Charity with the construction elevator

https://i.imgur.com/Rcy9HJah.jpg

You almost got me with that one- I thought they finally commenced with construction.😄 Hopefully one day it’ll be bought back to life. 😞

Department of Interior announces there are more Gulf leases for wind farms coming: https://www.nola.com/news/business/m...338ec6e3f.html

It'll certainly be interesting to see if Louisiana can keep momentum in wind energy. Already, there's been talk that the leases off the coast of Texas were unsuccessful because the state has been less supportive of wind energy than Louisiana has. We might be able to finally get some of those energy jobs back if we turn the early mover advantage into sustained support.

Yeah I mean I don't want to really talk politics but we have to hope the momentum is there.

The state has a good chance at being a hot sector in clean energy- which could lead to a whole new industry for jobs and opportunities for the region. Cautiously optimistic.

The River District team provided updated renderings for the new office building (shell) during this weeks community meeting. Request for proposal with a rendering is below.

https://riverdistrictnola.com/wp-con...ch-Flyer-2.pdf

Construction on the roadways/infrastructure should begin in the next month or so. Besides Topgolf, the first projects will be the office project and associated park on parcel 2A. The first residential project should be across the newly extended Euterpe St. and will be workforce and affordable housing. The team indicated that they had applied for state funding and should know by June whether they have the necessary grants/tax assistance.

The full meeting presentation should be uploaded to their website soon. I am glad to see this move forward.

Wow that rendering looks absolutely gorgeous. I feel the River District will really expand and quite frankly update the city skyline ( which is a tad outdated 😁).

Also glad to see it moving forward now. While acknowledging the concerns some people have had about this project, ultimately converting completely empty lots into something, and at the same time being able to restore an urban street grid and add some housing is a net positive in my book.

And that rendering is indeed gorgeous. I'm so glad they're not just building boxes and calling it a day.

I'm still not sure what that busway is supposed to be at River District... has that been decided?

Is RTA just gonna run the Tchoupitoulas bus there (which was cut a few years ago), or is it a whole new service?

Also this little plaza along S Peters looks great - reminds me of Astor Place in NYC, it feels very urban and dynamic. I hope they can actually build it like this.

https://riverdistrictnola.com/wp-con...d-1024x512.png

I know that was originally supposed to be a streetcar line, but doubt that will happen. Would still be great to extend the riverfront streetcar that way, so hopefully that's still a possibility. The bus lines that go down Jackson and Louisiana do a loop by Walmart, so maybe those could be extended too, though they're not a direct route to downtown.

Based on the presentation, the developers are designing the new street grid to accommodate public transit. The busway is an envisioned stop for the BRT that RTA is planning. The BRT line would run from New Orleans east, through the CBD, to Algiers - with very limited stops to increase headway. They are also leaving space for an extension of the River Line into the River District and I'm sure they would work with RTA to get normal bus service. However, whether we see those projects will depend on RTA.

Same goes for a river front park upriver from Mardi Gras World. The developers are obviously in support, but the park is outside of their control.

Lafitte Greenway Pedestrian Bridge
 

I think/hope we're seeing the foundations of a new pedestrian bridge over St. Louis canal along the Lafitte Greenway at N. Gayoso street. The only thing I can find on it is this agenda item from a S&WB meeting in 2023 and a planning commission application from 2019.

https://i.ibb.co/6NzCwSg/IMG-4758.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/26VJZFT/city1.png

https://i.ibb.co/gD3CmSz/swb1.png

I remember Tennis posted several months back a rendering of the River District with a ferris wheel. Since the soccer stadium and music museum may not be going forward; I hope they do the ferris wheel- similar to the one in downtown Atlanta.

Full presentation was just uploaded: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYrafUKk5SM

There are a lot of renderings of the new office building around minute 48 - 53. The small park space around the building and rooftop terrace look great.

I personally hope they don't build a Ferris wheel. Maybe it would be a draw for tourists, but I'd rather they develop the area as a true neighborhood, with housing, retail, and office - mixed with hotels. I hope the state can move forward with a civil rights museum. The southmarket development should be a blueprint for this area.

few pics and some updates

Zavier is moving along at a nice pace

https://i.imgur.com/KuVt6dUh.jpg

Caesars convention center/Poydras entrance

https://i.imgur.com/Hne1ySqh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2LnvgEhh.jpg


Talked with the GM Samir last night and forgot to ask him everything

He said that they are 1 week behind on the renovations but to me, 1 week is realy good for what they are doing

for now, the Steakhouse will remain untouched but in the future could undergo a renovation, its the only thing in that area that is untouched

Nola.com got their info confused and led to news being reported that Nobu restaurant wont open until the new hotel opens, which is false, the nobu hotel (2 floors inside the new hotel) will open with the new hotel in September

Nobu restaurant opens in July

the new center bar is not going to be named "Oculous", they picked another name a while back but someone in the city had that name and the rights to it, but it will bare the name of one of Caesars Palace Las Vegas towers, "Octavious" opens July

Convention Center/Poydras entrance, slated for May opening. they need to get a move on for that one

forgot to ask when the Canal street smoking section would open, its close but still no machines out yet

If you ever noticed they jazz band figures surrounding the inside roof area of Masquerade, they didnt scrap them, they worked out a deal and found a new home at Blaine Kern Mardi Gras World

I cant find who asked a while back about if they were going to do Harrahs hotel up as Caesars and they originally were but things do change and with them no longer spending money to renovate Fulton Street with the covered canopy and such, Harrahs hotel will stay and operate as Harrahs Hotel, it will get an interior renovation in the future

I was wondering if they were going to phase out the Harrah’s name- but I guess it makes sense that they’re keeping the name for the other hotel. Having two Caesar’s hotels across the street from one another would be overkill.

Xavier giving a presentation right now on their new med school with the mayor and Gayle Benson, supposedly will be in Benson Tower.

Interesting. I'd assumed it would be in Old Jefferson

I thought it would be a brand new building or at least attempt to take up space in old Charity ( once it gets renovated).

Guidry buys hotel near convention center, thankfully it didnt end up in someone elses hands

https://www.nola.com/news/business/b...rce=featured-2

I no longer live in NO, and I haven't found any information online. Does anyone know the status of the old Kolb's Restaurant on St. Charles near Canal?

It's a great-looking building in a great location, and I'm surprised that as of several years ago, it was still vacant.