NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by polemic

The James Burch proposal is not to be taken seriously. He does not seem to have any concrete development history of projects of this size. His proposal mentions he "planned and designed" two late 80s complexes in the Middle East/Africa. That's probably pretty hard to verify and it definitely doesn't equal developing. He also sold the land that became two large developments in D.C. Again, not sure what that means as far as experience. Perez has turned out some nice renderings for him, which is something. Other than that, he has nobody else lined up. No hotel tennant. A dream that "every nation will want a consulate" in his new building because it's so nice. It's just not very serious. If he is selected then I know New Orleans will never change.

The Tricentennial Convention Center plan is fine, but like others have pointed out, does not seem very contingent on the WTC property. I am undewhelmed by their plans, though. First, the people mover/streetcar does not look to add much to the actual transit network in the city. Second, it is hard to tell but there looks to be very little retail in their plan. They're proposing townhomes on the final block, so it would be separated off from the power plant redevelopment area. They want to keep a huge parking lot for truck marshalling that hurts redevelopment on Annunciation. The buildings they plan for residential are all midrise despite the fact that this is prime high rise residential construction sites in a city that has no other ones. There is a mega yacht facility which seems great, but I have never seen a mega yacht on the Mississippi so I have no idea how realistic an idea that is. It just does not seem like the best plan.

My only other comment is that ferris wheels seem so "me too" of us to do. London restarted the craze. Then Singapore. Now Seattle has one. Vegas has a big one opening later this year. Atlanta and Coney Island, NY have proposed new ones. I agree we need something to draw walking traffic down Canal to the water. I just don't know if a ferris wheel or an observation deck is it.

I think the convention plans are all very preliminary and are just showing whats possible and more details will be worked out when presented which is why I dont think they need to be involved in the World Trade Center since there is much for them to do on all these other properties they own. The only proposal that seems actually thought out and thorough is the W proposal. The Birch proposal is a joke. Id be seriously shocked at this point if the Gatehouse bid doesnt win.

[NolaWave]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

I think the convention plans are all very preliminary and are just showing whats possible and more details will be worked out when presented which is why I dont think they need to be involved in the World Trade Center since there is much for them to do on all these other properties they own. The only proposal that seems actually thought out and thorough is the W proposal. The Birch proposal is a joke. Id be seriously shocked at this point if the Gatehouse bid doesnt win.

My fear is that the city will pick the convention center plan because it is being proposed by various city or quasi city agencies. Also, Landrieu has been on record saying he prefers the building to be torn down. It is clear that the W proposal is far and above the best proposal out of the three.

[v-chop]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Id be seriously shocked at this point if the Gatehouse bid doesnt win.

Hmm, does that depend on which New Orleans shows up to make the decision? Hopefully, prayerfully, the old one doesn't rear its ugly head. Waiting to see which proposal the Landrieu administration gets behind.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by NolaWave

My fear is that the city will pick the convention center plan because it is being proposed by various city or quasi city agencies. Also, Landrieu has been on record saying he prefers the building to be torn down. It is clear that the W proposal is far and above the best proposal out of the three.

Well to be honest for awhile I was in favor of tearing it down too until I saw the W Proposal. I think everyone has just been frustrated by the multiple failed attempts at getting it back in service. There are also some legal issues surrounding the Convention Bid since the project isnt supposed to use any tax dollars and well the convention center would be using that. So im not sure how they really qualify for this to be honest.

Also there were only three bidders total so the convention center bid could have been a guarantee that something decent happens if the other bids turned out to be duds. I think all parties looking at this(assuming no corruption) would choose the W proposal and focus convention assets on the other elements of their plan. They have already said that the rest of their project isnt contingent on the WTC.

[typo86]

New Orleans streetcar system could see major expansion, should funding come through

The city's top transportation official on Tuesday outlined an ambitious proposal for expanding the city's streetcar system over the next decade, though it remains open to revisions and amounts to no more than a wish list without new federal grants or tax revenues...

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

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by typo86

New Orleans streetcar system could see major expansion, should funding come through

The city's top transportation official on Tuesday outlined an ambitious proposal for expanding the city's streetcar system over the next decade, though it remains open to revisions and amounts to no more than a wish list without new federal grants or tax revenues...

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

This would be amazing.. I think the only things I would want to see in addition is the Canal line go all the way to robert e lee and a Napoleon spur from the river back to carollton by way of claiborne. I also think the warehouse district spur should probably go to market street power station area over to Jackson Avenue and back up Jackson Avenue to St Charles Avenue and on to Oretha castle haley... run the orethat castle haley line into the Loyola line and then I think all bases are covered.

[NOLAmike]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

This would be amazing.. I think the only things I would want to see in addition is the Canal line go all the way to robert e lee and a Napoleon spur from the river back to carollton by way of claiborne. I also think the warehouse district spur should probably go to market street power station area over to Jackson Avenue and back up Jackson Avenue to St Charles Avenue and on to Oretha castle haley... run the orethat castle haley line into the Loyola line and then I think all bases are covered.

I like some things about this idea, but I think it for sure can be improved upon. I completely agree that the new Loyola line should continue down Oretha Castle Haley Blvd and I think there should be real push to continue the Elysian Fields line down to the Lake. There are a ton of UNO students who would use that line and maybe people who work in the office park down at the lake too. I think there's a lot of potential for that part of town. The spur on Poydras by the Superdome is interesting too...exciting times in NOLA for sure

[NOLAmike]

Just FYI, Transport for NOLA did a lot of thinking about this in the past and this was there idea for what an ideal transportation system in New Orleans might look like

http://www.transportfornola.org/wp-c.../TfNOLA_v9.png

[ardecila]

This map is tourist-oriented, wishful-thinking crap. Jarrett Walker just wrote a post today about why it's stupid and counterproductive to make transit lines form a loop. And this is, like, 5 or 6 loops laid on top of each other. I have no idea how all the different routes will meet and/or run together on the proposed tracks, and I know way more about transit systems than the average person.

There's no line to Gentilly, no new lines Uptown, and no lines in Lakeview. There don't seem to be any improvements to the existing long-haul lines like Canal or St. Charles to speed up travel times. Finally, there's no mention of bus service at all.

Transport for NOLA's map isn't perfect and still has a few loops, but it does a far better job of covering the city and laying the groundwork for actual New Orleanians to ride the transit system, instead of tourists and transplants around the CBD.

[Knotenep]

The city and RTA would be well served to consult the plan created by Ride for NOLA. Their plan was well conceived and thoroughly covers the city. The street grid of NOLA is well designed for transit due to the long avenues that cover most of the city and the design of large neutral grounds that can accommodate the streetcars.

[typo86]

Originally Posted by NOLAmike

Just FYI, Transport for NOLA did a lot of thinking about this in the past and this was there idea for what an ideal transportation system in New Orleans might look like

http://www.transportfornola.org/wp-c.../TfNOLA_v9.png

Yeah, that never was a serious study or plan, really just for fun. There are several maps like this for different cities lacking a light rail system.

[tennis1400]

BTW the new Streetscape on Harrison Avenue in Lakeview is really starting to come along.

[Chris from N.O.]

Originally Posted by ardecila

This map is tourist-oriented, wishful-thinking crap. Jarrett Walker just wrote a post today about why it's stupid and counterproductive to make transit lines form a loop. And this is, like, 5 or 6 loops laid on top of each other. I have no idea how all the different routes will meet and/or run together on the proposed tracks, and I know way more about transit systems than the average person.

There's no line to Gentilly, no new lines Uptown, and no lines in Lakeview. There don't seem to be any improvements to the existing long-haul lines like Canal or St. Charles to speed up travel times. Finally, there's no mention of bus service at all.

Transport for NOLA's map isn't perfect and still has a few loops, but it does a far better job of covering the city and laying the groundwork for actual New Orleanians to ride the transit system, instead of tourists and transplants around the CBD.

I read Walker's post (interesting blog, BTW). He says that we naturally revolt against straight lines coming through our space, and prefer circles, but that straight lines are a more efficient way to move people in the way that we actually seek.

With that said, I think a lot of the loops in the map are just done for convenience. N. Claiborne, Elysian Fields, Poland, St. Claude and Carrollton all have neutral grounds. There is no comparable street uptown except S. Claiborne, but I don't see why that couldn't be added. The only loop line that doesn't fulfill this criterion is the portion of the line down Higgins...but that loop does, and should, cater to the tourist traffic that stays in WD hotels and goes to the WW2 museum.

I would also think a loop system would be easier as far as it concerns maintenance and removal of broken-down equipment.

I just checked a map of Paris's metro, and it looks like a spiderweb. There are many lines that don't converge at Chatelet-Les Halles...

[tennis1400]

Looks Like Baronne Street and South Peters will finally be repaved.


http://www.pavinglaroads.com/storage...ap-Group35.pdf

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Chris from N.O.

With that said, I think a lot of the loops in the map are just done for convenience. N. Claiborne, Elysian Fields, Poland, St. Claude and Carrollton all have neutral grounds. There is no comparable street uptown except S. Claiborne, but I don't see why that couldn't be added. The only loop line that doesn't fulfill this criterion is the portion of the line down Higgins...but that loop does, and should, cater to the tourist traffic that stays in WD hotels and goes to the WW2 museum.

I get that, but Tulane, St. Bernard, and Elysian Fields past Claiborne also have neutral grounds.

This plan just confirms my impressions of NORTA, which is that
A) they are only willing to commit the bare minimum to serving poor urban areas
B) they see almost no potential to build ridership among wealthier native populations
C) they see unlimited potential to cart tourists around the city

I can't fathom that they want to spend all this money building new lines when St. Charles and Canal, the two lines that do serve the neighborhoods, are slow as hell and the platforms don't even have benches or lights. Basically, it feels like they don't care about those of us who are interested in a decent transit system as a way of life, and seek to use streetcars to turn the city into an ever-expanding amusement park.

I should make an alternative proposal if I ever have time.

[SlidellWx]

Wow...that map was out of nowhere. It's all pie in the sky right now, but there are some good and bad things I see.

The good: Carrollton connector, St. Claude extension, and the portion of the line going down Claiborne.

The not so good: Poydras connector, Canal line not extended into Lakeview, Elysian Fields line not extended into Gentilly, Claiborne line not extended to meet up with the St. Charles line at Carrollton Ave.

Would also love to see a line go down Broad and then hook up with Gentilly Blvd and points east.

[UPT]

Originally Posted by ardecila

This plan just confirms my impressions of NORTA, which is that
A) they are only willing to commit the bare minimum to serving poor urban areas
B) they see almost no potential to build ridership among wealthier native populations
C) they see unlimited potential to cart tourists around the city

I can't fathom that they want to spend all this money building new lines when St. Charles and Canal, the two lines that do serve the neighborhoods, are slow as hell and the platforms don't even have benches or lights. Basically, it feels like they don't care about those of us who are interested in a decent transit system as a way of life, and seek to use streetcars to turn the city into an ever-expanding amusement park.

The St. Charles line, at least, really seems to serve tourists as much or more than it serves locals.

Don't many of the areas that are not on the map for streetcars already have buses? I take public transportation 2-4 days a week. My goal is to get from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible, and for that reason (as a local), I prefer buses to streetcars. You're right that streetcars are "slow as hell."

On another note, I've been using the NOLA Transit App for iPhone for months. If you take public transportation here, the real-time map is a game-changer.

[Uptowngirl]

Problem is who is interested in more slow 1920s style streetcars where the riders have to queue up to board the car?

They need fewer stops or an express car, and board with a pre purchased pass that you have to buy ahead of time (how Phoenix does it). Streetcars are too slow and too tourist oriented. I'm exhausted with the sucking up to the tourists this city does while ignoring solutions for the citizens of New Orleans.

[latour58zg]

Originally Posted by Uptowngirl

Problem is who is interested in more slow 1920s style streetcars where the riders have to queue up to board the car?

They need fewer stops or an express car, and board with a pre purchased pass that you have to buy ahead of time (how Phoenix does it). Streetcars are too slow and too tourist oriented. I'm exhausted with the sucking up to the tourists this city does while ignoring solutions for the citizens of New Orleans.

[NOLAmike]

Originally Posted by Uptowngirl

Problem is who is interested in more slow 1920s style streetcars where the riders have to queue up to board the car?

They need fewer stops or an express car, and board with a pre purchased pass that you have to buy ahead of time (how Phoenix does it). Streetcars are too slow and too tourist oriented. I'm exhausted with the sucking up to the tourists this city does while ignoring solutions for the citizens of New Orleans.

I agree that we shouldn't use older streetcars. I, like Tennis, would really love to see use of modern streetcars. In my mind, there are 3 things that could really speed up the streetcar system

1) fewer stops i.e. every 4 blocks as opposed to every 2 blocks
2) automation with the streetlights (totally doable)
3) purchase of tickets at machines outside the streetcar to eliminate purchasing tickets from the driver, which is ridiculous.

I also think an app to show you real-time positioning of the streetcars would go a long way to improving ridership. When I was in Baton Rouge 5 years ago they already had this with their buses. Last I heard RTA already wanted to do this, but I'm unclear on what the status of this is as I currently do not ride the buses frequently here.