Brown & Mitchell, Inc. (BMI), is a consulting engineering firm specializing in civil engineering and environmental consulting services for a wide range of clients along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  BMI has 40 years of experience in the study and design of public and private water, sewer, and storm drainage projects; road and highway improvements; site development; and beach erosion/beach renourishment projects.  Additionally, BMI has provided engineering services for several new and existing wastewater treatment plants, ranging in size from 50,000 to 5,000,000 gallons per day (GPD), in all phases from design through construction and start-up.  The firm has been involved in the growth of the Mississippi Gulf Coast gaming industry from the beginning and is now involved in the design and construction of ancillary facilities, such as hotels, entertainment complexes, and parking garages for that industry.  BMI has provided the full spectrum of civil design services, from surveying and permitting through contract administration and construction observation, for several major casino developments on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including Casino Magic Bay St. Louis, Casino Magic Biloxi, Grand Casino Gulfport, Grand Casino Biloxi, Imperial Palace, and The New Palace Casino.  These projects have involved not only the dockside casino facilities, but also parking lots and garages, hotels, entertainment complexes, marinas, and golf courses.

As a result of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, BMI has continued to provide engineering services to the Cities and Counties directly affected by the storm to aid in the expeditious repairs and reconstruction of the infrastructure along the  Mississippi Gulf Coast.  We take pride in the fact that our services are assisting the citizens of the Gulf Coast in returning to a somewhat normal lifestyle.

BMI’s Drafting department consists of two Senior Drafters with over 20 years experience each in drainage, water and sewer improvements, and site development.  They perform computer aided drafting using AutoDesk Land Desktop 2005 software on networked computer systems with over 250 gigabyte transfer retrieval systems and mon/color HP multi-media plotters.  Utilizing state of the art computer software and hardware, BMI's team of designers and CADD Operators have the ability to work together in order to maximize the use of available land area while maintaining as much as possible of the natural environment.  This integration of development with concern for the environment is a prime consideration and compatibility with the surroundings is essential.

Environmental services are provided by BMI Environmental Services, LLC (BMI/ES).  This company was formed by Mr. Mitchell in October, 2003 and employs former BMI environmental staff who have extensive experience and expertise in the areas of wetlands and regulatory permitting.  They are familiar with the often complex environmental issues associated with large projects and are very knowledgeable about the requirements of various Federal and State regulatory agencies.  The philosophy of BMI/ES is to work closely with the engineering staff of BMI and the clients to develop projects and solutions that are environmentally sustainable.

The multi-disciplinary approach to environmental problem-solving, provides support to private industry, government, and engineer/architecture firms in project design, project evaluation, and project management in sensitive environmental settings.  Because of their extensive knowledge of regulatory agency requirements, BMI/ES can assist with quality guidance through the often complex regulatory process.

As a complement to the firm’s capabilities, BMI is the first engineering firm on the Coast to utilize the cutting edge technology of the Leica RX1200 receiver in conjunction with a permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) Reference Station located at the office of BMI.  This technique reduces set-up time in the field which enables BMI to quickly and accurately locate points and complete surveys in a timely manner.  This system provides for several advantages,  including but not limited to,  results that are digitized and easily transferred to mapping systems, sub-centimeter accuracy that is subject to little degradation by weather, and use  which does not require line-of-sight between stations,  thereby reducing length of time in the field.  This GPS equipment enables BMI to quickly and accurately locate points and complete surveys of large tracts of land in a timely manner.  The GPS is used to locate boundaries for wetlands delineations, pinpoint the location of hazardous materials sites, and locate land features which are identified in the environmental assessment process.  The software packages and the GPS unit are compatible with AutoCAD, allowing the interchange of information with all other departments.

The BMI Surveying Department is thoroughly familiar with the Gulf Coast area.  The automated surveying systems used by BMI crews interface with the computer aided drafting software to enable surveys to be completed quickly and with a high degree of accuracy.  The utilization of the GPS equipment enhances the services provided by the Surveying Department, as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Although the primary focus is coastal Mississippi, BMI has completed civil engineering projects for major private developments in other states, including Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, and Louisiana.  BMI personnel have been involved in numerous multi-disciplinary projects and are familiar with the team approach to problem solving.  BMI’s  offices are located in Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi, and all personnel have a great deal of local knowledge relative to construction practices and regulations along the Gulf Coast.