NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread - Page 72

annie himself · #**1421** Posted **Dec 24, 2010, 6:56 PM**

We are the sportsmans paradise, we can support another Bass Pro/Cabelas in the region. It will bring more people from far eastern NO.

rschin2 · #**1422** Posted **Dec 25, 2010, 6:45 AM**

WOW. I had no idea how huge this development was going to be. This thing is a monster.

here's the website for the development: www.river-chase.com
The website has PDFs of the site plan, which you can zoom in on.

Syndic · #**1423** Posted **Dec 27, 2010, 11:32 AM**

That is just regular suburban sprawl. No reason to be excited about that. In fact, you should be outraged. See how all the uses are separated like that? Retail over here, houses over here, apartments over here. It doesn't mix them all together. It's not mixed-use development. It's not dense. It's not amenable to walking. It's not sustainable at all. That's the kind of thing we're going to be tearing down or retrofitting in 20 years. If that was being built here in the Austin area, we'd be pissed.

Busy Bee · #**1424** Posted **Dec 27, 2010, 3:24 PM**

Agreed. This site plan is a classic suburban disaster. I like how the residential will have a luxurious view across a retention pond to the utilitarian backside of the big box stores. Genius! It's shocking that developments in this absurd and counter-intuitive form are still being proposed and built. Very dissapointing. The frustration I recieve from seeing stuff like this proposed at the hands of business people who could just as easily produce a fanstastic, dense, dynamic and engaging public sphere is beyond words sometimes.

Uptowner · #**1425** Posted **Dec 27, 2010, 4:30 PM**

That development is a good 30 miles outside of even the immediate suburbs. As terrible as it is the people living out there would loathe the type of development present on this side of the lake. I fail to see how this can have a bright future if the center directly across the I-12 was intended to house stores like Macy's, DSW, LOFT, White House/Black Market, etc. but ended up being reduced to Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, and Texas Roadhouse. I don't want to sound negative, but has anything changed in the last 6 months that now make mid to upper level stores ready to invest in this area outside of Orleans or Jefferson? On that note, what ever became of the one planned for Slidell? Summit Fremeaux I think it was.

WesternSon · #**1426** Posted **Dec 27, 2010, 5:41 PM**

Apparently the time spent in Houston by Northshore residents has really inspired them.

Developments like this keep the following ringing true- "New Orleans so far behind it is ahead"

Uptowner · #**1427** Posted **Dec 27, 2010, 8:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WesternSon

Apparently the time spent in Houston by Northshore residents has really inspired them.

Baton Rouge too. Everytime I'm on the southern side of B.R. I think of Sugar Land and Stafford. Totally unsustainable.

IceCream · #**1428** Posted **Dec 27, 2010, 9:20 PM**

I have an ex-girlfriend whose family lives in Sugarland. I was out there about three years ago and was literally shocked at how bad the suburban sprawl was. We went into downtown for dinner one night at "The Strip House" (which was really cool) BUT IT TOOK ALMOST AN HOUR TO DRIVE THERE. I believe I made the comment "i thought Sugarland was a suburb...."

I'm afraid everything from Slidell to Mandeville to Baton Rouge (I-12 corridor) is going to be the exact same way: one gigantic suburban area with only one real downtown area (being NOLA).

rschin2 · #**1429** Posted **Dec 28, 2010, 7:25 AM**

Syndic,
I wasn't suggesting that I like this development. I was just commenting on how huge it is. I had no idea it was going to get that big.
I think the most hilarious part about it is the two planned "office towers". Um, exactly who do they think are going to be the tenants for these towers?

And yes, these types of developments should mix retail and residential together and create a dense, walkable environment.

Just another developer who's raping the northshore's natural environment just so he can walk away with his money...

ardecila · #**1430** Posted **Dec 28, 2010, 9:25 AM**

I'm not thrilled about the site planning, but it's a exurban area in the South.

Summit Fremeaux was to be a pretty nice lifestyle center, with the atmosphere capable of attracting nicer retailers. It's in a holding pattern due to the credit crunch. There were also several substantial New Urbanist developments planned on the North Shore, but these have died off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rschin2

Um, exactly who do they think are going to be the tenants for these towers?

Have you forgotten the great exodus of the oil companies to the North Shore, both before and after Katrina? These huge companies, and many smaller companies that do business with them, have pitched their tent on the other side of the lake, and left scores of vacant office towers in downtown NO.

The geography of the North Shore is problematic, since it is completely and totally severed from New Orleans and Jefferson/St. Bernard. Louisiana has moved heaven and earth to try and connect the two areas, building five tremendously long bridges, but they remain isolated economically.

Strong cities can't exist without strong suburbs, at least in America, but I'm not sure I can even call the North Shore a suburban area - that's how weak the connection is.

Ultimately, I think St. Charles Parish will need to open up to development to prevent the lion's share of suburban growth from going to the North Shore. It already has the interstate access and a river crossing, unlike the outer reaches of St. Bernard Parish or the West Bank, and the state can't afford to build new highways to those areas.

dgpatel · #**1431** Posted **Dec 28, 2010, 5:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

It already has the interstate access and a river crossing, unlike the outer reaches of St. Bernard Parish or the West Bank, and the state can't afford to build new highways to those areas.

The Huey P Long Bridge expansion is supposed to help the Avondale and Luiling (JP and St. Charles Parish) areas to grow (the only part of JP with room for major growth). It seems nearly impossible to expand Clearview Pkwy from the Huey to I-10 to interstate standards, but a proposed (and possibly canceled) interchange at Earhart Expwy and Causeway would give a descent North-South connection between the Westbank-Metairie-Northshore. Even though direct interstate/expwy route between the heart of Metairie (Causeway/Clearview area) to the Westbank would be more beneficial, it still beats a 24mi (plus weather and accident delay) commute across the Causeway to get the the Northshore.

One major development in Avondale is the proposed Churchill Technology and Business Park. I'm not sure of the status on this development - Maybe someone else can provide some more info on it? Here is the site: http://www.churchillpark.org/

tennis1400 · #**1432** Posted **Dec 28, 2010, 6:23 PM**

Suburban sprawl I believe is in its last stages. Energy cost will see too it that people live closer to where they live work and play. I never understood the appeal of the Northshore at all, not to mention Baton Rouge. However, I do agree with the statement that a city needs a strong metropolitan area to be successful. So it is nescessary to have these places for people that want that kind of lifestyle. I guess the best thing one can say is that New Orleans offers all different types. If you want to be a fat ass suburbanite we have it too!

ardecila · #**1433** Posted **Dec 29, 2010, 5:21 AM**

I don't necessarily have a problem with suburban sprawl so long as it doesn't suck the life out of the central city. North Shore development has the potential to do that, since it's so disconnected physically. Even if it maintains its cultural and economic ties, it still encourages massive 35-40 mile commutes and all the pollution created. Suburbs on the West or East Banks don't have that problem.

The Huey P bridge expansion is welcome, but I'm not sure if it will encourage much new development. There's been a bridge there since the 1930s, after all, but the Westbank end has never seen much development except for some industrial properties. Having to sit in traffic on Clearview and Causeway, Jefferson and Airline is miserable.

midcity · #**1434** Posted **Dec 30, 2010, 10:05 PM**

Everytime I've read an article on the Market Street Power Plant development the developers have always stated that they have a major retailer interested that needs to be open by the Super Bowl (which I think is 2013). Are the retailers that you all are suggesting the type of retailers that would benefit greatly from a major event or Super Bowl? Or do you think the Super Bowl is just an excuse to push things forward quickly since they were involved in that lawsuit and then need to get the necessary approval and permits from the city. I've just always found the Super Bowl an odd thing as I don't see Target, IKEA, Trader Joe's, etc. having some huge success off the Super Bowl.

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.O.L.A.

Nola.com has some good news concerning a major retailer locating in the Market Street Power Plant property. Glad to see that construction is planned to begin in the spring!

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

WesternSon · #**1435** Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 1:27 AM**

I am sure the excuse of the superbowl is to gain political favor. The DDD, and the mayors office see the next superbowl as an opportunity to highlight the city in a new light and show off the new post-k development like the Loyola street car line, Champions square, new hyatt....

tennis1400 · #**1436** Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 2:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WesternSon

I am sure the excuse of the superbowl is to gain political favor. The DDD, and the mayors office see the next superbowl as an opportunity to highlight the city in a new light and show off the new post-k development like the Loyola street car line, Champions square, new hyatt....

Bass Pro= Sports Related Store that may find a high profile event like the Superbowl something they would want to have a flagship like store open for.

ardecila · #**1437** Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 2:45 AM**

Bingo. Bass Pro is from southern Missouri. They're just as crazy for football as Louisianians, and they envision their New Orleans store being a big tourist destination, much more so than the usual Bass Pro location.

tennis1400 · #**1438** Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 7:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

Bingo. Bass Pro is from southern Missouri. They're just as crazy for football as Louisianians, and they envision their New Orleans store being a big tourist destination, much more so than the usual Bass Pro location.

Its a big amount of exposure for that brand and not to mention many people forget how close the Superdome is to all the activities in New Orleans. Other cities wont afford Bass Pro this opportunity as their stadiums are usually in the middle of nowhere. Its one of the reason I always thought New Orleans should be a permanent home for the Superbowl or at least it should be held only in warm cities where the arena is in the center of everything. Last year when I was in Miami it took us three hours on a chartered bus to get from the interstate exit to actually park. Then another hour of walking! The experience in New Orleans is just so much better!

tennis1400 · #**1439** Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 7:28 PM**

Good to see they are finally moving on the rebuild of the original location. Will be a big boost for that neighborhood for sure!

Martin Wine Cellar - Baronne Street Store
Dodge Report #201000721264 v. 2

Location: LA (Orleans) See More Like This
Valuation: $3,500,000
Bid Date: Dec 29, 2010

annie himself · #**1440** Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 11:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Its a big amount of exposure for that brand and not to mention many people forget how close the Superdome is to all the activities in New Orleans. Other cities wont afford Bass Pro this opportunity as their stadiums are usually in the middle of nowhere. Its one of the reason I always thought New Orleans should be a permanent home for the Superbowl or at least it should be held only in warm cities where the arena is in the center of everything. Last year when I was in Miami it took us three hours on a chartered bus to get from the interstate exit to actually park. Then another hour of walking! The experience in New Orleans is just so much better!

I have always thought the same thing. Dallas's new stadium is in Arlington right? How much sense does that make? The Reliant is no where near walking distance of downtown. The Superdome is in great proximity to everything tourists would want/need.