NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[ardecila]

The best outcome vis-a-vis movies downtown is a small multiplex somewhere that can compete with Clearview and Elmwood AMC. There are several sites on Upper Canal that could accommodate such a building, if the Iberville crime problem is solved.

New Orleans could probably also use an arthouse film theater - the Prytania is halfway there but their operation isn't really artsy enough.

The Municipal Auditorium is a tricky beast. The size is the biggest problem - there isn't much that can fill so many seats, especially without a ton of parking. There are already good venues for rock concerts, classical performances, opera, musicals, etc.

I'd almost rather they tore it down and rebuilt Orleans to Rampart, splitting around Congo Square. That would chop up Armstrong Park but also make it seem less closed-off. If I-10 is removed the importance of Orleans as a downtown feeder will go away and traffic will shift to Elysian Fields and Canal (which are under-capacity).

[Blitzen]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The Municipal Auditorium is a tricky beast. The size is the biggest problem - there isn't much that can fill so many seats, especially without a ton of parking. There are already good venues for rock concerts, classical performances, opera, musicals, etc.

I'd almost rather they tore it down and rebuilt Orleans to Rampart, splitting around Congo Square. That would chop up Armstrong Park but also make it seem less closed-off. If I-10 is removed the importance of Orleans as a downtown feeder will go away and traffic will shift to Elysian Fields and Canal (which are under-capacity).

When I think of using the Municipal Auditorium as a theater, I assume gutting the inside, and inserting medium sized 15-20 screens inside the shell. The building has an even larger square footage than the AMC in Elmwood, so I think cost is the only problem - and making sure the Iberville Redevelopment happens in a timely way. There's a lot of parking lots immediately around the Auditorium as well that were built when the Casino was housed there.

I agreed about the traffic pattern, but I would incorporate the Municipal Auditorium with Congo Square, and make the traffic flow around the two together.

_________________________________________________________

On an related note, I was reading about L.A. Live, which was one of the inspirations for Champions Square and a lot of the redevelopment around the Superdome. They have a movie theater, and a grammy museum. I think New Orleans, with all of its tourists and new downtown residents, could have a thriving movie theater/ sports museum, as part of our complex. The museum would be another great thing for tourists in town for a sporting event to see.

Does anyone have any information on exactly what the 3 floors of balconies being erected on the Champions Square side of the Benson Tower will be??

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

Does anyone have any information on exactly what the 3 floors of balconies being erected on the Champions Square side of the Benson Tower will be??

Ive been trying to find out exactly what it will look like as well. Apparently, its supposed to be floors of party decks. Wish theyd hurry up and finish it though.

Items on Bidclerk:

1826295 New Orleans, LA Retail 01/12/2012
Description Tenant improvements for a national chain retail store in New Orleans. Completed working drawings call for the build-out of a 14,011-square-foot space for a retail store. The scope of work will include a sales floor, storage space and restrooms. ...Click here for complete Project Details

1703302 Harahan, LA Retail 01/12/2012
Description Site work and new construction of a retail development in Elmwood. Completed working drawings call for the construction of a 41,000-square-foot retail shell. The owner has determined a list of select general contractors to bid on this project. I...Click here for complete Project Details

1793875 Metairie, LA Retail 01/12/2012
Description Tenant improvements for national chain retail store in Metairie. Completed working drawings call for the build-out of a 912-square-foot retail store. The scope of work will include visual display cases, a stockroom, and office space. This project...Click here for complete Project Details

1825280 New Orleans, LA Educational 01/12/2012
Description ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids will be received for Dillard by Trapolin Peer Architects, APC, 639 Julia Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130 until 2:00 P.M. Tuesday February 7th, 2012. ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS SHALL NOTIFY TRAP...Click here for complete Project Details

Permits pulled at City Hall:


Record 12COM-00056 :
Commercial Change of Use
Work Location 817 ST LOUIS ST
NEW ORLEANS LA 70130
CONVERT VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDING INTO A NIGHTCLUB AS PER PLANS. NO EXTERIOR WORK UNDER THIS PERMIT.
Parcel Number:207102304Legal Description:SQ 71 LOT 5 ST LOUIS 32X64

[Chris from N.O.]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

When I think of using the Municipal Auditorium as a theater, I assume gutting the inside, and inserting medium sized 15-20 screens inside the shell. The building has an even larger square footage than the AMC in Elmwood, so I think cost is the only problem - and making sure the Iberville Redevelopment happens in a timely way. There's a lot of parking lots immediately around the Auditorium as well that were built when the Casino was housed there.

I agreed about the traffic pattern, but I would incorporate the Municipal Auditorium with Congo Square, and make the traffic flow around the two together.

_________________________________________________________

On an related note, I was reading about L.A. Live, which was one of the inspirations for Champions Square and a lot of the redevelopment around the Superdome. They have a movie theater, and a grammy museum. I think New Orleans, with all of its tourists and new downtown residents, could have a thriving movie theater/ sports museum, as part of our complex. The museum would be another great thing for tourists in town for a sporting event to see.

Does anyone have any information on exactly what the 3 floors of balconies being erected on the Champions Square side of the Benson Tower will be??

Where are you getting those sf #'s? It's a big building, but who is telling you that it is bigger than AMC Elmwood? I really doubt you could fit 15 screens into there. Maybe 5 into the area where the bowl is now if you squared it out.

[Blitzen]

Originally Posted by Chris from N.O.

Where are you getting those sf #'s? It's a big building, but who is telling you that it is bigger than AMC Elmwood? I really doubt you could fit 15 screens into there. Maybe 5 into the area where the bowl is now if you squared it out.

According to http://eprkc.com/Property-Operator/Theaters the area of the Elmwood Palace 20 is 90391 sq. ft, and contains 4357 seats. The dimensions of the high-roof part of the Municipal Auditorium are 290 ft. X 316 ft. = 91,940 sq. ft. According to this website http://www.scottymoore.net/neworleansmuni.html, the Municipal Auditorium is 200k sq. ft. but I think they must be including the second level. So I can definitely see the Municipal Auditorium having 20 screens with its high ceiling. It might even have space left over in the side rooms for retail, dining, a museum, or other cultural uses.

[Reverend_Cletus]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Ive been trying to find out exactly what it will look like as well. Apparently, its supposed to be floors of party decks. Wish theyd hurry up and finish it though.

Items on Bidclerk:

1826295 New Orleans, LA Retail 01/12/2012
Description Tenant improvements for a national chain retail store in New Orleans. Completed working drawings call for the build-out of a 14,011-square-foot space for a retail store. The scope of work will include a sales floor, storage space and restrooms. ...Click here for complete Project Details

1703302 Harahan, LA Retail 01/12/2012
Description Site work and new construction of a retail development in Elmwood. Completed working drawings call for the construction of a 41,000-square-foot retail shell. The owner has determined a list of select general contractors to bid on this project. I...Click here for complete Project Details

1793875 Metairie, LA Retail 01/12/2012
Description Tenant improvements for national chain retail store in Metairie. Completed working drawings call for the build-out of a 912-square-foot retail store. The scope of work will include visual display cases, a stockroom, and office space. This project...Click here for complete Project Details

1825280 New Orleans, LA Educational 01/12/2012
Description ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids will be received for Dillard by Trapolin Peer Architects, APC, 639 Julia Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130 until 2:00 P.M. Tuesday February 7th, 2012. ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS SHALL NOTIFY TRAP...Click here for complete Project Details

Permits pulled at City Hall:


Record 12COM-00056 :
Commercial Change of Use
Work Location 817 ST LOUIS ST
NEW ORLEANS LA 70130
CONVERT VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDING INTO A NIGHTCLUB AS PER PLANS. NO EXTERIOR WORK UNDER THIS PERMIT.
Parcel Number:207102304Legal Description:SQ 71 LOT 5 ST LOUIS 32X64

Let's see... exciting development here! A Dollar Tree! Next we have a Women's Center at Elmwood Shopping Center. And yet another high-end establishment... Sunglass Hut #3573 / Metairie. And last but not least, Dillard University Straight Hall Restoration/Rehabiliation.

As for a movie theater, I always hoped since Benson and the state want a lively sports and entertainment district, a multiplex and bowling alley would be built at Champion Square. Plenty of on-site parking.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by Reverend_Cletus

Let's see... exciting development here! A Dollar Tree! Next we have a Women's Center at Elmwood Shopping Center. And yet another high-end establishment... Sunglass Hut #3573 / Metairie. And last but not least, Dillard University Straight Hall Restoration/Rehabiliation.

As for a movie theater, I always hoped since Benson and the state want a lively sports and entertainment district, a multiplex and bowling alley would be built at Champion Square. Plenty of on-site parking.

That area makes more sense to me for that then Armstrong Park. A multiplex needs plenty of parking and that will be plentiful by Champions Square. I still think New Orleans should work to amend to state constitution to allow for more than one land based casino inside the city. Harrahs needs some competition!!!I always thought the Municipal Auditorium made sense for that!

[Blitzen]

On Fox8 news' website tonight they had John Young, President of Jefferson Parish, talking about studying a streetcar down Veterans. Phase I would go from the parish line to Lakeside Mall, Phase II to Clearview, Phase III to the airport.

While I love the forward thinking, Metairie is the worst place on earth for that kind of system. In my opinion, it's too suburban, lacks density, horrible for pedestrians, and traffic swamped. Plus, it wouldn't connect to the real streetcar system in New Orleans. Maybe light-rail parallel to Airline/Tulane, or maybe down Claiborne Ave/Jefferson Hwy, but I don't see it happening down Veterans. But maybe I'm wrong.

_________________________________________________________________________________

On an unrelated note, did anyone else know there's an Irish Cultural Museum being built in the French Quarter at 933 Conti Street? Does anyone have a rendering of this new building? I hope it's a reproduction of the structure that was once built there. http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/Iris...133716303.html

The museum will display art, artifacts and documentary presentations that will tell the story of the city’s Irish heritage.

Rotating displays from other Irish heritage centers will also be included, as well as a courtyard with Celtic carvings.

That area is expected to host musical performances, poetry readings and dance performances.

It's planned to open this Spring, so construction must really be noticeable.

[SlidellWx]

Great articles, but I couldn't see the first one and that one seemed really interesting as well. Thanks for the links!

Here are some highlights from that article...

More than 200 apartment units are expected to open in the Central Business and Warehouse districts this year.

Combined with the 270 units added last year and more than 550 planned for the coming years, downtown New Orleans has finally reached critical mass, coalescing into a real community that didn’t exist 10 years ago, said architect and developer Marcel Wisznia.

“We believe a good portion of the future of the city is in downtown living. You see that throughout the country,” Wisznia said. “Demand has been far greater than any of our appraisers anticipated and if we weren’t so bullish we wouldn’t be talking about our next project.”

Wisznia has two downtown apartment buildings in the leasing stages: the 105-unit Maritime and the 155-unit Saratoga. The Maritime began leasing a year ago and is 87 percent full while the Saratoga, which began leasing in August, is above 50 percent. Both projects are commanding rents at $2.25 per square foot, greater than the anticipated $1.80.

The success of these properties convinced Wisznia to move forward with Stephens Garage at 850 Carondelet St., a $35 million project that includes 65 market-rate apartments and 15,000 square feet in retail space. Construction is expected to begin in June.

In 2010, the average occupancy in the CBD and Warehouse District was close to 93 percent, according to a University of New Orleans study.

Gibbs recently developed three properties on Poydras and Baronne streets with a combined 250 apartments. There are rarely any vacancies and when a tenant decides to leave, the unit is typically pre-leased before they even move out their furniture, he said.

[polemic]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Closed on a warehouse today in the warehouse district.

Not sure what we are doing with it yet. There have been some inquiries.

Why do anything with it?! That building should be landmarked!!! You're destroying the character of the warehouse district!!!

Just joking, and good luck, excited to see what your company does.

Building looks familiar, if it's the one I'm thinking of, there's no retail and not a lot of street traffic on the block, just the back side of a hotel, so ground floor retail would be a bit challenging to put in. But if you could, it seems like what the neighborhood could use something to add to the expanding residential nature of the area (drycleaners or drug store) or something to give residents 24-hour options (coffee shop, late-night sandwich shop/pizza/diner). It would be great if Utrecht Art Supplies opened a store in New Orleans, and that neighborhood might be perfect, but I'm sure there's not enough demand for it (yet)

Then I'd put a condo building that looks like something you'd see in Dwell above it--since that neighborhood could use a little modern to break things up. And construction costs would be no object for your company! (and as long as 2/3 of the sq. footage is reserved for affordable housing ... okay, enough with the jokes).

[NOLAmike]

Thanks SlidellWx!

[FrenchTwins]

This is good news for engineering innovation in New Orleans (which is extremely lacking at the moment unless you want to build levees or drainage systems). Can't wait for this facility to be operational.

River turbine testing site gets $150,000 grant

A proposed testing site for turbines that will be mounted from piers and barges in rivers to generate power has received a $150,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority.

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

Info about the facility:

http://riversphere.tulane.edu/index.html

Here is a map of the location:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...ab6505e3f88cac

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by polemic

Why do anything with it?! That building should be landmarked!!! You're destroying the character of the warehouse district!!!

Just joking, and good luck, excited to see what your company does.

Building looks familiar, if it's the one I'm thinking of, there's no retail and not a lot of street traffic on the block, just the back side of a hotel, so ground floor retail would be a bit challenging to put in. But if you could, it seems like what the neighborhood could use something to add to the expanding residential nature of the area (drycleaners or drug store) or something to give residents 24-hour options (coffee shop, late-night sandwich shop/pizza/diner). It would be great if Utrecht Art Supplies opened a store in New Orleans, and that neighborhood might be perfect, but I'm sure there's not enough demand for it (yet)

Then I'd put a condo building that looks like something you'd see in Dwell above it--since that neighborhood could use a little modern to break things up. And construction costs would be no object for your company! (and as long as 2/3 of the sq. footage is reserved for affordable housing ... okay, enough with the jokes).

The building is actually fronting two streets. North Diamond and St Joseph. Howlin Wolf and the Foundry are neighbors. Street traffic has picked up recently. So many options are possible. One inquiry was about a Russian Vodka/Ice Bar.

[Blitzen]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

The building is actually fronting two streets. North Diamond and St Joseph. Howlin Wolf and the Foundry are neighbors. Street traffic has picked up recently. So many options are possible. One inquiry was about a Russian Vodka/Ice Bar.

The neutral ground of Diamond Street was once a farmer's/flea market for the people living in the Lower Garden District. I could see the walls of your warehouse building being opened up and it becoming an open air market with just a roof facing the neutral ground, with products spilling out into the sidewalk... at least just on the weekends.

[tennis1400]

Never knew that . Do you have any pictures of it?

[Blitzen]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Never knew that . Do you have any pictures of it?

Here's the best I can do:
Originally that neutral ground was an open air market (like the French Market in the Quarter). After 1906, it was demolished and turned into St. Mary's Park. In 1992, the giant blue ball sculpture, "Riverstones" were installed.

If you look on pg. 219 of the book linked below, New Orleans Architecture: The American Sector, there is a diagram of the market at the bottom of the page.

http://books.google.com/books?id=waDSBKfl-w4C&pg=PA219&lpg=PA219&dq=st.+mary's+park+diamond+new+orleans&source=bl&ots=u4X90vxWFL&sig=EwlSpCvWMvMmdEnHtDA575bQdiw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=rqQQT4bIDOrq0gG5rKDMAw&ved=0CFAQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=st.%20mary's%20park%20diamond%20new%20orleans&f=false

And the only other picture I could find online was after the market was torn down, Security Brewing Company 341-345 North Diamond Street:

[tennis1400]

Thanks Blitzen. Good to know!

Bidclerk Items:

1828042 New Orleans, LA Multi-Residential 01/13/2012
Description Tenant improvement for a multi-family development in New Orleans. Design plans call for the conversion of existing space into a 26-unit apartment complex. The developer will negotiate with a general contractor in the spring of 2012....Click here for complete Project Details

1417131 New Orleans, LA Residential Subdivision 01/13/2012
Description Site work and new construction of a residence in New Orleans. Design development plans call for the construction of a walk-in artistic musical instrument house. This project will go out to bid competitively to general contractors. Construction ...Click here for complete Project Details

1827960 Metairie, LA Restaurant 01/13/2012
Description Tenant improvements for a national chain restaurant in Metairie. Working plans call for the interior build-out of an approximately 5,000-square-foot space to accommodate a national chain restaurant. The architect is working on final construction d...Click here for complete Project Details

1370167 New Orleans, LA Transportation Terminals 01/13/2012
Description ADVERTISEMENT TO BID Sealed proposals will be received by the Non Flood Protection Asset Management Authority (NFPAMA), 6514 Spanish Fort Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70124 or send electronic to http://www.bidsync.com until 2:00 p.m., Thursday, ...Click here for complete Project Details

[ardecila]

Holy crap. I just returned from a semester abroad... The city seems like a whole different place and I've only been away for 5 months!

Anybody notice the new scramble crossings downtown? These have been hugely controversial in other cities... even Portland doesn't have them yet. Toronto has a couple but their mayor is trying to rip them out because of complaints from motorists.

[rcp11889]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Holy crap. I just returned from a semester abroad... The city seems like a whole different place and I've only been away for 5 months!

Anybody notice the new scramble crossings downtown? These have been hugely controversial in other cities... even Portland doesn't have them yet. Toronto has a couple but their mayor is trying to rip them out because of complaints from motorists.

I've seen them but I had no idea that's what they were! haha

[WesternSon]

Where are they? Aren't they putting in the crosswalks with the timers as well?

Also, in the CityBusiness article above they mention a proposed development with Factors Row building on Carondelet and Poydras. Anyone know its status-or just a pipedream?

I would love a development like the Hearst Building in NYC for that lot and any new development on Poydras. It reminds me of the Whitney Bank Building; modern hugging tradition, etc.

Attempting my first pic, could be interesting...