NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[tennis1400]

Personally, I'm split..... I can see both sides if Goldring really means what he's saying, but it does fit into the neighborhood yet it's nothing remarkable from the outside. Yeah, single family would be nice...but I dunno...[/QUOTE]

Im with you on this! If the reaplacement house fits in and looks nice than I think its ok to approve. I dont think demolition should be approved until a new construction permit is pulled though!

[v-chop]

Originally Posted by Chris from N.O.

Up on nola.com front page now... 10 year deal, now officially the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. After this the state won't have to provide any subsidies!

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf...lls_super.html

Direct subsidies. Isn't the state still paying more than market rate for office space in Benson Tower?

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by campstresident

What other sources besides this forum do you check for real estate news? The Times-Pic? City Business? There's a new blog that summarizes most of the articles, GNORealEstateNews.com, that looks pretty good - but I'd appreciate any other sources.

Theres a lot of different sources from Gambit to facebook pages.

BTW what does everyone think is the next Freret St.: Jackson Avenue, Oretha Castle Haley, Broad Street, St Claude Ave, N. Rampart or Tulane Avenue?


BTW a WWL-TV article confirms plans to implode the old Palace Hotel.
Officials are still working to get needed permits and clearances. When they do implode the old hotel, officials will shut down I-10 for a few hours, because it's so close.

[ardecila]

Jackson? That's out of left field.

Probably OC Haley. Tulane and Broad are both far too wide to be a comfortable pedestrian strip. Plus, Haley/Dryades is right across from downtown.

To be honest, I'd love to see the "next Freret" be Chartres in the Bywater, with small 1-2 story retail buildings on the levee side of the street and a few parking facilities to service the whole stretch.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Jackson? That's out of left field.

Probably OC Haley. Tulane and Broad are both far too wide to be a comfortable pedestrian strip. Plus, Haley/Dryades is right across from downtown.

To be honest, I'd love to see the "next Freret" be Chartres in the Bywater, with small 1-2 story retail buildings on the levee side of the street and a few parking facilities to service the whole stretch.

I was thinking about Jackson Avenue between St Charles and Tchoupitoulas. I dont follow areas downriver as much but guess St Claude/Rampart should be included in my question too.

It seems OCHaley is in the front but the streetcar running down Rampart/St Claude will probably quickly transform those areas when it does happen


In Other News:

Hotel Modern to replace Le Cirque at Lee Circle
by Maria Clark, New Media Specialist
October 4th, 2011 · Blog
The Hotel Modern New Orleans will open in mid-November at the location of the former Le Cirque Hotel on Lee Circle.

Hotelier Klaus Ortlieb, the managing partner of New York City’s Cooper Square Hotel and The Gotham Hotel, wanted to open a lifestyle hotel in New Orleans that would combine efficiency with comfort. Without a check-in desk, guests are greeted instead with a complimentary drink and then escorted to their rooms.

The hotel is about 95,000 square feet with 135 guest rooms and suites. It will feature a restaurant and lounge with a menu of original cocktails created by the owners of Cure on Freret Street.


http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/th...cle/#more-2191

Chateau Bourbon receives $22.8M bridge loan for renovations, rebranding
by Maria Clark, New Media Specialist

October 3rd, 2011 · Blog
Canyon Capital Realty Advisors has provided a $22.8 million bridge loan toward renovations and the rebranding of the Chateau Bourbon Hotel under the Hyatt brand.

Carey Watermark Investors closed on a joint venture with the property’s longtime owner, HRI Properties, of about $45.7 million. Only $18 million will go toward renovations. The rest will go to equity and debt repayment.

http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/th...ing/#more-2182


The Housing Authority of New Orleans is ready to begin the final phase of redevelopment at the William J. Guste housing development in Central City.



(Rendering courtesy Housing Authority of New Orleans)
Houston-based Parkcrest Builders was the apparent low bidder at $6.2 million to demolish three low-rise apartment buildings and install infrastructure, such as water and sewer systems, for about 155 new rental homes to be built sometime next year. HANO estimates that project will go out to bid in the first quarter of 2012.

Work will also include new construction or repairs on South Liberty, Erato, South Robertson, Freret, LaSalle and Clio streets.

http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/th...ons/#more-2194

[Blitzen]

Great news for Mid-City, if they get the permits. I've always believed this lot along the bayou was vastly underutilized.

Designing a building that's appropriate for the site is challenging, Ward said, because the property is sandwiched in between the bayou, the 7-story Esplanade at City Park apartment building and St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, with the Fair Grounds Race Course behind it. Plans call for a building that's reminiscent of old Germany, with wood floors and beams and an interior that looks a lot like the original location. There will be space for the beer garden and weddings outside, and there will be plenty of parking on site so it won't bother the neighborhood.

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

[Chris from N.O.]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

Great news for Mid-City, if they get the permits. I've always believed this lot along the bayou was vastly underutilized.



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

Beautiful. I took a trip to Europe and left with a life-long love of 3 things: real Neapolitan pizza, limon gelato, and a beer garden on the banks of the Danube. If somebody can just tell me where to get limon then my life will be complete.

[tennis1400]

Some pictures I took tonight:

[ardecila]

I didn't know that was Rouse's until the last few pictures. It looks awesome. The mirrors at the top give the illusion of an open design, like European markets with stalls, although obviously it's only one store. I actually thought there was an upper deck until I looked more closely.

The materials are a little questionable (tacky acoustical ceiling? mirrored columns? vintage chandeliers? art deco fonts?). Honestly, though, I'm just happy there's a full-service urban grocery store in the CBD. The Rouse's in the Quarter has very limited hours and is basically just a large convenience store. There was the Albertson's north of the Quarter, but it was suburban-format and hasn't been open since the storm.

In terms of food quality, I'd put Rouse's on par with Whole Foods, but with much much better prices. It's easily the best grocery store chain I've seen in the US.

[Blitzen]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The materials are a little questionable (tacky acoustical ceiling? mirrored columns? vintage chandeliers? art deco fonts?).

I believe those art-deco chandeliers in the building date back to when it was originally Pontchartrain Motors, if not, they are very good reproductions.

[tennis1400]

Most of those finishes were there when it was a car dealership. So they have tried to incorporate that history into the store. Cant wait for it to be finished as well.

[UPT]

Originally Posted by ardecila

In terms of food quality, I'd put Rouse's on par with Whole Foods, but with much much better prices. It's easily the best grocery store chain I've seen in the US.

I agree that the pictures look awesome and some of the materials are clearly intended to save money on the project (I'm not sure about questionable though). I also think this is going to be a huge step (along with the Loyola streetcars and planned related developments) to revitalizing the entire area from Poydras to I-10 and from the River to the M-B Dome.

I like Rouse's. It's a good grocery store, and having local ownership in this day and age is a great thing. But, I'm not sure it's "on par with Whole Foods" or "easily the best grocery store chain...in the US." It's good for the region (I like Robert's too among local "chain" stores), but in the northeast I found both Wegmans and Genaurdi's (a Safeway store) to be far superior to Rouse's.

[Blitzen]

Can someone with a CB subscription please summarize for us all what the gist of this article is saying? Thanks http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/bl...-anytime-soon/

And for that matter, the bidding period for the auction of Plaza Tower has come and gone... do we know what was the verdict?

[IceCream]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

Can someone with a CB subscription please summarize for us all what the gist of this article is saying? Thanks http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/bl...-anytime-soon/

And for that matter, the bidding period for the auction of Plaza Tower has come and gone... do we know what was the verdict?

http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/bl...-anytime-soon/

Here are some bits and pieces:

“Both of those buildings are probably obsolete as far as office buildings are concerned,” said Bruce Sossaman of Equity Office. “Neither of the buildings’ floor plans work well for modern companies today. But that being said, they could work very well for condos or multifamily apartments.”

The Plaza Tower went up for auction last month with a starting price of $250,000, but the results are unknown. Michael Siegel, of Corporate Realty, the company handling the sale, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.......

(as for the world trade center) Deputy Mayor Cedric Grant, who is leading the initiative, said the purchase agreement still stands and the process to make it final should be completed within two months...

Grant said he’s already received several calls from developers interested in the property. The building once hummed with international diplomats and thousands of workers passing through its doors each day, but, like the Plaza Tower, is unlikely to become an office complex.

That’s because the floor layouts appear to be too inefficient for companies seeking a lot of office space, said Larry Schedler of Larry G. Schedler and Associates, a multi-family housing real estate firm....

Schedler added that residential or hospitality options are possible, should the structure remain intact......

---------------

It goes on to say that the office space market should bottom out and start rebounding soon, but basically there's no real need for office space and just that Plaza and World Trade center are probably best suited for residential and hospitality.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

Can someone with a CB subscription please summarize for us all what the gist of this article is saying? Thanks http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/bl...-anytime-soon/

And for that matter, the bidding period for the auction of Plaza Tower has come and gone... do we know what was the verdict?

We pulled out of the bidding for the Plaza Tower but I do know the deadline for the auction was September 21st and the winner had 6 weeks to close. If they fail to close then it goes to next bidder. The thing is acquiring the property isnt the cost its putting it back into commerce that is such a risk! I still think the Plaza is about 3-4 years off from being in a desirable area and the carrying cost for the tower to just sit there makes it a hard sell. Nonetheless I wish anyone well with redevelopment of the building!

Two More Photos I forgot to upload:





Also here is a video I took a few weeks ago from the penthouse unit at The Saratoga Apartments:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61709685@N06/6215448898/

Also permit filed today to renovate the American Paint Building on Josephine Street
Record 11COM-01422 :
Commercial Change of Use
Work Location 420 JOSEPHINE ST
NEW ORLEANS LA 70130

Project Description:
MAJOR RENOVATION AND CHANGE OF USE FROM A VACANT WAREHOUSE TO A 36 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING (101-6,201-7,301-7,401-7,501-7,601-2) PER PLANS. NO EXTERIOR WORK UNDER THIS PERMIT.
Owner:
AMERICAN PAINT BUILDING, LLC C/O WILLIAM BALL

Job Value($):
$5,000,000.00
Housing Units:
36

Heres the permit for the exterior:
Commercial Renovation (Structural)
Work Location 420 JOSEPHINE ST
NEW ORLEANS LA 70130

Project Description:
MAJOR RENOVATION AND REPAIR TO VACANT WAREHOUSE AND ADDITION OF A 6TH FLOOR PER PLANS AND HDLCP-11-1145 (NO USE AND OCCUPANCY UNDER THIS PERMIT)
Owner:
AMERICAN PAINT BUILDING, LLC C/O WILLIAM BALL

More Details
Additional Information
Job Value($):
$500,000.00Number of Buildings:
1Public Owned:
No
Application Information
COM_BUILDINGExisting use: Vacant Commercial Building
Proposed Use: Vacant Commercial Building
HDLC/VCC: -N/A-
No. of Floors: 6
Plan Review Required: Yes
Sketch Attached: No
Plans Attached: Yes
Total Square Footage: 39600

[ardecila]

I'd love to see the Hilton Riverside moved into the World Trade Center so that the current, awful Hilton and the Riverwalk can be rebuilt properly from scratch.

[cameron70115]

As much as I love Magazine St., Freret St. and Oak St., I think streets full of precious and/or funky boutiques for hip young (mostly) white people are nearing their saturation point. I would really like to see a comeback on Broad Street, focusing on businesses operated for and operated by the black communities near Broad St. More black-owned storefronts are definitely needed in the city. A similar sentiment goes for OC Haley, but I think Broad Street is a much more important street. Broad has a lot of potential in my eyes, because its a unique belt that connects so many different parts of the city, and is very centrally located. It could be the real central hub of a truly thriving New Orleans.

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Theres a lot of different sources from Gambit to facebook pages.

BTW what does everyone think is the next Freret St.: Jackson Avenue, Oretha Castle Haley, Broad Street, St Claude Ave, N. Rampart or Tulane Avenue?


BTW a WWL-TV article confirms plans to implode the old Palace Hotel.
Officials are still working to get needed permits and clearances. When they do implode the old hotel, officials will shut down I-10 for a few hours, because it's so close.

[rschin2]

regarding the house on St. Charles Ave. that the owners want to replace, I'm all for it...and here's why: KEN TATE

If you aren't familiar with his work, shame on you. He is, in my opinion, the greatest classicist in existence...and I'm not kidding. Go to his website
www.kentatearchitect.com

I can assure you that whatever design he proposes for that site, it will fit right in, and it will blow the existing house out of the water.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by rschin2

regarding the house on St. Charles Ave. that the owners want to replace, I'm all for it...and here's why: KEN TATE

If you aren't familiar with his work, shame on you. He is, in my opinion, the greatest classicist in existence...and I'm not kidding. Go to his website
www.kentatearchitect.com

I can assure you that whatever design he proposes for that site, it will fit right in, and it will blow the existing house out of the water.

Agreed! Beautiful stuff and it will be better than whats there now. Simply cause something is older doesnt make it better architecture... btw everything old was new once~

[NOLAmike]

Originally Posted by cameron70115

As much as I love Magazine St., Freret St. and Oak St., I think streets full of precious and/or funky boutiques for hip young (mostly) white people are nearing their saturation point. I would really like to see a comeback on Broad Street, focusing on businesses operated for and operated by the black communities near Broad St. More black-owned storefronts are definitely needed in the city. A similar sentiment goes for OC Haley, but I think Broad Street is a much more important street. Broad has a lot of potential in my eyes, because its a unique belt that connects so many different parts of the city, and is very centrally located. It could be the real central hub of a truly thriving New Orleans.

I don't know if I agree that we are reaching a saturation point for areas like Magazine, Freret and Oak, but having said that, I do agree with your statement about Broad Street. I have always personally believed OC Haley Blvd has a lot of potential though. Once they announced the Loyola Avenue and Rampart streetcar lines I have had it in my head that it would be great if the Loyola line could then go down OC Haley blvd. I realize this may be impossible with the Pontchatrain Expressway being right there, but it seems that in the future it could be a good destination especially with the area zoned for higher density development.