Building a skyline
Mississippi coast's first high-rise condo revitalizes beachfront

By Angelle Bergeron

Work on the new $60 million Legacy Condominiums in Gulfport has progressed smoothly since Yates Construction broke ground a year ago.

By January, when Tower 1 of the two-tower, 14-story luxury development is complete, actual construction will have taken less time than it took to warm the local community to the idea of playing host to the Mississippi Gulf Coast's first high-rise development.

Indeed, being a good neighbor has consumed as much time and effort as the actual construction process for both Yates of Philadelphia, Miss., and owner The Mitchell Co. of Mobile, Ala.

The Mitchell Co. acquired the beachfront property in December 2000 and spent 18 months fighting local opposition to the project and another 18 months selling the 103 units of Tower 1, said Paul Weisch, executive vice president and director of the company's resort development division.

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"When you are the first, you will run up against obstacles," he said. "The concept of resort condos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is a new one, but the demand for resort properties is extremely high and we figured Gulfport and Biloxi were ripe for that concept."

In recent years, the area has "progressed from boats to casinos," Weisch said, attracting a tourist population primarily of baby boomers with ample disposable income. "On an annual basis, there are twice as many tourists to Gulfport and Biloxi than Destin, Fla., which is considered the resort Mecca," he added.

"However, those tourists stay only two nights in the Gulfport/Biloxi area, but seven nights in Destin. We think by providing a more family-friendly platform (the condos), we can encourage families to stay at least a week.

Unlike coastal Florida, where condos dot the beachfront for miles, Gulfport's coastline is a fairly even mix of residential and commercial development. The Mitchell Co.'s property is immediately adjacent to a commercial property to the east and several residences to the west.

Most of the opposition for the development came from people resistant to change of any sort, as well as special-interest groups concerned about the welfare of the site's 61 mature oak trees, Weisch said.

"On a site that old, with a lot of trees growing, there just isn't going to be a good footprint for a new building," he added.

However, once locals saw the plans they embraced the idea of the two, 14-story concrete towers, topped with crowning parapets. The buildings were strategically placed in an effort to preserve the mature oaks (14 were removed), while not overshadowing the neighbors.

Tower 2 sold out in three weeks, Weisch said.

Yates crews began putting in pilings last July and pouring concrete decks in late November.

"We are using all auger cast pilings because the owners didn't want to do anything to disturb the neighbors," said Travis Leggett, project superintendent for Yates. "With the auger piles, it's like a big drill. All you hear is the crane running. The only complaints we've had are when we start pouring concrete in the early a.m."

Scott Davis, senior project manager, joked that crews "try not to blow the horn on the crane too early.

"We're doing an actual pour every three or four days," he added.

The tower is cast-in-place concrete construction, post hitch and slabs with cable, Davis said. Gulf States Ready Mix will have delivered nearly 10,000 cu. yds. of concrete by the time the building is finished, Davis added.

All of the drywall is being self-performed by Yates and the electrical is being handled by Edwards Electric, a subsidiary of Yates. To ease some of the pain due to the dramatically rising cost of steel, Yates purchased all of the metal studs for both towers in February, Leggett said.

"We've got full, fixed contracts with all reinforced steel with Ellis Steel, here in Mississippi," he added.

Individual units will vary in size from 1,860 to 2,900 sq. ft., including balconies and a choice of high-end finishes such as crown molding, granite countertops and ceramic tile flooring.

"The big thing is that all of these have full kitchens with appliances," Davis said. "We are also having to deal with 103 individual home owners."

When complete, the site will include Tower 1 (103 units), Tower 2 (121 units) and a three-level parking garage to the rear (north) of the buildings. The plans include an exterior garden/patio area beneath the canopy of oaks, and a lushly landscaped pool in the front of each tower.

Mitchell Co. also owns a development of apartment townhouses immediately north of Legacy. Humphreys & Partners Architects LP, a firm that handles about $1 billion annually in multi-family design and construction, designed the master plan for both developments.

"What was exciting about this project is it is one of a kind in Gulfport," said Mark Humphreys, CEO. "We felt it was important to break the mold of having not just a box building with a lot of windows and railings. We wanted something with a little coastal flavor, but a unique, sophisticated look of its own."

For that coastal flavor and a dramatic flair, Humphreys & Partners chose an off green color for one tower and yellow for the other.

"To top off the buildings, we created a crown that creates the illusion that the building is still reaching for the sky," Humphreys added. "At night, the crown will be dramatically lit up and it will be very much a landmark."

Humphreys said the floor plans aren't the typical long, rectangular floor plans typical of high-rise condominiums. The units splay out, becoming wider as they extend to the corner of the building.

For the Yates crew, the project represents a welcome homecoming. Most of the workers are locals, from the Gulfport/Biloxi area, and most of the subcontractors hail from the area between New Orleans and Mobile, Leggett said.

Since the casino construction boom on the coast leveled off a few years ago, Yates employees have been scattered throughout the United States.

Useful Sources

For more information about the condominium project, go to: http://www.legacycondo.com/