Condo project adding something more to bring people to Coleman Ave in Waveland

WAVELAND, Miss. (WLOX) - Waveland’s Board of Alderman approved a variance for a project that is aimed to bring more people to Waveland.

Shane Bernard is the president of Bernard construction. He wants to build a two-story condominium, with the first floor designed for a restaurant and bar while the second-floor houses nine units.

“We could just do condos and will make a certain amount of dollars, but it would not necessarily make sense for the community because the community will not get a benefit out of it,” Bernard said. “By putting the restaurant there, it gives us great income probably, but it gives the community something they can go to. So, it’s a win-win partnership there.”

Another part of the design is to build a circular staircase around an oak tree that’s on the property to preserve the area, with the entire building facing the beach and lighthouse on the corner of Coleman Ave and Beach Boulevard.

Bernard said this construction will keep a sense of pride in the community while bringing attraction back to Coleman Avenue like it was before Hurricane Katrina.

“They don’t just want condos where 10 or 12 people can enjoy the property. By having the bar and grill, everyone in the community can continue to enjoy this particular corner because, you have to realize, before Katrina, this street and corner in particular was probably one of the best corners in all of Hancock County. So, to bring that back and try to share that with only four or 10 or 15 people wouldn’t make sense, but putting a bar and grill there for the community to enjoy it, that makes sense.”

He also said this project will be a family project to establish a legacy.

“This is going to be a family operation, and it’s something we can be proud of not only as a family or business but as a community,” Bernard said.

Bernard said after finishing the final design and other steps in this process, he hopes to have the project up and running by the beginning of June.

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