Fourteen years after a fire in downtown Biloxi destroyed three businesses, the vacant lot at 781 Howard Avenue is set to come back to life.
Where Adventures Bar & Grill, Upstairs-Downstairs night club and the Spanish Trail Book Store burned in 2011, Austin Square will be built to rejuvenate the center of town.
The architecture will look like New Orleans, with tall windows, shutters and wrought-iron balconies overlooking the street.
Pass under one of the two arched entrances on Howard and George Ohr streets and Austin Square will emerge as a lively courtyard surrounded by shops.
On the second floor will be a speakeasy bar and the rooftop will be a social hub to hang out with friends to meet new people, enjoy a drink and admire the views of the water and downtown.
“I really believe this will be a game-changer for downtown,” developer Ivan Spinner said, “give it a spark it has not had for years.”
The exterior of Austin Square has traditional French Quarter style, while hidden inside are a lively courtyard with shops, a speakeasy and a rooftop bar.
History meets innovation
The development will be built with innovative design and shipping containers, adapted with roll-up doors and expanses of glass walls to create an open environment and bring in the lively vibes.
The retail space may include pop-ups like those fashionable in Miami, Detroit and other cities, said Shawn Parker, who is engineering the project. It will bring a lot of foot traffic to downtown, he said.
The rooftop of Austin Square will be a social hub with an outdoor bar and views of the downtown Biloxi.
Spinner expects Austin Square to help create a walking, shopping area with a unique personality “to bring Biloxi downtown on par with Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis.”
It’s been the goal of Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich to recreate the architecture and feel of what Howard Avenue was like in the 1940s and ‘50s, when it was the city’s business district.
The street is now paved with bricks and design standards are in place to give new businesses a cohesive look.
Creating a downtown draw
The project went before Biloxi’s Development Review Committee on Wednesday.
“We love the concept. We just need the details,” said Jerry Creel, community development director.
Once the project is approved by the city, work will start that day, Spinner said.
This empty lot in the center of downtown Biloxi is the site of Austin Square, a new attractions with French Quarter architecture surrounding a lively courtyard, shops and bar.
Austin Square is right in the center of Howard Avenue, just a couple of blocks from The Bella boutique hotel that Ivan and Kelly Spinner opened in 2023.
It’s on the same street as the Biloxi Shuckers’ baseball stadium and Ground Zero Blues Club. The beach and Beau Rivage and Hard Rock casinos are within walking distance, as is the Amtrak station, where passenger train service between New Orleans and Mobile will be dropping off passengers twice a day when service begins soon.
DJ Kamal Mustafa
I’m DJ Kamal Mustafa, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of EMEA Tribune, a digital news platform that focuses on critical stories from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Pakistan. With a deep passion for investigative journalism, I’ve built a reputation for delivering exclusive, thought-provoking reports that highlight the region’s most pressing issues.
I’ve been a journalist for over 10 years, and I’m currently associated with EMEA Tribune, ARY News, Daily Times, Samaa TV, Minute Mirror, and many other media outlets. Throughout my career, I’ve remained committed to uncovering the truth and providing valuable insights that inform and engage the public.
