NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[Urban Legend]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Im really excited for this... my gut says its the right thing to do. I guess my main concern is what are they replacing it with... hope its able to handle the traffic as well as be more pedestrian/mass transit friendly. I think whatever happens the capacity to take the pontchartrain expressway from downtown to the split and then head east needs to increase. I actually dont think there is a way currently to go east heading from the cbd down expressway... am I correct?

Yes and no, as it stands you have to exit Florida Ave, go three blocks to Canal Blvd, turn left and then get on 610-E. it is not very well marked (if at all) and really only known by those who travel the route frequently.

[Chris from N.O.]

For those of you have who haven't been yet, the new morning call is really nice. Even has the arch, like in the Metairie location. It has been fairly busy both times I have gone, with the second time having it very rushed.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by Urban Legend

Yes and no, as it stands you have to exit Florida Ave, go three blocks to Canal Blvd, turn left and then get on 610-E. it is not very well marked (if at all) and really only known by those who travel the route frequently.

So really there isnt anyway to do this without exiting the interstate... interesting I would think this would need to be addressed at the same time.. would be very helpful

[NOLAforME]

http://nutrias.org/~nopl/photos/1949aerials/aerial.htm

Much has changed since the I-10 overpass was built down Claiborne Ave. Not only the oaks were lost but so many of the buildings. The Circle Food Store is one of the few buildings recognizable at the lower right corner in this 1940's pic. It would be nice to return the area to something resembling this era and I'm sure Architects, Civil Engineers and Landscape Architects can come up with an attractive urban street that can handle much traffic with few stalling points. It would take a lot of planning and many good ideas thrown in to get the best workable solution. I hope this all comes to fruition

[NOLAforME]

"Another huge turnaround can be seen in New Orleans, which ranked a dismal 43rd for 2000-09 as residents fled not only Katrina but a stagnant, low-wage, corruption-plagued economy. But in our 2010-11 ranking, the Crescent City surged to a respectable 16th, one of the biggest migration turnarounds in the country."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotk...ns-are-moving/

This is a paragraph from an article on "Where Americans Are Moving" by Forbes. Great news for NOLA! The more the corruption is eliminated the better the better the climate for businesses to relocate .

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by NOLAforME

"Another huge turnaround can be seen in New Orleans, which ranked a dismal 43rd for 2000-09 as residents fled not only Katrina but a stagnant, low-wage, corruption-plagued economy. But in our 2010-11 ranking, the Crescent City surged to a respectable 16th, one of the biggest migration turnarounds in the country."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotk...ns-are-moving/

This is a paragraph from an article on "Where Americans Are Moving" by Forbes. Great news for NOLA! The more the corruption is eliminated the better the better the climate for businesses to relocate .

One of the reasons im such a Nola believer is that this city has so many things that cant be bought(food, people, weather, history); however, that shouldnt stop us from also attaining those things that can too. Seems like we are getting there! We need to be in the top 5 next year!

[NOLAforME]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

One of the reasons im such a Nola believer is that this city has so many things that cant be bought(food, people, weather, history); however, that shouldnt stop us from also attaining those things that can too. Seems like we are getting there! We need to be in the top 5 next year!

You are sooooo right Tennis, I just hope things continue to improve!!!!

[tennis1400]

Interesting read on Bio district:

http://www.siteselection.com/LifeSci...v/clusters.cfm


Website for Broadmoor development:

http://broad-more.com/

[SlidellWx]

The revitalization of this Broadmoor intersection should be a huge boost to the surrounding neighborhood. That area has been badly blighted for a while. These small projects may not get noticed much, but they are very important on a neighborhood level. Hope to see more of this in the future as our city grows.

[LAandMagazine]

Remember this renovation concept for Charity Hospital? This would make such a beautiful City Hall. And if the Interstate overpass comes down, there will be hope for that whole bleak stretch of downtown.

Some have said Charity is too big for City Hall. It does have four enormous wings jutting off the main structure. I wonder if two of the wings could be torn down? Would it lose it's historic status, and thereby lose tax credits? Seems like the two wings on Perdido Street could be torn down, making it a more practical size. Also, I wonder if the city could get a lot of $$$ by selling the old City Hall. That land could be valuable?? Any chance another big hotel could go up on Poydras right across from the Dome? Or another condo like the big black box down the street? It'd be right on Duncan Plaza, which seems like a terribly underutilized park.

[tennis1400]

I like the idea of city hall there. As far as the size there is nothing that says the whole structure needs to be reused at once. Perhaps some of it should just sit there empty until it is needed and that may be never. Still cheaper than building a brand new building anywheres near that size.


Medical Office Building - Site & Shell Bid Package
Estimated Value* Square Footage
$1,200,000.00 14000
Address
Deckbar Avenue
600 Block
Jefferson, LA 70121
Jefferson County
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA Region
Description Site work and new construction of a medical facility in Jefferson. Completed working plans call for the construction of a wood-framed, 14,000-square-foot medical office building.

[tennis1400]

New Orleans East Hospital


Sector Bid Date Est. Start Date
Public Tuesday, December 18, 2012 Friday, March 1, 2013
Estimated Value* Solicitation #
$50,000,000.00 N1103400_11039
Address
5620 Read Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70142
Orleans County
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA Region
Description The Parish Hospital Service District of the Parish of Orleans District A has engaged The Lemoine Company, LLC as its Construction Manager At-Risk for the construction of a hospital in Eastern New Orleans.

This project will bid in a number of different packages and we will continue to track this projects and the individual Invitations to Bid and Addenda as they are released. All current plans, specification, invitations to bid and addenda have been added at this time. Please adhere to the individual bid dates listed below. Contractors who do not adhere to bid package requirements and dates will be disqualified from bidding.

Mais Arepas Now Open:



Barcadia Update:

http://redstreetcarline.com/2012/11/...cardia-update/



New Craft Cocktail Establishment Taking Over Café Rani
On Monday, Eater reported that Café Rani was shuttering after a long run at their Magazine location, which actually turns out to be true, kind of. It's a switcheroo really, and a rather exciting one at that: Where Yat's Anne Barry reports that the space is currently being revamped into an establishment that will try to bridge the gap between cocktail bar and restaurant. A phone call to the space's current owner Justus Jagger verifies it.

http://nola.eater.com/index.php?page=3

[ardecila]

This is ridiculous... French Quarter residents are out of line. No wonder so many prominent sites are vacant and blighted.

Neighbors rise up against proposed Cuban restaurant in French Quarter

A New Yorker's plan to redevelop a long-abandoned corner at North Rampart Street and Esplanade Avenue in the French Quarter into a restaurant similar to those he operates in New York and California is running into fierce community opposition. A website named "Save Our Neighborhood" says the proposed Cuban restaurant will have a capacity of more than 400 people resulting in excessive noise, parking nightmares and safety hazards for pedestrians.

Rene Fransen, who lives two houses down from the proposed restaurant and is one of its most vocal opponents, said Meenan got things off to a bad start when he moved forward with the project before first meeting with the neighbors.

"We don't want to meet with him now," Fransen said. "There's nothing I want to discuss with him at this point."

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by ardecila

This is ridiculous... French Quarter residents are out of line. No wonder so many prominent sites are vacant and blighted.

Gosh I hate people in that neighborhood! I cant understand why anyone would want to develop there. BTW he didnt meet with the neighbors because its a huge waste of time!

Important to note is that this corner has been vacant for a long time and will also be a prominent corner on Rampart Street Car Line! I think it we want Rampart to be developed they need to create an overlay that removes it from VCC jurisdiction and puts it under another authority. Something with a much narrower focus!

[broadmoor]

Originally Posted by ardecila

This is ridiculous... French Quarter residents are out of line. No wonder so many prominent sites are vacant and blighted.

They really have gone so overboard this time. I can maybe understand being upset about a 400-person capacity, but acting like a spoiled child about it isn't going to make you respected or your opinion heard. If they were a little more humble about it and maybe acted a bit more level-headed, people would be more likely to listen to them and not think they're crazy.

What I learned from reading that article is (1) the residents aren't upset because it's happening; they're upset because they weren't made to feel important by being told before it was officially proposed. (2) The owner would be a great community member and is obviously trying to make his addition there have little impact. I mean the guy is trying to use a parking lot for the place when by law he's not required to provide any parking in the Quarter. And they have a nonprofit organization that does community work! CLEARLY an awful neighbor to have, no we don't want that riff-raff.

I wonder at what point the rest of the city gets so fed-up with this backwards attitude that they start pushing back more forcefully? There's no place for obstructionist attitudes in the new New Orleans. Preservation, yes; pragmatism, yes; but being 100% against something and not even being open to discussion is disgusting.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by broadmoor

I wonder at what point the rest of the city gets so fed-up with this backwards attitude that they start pushing back more forcefully? There's no place for obstructionist attitudes in the new New Orleans. Preservation, yes; pragmatism, yes; but being 100% against something and not even being open to discussion is disgusting.

They won't, because they want to reserve the right to protest stuff in their own neighborhoods (like that ridiculous argument over the Romney Pilates or Gabrielle).

As far as I'm concerned, property owners should be able to build whatever they want here as long as it's not a toxic waste dump. The only time I've ever agreed with the VCPORA people was on that cold-freezing plant a few years ago, which is not much better than a toxic waste dump.

I mean, the city needs more housing, more jobs, and a stronger economy. All these people who get in the way are literally holding the city back.

[tennis1400]

Agree with everyones points. The main thing and anyone in development can attest to this is that there are always people no matter how beneficial a project is that will complain about something. My approach is usually to not meet with them especially if I dont need to. Why bother? They will dog you if you meet them or if you dont! Last I checked this is America and we dont need our neighbors blessing to do what we want with our properties if it falls within code and zoning.

BTw I was surprised to see the poll on that NOLA article was so lopsided for allowing the business. I expected the VCC to flood that poll with their peeps. Guess things are changing!

[NOLAforME]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Agree with everyones points. The main thing and anyone in development can attest to this is that there are always people no matter how beneficial a project is that will complain about something. My approach is usually to not meet with them especially if I dont need to. Why bother? They will dog you if you meet them or if you dont! Last I checked this is America and we dont need our neighbors blessing to do what we want with our properties if it falls within code and zoning.

BTw I was surprised to see the poll on that NOLA article was so lopsided for allowing the business. I expected the VCC to flood that poll with their peeps. Guess things are changing!

Would tend to think this kind of development would be well accepted just by the fact that if built, the area around it will probably become safer with the additional foot traffic this restaurant would attract and security provided by the restaurant through off duty officers or their own restaurant personnel.

[Uptowngirl]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Gosh I hate people in that neighborhood! I cant understand why anyone would want to develop there. BTW he didnt meet with the neighbors because its a huge waste of time!

Important to note is that this corner has been vacant for a long time and will also be a prominent corner on Rampart Street Car Line! I think it we want Rampart to be developed they need to create an overlay that removes it from VCC jurisdiction and puts it under another authority. Something with a much narrower focus!

There is nothing wrong with the VCC. If anything they need more power.


Its VCPORA which you take issue with. VCC isnt VCPORA
VCOPRA is the property owners (Vieux Carre Property Owners Association) which is the neighborhood association and is not a government agency.
VCC is a government agency that maintains the historical preservation of the French Quarter (its largely underfunded and lacks significant power)

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by Uptowngirl

There is nothing wrong with the VCC. If anything they need more power.


Its VCPORA which you take issue with. VCC isnt VCPORA
VCOPRA is the property owners (Vieux Carre Property Owners Association) which is the neighborhood association and is not a government agency.
VCC is a government agency that maintains the historical preservation of the French Quarter (its largely underfunded and lacks significant power)

I agree with what you said excuse my previous brainfart. Ultimately I think removing the rampart corridor could help too. I often get the two confused, but basically Im not in favor of anything that creates more headaches for people to develop and create new business.