$10M development coming to life in Ocean Springs

OCEAN SPRINGS, MS (WLOX) - The Inlet is taking shape in Ocean Springs. The $10 million mixed-use development is being built on the North side of Highway 90 in the eastern part of the city.

It's the biggest project to come to the city in several years. When it's complete, the development will feature 95 one, two, and three-bedroom condos, thousands of square feet in retail space, and at least one restaurant.

When people start calling the Inlet home, they might just want to pick up some coffee on the way to or from work.

Mickey Creech owns Java Jo'z. "Any sort of impact on residents to Highway 90 here by me is always a plus. My business will increase. Housing out here on 90 is something that we all look forward to," Creech said.

The newcomers to the city many also want to put the finishing touches on their condos, perhaps a different color paint.

Jim Hinton owns a paint store. "It's very good for the economy, very good for my store.  It will improve access with Highway 90, people coming in. I'm very pleased."

Most of them will have computers that will need service every now and then. That's good news for Nine-Tech owner Tuan Pham. "It will mean more traffic. Basically, as the customer base builds up, it means more customers. So in the future, you'll probably see more PC's coming in."

Not only are individual business owners excited, but others are considering what this will mean for Ocean Springs' economic development.

Bobby Tyson is a car repair shop owner. "They were just woods before and now we have a whole complex. It's a new idea, having condo's on top of shops. But I'm pretty excited about it. It's bringing more residents to the area, which is more cars. All the businesses around here should do well from this," Tyson exclaimed.

That shouldn't be a problem, with the Inlet providing an influx of new customers.

Officials with Thrash Development, the company that oversees the project, say the first of the five buildings should be ready to occupy by August.The entire complex is expected to be open in early summer 2019.

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