Scout Hall Closes, Senior Center Front Entrance Blocked for Repairs

By Abby Baker

Both the Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center and Gulfport’s Scout Hall are undergoing repairs, but at the moment, only Scout Hall is shuttered. The Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center is undergoing construction in October, but will remain open.

Scout Hall, at 5315 28th Ave. S., which is used as a community meeting place, closed after city employees found a “severe” roof link on Wednesday, September 15.

“It’s supposed to be pretty bad,” said Gulfport Public Works Director Tom Nicholls. “We won’t know a timeline until we have it assessed. The area is shut down at this moment.”

Still Open

Anyone who’s driven by the Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center at 5501 27th Ave. S. recently has been greeted by orange barriers and a “Road Closed” sign guarding the south entrance.

Contrary to some rumors, the center is still open for business and will remain so, according to the city.

Senior Center Office Manager Rachel Cataldo says that the building will undergo repairs come early October, but for now it’s safe to enter and the signage is just up to prepare for future repairs to the drive- through awning and the stucco near the entrance.

“People think we’re closed, but no, just repairs,” Cataldo said. “That entrance will be closed in October, but the other side [entrance] will be good to go.”

Nicholls blames the age of the structure itself and the stucco being struck by a truck months ago.

“It’s an older building is all,” Nicholls said. “That, and when a vehicle hit the stucco about three months ago it caused a little bit of damage, and revealed more damage to the stucco within a crack.”

The repairs to the Senior Center are estimated to take about 30 days.