NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[greenparrot]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Sweet. I assume the "four-story building" is in fact the facade building on the theater space. I didn't know the front building and theater had separate ownership... but it looks like they have the same owner now.

I had heard the upper stories were/are transient apartments, SRO-type rooms. I wonder what will happen to them? Regardless of your feelings on the homeless/transient population, it's essential to provide some form of low-cost housing so that they aren't out on the streets, driving away tourists and theater-goers. Chicago has several of them near the downtown area, and they definitely improve the homeless situation.

Seattle recently built a "drunk house" where winos can go and drink to their hearts' content, without bothering people on the street. It actually saves money for the Seattle Police, who don't have to arrest and process these people on a regular basis anymore.

From what I remember, you have to walk down a relatively long corridor to get to the theatre from the front...so that sounds right.

I'm for helping people who need help...but I'm not sure I want a "drunk house" on Canal St right by the theatre.

[ardecila]

No, I don't think it belongs in that location. But it is essential to provide SRO-type housing near downtown. If they ever replace Iberville, that should be a key component of the new plan.

[Busy Bee]

The WGN Chicago Noon news (national) had a special report on the Crescent waterfront development. They interviewed the developer and some locals. Sounds like a great plan.

[sguil1]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

The WGN Chicago Noon news (national) had a special report on the Crescent waterfront development. They interviewed the developer and some locals. Sounds like a great plan.

Sounds cool. Wonder if they have it streaming online anywhere so we could watch it.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

The WGN Chicago Noon news (national) had a special report on the Crescent waterfront development. They interviewed the developer and some locals. Sounds like a great plan.

Yep, Reinventing the Crescent is really a huge development in the city's progress. Minor bits of construction are starting very soon - street closures, utility work, and the like.

I plan to start a dedicated thread on it soon. The project bears a lot of similarities to NYC's Brooklyn Bridge Park, both in terms of its industrial-riverfront context and its use of unconventional "active" park design, as opposed to Chicago's lakefront, which is really more of a passive park system.

I'm also excited about the new streetcar lines planned in conjunction with the park... these should open up a greater portion of the city to visitors than just the Quarter and Uptown. Hopefully, they will have a modern design to harmonize with the park.

[sguil1]

Conceptual of the new LSU academic hosptial.

[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\pc\Desktop\Work Files\Outlook.jpg[/IMG]

edit: sorry can't get it to load

[ardecila]

http://imageshack.us

[sguil1]

Thanks ardecila. Wish I could get more of the images that were presented by the architects but this is the only one I could get my hands on. If you look at the aerial schematic in post #395, this is a view between the Diagnostic builing and the inpatient towers (purple and red structures). You can actually see the water on the aerial.

[ardecila]

The state recently approved $30 million in bonds for a new "residential college". It was originally planned before Katrina, but delayed indefinitely as the university saw enrollments plummet after the storm. The site was occupied by classroom trailers.

Now they are restarting the project; it will include 265 beds and an apartment for a professor and his family. So far, it doesn't have a name; it will probably be named after whichever wealthy donor pays the most. However, it may be named "Doris" after the previous dorm on the same site.

Construction should begin within the year, possibly even this fall. Design by Wayne Troyer.

[sguil1]

Dorm design looks great. I'm assuming this is at the uptown campus, not near tulane medical center?

[ardecila]

Yep, uptown. I wish Tulane built dorms near the medical center - they'd really fill out all the sad-looking parking lots. Unfortunately, most med students prefer to have their own apartments. Tulane does currently provide graduate housing (in two very random sites) but the current arrangement works fairly well and there's no need to build more.

[greenparrot]

Spires or no spires?

What is everyone's opinion on spires. To me, many of the taller buildings in New Orleans are pretty boring....boxy with flat tops. I think buildings with spires (of the right kind) would blend in better with our older architecture. Or at the very least set backs leading to the top. They seem to be reminicent of the older skyscrapers in New York. One buliding that sticks out as an aexample is the tallest building in Atlanta...not sure the name. Same for the tallest in Charlotte. It is a new building but reminds me of some of the older skyscrapers. Just my thoughts.

[sguil1]

Trump tower (if it ever happens) is set to have a pretty large spire. Design looks nice.

[sguil1]

$10 Million TCI headquarters to be built by port.

http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/up...fm?recid=26561

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by greenparrot

Spires or no spires?

What is everyone's opinion on spires. To me, many of the taller buildings in New Orleans are pretty boring....boxy with flat tops. I think buildings with spires (of the right kind) would blend in better with our older architecture. Or at the very least set backs leading to the top. They seem to be reminicent of the older skyscrapers in New York. One buliding that sticks out as an aexample is the tallest building in Atlanta...not sure the name. Same for the tallest in Charlotte. It is a new building but reminds me of some of the older skyscrapers. Just my thoughts.

I think the character of the city would lend itself to spires generally, but they can't be done in such a way that makes the building seem like a copycat of what Atlanta and Charlotte were building 10 years ago. In Mobile, for example, the RSA Tower is really cool, but it wouldn't belong in New Orleans. We need to do our own thing, but if spires can fit into that vision, great. Trump Tower's design is a pretty good example.

[East2Westback]

Did any of the early page building sketches and composites get built or are any of them being built as of Sept 09?

Thanks in advance. I love New Orleans!!! One of the really excellent cities in this country for sure.

[sguil1]

Originally Posted by East2Westback

Did any of the early page building sketches and composites get built or are any of them being built as of Sept 09?

Thanks in advance. I love New Orleans!!! One of the really excellent cities in this country for sure.

The large projects that did get completed were largely done so before the bulk of the recession. Others were put on hold, some canceled.

Harrah's New Orleans - 28 stories - completed




625 St. Charles Condos - 14 stories - completed



WWII Expansion - under construction - first phase completed by Nov. '09





River Gardens - Mostly completed except for the two taller towers


American Can Appts. - completed


Crescent City Towers - Current building being gutted, redevelopment hopefully to follow


1201 Canal Condos (Krauss) - completed



La Cancer research center - 10 stories - under construction




930 poydras - 21 Stories - luxury appts. - under construction



new orleans bioinnovation center - to break ground w/i yr or so


Tracage - 24 stories - condo - on hold until end '09 / start '10


Trump tower - 61 stories - on hold until late '09 / start '10



Think thats most of the bigger projects. Most of the smaller ones and the loft conversions were completed.

[sgray]

Is there any optimism that Trump will start in 2010?

[SlidellWx]

With a global recession...not likely.

[sguil1]

Jury still out on Trump tower. The developers continue to stay that they are committed to building at that site. If anything the project may be downsized.