Mayor Jones Shows Off Bienville Square Facelift

Aug 8th, 2012

Big brother will be watching over Bienville Square - the center of recreational and civic activities in the heart of downtown Mobile.

Mayor Sam Jones unveiled Wednesday several changes to the historic Square, which dates back to 1824.

“First impressions are important. Bienville Square is the first public venue that most folks see when they come into downtown Mobile. We want it to friendly and inviting,” the mayor said. “Another great thing about the changes we are announcing today is that the work was done solely by city departments.”

The changes include:

 The installation of four security cameras which will be networked to the Police Department’s Special Events precinct on Dauphin Street. The cameras, though positioned to view activities along St. Joseph and St. Francis streets, will also capture any irregularities in the newly renovated restrooms in the Square;

 For the first time in more than a decade, the complete renovation of the restrooms in Bienville Square, with state-of-the-art cooling/heating systems; new flooring, tiles, lighting and updated sanitary toilets;

 The repainting of the exterior of restrooms and the bandstand;

 The recoating of bandstand floors;

 The area around and near the bandstand landscaped and re-sodded;

 The repainting of all the benches in the Square;

Bright Lights On Bienville

Instead of the normal yellowish halo of lights, city crews have installed bright white lights on poles throughout the Square and lining the walkway to the restrooms.

“It is our goal to restore the Square back to a point where citizens and tourists will feel safe, be comfortable and enjoy the beauty of one of Mobile’s historic jewels,” the mayor said.

The historic Square, named for Mobile’s founder, Jean-Baptist Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, is bordered by Dauphin, St. Joseph, St. Francis and North Conception.

The Square’s Focal Point: The Fountain

The iconic fountain in Bienville was cleaned, repainted and city crews installed new bubblers in the structure – which allows the fountain’s beautiful water display. The fountain has not been fully operational for nearly a year.

City Departments That Performed The Work:

Architectural/Engineering, Public Buildings, Mechanical Systems, Electrical, Parks/Recreational, Municipal Information Technology