Ayers Saint Gross plan for hurricane-damaged Long Beach

A master plan study that Ayers Saint Gross Architects and Planners prepared for hurricane-damaged Long Beach, Mississippi, received an award for excellence in urban design from the Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Dhiru Thadani, an Ayers Saint Gross principal who took the lead in the planning, said the team returned to Long Beach eight times after the initial Mississippi Renewal Forum charrette in October 2005 and worked with 15 committees on aspects such as streets, housing, retail, and traffic. The Board of Aldermen adopted the master plan in concept September 19. It calls for creating a park on US Rt. 90, diversifying housing options, and providing a limited area for condominiums and casinos, among other recommendations. The details will be worked out with the planning commission and then sent back to the aldermen for adoption.