NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[NOLAborn]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

Here’s my fantasy: right now the Lafitte Corridor splits in two at Jefferson Davis Pkwy, and the bike path ends at Palm Street. There’s an old railroad easement that cuts across Hollygrove, then runs parallel to the tracks by Earhart in Metairie, then continues under the Huey Long railroad bridge until you get to the MS River. I would turn all 6 miles of that into a tree-lined bike trail. And where it ends at that big vacant land along the MS River under the bridge, I would turn into a Presidio, like in SF. The whole project would be relatively cheap but greatly transformative for Elmwood, Old Jefferson, and Hollygrove.

I’m staring at google maps but can seem to connect the pieces. Would anyone be able to draw on a map?

[tennis1400]

[tennis1400]

[Uptowner]

Originally Posted by NOLAborn

I’m staring at google maps but can seem to connect the pieces. Would anyone be able to draw on a map?

You can follow the Uptown section from Live Oak and Pritchard down to Palm Broadway, if I’m thinking of the same easement. Where it would go once it crossed into JP I haven’t the slightest clue.

[ap111]

This is a really interesting concept. Seems like it would have been a good fit for the State Palace Theater.

“The Fallen Saint” immersive theatre production plans to make Magazine Street warehouse its venue

"A new form of avant garde immersive theatre popular in New York City is seeking to make a Magazine Street warehouse its home in New Orleans, producers of the project told Lower Garden District neighbors this week.

“The Fallen Saint” will combine live music and theatre in a series of intimate settings inside the warehouse at 1152 Magazine Street, said Seth and Rosa Dunlap, the owners of the building. The building will also feature a full-service restaurant with live music that will operate even when the show is not running, they said."

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by ap111

This is a really interesting concept. Seems like it would have been a good fit for the State Palace Theater.

“The Fallen Saint” immersive theatre production plans to make Magazine Street warehouse its venue

"A new form of avant garde immersive theatre popular in New York City is seeking to make a Magazine Street warehouse its home in New Orleans, producers of the project told Lower Garden District neighbors this week.

“The Fallen Saint” will combine live music and theatre in a series of intimate settings inside the warehouse at 1152 Magazine Street, said Seth and Rosa Dunlap, the owners of the building. The building will also feature a full-service restaurant with live music that will operate even when the show is not running, they said."

interesting concept to at least check out when it opens... wonder if we will ever find out what was originally planned for State Palace before they backed out.

[Catch Basin]

This project seems to have stalled:

http://canalstreetbeat.com/luxury-co...district-site/

I haven't seen any activity on that site for days and it seemed to be moving at a snail's pace anyways, especially relative to the Standard across the street. The owner is based in Texas, so nobody here might know, but any idea what is up with this?

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by Catch Basin

This project seems to have stalled:

http://canalstreetbeat.com/luxury-co...district-site/

I haven't seen any activity on that site for days and it seemed to be moving at a snail's pace anyways, especially relative to the Standard across the street. The owner is based in Texas, so nobody here might know, but any idea what is up with this?

The front buildings are being worked on... no clue about the rear new construction tower though

[tennis1400]

[broadmoor]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

possibly, but i find the whole amazon campus 2 and apple campus 2 things to be a little over the top.. id prefer us go after all the other companies that are alwasy looking to expand and theres much less competition for.

I've heard from local people involved in these pitches that they do go for them because it shows New Orleans is serious about attracting and competing for major corporations, especially in the tech industry. They know they're long shots but see it as a good exercise in pitching the city and gathering data but also in putting the city out there more in the tech industry. One of those things where they aim high hoping that it at least nabs them some smaller victories. So far I think it's working - look at DXC and Accruent.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by ap111

This is a really interesting concept. Seems like it would have been a good fit for the State Palace Theater.

“The Fallen Saint” immersive theatre production plans to make Magazine Street warehouse its venue

"A new form of avant garde immersive theatre popular in New York City is seeking to make a Magazine Street warehouse its home in New Orleans, producers of the project told Lower Garden District neighbors this week.

“The Fallen Saint” will combine live music and theatre in a series of intimate settings inside the warehouse at 1152 Magazine Street, said Seth and Rosa Dunlap, the owners of the building. The building will also feature a full-service restaurant with live music that will operate even when the show is not running, they said."

Not a good fit at all. That's like saying Jesuit should play their home games in the Superdome.

Not all performance spaces are created alike. The Fallen Saint is basically a black box style theater, with a small number of seats in an industrial space that is cheap to build out and operate. The State Palace is a massive theater with thousands of seats and an astronomical operating cost. Fallen Saint could never afford the bills on State Palace in a million years. Even if they could, it doesn't fit their concept, there's too much separation between front and back of house.

There's really only a limited number of shows and productions that bring in enough revenue to sustain a building like the Saenger or State Palace. Plus, there's heavy competition from other venues like the Orpheum, Mahalia Jackson, Smoothie King Center, Jefferson PAC, Champions Square, Civic, etc. I honestly don't know what would work for State Palace, I really liked the idea of building a highrise above the preserved facade and turning the auditorium into a funky hotel lobby with movie screenings. But apparently the Landmarks Commission has no imagination and thinks a developer can somehow conjure a bunch of 3000-seat sell-out shows out of thin air.

[prokowave]

Originally Posted by ardecila

There's really only a limited number of shows and productions that bring in enough revenue to sustain a building like the Saenger or State Palace. Plus, there's heavy competition from other venues like the Orpheum, Mahalia Jackson, Smoothie King Center, Jefferson PAC, Champions Square, Civic, etc. I honestly don't know what would work for State Palace, I really liked the idea of building a highrise above the preserved facade and turning the auditorium into a funky hotel lobby with movie screenings. But apparently the Landmarks Commission has no imagination and thinks a developer can somehow conjure a bunch of 3000-seat sell-out shows out of thin air.

Honestly I'd prefer it sit empty for a few more years until someone or entity decides to renovate. Sure it may not be a highly profitable enterprise, but not everything has to be and there are still plenty of sites to develop. As we have discussed previously here, the Saenger, Orpheum, and Joy actually do quite well. Obviously not every theater is going to be full every night year-round and that's normal. I think the State Palace would do fine - the roughly 2000 seats that it would fit goes nicely in between the Orpheum's 1600 and the Saenger's 2600. Mahalia Jackson will always struggle unless something major is done with the area. Most of the blue-hairs still fear crime even though it's much better than it used to be.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by broadmoor

I've heard from local people involved in these pitches that they do go for them because it shows New Orleans is serious about attracting and competing for major corporations, especially in the tech industry. They know they're long shots but see it as a good exercise in pitching the city and gathering data but also in putting the city out there more in the tech industry. One of those things where they aim high hoping that it at least nabs them some smaller victories. So far I think it's working - look at DXC and Accruent.

well i agree with that strategy then

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by prokowave

Honestly I'd prefer it sit empty for a few more years until someone or entity decides to renovate. Sure it may not be a highly profitable enterprise, but not everything has to be and there are still plenty of sites to develop. As we have discussed previously here, the Saenger, Orpheum, and Joy actually do quite well. Obviously not every theater is going to be full every night year-round and that's normal. I think the State Palace would do fine - the roughly 2000 seats that it would fit goes nicely in between the Orpheum's 1600 and the Saenger's 2600. Mahalia Jackson will always struggle unless something major is done with the area. Most of the blue-hairs still fear crime even though it's much better than it used to be.

I just dont like the acoustics in the Mahalia Jackson for live music .. its not good... i want to see the State Palace return as a theatre... it will be about the same size as the Filmore... perhaps a unique partnership with Hard Rock hotel would work for it.. it could go for that casino circuit touring group

[tennis1400]

Looks like they have completed about half the pile driving here!

[tennis1400]

[FenderOz]

Hey Tennis,

Saw on your blog that they changed plans to convert the warehouse storage at 846 Baronne St to a hotel instead of apartments? I mean, I like this little part of downtown, and can see it grow with South market as well as the other developments planned nearby, but I'm a bit surprised they're putting a hotel there.

Doesn't quite seem like a place tourists want to be unless they don't understand anything about the city or every other hotel is booked -- I mean, this isn't the Warehouse District (yet).

I guess we're seeing developers realize that the apartment market downtown is already over-supplied, and if you can't count on AirBnBs anymore, you might as well just do another dang hotel. Too bad, because I had higher hopes for this part of town.

[buckett5425]

Originally Posted by FenderOz

Hey Tennis,

Saw on your blog that they changed plans to convert the warehouse storage at 846 Baronne St to a hotel instead of apartments? I mean, I like this little part of downtown, and can see it grow with South market as well as the other developments planned nearby, but I'm a bit surprised they're putting a hotel there.

Doesn't quite seem like a place tourists want to be unless they don't understand anything about the city or every other hotel is booked -- I mean, this isn't the Warehouse District (yet).

I guess we're seeing developers realize that the apartment market downtown is already over-supplied, and if you can't count on AirBnBs anymore, you might as well just do another dang hotel. Too bad, because I had higher hopes for this part of town.

I assumed the zoning request was poorly worded and they will be turning the building over to a third-party short term rental company. However I can't confirm that.

Because historic tax credits require the developer to retain ownership for five years, before converting the building to condos, rather then rent them out as apartments they are turning the buildings over to short term rental companies.

Factors Row is a prime example. The Reilly Foods Building will also be short term rentals for five years.

Going forward, I think we can expect many renovations in the CBD to be short term rentals before converting to condos.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by buckett5425

I assumed the zoning request was poorly worded and they will be turning the building over to a third-party short term rental company. However I can't confirm that.

Because historic tax credits require the developer to retain ownership for five years, before converting the building to condos, rather then rent them out as apartments they are turning the buildings over to short term rental companies.

Factors Row is a prime example. The Reilly Foods Building will also be short term rentals for five years.

Going forward, I think we can expect many renovations in the CBD to be short term rentals before converting to condos.

You are both sort of right but its not a poorly worded conditional use ! What a hotel designation allows is very different from a commercial
Short term rental.. basically they are building apartments that are perfect for air bnb however by having a conditional use designation as hotel they can offer certain things as well ( a bar for one thing is a permitted use) .. also this is a cbd area that requires a conditinal
Use for commercial
Short term rentals unlike the rest of cbd... so there is no reason to pursue the str designation when you can do hotel ... now this hotel will basically be str run by a company like stay adam or sonder... it wont be listed on a service like air bnb or vrbo. Does this help clear it up? Basically there are now hotel chains or services that are running that you lease your building out to and they operate it like an str but its considered hotel under zoming laws because the units are only listed on that services website unlike a regular str that can list on multiple third party websites

[FenderOz]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

You are both sort of right but its not a poorly worded conditional use ! What a hotel designation allows is very different from a commercial
Short term rental.. basically they are building apartments that are perfect for air bnb however by having a conditional use designation as hotel they can offer certain things as well ( a bar for one thing is a permitted use) .. also this is a cbd area that requires a conditinal
Use for commercial
Short term rentals unlike the rest of cbd... so there is no reason to pursue the str designation when you can do hotel ... now this hotel will basically be str run by a company like stay adam or sonder... it wont be listed on a service like air bnb or vrbo. Does this help clear it up? Basically there are now hotel chains or services that are running that you lease your building out to and they operate it like an str but its considered hotel under zoming laws because the units are only listed on that services website unlike a regular str that can list on multiple third party websites

So by getting a hotel designation, they can turn the building over to another company to become all STRs, and they don't have to worry about the new ban on new STR applications?