NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[elwin514]

How come New Orleans never bid for Pan American Games?? It's way cheaper than the olympics and we already have the venues for the games. We can turn the Pan American Games as the best games of the Americas!!! Think about it!!

[elwin514]

Superdome (74,000). would be a great host for football matches (including the finals), Opening and Closing Ceremony.
Tad Gormley Stadium(26,000) can expand to 45,000 with temporary stands and chairs.
New Orleans Arena (19,000) Basketball and Gymnastics
Lakefront Arena (11,000) volleyball, wrestling
An Aquatic Center would be the only one needed to built for 10-13,000 people.
All these combined and we would host the best Pan American Games ever and may be a good thing for any future Olympic bid.

[rschin2]

"Anyway, the point is this city should do what it can to preserve the past and allow for the future growth that is required. It looks like we are able to accomplish both here and that is an amazing thing."


well i guess i don't have too big of a problem with it as long as the hospitals get built in the end...

[Uptowner]

Has anyone noticed the frequent H&M commercials that have been running for the last month or so? Could they be a potential tenant for the Entergy site? I also see that the Canal St Pinkberry location seems to be much busier than the Uptown location (kind of expected), now if only Jamba Juice would hurry and open. Finally, here's a current view of the BioInnovation Center. http://www.oxblue.com/archive/4bad74...d2/current.jpg

[ardecila]

Jamba Juice just announced a few weeks ago. Retail build-outs usually take several months, unless they're highly standardized, like Subway.

I wonder if Pinkberry will consider other locations, like Lakeview or Gentilly? Mid-City's a little too close to the two existing stores if we're assuming that people are driving to get their yogurt. I'm sure they're eying Metairie and the North Shore, too.

H&M is indeed a potential tenant for the Entergy site, but they don't go to questionable locations. They certainly aren't the magical anchor tenant. They open up in established, successful retail centers - that could mean either an urban shopping district or a mall, or something in between. There's a possibility that they might be a secondary tenant, but they would probably want to see a letter of intent from the anchor tenant and probably a few more commitments besides.

[Nolacat157]

Tutti Frutti is opening up next to Roberts on Robert E. Lee in Lakeview. Another yogurt place opened up on Harrison recently too. Probably already too much yogurt in Lakeview for a Pinkberry too.

[Uptowner]

Originally Posted by Nolacat157

Tutti Frutti is opening up next to Roberts on Robert E. Lee in Lakeview. Another yogurt place opened up on Harrison recently too. Probably already too much yogurt in Lakeview for a Pinkberry too.

There's one or two in Metairie if I'm thinking correctly.

Originally Posted by ardecila

I wonder if Pinkberry will consider other locations, like Lakeview or Gentilly? Mid-City's a little too close to the two existing stores if we're assuming that people are driving to get their yogurt. I'm sure they're eying Metairie and the North Shore, too.

I could definitely see a North Shore location. Metairie would be good if they could find a space in or around Lakeside IMO. The northern parts of Kenner might work as well. I could see Gentilly, just don't know what the best location would be in the area.

[tennis1400]

There is certainly a lot of room for more retail in the New Orleans area especially the south shore. Alot of this has to do with available land but now that stores are tapped out in suburbia they are looking at denser areas. I generally dont have a problem with chain stores that create urban formats.

Some stores I think could/should be in Nola:

Clothing:H&M, Mango, Mexx, Zingara, Zara, Armani Exchange, Cole Haan, Club Monaco, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom

Other: Ikea, Room and Board, Bang and Olufsen, Costco, Frys electronics, Cabelas, Bass Pro,
We could definitely have more Targets, Kohls and Best Buys

Also some restaurants like Pink Taco, Sushi Samba, Capital Grille, Smith and Wolenskys.

[camkazaam]

The chain stores that New Orleans really needs can be listed on one hand. These are stores that when a hip young person thinks about where he or she wants to go to school or build a business, they want to see these:
1) Trader Joe's!
2) Ikea
3) Target in the inner city
4) Chipotle (I love Juan's Flying Burrito, but Chipotle is fast food, not sit down; whole different deal)

I've had the idea for many years that S. Claiborne Avenue could be turned into an urban commercial thoroughfare. I mean, why not? There's not much history on that street to preserve, at least as far as I can tell. The infrastructure is there. It's close to the Uptown money base, so there are potential shoppers.

Central City is dangerous, of course, but New Orleanians are used to going *near* dangerous places. If there was adequate planning and security, I don't think safety would be a major issue. A lot of middle class people go to the Irish Channel Wal Mart, even though its in a pretty poor enclave.

I'm picturing a much denser, much more urban version of Veterans, between Napoleon and the Superdome. Think 3 story Target, maybe a Macy's. Maybe modeled after Peachtree Street in Atlanta?

As an Uptowner, I hate having to drive to Jefferson Parish or across the river to do basic 21st century shopping. Magazine Street is great, but sometimes you just have to go to a chain store.

[urbanwatcher]

I hope that any chain stores would be akin to Trader Joes.Stores that provide quality and continued products to consumers at decent prices.Whole foods is needed in new orleans and has helped but man its expensive.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

There is certainly a lot of room for more retail in the New Orleans area especially the south shore. Alot of this has to do with available land but now that stores are tapped out in suburbia they are looking at denser areas. I generally dont have a problem with chain stores that create urban formats.

Some stores I think could/should be in Nola:

Clothing:H&M, Mango, Mexx, Zingara, Zara, Armani Exchange, Cole Haan, Club Monaco, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom

Other: Ikea, Room and Board, Bang and Olufsen, Costco, Frys electronics, Cabelas, Bass Pro,
We could definitely have more Targets, Kohls and Best Buys

Also some restaurants like Pink Taco, Sushi Samba, Capital Grille, Smith and Wolenskys.

Smith and Wollensky's started here! I was shocked to learn that when I ate there in Chicago. So did Ruth's Chris, although they still have a location here...

A Crate & Barrel would be nice.

[sguil1]

New Orleans Voodoo back in AFL. Don't care for the arena league but the VooDoo were always in the top of the AFL attendance and actually hosted the arenabowl yearly because it always sold out in New Orleans. I think this is good for the sports/entertainment district as a whole. The more events in the arena/dome the better for sustaining the viability of that area.

http://www.nola.com/voodoo/index.ssf...o_and_are.html

[tennis1400]

Certainly cant hurt to have them back in action, but damn how many time sis the AFL going to disband and then regroup?

Also, I agree that Claibrone Ave is the obvious place to put some chains as well as certain areas of Carrolton. New Orleans East will be very suburban when its developed!

[SlidellWx]

The Smith and Wollensky's was on Poydras...but it's been closed since Katrina rolled through. It would be great if they re-opened at that location again.

Any of these chain stores would be welcome in the region. The entire metro area is really lacking in shopping options.

[tennis1400]

Smith and Wollenskys building was just recently purchased. Interesting to see what is planned there!

[SlidellWx]

Not in New Orleans proper...but big news for the region considering some of the recent hits (Avondale, Michoud) that Nucor will be building a large operation in St. James Parish.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.s...ron_plant.html

[jowens]

A Panera Bread chains and a Pei Wei Asian Diner would be great. I'm surprised these haven't made it to NOLA and Baton Rouge.

[urbanwatcher]

South claiborne would be a pretty good location considering that there is little historical significance due to previous shops on that strip.The current site of the goodwill on jeff davis and tulane would make a great spot for a large scale store since that whole area is about to be redeveloped.Does anyone know about the project to remake st benard and n claiborne into something akin to Magazine st.That area is wide open for renewal but needs an anchor to bring smaller businesses in.As i said before that area needs to be addressed since it is a blight to the surrounding areas.I know that the city is in the design phase of putting in new streetscapes which may return the circle to st benard ave.Also is there really a large food co op being built on st claude?

[ardecila]

The food co-op is still questionable. They have a design, but finding the funds to actually build is a huge challenge.

Claiborne will never be anything like Magazine Street. It's such a wide street that it can really only work with tall, dense development along it. This probably needs to be in the 8-15 story range. Otherwise, the street will just feel like a barren no-mans-land (as it does today). It will only get worse if/when the traffic from I-10 moves to ground level.

Claiborne can really only work as a linear park - turn the neutral ground into soccer fields, tennis courts, and public pools. Then put in some traffic-calming features (make stoplights more frequent, have the curbs bump out into the parking lane at crossings, make the crossings bumpy and bright-colored, etc).

If a light-rail line gets built, you'd probably have to accommodate both in the neutral ground.

Even if the redevelopment of Claiborne were to exceed everyone's wildest imaginations, it STILL won't be a comfortable pedestrian shopping street. It will always be a major traffic artery, and that will ALWAYS repel pedestrians.

[urbanwatcher]

Yes i think you are correct in stating that claiborne is too wide for walking retail.What i was mostly referring to are the plans to have a large entertainment /studio venue on st benard ave.Also looking at that recovery area the city has the idea that mixed income buildings could be put along claiborne between esplanade and st benard ave.That area is just busted up so yeah maybe some tall buildings might work if they cleared it and made investors interested in that land?I harp on this area because it is so close to what looks like is going to be the biggest economic boom for the city in years(biomedical district).Driving in from the east it will be such a bummer for anyone going there.Also if people from other parts of the city are going to use the Lafitte greenspace,the city needs to work on getting the areas around it more presentable.Redeveloping the iberville is a major step in that direction.
I haven't heard anything in a while about the Blue plate building.Is it still being converted?Kinda of a weird location but it would be close to the new hospitals if medical professional are interested.