Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design Project Name: Project Location: Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Walnut Street Hattiesburg, MS Project Purpose:The purpose of this project was to take an abandoned section of downtown Hattiesburg and create a master plan to redevelop the area into a period urban setting. Initially the owners and Landscape Architect evaluated existing usable buildings. A plan was then created to combine new construction with these existing buildings to bring economic sense of place back to this blighted street. The size of the site allowed a good mix of office, retail, and housing along with ample green space and parking. The city of Hattiesburg and local utility companies worked with the team to facilitate infrastructure improvements.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design Role of Landscape Architect: The Landscape Architect and owners worked together to develop a master plan. Architects, designers, and engineers were then retained to design new buildings and civil improvements. The Landscape Architect was the prime consultant. The owner was the other primary team member working closely with all designers, especially the Landscape Architect to make sure the end product was what she wanted.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design Special Factors: The special factors were zoning and working with the city engineers and planners to make sure this development worked within their codes. This was something new for the city and they worked extremely hard to allow us to use new and better ideas. The challenges were typical of those encountered when redeveloping old areas of a downtown. Removal of all debris included underground storage facilities, city sidewalks, and dilapidated old buildings. All new infrastructure was needed so this was a challenge for all utility companies and city engineers.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design Significance: It is very hard to go back and try to imagine downtown Hattiesburg before this redevelopment. Viewing pictures of the once littered, blighted, and abandoned block is almost unbelievable now. The owners deserve all the recognition that can be given them for having a vision of taking what was next to nothing, and creating a viable downtown development with housing, retail, and office space. This development has shown others what can be done with a vision and a plan. Ample green spaces and parking were also important and unique elements of the project in this urban setting.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design This shows the streetscape when the owner purchased the properties. The city owns and operates public works in the first building on the left. This project went from here to the building with the awning which was an existing viable dry cleaning business.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Public Design Master Plan This plan shows the entire property. To the east or right was Phase 1 named Walnut Square and across Walnut Street was Phase 2 named Walnut Circle. Walnut Square and Walnut Circle

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design These views are looking north on Walnut Street as seen before and after completion. Literally everything was redone except paving and overhead wiring. Conduit is in place to move all utilities underground in the future.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design This was another amazing part of this project. In the before photo note the first building. It was an old service station with a charming canopy and delightful architecture. Again, it was deemed structurally unsafe and removed. The owners wanted to preserve the memory of this structure, so the steel beams were salvaged, and on the right you see the new entrance to an office space. It was built to look like the old service station. The circulation and parking along a drainage creek provided close parking for the pharmacy and ice cream parlor where the tower is shown. Plantings, including street trees, were added.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design Again, here on the left you see the office entrance replicating the old service station that was once on the site. This is a pedestrian space and entry with parking nearby. On the right, the Walnut Square façade shows details and streetscape.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design This before photo shows a one story office building that was kept and renovated. The new completed façade is built with parapet walls. These buildings were named during construction by the owner so everyone would know which one was being discussed. This building looked like a bank, so it became the bank building to house offices. Note complete changes with street signage, sidewalks, and streetscape for this development. This area to the east became known as Walnut Square.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program These construction photos show how the bank building was transformed and the existing streetscape was originally blighted. Parapet walls were used to create multiple, unique facades on one existing building. Public Design Walnut Square and Walnut Circle

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design The Walnut Square development includes a park and circulation for the workers, residents, and deliveries. The park is a green space for the neighborhood. The live oaks will give this area a beautiful canopy. The antique fence was salvaged and reused for this project. The lighting is gas and is used throughout the project. The existing large live oak was saved and drove the design for the east side of the development. This gives a front lawn and shady sitting area for employees of the office building.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design The nice urban feel was achieved all around Walnut Square. The use of green space and plantings along with the use of different facades make this building very inviting and useable. The brick street is Buschman Street and is a major street in downtown. A city park is just across this street with a walking trail.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design The left photo shows the only existing building with historic character in this project. It was renovated to house a fine dining restaurant: Walnut Circle Grill. The only additions were an enclosed courtyard on the left and the kitchen in the rear. Also note on this photo the sidewalks were all redone with a similar pattern to the other downtown areas and crepemyrtle street trees were added. The owner planted the street trees and irrigated them even though they were on city property. The city and the owner did share cost of sidewalks.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design This courtyard was added to the Walnut Circle Grill building and was part of the Landscape Architects master plan. It has become a destination for visitors to downtown as well as a music venue for the restaurant. A water feature and plantings soften the space. There are windows to allow the flow of laughter and music throughout the neighborhood.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design The area to the north of the grill was vacant and became the site for a two story building to house retail on the first floor and apartments on the second. This building includes a one car garage for each apartment. The circulation around the grill, as noted on the plan, is one way and this is the exit. The tight plantings provide a nice view from the restaurant and a pleasant driving exit.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design These photos show the construction of the north (No. 1) apartment and retail building. The streetscape is complete on the east side of Walnut Street and the streetscape and utilities continue on the west side. The finished photo of the building shows how this blends with the streetscape even though it is a new building.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design The existing building to the south of Walnut Circle Grill was determined to be structurally unsafe and was removed. This beautiful two story was built in its place. It houses retail space on the first floor and apartments on the second floor, and is labeled No. 2 on the master plan. The downtown zoning allowed for no setbacks and this made for an older, urban look. Again notice all new sidewalks and streetscape.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design The Walnut Circle entrance is between Apartment building no. 2 and the Grill. The parking was added for a downtown feel in front of the storefronts, with green space and street trees where they could be utilized. Note the detail on the structures as well as in the paving, signage, and lighting. The area in the rear is a large parking area along the railroad for patrons and residents.

Mississippi Chapter – American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Awards Program Walnut Square and Walnut Circle Public Design The left photo is a view to the south of the completed development as it adjoins the large Catholic Church and School. This church anchors an historic neighborhood which loves to walk to this development to dine, shop, or just eat ice cream after school. The right photo is a view to the north on Walnut Street giving a very pleasant small town feel to the development. Note sidewalk seating for the ice cream parlor and beautiful plantings abound. This is truly a transformation of a blighted area. Now the streets are being filled with daily visitors or blocked off for festivals. Walnut Square and Circle have shown that good planning and teamwork can result in an amazing project that has truly revitalized downtown Hattiesburg.