White House Hotel owner given more time - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

The owner of the historic White House Hotel in Biloxi has been granted another extension to make necessary repairs on the neglected structure.

The council voted to give owner Jay Love another two weeks to make repairs on the property. This marks the fifth straight extension he's been granted. 

What to do with the historic White House is clearly a divisive issue. 

"This property has probably been the most controversial of any on the list," community development director Jerry Creel told the city council, as he prepared to review a stack of code enforcement cases.

He describes the White House as a "bi-polar" issue.  Some say it's time to tear down the neglected eyesore, while others call it a landmark to be preserved at all costs.

From a code enforcement standpoint, some repairs are needed.

"Enclose that west end of the building. And at the very least, take steps to keep it from looking like a building that's being demolished by neglect," said Creel.

"Once this building is torn down, it can't be recovered. The buildings from the historic period of the coast when this was kind of the "playground of the South" can't be recovered. We can't get that history back," said owner, Jay Love.

City council members acknowledged the history, but for some, their patience is wearing thin.

"We can holler historic value and all of that. And I appreciate that. But at some point it becomes a nuisance. And it has become a nuisance," said councilman Clark Griffith.

"I know it's been a long time and I know it's an eyesore. But I just could never vote to tear that building down," said council member Lucy Denton.

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History would also like to save the White House.

"It's a very rare, surviving gulf coast landmark. And it's important to Biloxi's history and should be preserved we believe," said Ron Miller, with the department.

"For the City of Biloxi and the image we're trying to protect, it's just one huge eyesore, failed development that's been there for 20 plus years," said councilman, Bill Stallworth.

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