NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[CheeburgerCheeburger]

Originally Posted by FenderOz

Yikes, is it a real estate issue or are they totally changing their minds about coming back to NOLA?

My understanding is that this particular project is the problem, and that they'll still be relocating back to New Orleans.

[NolaWXGuy1208]

Has anyone heard about the Virgin Hotel? After the City Planning Commission battle, it seemed to just drop off the face of the earth. I hope Richard Branson is still planning on building here in NOLA. I really would love to see his business here.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by NolaWXGuy1208

Has anyone heard about the Virgin Hotel? After the City Planning Commission battle, it seemed to just drop off the face of the earth. I hope Richard Branson is still planning on building here in NOLA. I really would love to see his business here.

seems its still in permitting


As for the shipholding headquarters, they mentioned the money it was taking to build it in their SEC filing. Construction seemed to be ongoing. So whats the problem? Very confusing how a problem could arise with that building that they couldnt foresee in the design phase?

[SlidellWx]

Virgin seems to go the slow route with developing the hotels. They announced Virgin New York in the Summer of 2013, but the new hotel officially broke ground this past October. That's over 2 years before groundbreaking. The Nashville hotel was supposed to open this year, but groundbreaking has been pushed back to this Summer. Obviously, the hotel won't be ready this year.

Given the track record, I figure it will be next Fall when groundbreaking occurs.

[FenderOz]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

seems its still in permitting


As for the shipholding headquarters, they mentioned the money it was taking to build it in their SEC filing. Construction seemed to be ongoing. So whats the problem? Very confusing how a problem could arise with that building that they couldnt foresee in the design phase?

Happy to know they're still moving back -- this city needs as many good jobs as it can get.

Perhaps they're reconsidering owning vs renting their office space? I would imagine this project, when complete, could fetch them a nice profit. They might want to free up some cash now by selling the building off and settle for renting office space downtown.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by FenderOz

Happy to know they're still moving back -- this city needs as many good jobs as it can get.

Perhaps they're reconsidering owning vs renting their office space? I would imagine this project, when complete, could fetch them a nice profit. They might want to free up some cash now by selling the building off and settle for renting office space downtown.

Certainly makes sense especially considering freighter rates on Baltic Dry Index. Im sure there are better places to spend money then on a headquarters when you can rent for much cheaper. But Cheeburger seems to indicate there is an actual problem with the building itself so who knows. Either way I think it looks really nice from the outside at least. I actually like the brick they settled on instead of the steel they were planning. Also, the brick on the building seems awfully similar to the brick on The Beacon.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by tennis1400

Either way I think it looks really nice from the outside at least. I actually like the brick they settled on instead of the steel they were planning. Also, the brick on the building seems awfully similar to the brick on The Beacon.

Yes. This building is glorious. Exactly what we need in the Warehouse District.

Morris Adjmi (Tulane grad now working in NY) is designing The Standard so we will be getting more of it. The Beacon is pretty nice but not quite as elegant. The Paramount is a clumsy, boring hulk.

[NolaWXGuy1208]

Thanks guys for all your responses about the Virgin Hotel and other questions! It certainly is great to have people that have inside knowledge for the rest of us who have no idea what is going on. I certainly look forward to the shipholding headquarters...hopefully International shipholders does keep this building for their headquarters. 2016 should be a great year for development in NOLA!

[NolaWXGuy1208]

Has anyone heard anything about Plaza Tower? I think that it's time someone focused on its redevelopment as it will soon be only one of two major buildings left vacant (Charity being the other). Also what do you think would be a good use for the tower? I just hope that we will soon see it with lights on and the windows and siding repaired...it is starting to become a huge eyesore.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by NolaWXGuy1208

Has anyone heard anything about Plaza Tower? I think that it's time someone focused on its redevelopment as it will soon be only one of two major buildings left vacant (Charity being the other). Also what do you think would be a good use for the tower? I just hope that we will soon see it with lights on and the windows and siding repaired...it is starting to become a huge eyesore.

Havent heard much other than Joe Jaeger owns it. My bet is it becomes some sort of combo between apartments, office space , parking, street level retail, and condos. Its also just starting to approach the age it needs to be for historic qualification. Now it needs to get designated as at least either a historic landmark or a contributing structure. Im not 100 percent sure on what the rules are but a building doesnt just qualify because its a certain age for federal tax credits. State ones are easier to get and qualify for but a project of this size will surely try to qualify for state, federal, new market and maybe even some green tax credits. Not to mention a tif or tax abatement! That being said the building will be more connected with the rest of the neighborhood once the standard and the beacon open. I took pictures today which i will post later showing they are already starting on ripping up the rest of the blocks surface parking and a permit was applied for to tear down the last remaining building. The Standard should be submitting plans soon since the beacon is about to wrap up major construction.

[NolaWXGuy1208]

I thought that Plaza Tower already had the Historic designation. According to this NPS article, they added it back in 2013...just scroll down to Louisiana. It's the only one that week.
http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20130208.htm



http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com...wn-new-orleans

Also the New Orleans Advocate have new renderings that show the inside as well. They look like standard renderings but still its nice to see that they are still pressing forward with this project!

[ardecila]

to the Hard Rock renderings... These are aggressively bad.

This is another building that will be gutted in 10 years after it becomes hopelessly dated and ugly. It's already hopelessly dated and it's not even built yet.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by NolaWXGuy1208

I thought that Plaza Tower already had the Historic designation. According to this NPS article, they added it back in 2013...just scroll down to Louisiana. It's the only one that week.
http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20130208.htm

Well in that case I guess hes just waiting for building to be tied more into the city. Jaeger sure has a lot on his plate though~

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by ardecila

to the Hard Rock renderings... These are aggressively bad.

This is another building that will be gutted in 10 years after it becomes hopelessly dated and ugly. It's already hopelessly dated and it's not even built yet.

I dont think its that bad. The tower itself is nice I think. I do think the base could use a little more excitement or interaction with street level, but i wouldnt say its horrible. But to each his own I guess!


201 South Villere:













Okeefe Garage








The Pythian












The Jung










Tha California Building















1551 Canal Blvd








dave and Busters










The Beacon





















































130 Harrison (mixed use building Im building in Lakeview)





















MSY North Terminal

[Uptowner]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The Paramount is a clumsy, boring hulk.

Exactly! I was definitely hoping it would borrow more elements from it's Brooklyn counterpart (even though it's nothing special itself).


But, nope. Just your typical newer Atlanta/Houston style apartment building clad in bricks.


But hey, it's better than a surface parking lot or grass.

[tennis1400]

Its good infill at least!

[FenderOz]

More development on Tulane Ave -- this would be the empty corner lot across from the VA/Dixie Brewery I believe.

http://midcitymessenger.com/2016/01/...nt/#more-13005

[prokowave]

Honestly, I don't see a big difference between the Brooklyn and SMD buildings, except maybe the windows, but I like the ones here better. If anything I find the Park building to be the ugliest thing around and the Beacon looks a lot like a college dorm. Of course, none of them are going to win any design awards, but it's hard to do something fresh in this city. I'm hoping for something distinctive in the last block on Loyola.

The Hard Rock is pretty tacky looking, but I guess that's to be expected. Perhaps if they got rid of the weird spires and purple exterior portion, it wouldn't stick out so much.

In other news:
http://norta.com/Maps-Schedules/Jan-...c-Meeting.aspx
NORTA is proposing some additional frequency and 24-hour service on select routes as well as 11x daily express airport service (seems to be geared mostly towards the North terminal construction.

For the airport service, I think it will need more evening/late night service to be useful. They should also add a stop on Earhart and Carrollton and rather than back-tracking to the UPT they could just go down Tulane Ave and stop at Carrollton before getting on the interstate. That would probably only add a couple of minutes to the trip but make it way easier and faster for those of us in the MidCity, Uptown, and Hollygrove areas to use this service.

[tennis1400]

Originally Posted by prokowave

Honestly, I don't see a big difference between the Brooklyn and SMD buildings, except maybe the windows, but I like the ones here better. If anything I find the Park building to be the ugliest thing around and the Beacon looks a lot like a college dorm. Of course, none of them are going to win any design awards, but it's hard to do something fresh in this city. I'm hoping for something distinctive in the last block on Loyola.

The Hard Rock is pretty tacky looking, but I guess that's to be expected. Perhaps if they got rid of the weird spires and purple exterior portion, it wouldn't stick out so much.

In other news:
http://norta.com/Maps-Schedules/Jan-...c-Meeting.aspx
NORTA is proposing some additional frequency and 24-hour service on select routes as well as 11x daily express airport service (seems to be geared mostly towards the North terminal construction.

For the airport service, I think it will need more evening/late night service to be useful. They should also add a stop on Earhart and Carrollton and rather than back-tracking to the UPT they could just go down Tulane Ave and stop at Carrollton before getting on the interstate. That would probably only add a couple of minutes to the trip but make it way easier and faster for those of us in the MidCity, Uptown, and Hollygrove areas to use this service.

While I agree with what your saying it seems the only reason for this service is to really handle the construction workers not actual airport riders. It would be nice to have a service that took people direct to the airport though and in that case your right that it would need more extended hours.

[prokowave]

If so, it seems even more poorly conceived, as I doubt many construction workers are living in the CBD/downtown. If that's their target market, then they definitely need stops elsewhere in the city. However I think they can target both workers and the flying public.

Also, a nice article on the Factors Row project:
http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/bl...al-and-retail/