Campus Redevelopment
Latest Development
During its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) discussed several pieces of land and unanimously selected the Cross Creek property north of Long Beach, Mississippi, as the preferred site for an additional campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.
“After ten months of diligent searching and consideration, I am confident the Board has chosen the best possible location for the additional Southern Miss campus,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Thomas C. Meredith. “This is a long-term, historic decision that will directly impact generations of Mississippians.”
State demographers have forecasted the population on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to grow substantially in the near future. In June of 2006, the Board began seeking land for the establishment of an additional Southern Miss campus that would be capable of meeting the educational needs of this growing population. From the outset, the Board stressed that the land must be centrally located and easily accessible to any Mississippi Gulf Coast resident who desires a higher education, and highly visible to serve as a constant reminder that education is the key to a brighter, more prosperous future.
After considering multiple sites, the Board solicited the help of Broaddus & Associates Innovative Project Management and Consulting firm to narrow the search. With the help of the consultants, the Board narrowed its search to the three best sites—Cross Creek, located on I-10; Tradition, located at the intersection of Highway 67 and Highway 605; and Gulfport, located on Highway 49 in Gulfport. The land for all three sites was to be donated to the Board. After carefully evaluating each piece of property on the criteria of location, visibility, size, accessibility, cost, growth controllability, suitability and availability of adjacent land, environmental and geotechnical factors, and disaster recovery capabilities, the Board, in accordance with the consultants’ recommendation, selected Cross Creek as the best site for the project. Click here to learn more about Cross Creek and to view the report submitted to the Board by Broaddus & Associates.
History
The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach
was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. But within days
of the storm, the Southern Miss community converted a portion of the old
Garden Park Hospital in neighboring Gulfport into a University facility.
Despite cramped quarters, Southern Miss students were able to finish the
semester, seniors were able to graduate on time, and Southern Miss faculty
and staff were able to continue the important work of educating the citizens
of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. That portion of the Garden Park Hospital
facility, now known as the Gulf Coast Student Service Center, is still in
operation today.
Present Situation
for the Gulf Park Campus
In its June 2006 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the rehabilitation
of the Gulf Park Campus. View
the map in PDF format by clicking here. Many buildings on the Gulf Park
Campus are currently being renovated, while others are scheduled for renovation.
Below is a schedule of work being completed and scheduled to be completed.
- New lighting along the fitness trail at the Third Street campus entrance is now working. Electricity is being restored to the front of campus. This will allow Physical Plant crews to begin the process of cleaning and rehabilitating Elizabeth Hall (no. 5 on map).
- Bids for the demolition of the Cox Library/Learning Center building (no. 4 on map), the Barber Annex (no. 9 on map), and the kitchen debris from Hardy Hall (no. 1 on map), have been opened and are being reviewed by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) for approval. Work should begin soon.
- Bids for the renovation of the Advanced Education Center (no. 7 on map) and the Library (no. 6 on map) should be received by February 8, 2007. The work in these buildings will be prioritized so that classrooms will be completed first. All work is scheduled for completion by August 1, 2007.
- Because Hardy Hall, Lloyd Hall, and the Administration Building are eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, renovation efforts have been slow and deliberate. Structural engineering reports for these buildings are currently being updated, and operating costs are being estimated. This information will be used to determine a plan of action for these landmarks.
Night classes will resume at Gulf Park in January 2007, and a full schedule of classes will be offered in the Fall 2007 semester. Because students may still need to travel between the Gulf Park campus and the Gulf Coast Student Service Center, it is important for the Office of Gulf Coast Operations and Southern Miss administrators to understand current traffic patterns when developing Gulf Park course offerings.