NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

Tennis, I think you're confusing 1031 Canal (the old Woolworth's building) with 1501 (the old Texaco building). Either way, I haven't heard an update on either.

I did confuse the two my bad. Ill still check for an update on the Texaco one.

New Bid on Bidclerk( think this is for the Drury Inn expansion)

[New project.] 1580060 New Orleans, LA Hotel / Motel 05/11/2011
Description Addition to a hotel development in New Orleans. Design plans call for the 60-unit, 100,000-square-foot addition to a national chain hotel which will include office space. Construction is expected to begin in September 2011. Interested parties ma...Click here for complete Project Details

[IceCream]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

New Bid on Bidclerk( think this is for the Drury Inn expansion)

Agreed, it has to be Drury Inn. I woke up hungover one Saturday morning probably a month or so ago and for some reason stopped on the public access channel. I realized they were talking about this expansion with one of the city's committees. The committee seemed supportive of the expansion as it is an improvement over the existing parking lot, but they were upset and confused as to why the Drury wouldn't want to use the lot that fronts Poydras first (they are using the rear portion of the lot, that fronts Lafayette) since the way they have it planned leaves surface level parking on Poydras, which no one really desires.

All Drury could say to defend themselves was that the existing rooms have a great view looking down Poydras to the river and they dont want to block it.

In my mind, build the expansion on the Poydras lot since the rooms that face Carondelet in the new building will now have that "great view" of nothign but traffic and buildings...and charge a little less for the existing ones... They want to "save the space" for future development...pssh.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&...03473&t=h&z=19

[WesternSon]

Very dissappointing news Icecream. Had been wondering how they were going to expand.

Sidenote: Does that AT&T building at Poydras and Baronne have windows? Am I missing something?

[Blitzen]

Originally Posted by IceCream

In my mind, build the expansion on the Poydras lot since the rooms that face Carondelet in the new building will now have that "great view" of nothign but traffic and buildings...and charge a little less for the existing ones... They want to "save the space" for future development...pssh.

I'm fine with what they are doing because of their circumstances, but if I had my way, their main entrance would be on Poydras and that side lot would be either greenspace or something ultra-modern and tall that people wouldn't mind seeing 10 feet out their windows.

On another note, here's an interesting article about Elysian Fields:
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.s..._transfor.html

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by WesternSon

Very dissappointing news Icecream. Had been wondering how they were going to expand.

Sidenote: Does that AT&T building at Poydras and Baronne have windows? Am I missing something?

Dont think it has many... its basically a bomb shelter highrise. Safest place to be in a nuclear blast I guess lol



On a side note the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music opens August 25th. The Dave Matthews Band will be performing a special show to open it.

The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, which opens August 25 with a concert by Dave Matthews, was designed as a 150-seat theatre with careful attention to sound absorption, diffusion, and reflection to accommodate a wide variety of musical styles. The center also includes classrooms, computer rooms, rehearsal space, a dance studio, and a small recording studio—all part of an after-school program to teach music to area children. Musical instruments will be provided free of charge to each child, along with group and private lessons

[midcity]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

On a side note the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music opens August 25th. The Dave Matthews Band will be performing a special show to open it.

The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, which opens August 25 with a concert by Dave Matthews, was designed as a 150-seat theatre with careful attention to sound absorption, diffusion, and reflection to accommodate a wide variety of musical styles. The center also includes classrooms, computer rooms, rehearsal space, a dance studio, and a small recording studio—all part of an after-school program to teach music to area children. Musical instruments will be provided free of charge to each child, along with group and private lessons

Where did you find this info? Is there a press release? Didn't see it on the musician's village website.

[sguil1]

pilings officially being driven on va site...

[Cel]

I read somewhere that the new University hospital will instead have 2 parking garages, as opposed to one parking garage with multiple surface lots, as most of the current images show.

Can anyone find renderings of this?

[sguil1]

not sure if those updated renderings exist. I haven't seen them.

[IceCream]

Originally Posted by WesternSon

Very dissappointing news Icecream. Had been wondering how they were going to expand.

Sidenote: Does that AT&T building at Poydras and Baronne have windows? Am I missing something?

Based on what I've heard from others, the AT&T building is basically one gigantic server / switchboard / whatever. There are offices, but mainly equipment is my understanding.

Whenever I walk by it you never see people going into it with suits or other casual professional clothing...it's only the engineers/technicians with their toolbelts, etc.

I agree though...ugly as hell.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by midcity

Where did you find this info? Is there a press release? Didn't see it on the musician's village website.

It was actually on the AIA's website. They are having their national convention in town right now.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by IceCream

Based on what I've heard from others, the AT&T building is basically one gigantic server / switchboard / whatever. There are offices, but mainly equipment is my understanding.

Whenever I walk by it you never see people going into it with suits or other casual professional clothing...it's only the engineers/technicians with their toolbelts, etc.

I agree though...ugly as hell.

Im not sure whats all in the building but I was always told that there isnt a safer place to be in the city in a hurricane or some other disaster. There is a giant Verizon tower in NYC(close to the Brooklyn Bridge) that is quite ugly as well and I think it serves basically the same purpose as this building.



BTW Citybusiness launched a new blog that is a good read:
http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/thenewsroom/

Also here is a new website for West End.. they just posted a new draft of the master plan and are seeking public input. I encourage everyone to check it out!http://www.nomunicipalharbor.com/site.php

[Blitzen]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Also here is a new website for West End.. they just posted a new draft of the master plan and are seeking public input. I encourage everyone to check it out!http://www.nomunicipalharbor.com/site.php

I think the amphitheater is a waste of money. It will never be used, and certainly never pay for itself. The city is better off spending the money to lure Coconut Beach to move across the street into that park instead.

[Mission Most Livable]

Originally Posted by Blitzen

I think the amphitheater is a waste of money. It will never be used, and certainly never pay for itself. The city is better off spending the money to lure Coconut Beach to move across the street into that park instead.

Couldn't disagree more. Lakefront and riverfront event facilities are consistently sold out far in advance and are huge revenue generators above and beyond just tickets.

Concessions, walk ups for nearby restaurants and bars, etc.

I'm hoping this is not that type of amphitheater however as something like this could be used by local groups, school drama and music departments to put on low impact events that would make the area a destination spot for the city but specifically the surrounding neighborhood.

Spend five minutes googling around for "marina amphitheater" or "marina concerts" and check how packed their calender is for events.

Also note how the calender is dominated by groups that have ties to the community.

I'm sure Coconut beach will find a home within this master plan. I just don't think the two mutually exclusive.

Instead of always looking at things as either/or in this city it's time to begin to plan for both/all.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by Mission Most Livable

Couldn't disagree more. Lakefront and riverfront event facilities are consistently sold out far in advance and are huge revenue generators above and beyond just tickets.

Concessions, walk ups for nearby restaurants and bars, etc.

I'm hoping this is not that type of amphitheater however as something like this could be used by local groups, school drama and music departments to put on low impact events that would make the area a destination spot for the city but specifically the surrounding neighborhood.

Spend five minutes googling around for "marina amphitheater" or "marina concerts" and check how packed their calender is for events.

Also note how the calender is dominated by groups that have ties to the community.

I'm sure Coconut beach will find a home within this master plan. I just don't think the two mutually exclusive.

Instead of always looking at things as either/or in this city it's time to begin to plan for both/all.

I agree and the park is too small for coconut beach anyway... remember they have that priceless fountain in the middle of it. I do hope they can build a world class facility for volleyball as its a crime New Orleans isnt a major stop on Pro Volleyball circuit!

[midcity]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

I agree and the park is too small for coconut beach anyway... remember they have that priceless fountain in the middle of it. I do hope they can build a world class facility for volleyball as its a crime New Orleans isnt a major stop on Pro Volleyball circuit!

But can Coconut Beach wait for a Master Plan? They need a home and Kenner appears serious about attracting them and the owners seem to be seriously considering their offer.

[Reverend_Cletus]

Originally Posted by sguil1

pilings officially being driven on va site...

These are just the test piles.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by midcity

But can Coconut Beach wait for a Master Plan? They need a home and Kenner appears serious about attracting them and the owners seem to be seriously considering their offer.

I hadnt heard anything about Kenner. Where is Kenner suggesting they locate?

[tennis1400]

Superior Seafood

There is a rendering of what the restaurant will look like on their facebook page.

[Mission Most Livable]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Superior Seafood

There is a rendering of what the restaurant will look like on their facebook page.

Pretty nice. Love that they bit the bullet and spent the money and added the second story balcony seating.

With Napoleon finally getting COMPLETELY reconstructed due in large part to a USACE project (replacement of the massive box culvert that travels the length of the corridor) with bike lanes, all new curbs and sidewalks the only major issues left to improve are for the retail redevelopment to find that last vacant corner of the corridor (NE Corner of Claiborne & Napoleon), continuation of the tree-lined walking path south beyond the Napoleon/Claiborne intersection, phase II of the St. Charles repaving and phase III of the Magazine repaving.