NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread - Page 336

prokowave · #**6701** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 2:18 PM**

Apparently it is an upgrade of the substation related to the future hospitals. From Midcity Messenger:

http://midcitymessenger.com/2013/04/...ospital-sites/

http://midcitymessenger.com/2013/04/...ion/#more-1465

typo86 · #**6702** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 3:04 PM**

Algiers Development District preparing to own Federal City property

Preparing to expand its land holdings next month when the U.S. Navy gives up real estate that was part of the Naval Support Activity's West Bank campus, the Algiers Development District board is seeking to broaden its legal power in connection with its role in Federal City...

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

IceCream · #**6703** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 3:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by prokowave

Apparently it is an upgrade of the substation related to the future hospitals. From Midcity Messenger:

http://midcitymessenger.com/2013/04/...ospital-sites/

http://midcitymessenger.com/2013/04/...ion/#more-1465

Thanks!

Think they'll make it butt-ugly or try to conceal it?

tennis1400 · #**6704** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 4:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IceCream

Thanks!

Think they'll make it butt-ugly or try to conceal it?

Well its next to the interstate so probably wouldnt expect too much but it would be nice to see the substation in the warehouse district, the one by canal place, the one at the foot of esplanade and the ones by the Market Street Power plant hidden or relocated if possible.

IceCream · #**6705** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 8:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Well its next to the interstate so probably wouldnt expect too much but it would be nice to see the substation in the warehouse district, the one by canal place, the one at the foot of esplanade and the ones by the Market Street Power plant hidden or relocated if possible.

I know but I think of I-10 as the gateway for tourists into the city. I know most cities look like ours along the interstate in terms of industrial areas, etc, since no one wants to build a $1 million home next to the interestate, but I just hope they do something to spruce it up a bit. Driving through cemetaries is so neat and NOLA-ish and then you have the dump of the road maintenance shed, Entergy yards and to put the cherry on top you have the f***ing jail which now everyone in America knows about.

Should be interesting since they're holding the riverfront press conference any minute now....be ready to post!

jbs2886 · #**6706** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 9:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IceCream

I know but I think of I-10 as the gateway for tourists into the city. I know most cities look like ours along the interstate in terms of industrial areas, etc, since no one wants to build a $1 million home next to the interestate, but I just hope they do something to spruce it up a bit. Driving through cemetaries is so neat and NOLA-ish and then you have the dump of the road maintenance shed, Entergy yards and to put the cherry on top you have the f***ing jail which now everyone in America knows about.

Should be interesting since they're holding the riverfront press conference any minute now....be ready to post!

Powerpoint presentation with comparisons to other developments for the Tri-Centennial group: http://thelensnola.org/2013/04/19/co...e-center-site/

Other 2 bidders are for adaptive reuse of the WTC. One of them has significant experience in W's.

DillardAlum · #**6707** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 9:14 PM**

City unveils competing proposals to redevelop World Trade Center site

http://thelensnola.org/2013/04/22/ci...e-center-site/

LAandMagazine · #**6708** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 9:20 PM**

RE: 3 World Trade Center proposals: If it's viable to save the WTC, save the building! WTC is iconic even in its deplorable state! If it's looking good, we're looking good. The Audubon monument / wetlands exhibit sounds wonderful too. Can they please build it someplace else? My original thought was build it in the park on the other side of the convention center, but the views really wouldn't be so good. The best views from a tower would clearly be in Algiers Point, on that big empty tract of land across the river from the convention center. Rebuild the gondola, or have a pedestrian ferry go from the foot of Canal St. straight to the wetlands park. It'd be great.

tennis1400 · #**6709** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 9:21 PM**

At first glance all three proposals seem reasonable enough.
The w proposal is quite appealing at this point!

jbs2886 · #**6710** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 9:24 PM**

I prefer the W proposal. I imagine the Convention Center will expand regardless.

tennis1400 · #**6711** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 9:58 PM**

I think the W proposal is the best option. The convention center should still work with these folks to improve the access to the river as they had planned. This development and their focusing on their assets would seem to be cheaper for everyone involved. Im definitely against tearing the WTC down at this point.

DillardAlum · #**6712** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 10:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbs2886

I prefer the W proposal. I imagine the Convention Center will expand regardless.

Exactly! I don't see why the Convention Center expansion upriver should be contingent upon their version of WTC redevelopment. The W proposal for the WTC and the CC upriver expansion and boulevard redesign would be ideal, and if we must have a monument with an observation deck for the tricen, then why not the return of the gondola?

MNT · #**6713** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 10:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tennis1400

I think the W proposal is the best option. The convention center should still work with these folks to improve the access to the river as they had planned. This development and their focusing on their assets would seem to be cheaper for everyone involved. Im definitely against tearing the WTC down at this point.

Totally agreed; the Tricentennial proposal looked promising but the W looks so much better/more doable/more concrete. The other proposal that keeps the tower doesn't have a hotel tenant lined up, doesn't know what they'll do for parking, so much is up in the air. After seeing the W proposal it no longer makes sense to demolish the tower -- there's a clear use for it right now (and talking about "attracting the right tenant"!)

tennis1400 · #**6714** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 11:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNT

Totally agreed; the Tricentennial proposal looked promising but the W looks so much better/more doable/more concrete. The other proposal that keeps the tower doesn't have a hotel tenant lined up, doesn't know what they'll do for parking, so much is up in the air. After seeing the W proposal it no longer makes sense to demolish the tower -- there's a clear use for it right now (and talking about "attracting the right tenant"!)

I literally just finished reading the whole proposal for the W and I must say something I hadnt realized that is a big strike against tearing the building down is that it cant be imploded. That is a large money saving option that is no longer available other important aspect is Historic Tax Credits. Once the building is torn down those arent available.

Knotenep · #**6715** Posted **Apr 23, 2013, 12:13 AM**

I noticed in the proposal by the W that one of the developers, I believe Providence and DAG, were working on a development on Canal Street called Canal Crossing. Does anyone know anything about this development? HRI properties is involved with the project as well.

ardecila · #**6716** Posted **Apr 23, 2013, 12:32 AM**

Probably the same as this. It's the retail component of the big Iberville project (although I think there is some neighborhood retail at the downriver end as well).

http://www.pm-lifestyle.com/lifestyl...are/index.html

Knotenep · #**6717** Posted **Apr 23, 2013, 12:48 AM**

It's possible. The information I read said that the development was in a pre-construction stage and was going to be on two full city blocks. They also said mentioned the hospitals and Iberville redevelopment as separate components of the revitalization of that section of Canal.

lamsalfl · #**6718** Posted **Apr 23, 2013, 2:38 AM**

I'm far less concerned about the visibility of the jail or the Entergy substation than I am about the deplorable state of the Broad and Jeff Davis overpasses. They are old, rusted, ugly, and structurally deficient. Driven on them lately?

They are quite embarrassing knowing tourists and visitors get a good view of them. Compare these two pictures of our mid-20th century substandard infrastructure, and one of at least a dozen new overpasses on the completely reconstructed I-64 through St. Louis.

Big difference.

SlidellWx · #**6719** Posted **Apr 23, 2013, 6:58 AM**

Was waiting to comment until I saw all of the proposals. Of all three, the W hotel/residential proposal from Gatehouse is my favorite by far. It seems the most achieveable, and I actually like the idea of a smaller London Eye type ferris wheel on the river.

polemic · #**6720** Posted **Apr 23, 2013, 2:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlidellWx

Was waiting to comment until I saw all of the proposals. Of all three, the W hotel/residential proposal from Gatehouse is my favorite by far. It seems the most achieveable, and I actually like the idea of a smaller London Eye type ferris wheel on the river.

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.