionally, the City had pre-approved contractors lined up for “pre-event” debris removal.
“We knew there was going to be a lot of debris, and we had to be ready to go with cleanup so that emergency vehicles and other responders could perform essential functions,” says Hebert. But no one was really prepared for what happened.
The new visitors’ center
FEMA for Finance (the Red Cross and Salvation Army for Food and Essentials)
One thing that people don’t really understand in these situations, says Hebert, is the role of FEMA. “The agency is a reimbursement program, not a ‘we’ll save you’ program, and I think there is confusion over this. Technically, they can’t do anything until the state government asks for help. In other words, a city, as well as the state, has to declare they are in a state of emergency before being eligible for FEMA assistance, and we have a very defined routine of steps to follow to make sure we do get reimbursed after a disaster strikes.”
Having been an eyewitness of the storm, Hebert recalls that every year before hurricane season, there are three hurricane prep meetings held with top city officials, including the mayor and the directors of various departments like public works.
“We go over the steps of what we’re going to do and share new information and procedures. We talk about our emergency at 72 hours out and what will happen. We have a hurricane preparedness meeting for the essential emergency personnel; we meet with the timekeepers and purchasing people in place who are assigned to keep track of the costs related to repair the damage, when it happened, and what is the outcome of that incident; and we have a separate meeting with the casino managers, all of which are on the waterfront, to keep them informed of procedures.”
Damage after Hurricane Katrina
All this is done to comply with the FEMA regulations, she says, “So when we get ready to ask for help, we know what happened, when it happened, and we can estimate the costs for our reimbursement strategies. It’s also good record-keeping for future disasters so we can compare costs and know what to potentially ask for.
“Plus, our preparedness helps insurance ratings because we can demonstrate our response time and how we are prepared to avert damage,” she adds.
Hebert says that one of FEMA’s requirements for damage mitigation advanced the latest round of building codes.
“Many of the city’s historic properties were wiped out. Just totally gone. Any building that had to be reconstructed would have to use new standards of elevation to make it stronger and resilient, and mitigation to make it more resistant to damage. However, what this meant for many of the private and public historic structures barely left standing was a death knell, as it was cost-prohibitive to recreate the historic buildings as replicas incorporating the new codes. For one thing, they wouldn’t look the same; they would have to be elevated, and it would no longer actually be historic. And the dollars needed to
do the work in compliance was out of reach for property owners—many ended up simply abandoning the structures. Essentially, several of our earliest historic homes that were lost are captured now in memory and photos only.”
Although grant money from FEMA would have paid for the repair or total reconstruction of certain historic buildings, such as the visitors’ center, the library, and the maritime museum, the City elected to do them over entirely rather than “make them what they were before,” thereby improving their capacity “to be more serviceable to the public,” she says.
“We decided to make a new library in a new location, one that was at a better elevation, and we rebuilt the Biloxi Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum and elevated that and made it stronger. And our port harbormaster buildings had to be rebuilt and put on piers. So, even though we lost a lot, in the end, we are coming out stronger. And while some of our history is gone forever, we’ve been able to rebuild with better structures.”
One of the flagship examples of the Biloxi restoration that was a non-city effort is the White House Hotel. Despite the grand front entrance columns reminiscent of the Washington DC same-name residence, it was named for Judge Walter White, whose wife turned their private residence built in the 1890s into a luxury boarding house property during the financial boom of the 1920s.
After the property changed hands, it fell onto hard times and had already been closed for 30 years when Katrina hit. Although it was dilapidated and had been vacant for decades, investors stepped in to save it from demolition.
The restoration efforts that were used salvaged and reclaimed materials that were incorporated as decorative items and a fence that reflects the period structure was built. Because many trees and shrubs were lost in the storm, there was a strong incentive for preserving the big trees that remained.
The hotel was reopened in 2014, and now, 11 years after the storm, Hebert says, “That building is now an historical boutique hotel with a high-end bar and restaurant, and has returned to being a luxury property once again.”
But everything takes time in a disaster of this magnitude. The visitors’ center and library both opened in 2011, and public-private collaboration helped get the seafood museum reopened in 2014.
“People sometimes come down here, and if they didn’t see what it looked like after the storm they still think there’s a lot missing. They don’t realize how much has been done and how the priorities—like repairing infrastructure, for example—are things you can’t see. We had a lot of old clay pipes that were well-maintained and incorporated into new piping and drainage in the old sections of the city; they failed when inundated by storm surge, and replacing them was part of the overall master plan,” she says.
Hebert says that serious rebuilding couldn’t even begin until the debris was removed—a process that took up to two years at a cost of $63 million, and eventually involved enough material to create a six-story-high football field. That’s a lot of debris to collect, load, and transport offsite.
“First we had to clear the way so emergency vehicles and first-responders could get from one point to another. Highway 90 was impassable, and this is a major throughway and had to be repaired—although, in many cases, it was a ‘band-aid’ fix at first, and then the plan was to come back in for more permanent work.”
She adds, “You have to prioritize repairs, and while roads and bridges were repaired within two to three years, other projects, such as the massive water, sewer, and drainage infrastructure still in progress, are lengthy, requiring many approvals and ordinance compliance even before they break ground.”
Visitors’ center
Giving Builders a Break
City of Biloxi community development director Jerry Creel recalls the restoration and rebuilding process that echoes Hebert’s mantra of doing “first things first.”
“There’s so much to do, and you can’t do it all at once,” he says.
To begin, “Once Katrina hit and the city turned into one large cleanup project, one of the things you had to deal with is the fact that a large part of your revenues are no longer there. We were getting taxes on building and houses and land, and then when those were all gone, so were the incomes they produced.”
He says, “When current projects come to a standstill, as they did here, there’s this ‘wait and see’ attitude that develops.” Creel recalls how developers and builders get cold feet in a disaster and are reluctant to continue to sink funds into what might be a losing operation.
Another issue, he says, is that although the FEMA money is available for rebuilding after the cleanup is over, it’s not an instant direct deposit.
“We have to have meetings with historic committees, with engineers, with architects, and put out RFPs [requests for proposals] for work and procuring repairs. Then, interviewing and selecting the right people for the right job—this all takes time to process before you pick up the first shovel for rebuilding.”
The process Creel describes is cleanup first, then evaluation, then rebuilding. This gradual restoration and recovery is an arduous process, but also one that allows for long-term planning to incorporate future needs, such as climate change and flood mitigation, as well as other protective measures—considerations that years ago would have been unheard of. In creating a plan for rebuilding the present, the past and the distant future were factored in to protect and preserve the community.
Creel says another dimension to rebuilding included developers “who saw that several other cities in Mississippi had been damaged and who were also going to need rebuilding of services and infrastructure. These companies saw this as an opportunity to exert leverage to see which hard-hit region was going to ‘play ball’ and give them the best deal to come in and invest.”
The city of Biloxi offered some tax abatement ordinances. “That had an effect and helped as an attraction to bring businesses back to the water’s edge where they had been wiped out,” he says. “What happened is that we gave the developers an opportunity for tax abatements, and they built projects at higher elevations and under more stringent construction regulations, so we got better buildings and they, in return, got the tax breaks.”
Any building that had to be rebuilt had to use new standards of elevation and adhere to other hurricane and disaster-prevention building codes.
Creel says his role also includes “anything in the way of development, zoning, and permitting for historic preservation. In the case of Katrina, we made a lot of the decisions on our own about what was to stay or go. Essentially, we had to walk up and down the streets and decide what historic structures had been substantially damaged, or were damaged but repairable. It was a judgment call about what we knew we had to do, and these were issues not written in any code books.”
Before the storm hit, Creel says, the City had lined up removal crews, knowing that there would be a substantial amount of debris, “but the reality almost always exceeds the imagination—certainly in this case.”
But, he adds, “Before we could remove any debris from historic sites, we had to submit forms to the FEMA historic branch office for approval. They wouldn’t approve any debris removal until they were sure you were in compliance with their historic building policies.”
While this evaluation was in process, the debris was still sitting in the streets, holding up progress. “They were paying for it, so we had to just follow the rules and keep them happy so we could get everything paid for and go forward with our plans.”
Sadly, says Creel, the lower part of Biloxi—the eastern part sited on a peninsula—was totally wiped out. “It took out a majority of the houses in this east end. A number of those were literally picked up off their foundations, and they floated downstream and became missiles for taking out other houses from the storm surge. It was pretty incredible, and the mess was overwhelming, to say the least. We lost a lot of our history that day.”
Building Back With Vision
Architect Leigh Jaunsen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, with Biloxi-based Dale Partners Architects, says her firm has been involved from the very beginning in the rebuilding of the city.
“We were selected to do a good bit of the rebuilding of city facilities, so we had the opportunity to work with city officials and citizens of Biloxi to envision their future and imagine what it could be, in what was, realistically, an overwhelming situation.”
She says in the face of losing many historic structures, Dale Partners assisted with planning so that the City could decide how to use the FEMA money and make the choice of what to save, restore, or repair.
“The Mississippi Development Authority had been the recipient of federal Katrina money, and along with FEMA money, we were able to help build back the coast. It has taken every bit of this last decade to get where we are now.”
Lighthouse Park
Ordinances for Keeping the Roof On
Jaunsen explains how the rebuilding was sometimes a fluid process. The FEMA flood maps were being redrawn in the middle of the design process, which required the architects to constantly make adjustments.
“FEMA decides where the critical areas of coverage are going to be, based on the latest weather, flooding, and other data. They decide the areas to be covered and the level of insurance coverage and stipulate what ordinances are required for buildings and properties within those zones, as this ultimately qualifies them (or not) for reimbursement in the event of disaster.
“FEMA was making these changes and redefining what are called velocity zones. If you do a coastal project, there are flood zones called V zones and AE zones, and if your property is within these, you must meet stringent building code requirements because of excessive wave action. This makes development near the water a huge challenge, but if you want to avail yourself of the beach location for a tourist attraction, you’ve got to build higher, better, and stronger, and of course assume the insurance costs as well.
“Building by the water is a huge effort, as you often need to sink piles sixty to ninety feet deep. That alone is very expensive, and the first floor must be elevated twenty feet or more. So, basically two stories of space is required before you can create usable space.”
Jaunsen adds that roofs “have to all be specially connected to the walls and tied to the foundation. Simpson ties are now mandatory for roof-wall connections. They were not typically used in wood construction before the storm.”
According to Simpson Strong-Tie, makers of the connectors, creating what is called a “continuous load path” involves using a system of connectors (brackets, metal ties) and their fasteners (nails, screws). Together, these create a continuous and unified load path, anchoring all units together from the roof to the foundation. When high winds hit a building with this built-in load path, the energy is dispersed throughout the structure, rather than centered on just one area.
Jaunsen shares an exciting find discovered during the construction of the visitors’ center: a site that “probably has some of the most interesting history in all of Biloxi.”
The new visitors’ center, she explains, “was to be built on land where houses had been destroyed, and they were not ever going to be rebuilt on that site. Being directly opposite the Biloxi lighthouse, it was a perfect location. But any new ground-breaking requires the presence of archeologists for the excavation process.
“We knew this site was where the Biloxi Indians had landed, estimated to be around 700 AD; and then later, this same location is where the French came to the area in 1698. So, we knew that somewhere around here, there were French burial sites. The University of Southern Mississippi did an archeological dig next to the new visitors’ center property, which was a known burial site, and I was there the very day when they uncovered the body of one of the three-hundred-year-old French settlers. It was personally fascinating and also a very moving experience to witness the unearthing of these historical finds.”
She says the relics were taken to the University, where they were examined by archeologists and then reburied. “What this does is confirm the history that we believed to be true.”
The landmark Biloxi lighthouse across the road was also a restoration focal point—one that eventually received national attention.
Earning the Stamp of Recognition
The 64-foot-high Biloxi lighthouse, noted as the only lighthouse in the US to stand in the middle of a four-lane highway, was built in 1848 as the guiding beacon for ships approaching the peninsula. Being one of the first cast-iron lighthouses in the South, it withstood the winds of Hurricane Katrina; but, says Jaunsen, “The inside brick liner broke away, and the outer shell was damaged from being submerged in that thirty feet of storm surge saltwater, one of the highest levels on record. The electrical system was destroyed, and many of the windows in the light cupola were broken.”
Although it no longer guides ships, it had become a popular tourist attraction, operated by the City. Following Katrina’s ravages, and after a thorough historic preservation analysis, the tower was enveloped in scaffolding, restored, and reopened in 2010. The US Postal Service selected the lighthouse as part of its series of stamps celebrating Gulf Coast lighthouses. Jaunsen says this was a big thrill for the community, and hundreds of people lined up to buy the first day of issue cover featuring their landmark lighthouse.
The restored lighthouse reopened to tourtists in 2010.
Transcending the Past to the Future
There are still questions about the future of the remaining large swaths of now-vacant land facing the beach. These plots once featured shotgun houses, cottages, and bungalows, all built at low elevations. It was simple, basic housing, most often built for people of modest means. The storm was not selective; it leveled gracious mansions, three-room shacks, and everything in between. But one thing they had in common was the cost of rebuilding.
With the new ordinances, rebuilding a cottage or bungalow, or even a destroyed mansion, required the structure to be at a higher elevation, and much of the structural remediation did not make sense financially. Neither did creating replicas of historic buildings, “as they would have to conform to the new regulations and would be an inaccurate reflection of the original,” says Hebert.
“It’s sad to lose this historic flavor of structural diversity that has been a hallmark of our city,” she says, but when it comes down to it, “most people just couldn’t afford to do this, and the fact is, it wouldn’t be the same, wouldn’t look the same. So I think it was a hard decision all around.”
The Mississippi Heritage Trust and the State’s Department of Archives and History released a roll call of registered landmarks lost to Katrina, with Biloxi losing 60 structures built from the early 1800s up to a few in the 1970s.
“Downtown Biloxi was already in a downturn before the storm,” says Jaunsen. “It never recovered from the ’70s and the ’80s; but now we’re seeing a real increase and interest in new urbanism—the need for more housing is growing and eventually that will happen, and more new projects.
“We’re very excited to be restoring the historic 1928 Sanger Theatre, and we’re very proud of our visitor center, our new library, and museum. It’s so rewarding to build back this crucial infrastructure.”
She adds, “Things today are being built much stronger and more durable; I hope we don’t have another storm like this to test them; but if it does happen, there won’t be as much destruction. It’s also taken a while for developers to really feel comfortable and for prices to come down and rebuilding to really get going. It’s been a long process, but it’s coming along; and despite everything, we’re now in a better position than we were before the storm.”
Being Informed, Being Prepared
Hebert, in conjunction with Cecilia Dobbs Walton, Biloxi’s public affairs specialist, emphasizes the readiness message further. Dobbs Walton reports that beginning in 2005, the City began issuing public awareness mailings and preparedness messages. Ironically, the first postcard, issued in June 2005 and sent to homeowners in the floodplain areas, headlined how the recent Tropical Storm Arlene was “a good prep test.” Three months later, as they say, all hell broke loose—making Arlene look like an afternoon drizzle.
Since that launch date in 2005, the City has issued three public awareness messages each year. These include a June postcard with the reminder: “It’s that time again,” advising homeowners to confirm or purchase flood insurance. There is also a citywide Storm & Flood Preparedness newsletter reminding all residents to heed the warning sirens, providing a checklist of what to do and when to do it in the event of a storm, and much more. Another preparedness newsletter, targeted to property-owners who are in or near flood-zone areas, has specific information on upcoming preparedness events that they can attend, how to locate their houses on the floodplain maps, a review of permit requirements in these zones, and other pertinent resources.
“The biggest thing in dealing with a disaster is knowing what is liable to happen. When we talk about disasters, we know what to do, how to respond. You have to be prepared, practice your emergency routines, and don’t get complacent,” cautions Hebert.
“It’s been eleven years now since Hurricane Katrina, and it was thirty years before that when Camille made landfall, and people didn’t take it seriously back then. They had parties; they didn’t stockpile supplies. They weren’t ready.
“Now, we have mitigation in place, and our building codes are tightened. I would say do your homework on reimbursement procedures to ensure eligibility by properly procuring repairs and contracts using federal procurement guidelines. Investigate how to get hazard mitigation grants before anything happens. Ensure your infrastructure is storm-ready. Even if it’s been thirty or forty years since a major type of natural disaster: don’t be nonchalant. Take this seriously, get out there, get to work, and be prepared.”
