Green water management projects green-lighted across New Orleans
The Sewerage & Water Board has green-lighted more than $389,000 in new projects meant to better manage storm water during New Orleans' frequent downpours.
"There's a lot of benefits for all of us in terms of managing storm water discharge, address(ing) urban flooding, harvesting rainwater for reuse, and reduction of capital costs in our pumping system as well," S&WB Deputy General Superintendent Madeline Goddard said Wednesday (June 18).
The financing comes from a $2.5 million pot in the water board's drainage budget that it must spend on "green infrastructure" projects and programs over the next five years as part of a federal order to fix its sewer system. The S&WB asked for proposals in January, receiving 24. It chose five of those:
•The Louisiana Urban Stormwater Coalition gets $100,000 for a green infrastructure education program
•Parkway Partners Program, gets $26,350 to educate residents and landscape professionals about managing storm water.
•The Land Trust for Louisiana, gets $82,750 for a storm water management project in Broadmoor.
•The Ripple Effects Project gets $75,000 to educate students in public schools about New Orleans' unique relationship with water.
•Groundwork New Orleans gets $100,000 to build demonstrations of green infrastructure landscapes on a vacant lot on Caffin Avenue in the Lower 9th Ward.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.s...t_project.html
NORA's Growing Green Program Signs on First Urban Farm
Growing Green, a just-launched program through the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority that offers vacant lots for the nice rental price of $250 a year as long as they're used for urban agricultural projects, has just signed on its first "tenant." Two city-owned lots in the Upper Ninth Ward on Montegut Street will be a 7,200-square-foot produce garden, tended to by the folks behind Langlois Culinary Crossroads, a cooking school/private restaurant. Happy urban farming.
Aviation Board issues new request to find terminal contractor
The New Orleans Aviation Board reopened the process of finding a contractor to build a new terminal for Louis Armstrong International Airport on Wednesday, issuing a request for proposals that contains few deviations from one used in the now-scuttled first attempt to find a company to oversee the project.
There are few substantial changes in the new, 130-page request, and it seems likely that both teams that originally bid on the project will jump back in for this round.
Proposals must be submitted by mid-July, and the evaluation committee is expected to score them in early August. The Aviation Board would then select a firm and award the contract before September.
The proposal calls for the new terminal to be completed by April 30, 2018, the same date as in the original request.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu has repeatedly called for the project to be completed by 2018, the city’s tricentennial.
Significant changes to the request would likely have delayed the project further as city and aviation officials reviewed and signed off on the changes.
http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com...es-new-request
Its clear from this deadline that the Mayor wants this project finished before his last days in office which would be May 2018... so april 2018 deadline stays.
Former French Quarter spa reopens in Mid-City Market
“We are like-minded in our philosophy,” Cocke says about the products they use. “It fits our mold, of hands-on work. We believe in community.”
The products are also “pure” and “natural,” Cocke adds, reinforcing the spa’s approach of using “elemental herbology” to boost the wellness of clientele. In that sense, Cocke and Blum use questionnaires to determine which of the five elements most define their clients, and then treat them accordingly with various salts or lotions.
In addition to a Himalayan Sea Salt Bar, where customers choose products for a $75 salt shine treatment, Shine offers detoxification wraps and aloe body treatments as well as traditional waxes, massages and nail services.
Prices range from $20 for 15 minute treatments to $350 for four-hour inclusive services.
The spa will also offer yoga classes in the corridor of the Mid-City Market, weather permitting, for $15 each starting Friday.
http://midcitymessenger.com/2014/06/...d-city-market/
BioDistrict board votes to enter into temporary agreement linking to New Orleans Business Alliance
As commissioners with BioDistrict New Orleans, an economic engine focused on the development of a local biosciences industry, make plans to boost funding and find permanent leadership through the New Orleans Business Alliance, the district’s board voted Friday to enter into a temporary agreement approved by the agency while permanent plans are fleshed out.
The vote was prompted by Interim Chairman Dr. Gene D’Amour, who announced that he was retiring from his position as Senior Vice President for Resource Development at Xavier University. Without his staff at the university, he explained, he would no longer have the resources to conduct day-to-day business for the district, unless he had the help of the board members from both agencies.
“The BioDistrict is still one of my major priorities,” D’Amour assured board members at a public meeting.
http://midcitymessenger.com/2014/06/...nce/#more-6183