NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[camkazaam]

Originally Posted by Nolacat157

I think Landrieu and his team would like some credit for some of that as well. Things do seem more promising these days though.

I deserve some credit, too. The Saints wouldn't have won the Super Bowl and Mitch wouldn't have won the election if I hadn't moved to Los Angeles. On that note, USC wouldn't have lost its bowl eligibility if I wasn't a grad student there. See how that works?

[urbanwatcher]

One challenge of creating more retail space is conforming to state laws that limit the private use of land that is expropriated for public purpose. Similar considerations could come into play if the project depends on federal mortgage insurance to back construction bonds.

Kopplin said the city believes that "auxiliary services" that are directly connected to the UMC mission -- pharmacies, medical suppliers, flower shops, restaurants -- should clear any legal obstacles.
The main problem with hospital campuses, especially if they're planned to grow outward, is that the land values of privately held parcels nearby will be depressed due to the potential for a taking in the future.



Does that indicate that more than the initial land is being planned on being bought for the hospital?The district map is way larger than the planned sites and since a large number of properties around the site are pretty much run down,it seems like this is what is being conveyed.Does anyone think that this will improve the viability of the neighborhoods surrounding the site.I can't imagine it would hurt.It also seems like moving those houses over will contribute to the density and value of lower mid city.It will be amazing if Canal street is revitalized from end to end.

[rcp11889]

I agree. I think the hospital projects will only help the surrounding areas with retail and other developments. Just look at all the new apartments around Tulane Ave. These have been built with the assumption that the hospital will be built. I don't think the city would ever take any more land out of that neighborhood for hospital development.

[sooperpaz]

Does anyone know what's going up where Goodwill used to be on Jeff Davis, right next to the Coca Cola building? The signs say it's a Woodward project, but they don't seem to have anything on their site about it.

[urbanwatcher]

Landrieu says a redeveloped Iberville could be “one of the greatest neighborhoods”

http://thelensnola.org/2010/09/23/gnof-housing-meeting/

[typo86]

Originally Posted by urbanwatcher

Landrieu says a redeveloped Iberville could be “one of the greatest neighborhoods”

http://thelensnola.org/2010/09/23/gnof-housing-meeting/

Hope he's right. That's the purpose of redevelopments, to improve what currently exist. Hopefully the improvements go far enough to make his statement come true.

[Blitzen]

If you've never seen Wikimapia, take a look. It's a great way to learn about the history and architecture of New Orleans' famous and not-so-famous buildings.

I encourage everyone to fill in interesting places in the map that might not be already tagged. You can add your own description of a building or historic site, without having to be registered.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=29.9574629...9&z=16&l=0&m=b

[ardecila]

A couple of things... the redevelopment of Iberville needs to increase the unit count. Keep the public housing units, but make it a 1:3 ratio of public/affordable to market rate units. This is centrally located, and should be redeveloped very densely. I'm not even talking New York or Chicago density, but it should be dense enough to support a lively mix of businesses. That way, the retail spaces won't get taken over by businesses catering to tourists.

[Blitzen]

Originally Posted by ardecila

A couple of things... the redevelopment of Iberville needs to increase the unit count. Keep the public housing units, but make it a 1:3 ratio of public/affordable to market rate units. This is centrally located, and should be redeveloped very densely. I'm not even talking New York or Chicago density, but it should be dense enough to support a lively mix of businesses. That way, the retail spaces won't get taken over by businesses catering to tourists.

From the news I've read, they're decreasing the number of subsidized units by half, but that doesn't mean the total number of units on the footprint can't go up. We won't know anything yet until the proposals come in, but I'm hoping too that the density is much higher than it is now - along the lines of what Storyvillle used to have. Here's what I had in mind if I had my way:
(This is the same area as the Iberville Projects, circa 1906)

[ardecila]

That corner building in center-left is pretty iconic. It's been in lots of old photographs, and it's even in the intro to Treme.

I'd like to see something with that kind of density, but it can't happen unless you go up. The density of the Quarter today is only 6,000 people/sq. mile, because units have been combined over the years to produce larger rooms and apartments. Iberville is already denser than the Quarter, and that's with all of Iberville's green space factored in.

Buyers/renters today want enough space to live in comfortably, and you can't have that along with density unless you go up. I'm in favor of, say, 8-12 story buildings here, with maybe 1 or 2 buildings allowed to go taller? Providing parking is the architect's problem, but it would need to be done in a way that doesn't degrade the streetscape. You can build narrow buildings along the street and then garages hidden behind them, but you need large blocks for this.

I was skeptical of the possibilities for downtown housing, but the few projects that have gone forward have done incredibly well. I think there is a definite unserved market for downtown units. I don't know if it's enough to support a forest of new towers, but we could probably fill a good number of midrises and create a new neighborhood in the process.

[tennis1400]

Neat new project from the Preservation resource Center!



http://www.studiowta.com/images/port...WTA_LBNZEH.pdf

[Uptowner]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Neat new project from the Preservation resource Center!



http://www.studiowta.com/images/port...WTA_LBNZEH.pdf

Nice. I love how they have "City of God" playing on the screen in the rendering.
I wish that there was more information about this.

[sguil1]

Rendering of the latest WWII museum expansion. Also visited the museum a few weeks ago and the official models of the expansion showed a hotel/parking garage directly connected to the museum.

[Blitzen]

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

I knew as soon as they tore down the Cooper projects redevelopment would come to that neighborhood.

[LouisianaRush]

Folger Coffee Co. will spend $69 million expanding New Orleans facilities
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
NOLA.com

Folgers Coffee Co. will spend almost 90 percent of the $69 million it plans to invest in its New Orleans area manufacturing plants and distribution center on equipment for its facilities on Old Gentilly Road and Chef Menteur Highway, a spokeswoman for the company said Wednesday. The remainder of the money will be spent "adding capacity" at the company's finished goods warehouse in St. Tammany Parish, Folgers spokeswoman Maribeth Badertscher said.The investment in the three local facilities is part of a plan announced in March that calls for Folgers, which is owned by J.M. Smucker Co., to expand production and capacity at its New Orleans area sites.

Although the project was announced six months ago, the heads of Smucker and Folgers, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis met at the Gentilly Road plant Wednesday for something of an official ground breaking.

Folgers employs about 450 people at its New Orleans sites. The expansion will result in about 120 additional direct jobs and 381 indirect jobs, according to the governor's office. The governor's office also estimates that the expansion will produce 500 new jobs in the New Orleans area over the next two to three years.

more: http://www.nola.com/business/index.s..._spend_69.html

[Uptowner]

Anybody know what's going up between Leon C. Simon and New York? Right at the corner of Elysian Fields. I see that they're also redoing the building between Earhart and Vendome that has had the toilet hanging out of it for the last 3 years.

[tennis1400]

I saw in the newspaper that the new GM of Harrahs New Orleans says to expect some big announcements about the property and Fulton Street in the next few weeks. Any ideas what hes going to announce?

[ardecila]

Who knows? In my mind, casinos aren't exciting unless they're in Vegas. The new MGM Grand in Detroit comes close, though...

[tennis1400]

The main reason I was bringing this up is because he seemed to be hinting at non-gaming related amenities. Namely a much larger theatre to bring in truly A list entertainment and improvements to Fulton street. All things that people who like or dislike gambling can enjoy in the downtown area.

[rcp11889]

Originally Posted by urbanwatcher

Yes i think you are correct in stating that claiborne is too wide for walking retail.What i was mostly referring to are the plans to have a large entertainment /studio venue on st benard ave.Also looking at that recovery area the city has the idea that mixed income buildings could be put along claiborne between esplanade and st benard ave.That area is just busted up so yeah maybe some tall buildings might work if they cleared it and made investors interested in that land?I harp on this area because it is so close to what looks like is going to be the biggest economic boom for the city in years(biomedical district).Driving in from the east it will be such a bummer for anyone going there.Also if people from other parts of the city are going to use the Lafitte greenspace,the city needs to work on getting the areas around it more presentable.Redeveloping the iberville is a major step in that direction.
I haven't heard anything in a while about the Blue plate building.Is it still being converted?Kinda of a weird location but it would be close to the new hospitals if medical professional are interested.

http://www.billesarchitecture.com/pa...&projectid=112

Is this what you're referring to? Anyone know what the status of this project is? I remember reading about it a year or so ago. It could definitely be a potential way to bring back downtown as a thriving part of town.