NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[DillardAlum]

I agree that when I was a child the, I was amazed by the Riverwalk. Then, I worked at the Gap circa 2002-4, and I witnessed some of the pre-Katrina decline. The retail mix changed from being majority national retailers to tourist shops--lost Structure/Express Men, Abercrombie, Banana Republic, fye, (I believe) the Limited, and a few others. That was only part of the problem. Then, there is access... You either have to dodge street cars or freight trains at one end or ascend never ending stairs over a sea of parking lots at one end. The mall remained pretty busy then, and especially on weekends (naturally), weekdays during conventions (at least two weekdays a week) and the docking of cruise ships, and the two weeks preceding Mardi Gras, Sugar Bowl, and Bayou Classic. ...and thus the attraction of tourist shops over other retailers. Part of the problem with locals not showing up is/was parking, but also advertising. Most locals weren't made aware that parking was free (first two hours) with purchase. And then the overspill "lot" was the world trade center parking which didn't honor that deal. Plus, your parking wasn't validated at costumer service (which would have been obvious), but one had to ask around (because there were no signs) for directions to this random tourist/home decor store. And yes it is dark... There should be more windows/access to the river or the stores should have there entrances on the river.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by DillardAlum

I agree that when I was a child the, I was amazed by the Riverwalk. Then, I worked at the Gap circa 2002-4, and I witnessed some of the pre-Katrina decline. The retail mix changed from being majority national retailers to tourist shops--lost Structure/Express Men, Abercrombie, Banana Republic, fye, (I believe) the Limited, and a few others. That was only part of the problem. Then, there is access... You either have to dodge street cars or freight trains at one end or ascend never ending stairs over a sea of parking lots at one end. The mall remained pretty busy then, and especially on weekends (naturally), weekdays during conventions (at least two weekdays a week) and the docking of cruise ships, and the two weeks preceding Mardi Gras, Sugar Bowl, and Bayou Classic. ...and thus the attraction of tourist shops over other retailers. Part of the problem with locals not showing up is/was parking, but also advertising. Most locals weren't made aware that parking was free (first two hours) with purchase. And then the overspill "lot" was the world trade center parking which didn't honor that deal. Plus, your parking wasn't validated at costumer service (which would have been obvious), but one had to ask around (because there were no signs) for directions to this random tourist/home decor store. And yes it is dark... There should be more windows/access to the river or the stores should have there entrances on the river.

Malls in general are in decline and their heyday was the same time as the Riverwalks.... I loved it as a kid too but styles tastes and needs have changed... The mall will be redeveloped when there is a clear direction on some of the neighboring projects...But the streetcar shouldve extended infront of the convention center not on the back side... SO i see where the thought for the streetcar convention center loop comes from, but it wouldve been done long ago if they had planned for it in the right area to begin with...The line will need to extend to Bass Pro/Market Center either way...

[sguil1]

Carnival Cruise Lines is ditching Mobile port

Carnival Cruise Lines is ending its cruise service from Mobile.


The company announced Thursday that it is repositioning its Carnival Elation ship from Mobile to New Orleans in November.


After that, the company will no longer offer trips out of Mobile.

While ships leaving Mobile have consistently been full, the company says it can't make enough money because of rising fuel prices and prices that are lower than at other ports.

The future of the Alabama cruise terminal at Mobile is uncertain. Officials have tried without success to lure other lines to the state.

http://www.nola.com/business/index.s..._is_ditch.html



Bummer for Mobile, good news for us.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by sguil1

Carnival Cruise Lines is ditching Mobile port

Carnival Cruise Lines is ending its cruise service from Mobile.


The company announced Thursday that it is repositioning its Carnival Elation ship from Mobile to New Orleans in November.


After that, the company will no longer offer trips out of Mobile.

While ships leaving Mobile have consistently been full, the company says it can't make enough money because of rising fuel prices and prices that are lower than at other ports.

The future of the Alabama cruise terminal at Mobile is uncertain. Officials have tried without success to lure other lines to the state.

http://www.nola.com/business/index.s..._is_ditch.html



Bummer for Mobile, good news for us.

Yeah, I don't ever like to wish ill on other cities and their economies but realistically Mobile isn't a two stop destination. No one going on the cruise was staying in Mobile and if your a family that has only one vacation where are you going to take it from New Orleans or Mobile? I think it does bring up a good point someone made earlier about the cruise industry... I think its at or beyond saturation, although if anywhere is likely to see growth or what appears to be cannibalization of other markets its New Orleans. Look for New Orleans to become the premier launching spot for cruises to all the Western Gulf/Caribbean destinations.

[tennis1400]

# NEW ORLEANS ONE OF 24 GLOBAL CITIES CHOSEN FOR IBM SMARTER CITIES CHALLENGE GRANT Posted at 3/9/2011

NEW ORLEANS, LA-- Mayor Mitch Landrieu today announced that IBM has selected the City of New Orleans to receive an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant. The grant will provide City Hall with access to IBM's top experts to analyze and recommend ways New Orleans can become an even better place in which to live, work and play. The approximate value of each Smarter Cities Challenge grant is equivalent to as much as $400,000.

http://www.nola.gov/en/PRESS/City%20Of%20New%20Orleans/

Hopefully, this will help cut some of the bureaucratic red tape etc people have to deal with...

Also, Customs and Border Protection officials say charter flights to Cuba can now be scheduled from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and international airports in Baltimore, Dallas/Fort Worth, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Atlanta and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Previously, flights were only permitted from Los Angeles, Miami and New York.

This is good news for New Orleans involving any future jobs directly tied to trade relations with Cuba...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_833061.html

[ardecila]

I hope the city is open to any changes the IBM survey might suggest.

Those studies are only good if the people in power have an open mind, and for far too long, the city has been run by some very closed-minded people.

Also good news re: Mobile... Mobile is a great city but it doesn't have nearly the airport or interstate access that New Orleans does, to bring people into the city to put them onto cruise ships.

[betawest]

Did Mardi Gras break the record this year?

[tennis1400]

Im sure it did.

Off topic a little but one can certainly tell the national economy isnt good by the fact you couldnt find anything left on the ground. People really wanted it this year lol ... i only got like 5 cups and I really wanted cups ... Guess ill have to go to the parades this weekend in the Irish Channel

Also, read that the state will be putting out to bid this month the widening of I-10 from Veterans to Clearview to five lanes from the current three, as well as construction of sound walls.

[ardecila]

Wow, I wonder how much the widening will cost. I'm still waiting for them to build the Dakin St ramp connecting Earhart Expressway to Jefferson Highway at the Lowe's...

[dgpatel]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Also, read that the state will be putting out to bid this month the widening of I-10 from Veterans to Clearview to five lanes from the current three, as well as construction of sound walls.

This graphic doesn't show the stretch between Vets and Williams as being part of the decade+ long overhaul of I-10 thru Kenner/Metairie. Anyone know if that part won't be touched? I feel that a bottleneck will occur if it reduces from 5 lanes down to 3, and that the expansion should continue well past Williams.

[dgpatel]

Originally Posted by sguil1

Carnival Cruise Lines is ditching Mobile port

Carnival Cruise Lines is ending its cruise service from Mobile.


The company announced Thursday that it is repositioning its Carnival Elation ship from Mobile to New Orleans in November.


After that, the company will no longer offer trips out of Mobile.

While ships leaving Mobile have consistently been full, the company says it can't make enough money because of rising fuel prices and prices that are lower than at other ports.

The future of the Alabama cruise terminal at Mobile is uncertain. Officials have tried without success to lure other lines to the state.

http://www.nola.com/business/index.s..._is_ditch.html



Bummer for Mobile, good news for us.

This morning article in TP gave more info about Carnival's plans:
- The Carnival Elation will be moved from Mobile to NOLA
- Carnival Ecstacy which was previously announced to move to NOLA, will instead be moved to Cape Canaveral, FL.
- Ecstacy and Elation have the same passenger capacity (2,052), but Elation is newer (built in 1998 vs 1991).
- Carnival Conquest will replace Carnival Triumph, which is currently the only Carnival Ship in NOLA - Does anyone have any info on the differences between these two ships?
- There will be four total cruise ships docking in NOLA: Carnival Elation, Carnival Conquest, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean

Not to put a damper on things, but NOLA isn't really gaining another ship, its just gaining a different ship than was announced last summer.

Full Article

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by dgpatel

This morning article in TP gave more info about Carnival's plans:
- The Carnival Elation will be moved from Mobile to NOLA
- Carnival Ecstacy which was previously announced to move to NOLA, will instead be moved to Cape Canaveral, FL.
- Ecstacy and Elation have the same passenger capacity (2,052), but Elation is newer (built in 1998 vs 1991).
- Carnival Conquest will replace Carnival Triumph, which is currently the only Carnival Ship in NOLA - Does anyone have any info on the differences between these two ships?
- There will be four total cruise ships docking in NOLA: Carnival Elation, Carnival Conquest, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean

Not to put a damper on things, but NOLA isn't really gaining another ship, its just gaining a different ship than was announced last summer.

Full Article

I dont think anyone suggested we were getting another ship yesterday just that the industry is consolodating its ports of embarkation. New Orleans will clearly be one of the main ports.. thats all. And yes newer ships is always better than older as you get higher prices on those ships...

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by sguil1

Vacant Jax Brewery spaces begin to fill

Since Virgin Records fled New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, a large portion of the Jax Brewery building in the French Quarter has sat unused. But a variety of new tenants set to open in the coming months are looking to bring life and commerce back to the landmark structure. Two weeks ago, a CVS drug store opened ...

http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/bl...begin-to-fill/

Can't get the whole article.

Have read the whole article: basically it says they have leased out most of the building now and it gives dates, info etc on several new tenants.

Unamed restaurant and bar of 10,000 square feet is opening in a few weeks. The designer is out of London but will be very ecelctic. There will be outdoor seating with a view of the Mississippi River on the second floor which hasnt been used in 15 years.

Another Unnamed restaurant of 4,800 sqft opening in 4 months. This is the old Fatburger, Krisy Kreme spot.

Also:
1522086 New Orleans, LA Theaters / Auditoriums 03/11/2011
Description Audubon Nature Institute invites bids from qualified suppliers to supply and install a Stereo View 3D Silver Screen for the IMAX Theatre, #1 Canal Street, New Orleans, La. 70130. Bid Packages may be secured from Audubon Nature Institute; Purchasing O...Click here for complete Project Details

[camkazaam]

So the idiot / crook in charge of Public Belt in the mid-2000s paid $3 or $4 million to refurbish three antique, extremely fancy passenger rail cars. The top bid to sell the cars was only $700,000.

I'm thinking that *maybe* the cars are more valuable to the city than that if we make tourist attractions out of them. They could be fancy bars around the Superdome and Arena. Or they could go on some city-owned vacant lot downtown. Any thoughts on this?

link to story: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.s...lt_railro.html

[typo86]

Originally Posted by dgpatel

This graphic doesn't show the stretch between Vets and Williams as being part of the decade+ long overhaul of I-10 thru Kenner/Metairie. Anyone know if that part won't be touched? I feel that a bottleneck will occur if it reduces from 5 lanes down to 3, and that the expansion should continue well past Williams.

Louisiana’s Major Cities Show Improvement on Traffic Congestion Report
http://www.dotd.la.gov/pressreleases....aspx?key=1631

The report further supports the ongoing efforts of the state to widen I-10 and I-12. These are major arteries into the heart of Baton Rouge and these projects, totaling more than $293M, will help to relieve congestion and enhance economic development opportunities. Further, improvements to this corridor provide even more incentives for businesses to locate to Louisiana.

Additionally, the infrastructure in the greater New Orleans area was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The state is committed to funding road projects that assist in the recovery efforts and ease congestion in this vital Louisiana metropolitan area. Approximately $122 million has been invested for various I-10 resurfacing and capacity projects, including approximately $86 million on improvements to the I-10/Causeway interchange. The Causeway interchange along with the widening of the Huey P. Long (HPL) Bridge, an approximate $1.2 billion investment, are just a few of the projects that will ultimately help relieve congestion. Causeway will be complete in 2012 and HPL Bridge will follow in 2013...

[Blitzen]

From nola.com: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.s...ational_3.html

Louis Armstrong International Airport has posted an online concessions survey on its website. The survey solicits public input on the types of eateries and shops that customers would like to have at the airport. The survey is part of Armstrong's plan to consolidate airline operations on Concourses C and D and provide a single security checkpoint area before the 2013 Super Bowl.

http://www.flymsy.com/Forms/Forms.asp?p1=97

[IceCream]

http://www.nola.com/golf/index.ssf/2...e_project.html

Definitely good news:

"A painstaking push to restore City Park’s storm-battered golf complex appears to be nearing an end as officials consider a scaled-down version they hope will lead to a long-term management agreement for a proposed championship course.

The revised plan — which scuttles a 9-hole course and reduces from 310 acres to 250 acres the space needed for the new, 18-hole layout — is scheduled to go before the City Park board of commissioners on March 22.

If, as expected, the redesign wins approval, board president Robert Lupo said the park wants to move quickly to finalize a contract with the Bayou District Foundation, a New Orleans nonprofit group that wants to build and operate the “high-end,’’ 18-hole course, clubhouse and driving range between Interstate 610 and Filmore Avenue..................."

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by IceCream

http://www.nola.com/golf/index.ssf/2...e_project.html

Definitely good news:

"A painstaking push to restore City Park’s storm-battered golf complex appears to be nearing an end as officials consider a scaled-down version they hope will lead to a long-term management agreement for a proposed championship course.

The revised plan — which scuttles a 9-hole course and reduces from 310 acres to 250 acres the space needed for the new, 18-hole layout — is scheduled to go before the City Park board of commissioners on March 22.

If, as expected, the redesign wins approval, board president Robert Lupo said the park wants to move quickly to finalize a contract with the Bayou District Foundation, a New Orleans nonprofit group that wants to build and operate the “high-end,’’ 18-hole course, clubhouse and driving range between Interstate 610 and Filmore Avenue..................."

I like this proposal better. I thought the other one utilized too much of the park. This proposal seems to be more economical too...Hope it turns out well

BTW avoid reading the comments on NOLA.com at all costs!!! lol

[midcity]

Has anyone been monitoring the construction of the Bioinnovation Center from the webcam on its website? Over the last several weeks they have installed a metal lattice-like structure over the facade of the building. I guess I didn't expect it as I just assumed the facade would be the green tinted glass. I'm not an architect other than a casual admirer or observer, so what is the reason for this design? It seems rather reminiscent of mid-century buildings or when they added modern structures over the facades of older buildings. I guess it is to reflect some of the other buildings on that part of Canal?

[ardecila]

The louvers on the front keep the heat and glare from the sun out of the building. If they weren't there, the people inside would be roasting in the summertime (the front facade is all glass).