NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[inCrescentCity]

Originally Posted by 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.

A few pictures of 930 Poydras from this past weekend:

[sguil1]

Great shots CrescentCity. Thanks for the update. This building definately has a unique design, I wonder what most people think about it.

[inCrescentCity]

Originally Posted by sguil1

Great shots CrescentCity. Thanks for the update. This building definately has a unique design, I wonder what most people think about it.

Not sure if I like it... the windows look like they are scattered around the building completely at random. There's no real organization or design flow. It's basically just a big blue cube with a bunch of weird window panels. Then again, I've only been able to see one rendering of the building and it still hard to make out.

Regardless, that area of downtown needs a big rejuvenation and it's great to see this building going up there. Hopefully it'll add a little more business to the area and clean up some of the run down houses and gravel parking lots that surround it.

[ardecila]

Wow... and the tradition of ugly modern design in New Orleans continues. I sort of understand why the design was chosen - an all-glass facade would have been far more expensive than the aluminum panels they chose. EDR has done such good work elsewhere... sigh.

In other news, I took a walk around Oak Street today. I hadn't seen the new streetscaping yet, but it looks really good! The bike racks were much appreciated, and the brick sidewalks and cobbled intersections look great. Unfortunately, they used plain asphalt for the paving, which is sure to deform and crack after a summer or two. (Really, you have to use reinforced concrete in this city if you want it to last...) There are a handful of new businesses that have opened up in the last few months, and a lot of storefronts have cleaned up. Plus, I got some Rue coffee...

Freret Street is also cleaning up well, with the recent opening of Village Coffee and Beaucoup NOLA Snowballs. You could see the renovations going on as the sound of saws and air compressors floated out of derelict buildings. It's stuff like this that makes me proud to live here.

[greenparrot]

based on the rendering i kind of like the windows..we'll see. My problem is the boxy nature of the building. Wish it could have been thinner & taller.....maybe even a setback. I'm tired of the boxes & rectangles for buildings.

[inCrescentCity]

Originally Posted by greenparrot

based on the rendering i kind of like the windows..we'll see. My problem is the boxy nature of the building. Wish it could have been thinner & taller.....maybe even a setback. I'm tired of the boxes & rectangles for buildings.

Well, I don't think it's topped out yet and think it's going to go about 5-7 stories higher based on where the crane is (you can't really make it out in the pictures above.) But I agree that the building would look better taller, hopefully when it gets to its final height it will be more attractive.

[sguil1]

Originally Posted by greenparrot

based on the rendering i kind of like the windows..we'll see. My problem is the boxy nature of the building. Wish it could have been thinner & taller.....maybe even a setback. I'm tired of the boxes & rectangles for buildings.

Can't see from the pics but on the south side of the building there is actually a cut-out starting at the 8th floor. That floor will have a pool and townhouses. The rest of the building extends up around it (can see one thinner wall in the first pic). So there is at least a little more character than you can see. As for the design, don't love it but I think the finished product will look much better.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by sguil1

Can't see from the pics but on the south side of the building there is actually a cut-out starting at the 8th floor. That floor will have a pool and townhouses. The rest of the building extends up around it (can see one thinner wall in the first pic). So there is at least a little more character than you can see. As for the design, don't love it but I think the finished product will look much better.

Right, there is an outdoor terrace in the inside of the block, with a liner building around the edge along Poydras and O'Keefe. This is actually optimal for New Orleans, where the bulk of the building provides shade for the street and surrounding buildings help to shade the courtyard. Of course, this building is pretty simplistic, and it does nothing at the corner except the little cantilevered glass box on the 11th/12th floors.

I dunno... I can't shake the feeling that the facade was designed for cost savings and somewhere in value engineering, all the cool stuff that EDR came up with was eliminated, leaving a stark and cold bar-code of aluminum and glass.


By the way - the Muses apartment project is flying. I went past it yesterday, and the building west of Felicity is already topped out, and the stair towers for the main building have already begun rising above the completed foundation. This building is a good template for future development in the city, just like the various Domain projects along Tulane Ave. I would be taking pictures of all this stuff, but my camera broke a few weeks ago and I'm trying to get a new one.

[inCrescentCity]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Right, there is an outdoor terrace in the inside of the block, with a liner building around the edge along Poydras and O'Keefe. This is actually optimal for New Orleans, where the bulk of the building provides shade for the street and surrounding buildings help to shade the courtyard. Of course, this building is pretty simplistic, and it does nothing at the corner except the little cantilevered glass box on the 11th/12th floors.

I dunno... I can't shake the feeling that the facade was designed for cost savings and somewhere in value engineering, all the cool stuff that EDR came up with was eliminated, leaving a stark and cold bar-code of aluminum and glass.


By the way - the Muses apartment project is flying. I went past it yesterday, and the building west of Felicity is already topped out, and the stair towers for the main building have already begun rising above the completed foundation. This building is a good template for future development in the city, just like the various Domain projects along Tulane Ave. I would be taking pictures of all this stuff, but my camera broke a few weeks ago and I'm trying to get a new one.

You're right about the Muses. I live right around the block from that site and they have about 20-30 guys working on that place everyday from 7 AM till sunset. They are even out there working right now, on Labor Day. They've started building the structure of whatever else they are going to put up on the other side of Felicity too.

Here's a crappy shot of the construction from my apartment, the wood structure behind the church is obviously the Muses. You can also see 930 Poydras going up in the middle of the skyline; it's kind of hard to see because it's directly in front of the First Bank tower. Look closely and you can see it.

Click to make bigger:


I'll try and take some better pictures later.

[sguil1]

Glad to see the muses making good headway. Once again, thanks for the progress photos. As for bad modern design in the city ardecila, I am hopeful that the LCRC will break that trend. Somewhat modern design that I think will look great in the new medical/research cooridor.

[sgray]

for what it's worth, the Trump project turned up on Bidclerk again today


Project ID: 448215

Project Name: Available to Subscribers only. Click here to Sign Up.

Project Type: New Construction, Site Work Documents (1): Map: Aerial Photo:


Building Use: Hotel / Motel, Multi-Residential, Office, Parking Garage, Retail
Reported: 09/08/2009
Status: Design
Private / Public: Private
Location: New Orleans, LA

Project Address: Available to Subscribers only. Click here to Sign Up.

Bid Date:
Est. Start Date: August 2010

DescriptionSite work and new construction of a mixed-use development in New Orleans. Design development plans call for the construction of a 67-story development that will house residential units and a hotel. Plans include 12 floors of parking and ground floor retail space. Each unit will range from 600 to 2,000 square feet.

[sguil1]

sounds promising.

[inCrescentCity]

Estimated start date August 2010? Nice!

I wonder where they got this start date... because everything else is saying this project is still on hold.

[ardecila]

As I've stated before, there are many reasons for seeking bids, not just an impending construction start. The developers of Trump, since their project is so large, undoubtedly want to keep tabs on construction costs in New Orleans. They may take the bid amounts as guidelines to go seek financing, which in itself is usually a multi-month process (especially in this economy).

[sgray]

September 10, 2009
New Orleans City Park projects nearing completion
By Richard A. Webster Staff writer


A rendering shows New Orleans City Park’s Great Lawn, which is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year. The park has raised nearly half of the money needed for its $140 million 2018 master plan. (Image courtesy of City Park)
NEW ORLEANS — City Park’s 2018 master plan is on track, and several major projects are close to completion, said John Hopper, the plan’s chief development officer.

To date, City Park has raised $64 million for the $140 million master plan.


“So far as fundraising goes we’re definitely over the Katrina largesse from the country,” Hopper said.


“And then the national and local economy aren’t making anything easier. But like any organization that believes in itself, if you have a good project you go out, educate people and find partners to make it happen.”


Construction of the park’s Great Lawn, an area the size of nearly two football fields with palm trees, a waterfall and seating, is expected to be completed by the end of the year for $2.5 million.


Other projects under way or near completion include:


• a $645,000 dog park to be completed by November;


• a $2 million renovation of the Big Lake, which includes a walking trail, 300 trees and furniture installation with a grand opening expected soon; and


• the widening of Harrison Avenue from Wisner Avenue to Marconi Drive and the addition of a sidewalk and bike trail on each side. Work is expected to be finished in coming weeks for $457,000.


Final bids for the $4 million tennis complex were due Sept. 1, and construction is expected to begin before the end of the year, officials said.


The park’s children’s splash park and amphitheater, which will cost $9.3 million combined, are in the fundraising stage.

[ardecila]

There's also a skate park that Tulane City Center designed for a site underneath the 610 overpass, which is appropriately "gritty" for skaters. City Park likes the idea, but it's low on their list of things to fundraise for - they'd much rather build things that help pay the bills, like tennis courts and golf courses. The design is really great, but I don't have any good pictures right now... this'll have to do.



This is actually the second skate park that Tulane City Center has designed for City Park, after they rejected the initial design and location.

[tennis1400]

Thats an awesome idea. What a great way to use an otherwise useless space! It doesnt seem like it would cost that much to implement. Did they put a price tag on it?

[tennis1400]

Recently launched website for a new apartment complex in the warehouse district!

Wish I could capture some of the screenshots but dont know how with Adobe.


http://thegarageneworleans.com/

[SlidellWx]

Very nice. Looks like a great re-use of the building. I think Wiznia is also developing the Saratoga building into apartments. Haven't seen anything on that lately. That part of the CBD around Rampart/Loyola/Common really needs some new investment. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the Rault Center torn down. Not sure how good the "bones" of the building are after the fire. I think the other buildings (Oil & Gas, Elk Place, the old Raddison Hotel, and the 225 Baronne building could all be put back into commerce with a bit of money for rehab). Chevron is obviously already in great shape, but needs a tenant. Maybe the new hospital complex will spur some reinvestment in that block.

[sguil1]

agreed, garage looks great. thanks for posting tennis.