Consulting group presents Midtown Master Plan to Hub City residents | News

HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM)- A consulting group presented the master plan for Midtown Hattiesburg at the Downtown Hattiesburg Train Depot Thursday evening.

Midtown will be a mixed-use district of retail, office, residential, cultural, entertainment and dinning venues. According to lead consultant for the Midtown Hattiesburg District, Connie Cooper the area will be across the street from The University of Southern Mississippi, and just north of Forrest General Hospital.

The consulting group also presented residents with details of its zoning code.  Cooper says the position of Midtown, and it's concept as a diverse district is ideal for the thousands of people it will serve.

"15,000 students and over 8,000 employees are right within a half mile of the heart of midtown, and there's opportunity to create a destination that serves for a place to live, work and play. It compliments all of the things here in Hattiesburg and Forrest County. It gives another reason for why I want to be here,' said Cooper.

The master plan for Midtown is funded in part by a grant under the Sustainable Community Challenge Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It's also matched by local contributions.