NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[NolaWave]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

http://theadvocate.com/news/neworlea...s-creative-way

I like the biodistrict, but think the Charity Hospital option is superior to theirs of building a new courthouse. It sounds like a scheme to simply raise revenue. I'm glad there's some people in city government who agree with me.

I don't care where it is at this point, but a new civil district court is DESPERATELY needed.

[tennis1400]

BGR posted their synopsis on the three WTC Proposals:

they didnt make any recommendations or anything like that just surmised the proposals. Once you read it, it seems the W proposal is the best by far.


http://www.bgr.org/files/reports/WTC_Proposals_2013.pdf

[v-chop]

I couldn't remember if renderings were posted previously.

http://tmaa.tulane.edu/newsletters/2...e/kitchen.html

[LAandMagazine]

Re: Charity Hospital conversion to City Hall / courthouse complex : I'm very happy to hear this idea is alive. Also, once South Market District is finished, the current City Hall will be prime real estate for a new condo tower.

Re: Algiers ferry reduced hours: this is terrible for Algiers Point. Switch to a pedestrian-only ferry that operates 24 hours. Come on RTA, do your job. City commuters should be more important to you than running tourists around in circles.

[ardecila]

RTA doesn't run the ferry yet. As much as it sucks that there is no interim funding plan, the agreement between the state and RTA has to be worked out carefully so we have a strong operation in the future. I doubt there is anyone at RTA/Veolia right now who knows how to operate, maintain, or budget for a ferry operation.

[Reverend_Cletus]

Originally Posted by ardecila

RTA doesn't run the ferry yet. As much as it sucks that there is no interim funding plan, the agreement between the state and RTA has to be worked out carefully so we have a strong operation in the future. I doubt there is anyone at RTA/Veolia right now who knows how to operate, maintain, or budget for a ferry operation.

Veolia runs river shuttles and ferries around the world.

[po-boy]

I would love for a new ferry terminal (or at least some work on the existing one) to happen along w/ the WTC building renovation.

I'm not sure if 24 hour service is really required, but the cut-back hours seem like they would be really tough on a lot of workers.

[ardecila]

^^ As I said before, the state bill that passed a few weeks ago includes a few million that can be used as the local match.

I hope we get something cool... the Battery Park City terminal in NY is a good model. It's on a barge out in the Hudson so it connects seamlessly and doesn't interrupt the riverwalk. It cost $50M which is a little steep for NOLA but we could probably bring the cost down significantly with design changes and the strong marine-construction industry in LA.

Originally Posted by Reverend_Cletus

Veolia runs river shuttles and ferries around the world.

Possibly, but I couldn't find anything in the US.

[dgpatel]

Mayor Landrieu planning to move New Orleans City Hall, courts, to Charity Hospital

Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration has been quietly moving forward with plans to relocate City Hall and Civil District Court in the building that, until Hurricane Katrina, had housed Charity Hospital.

The city's Property Management Department on June 25 requested $300 million - an undefined combination of state capital outlay funds, FEMA hazard mitigation grants and city bonds - to pay for the move to 1610 Tulane Avenue.

"The Civic Center will improve efficiency in city government by locating all city departments within one space and creating a better work space for the civil servants and reduce annual operating costs for maintenance," the request states. "The proposed project will assist in revitalizing adjacent neighborhoods and be within a 3-5 minute radius from the current City Hall."

The city offered the annual $600,000 bill to maintain City Hall's failing amenities, from elevators to air conditioning, as justification for the move.

The idea of using Charity, an historic 1-million-square-foot facility built in the art deco style of the late 1930s, as a new civic center first surfaced in 2009 as then Mayor Ray Nagin was considering the Chevron Building in the Central Business District as a possible new seat for city government.

[NOLAmike]

Originally Posted by dgpatel

Mayor Landrieu planning to move New Orleans City Hall, courts, to Charity Hospital

Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration has been quietly moving forward with plans to relocate City Hall and Civil District Court in the building that, until Hurricane Katrina, had housed Charity Hospital.

The city's Property Management Department on June 25 requested $300 million - an undefined combination of state capital outlay funds, FEMA hazard mitigation grants and city bonds - to pay for the move to 1610 Tulane Avenue.

"The Civic Center will improve efficiency in city government by locating all city departments within one space and creating a better work space for the civil servants and reduce annual operating costs for maintenance," the request states. "The proposed project will assist in revitalizing adjacent neighborhoods and be within a 3-5 minute radius from the current City Hall."

The city offered the annual $600,000 bill to maintain City Hall's failing amenities, from elevators to air conditioning, as justification for the move.

The idea of using Charity, an historic 1-million-square-foot facility built in the art deco style of the late 1930s, as a new civic center first surfaced in 2009 as then Mayor Ray Nagin was considering the Chevron Building in the Central Business District as a possible new seat for city government.

To be honest with yall, I'd rather this because it seems to kill two birds with one stone; preserve an iconic historical structure and use the monies that were going to be used for construction of new buildings to save this one instead of needing to complete different projects. I also think there is the added benefit of keeping Duncan Plaza as green space. I'm all for developing parking lots or smaller building into denser construction, but I'm wary to "develop" park space because I think it is important for attracting people downtown. I also like the ideas being touted on this forum for a park between Canal & Poydras, but it ain't there yet, so I think its best to keep Duncan Plaza a green space for the time being and go ahead with the Mayor Landrieu's idea of using Charity

[ardecila]

I agree on Charity but developing Duncan Plaza was never on the table. The previous articles were talking about the vacant site next to Duncan Plaza where the state planned an office building before moving to Benson Tower instead.

[buckett5425]

I think its great that they are putting together a plan to save Charity.

What I dislike is that Charity is considered a historic building worth saving, at the expensive of a beautiful mid century City Hall in the International Style. The Architectural community understand the importance of these buildings but our leaders have yet to realize that. It is frustrating.

[po-boy]

A city committee punted yesterday on ranking the the proposals for the WTC site:

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.s...l#incart_river

Instead of ranking or making recommendations yesterday they are going to meet again on July 30 to ask questions. This seems to be a no-brainer and I worry that the longer the process goes on the more likely that the Tricentennial Commission will successfully lobby for their idea.

[NOLAmike]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I agree on Charity but developing Duncan Plaza was never on the table. The previous articles were talking about the vacant site next to Duncan Plaza where the state planned an office building before moving to Benson Tower instead.

Oh, I feel silly. I guess I misunderstood lol

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by buckett5425

I think its great that they are putting together a plan to save Charity.

What I dislike is that Charity is considered a historic building worth saving, at the expensive of a beautiful mid century City Hall in the International Style. The Architectural community understand the importance of these buildings but our leaders have yet to realize that. It is frustrating.

I feel you, but at the moment we've got more buildings than stuff to put in them. This is the case both in the CBD and the neighborhoods, and it's a big reason why we don't see much new construction despite growing demand.

I personally feel that Charity is a much more impressive seat of city government than the current City Hall, so that's an improvement.

However, the old City Hall and the old courthouse at Tulane/Broad are both purpose-built structures that will be difficult to reuse. I guess City Hall might make a good hotel especially if Andre Balasz ever feels like opening a Standard in NOLA. There's plenty of open space around the building for parking, gardens, and pool decks. The double-loaded corridor is ideal for hotels, and tourists won't know or care that it used to be City Hall except in an "ain't it cool" kinda way.

[Chris from N.O.]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I feel you, but at the moment we've got more buildings than stuff to put in them. This is the case both in the CBD and the neighborhoods, and it's a big reason why we don't see much new construction despite growing demand.

I personally feel that Charity is a much more impressive seat of city government than the current City Hall, so that's an improvement.

However, the old City Hall and the old courthouse at Tulane/Broad are both purpose-built structures that will be difficult to reuse. I guess City Hall might make a good hotel especially if Andre Balasz ever feels like opening a Standard in NOLA. There's plenty of open space around the building for parking, gardens, and pool decks. The double-loaded corridor is ideal for hotels, and tourists won't know or care that it used to be City Hall except in an "ain't it cool" kinda way.

The plan is to move the Civil courts...they're currently housed next to CH on Poydras. Criminal would stay at Tulane and Broad, though Head wants to move Traffic and Municipal into Charity.

[sooperpaz]

The place that used to be Wolfe's on the corner of Dumaine and Rampart is having a lot of work done on it. One of the permits posted is for signage saying "Marti's", which it apparently used to be called. Permit said it would be a restaurant. Anyone know anything?

[typo86]

Charity Hospital one of five proposals Landrieu considered for City Hall, Civil Court

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu's ambitious plan to move City Hall and Civil District Court to the former Charity Hospital building was one of five options his administration considered in an effort to breathe new life into city government's surroundings...

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.s..._river_default

[LSU_Forte]

Anyone else hear of H&M also going in at Lakeside?
Heard a rumor from a fairly accurate source.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by LSU_Forte

Anyone else hear of H&M also going in at Lakeside?
Heard a rumor from a fairly accurate source.

I believe there and oakwood ...Armani exchange in canal place too