The only thing of the J L Scott Aquarium remaining after the water surge of hurricane Katrina (2005) is its front (visitors) parking lot (P). The former site of the building is indicated (J L Scott). The employee parking lot (E) at the west end of the building was on a hill with the building, and both the hill and the employee parking lot no longer exist.
Higher powers decided the building was not worth repairing after Katrina. The building previously underwent various repairs in 1986 after hurricane Elena (1985). Those repairs to roof, windows, and water-damaged areas took longer than we thought it would take. And the repairs after the 1985 storm were very minor compared to Katrina damage.
The Biloxi-Ocean Springs bridge was rebuilt after severe damage by surge waters of hurricane Katrina.
It is always distressing to cross the Biloxi-Ocean Springs bridge and see the empty spot where the J L Scott Aquarium used to be and where I worked for 15 years, or over half my marine biologist work life working for others. The building had its walls blown out, roof badly damaged, wood trim torn off the plexiglass larger tanks, and many tanks destroyed or overflowed with surge waters, and supplemental tank equipment dislodged or destroyed. When they tore down the damaged building they even took the 13-foot high built-up hill the building was built on .... so it is now a flat site again.
I still do not understand why the hill was removed, too. Its removal left this site more susceptible to flooding, now being 13 feet lower. Why would people want to decrease the height of flood-prone land ?
The site was latest used as a staging area for equipment used in combatting the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The present property owner was not determined.
An article in the Mississippi Press for 2 March 2012, page C-1 noted that architects have been selected for designing a new facility at Cedar Point in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D., retired, Aquarium Supervisor, J L Scott Aquarium, (C) 2012 --
