NEW ORLEANS | Project/Development Thread

[sooperpaz]

Originally Posted by socigradstudent

The city, state, and NFL had a press conference about Super Bowl infrastructure preparation. I am attaching the presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcAepe24E1I

Around the 28-minute mark, they show before-and-after renderings of example projects—Poydras St, I-10 lights, the street through LSU Med's downtown campus, a homeless camp, and park beautification (they're converting the underpass at Earhart Blvd and S Claiborne Ave into a park!).

Also of interesting note: right before Michael Hecht (who coordinates and oversees all of this city preparation work) talked about the park at Earhart and Claiborne, he said, "Parks—we could have shown a beautiful park here or show what's happening to Duncan Plaza..." -----He states that both Duncan Plaza and Lafayette Square will receive improvements.

If anyone can/wants to, and can share the images from the article, that would be helpful. Thanks!

Most of these renderings look like they were done in MS Paint, and I'm having trouble getting excited about a broken curb vs a non-broken curb, but I'll take anything and everything they are willing to fix!

[sooperpaz]

1304 St. Charles Ave: A NEW CONSTRUCTION 5-STORY MIXED-USE STRUCTURE, WHICH INCLUDES: WHITE BOX FOR FUTURE RETAIL TENANT, (4) SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS, AND A ROOFTOP POOL DECK.








2505 Washington Ave: WILCOX ACADEMY EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT - New construction project of a 2 story, 8,250 SF childcare center & a 2 story, 1,350 SF multi-family residential building located in central city New Orleans. All work to be completed as per plans.








333 N. Diamond St: An existing warehouse that will be renovated, structurally modified, and require a change in building use, will become an 8 unit group lodging hotel.






4950 Dauphine: Holy Cross Apartments - STRUCTURAL RENOVATION OF AN EXISTING 45,464, 4-STORY MASONRY BUILDING TO BE A MULTIFAMILY RESIDENCE. ALL WORK TO BE DONE AS PER PLANS. Change from 18-33926 - increase of residential units from 38 to 59.

[vetteking]

Originally Posted by sooperpaz

Most of these renderings look like they were done in MS Paint, and I'm having trouble getting excited about a broken curb vs a non-broken curb, but I'll take anything and everything they are willing to fix!

That looks amazing I can’t wait to see finished product in February 2025 thanks for posting

[NOLAslimm]

Originally Posted by Chris from N.O.

Passed by the old Nike store on Tulane today and noticed signs up. Looks like it's going to be a senior primary care center. I attached a couple of pictures didn't want to get too close because there was a police officer there but looks like they're building a lot of interior walls as you might expect. Also added a picture showing their geographical reach. I think they've been in Louisiana for a while but they're just adding some more locations in the New Orleans area.

Edit: looks like pictures aren't showing up. It's been a while since I posted any so not sure what I did wrong

I use IMGUR.com free account and image hosting. select new post then "private" or "public" it upload fast then gives you several links for different types of sites and linking...for this site, use the BBCode link and at the bottom, switch the size to "Huge Thumbnail" as it generally makes a oversize picture with the original sizing or check "preview post" but thats a simple way to post pics here

[sooperpaz]

Originally Posted by vetteking

That looks amazing I can’t wait to see finished product in February 2025 thanks for posting

Looks like the "park" at Earhart and Claiborne is referring to this lot:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NgmALLYHj1iJCMKy5

[socigradstudent]

I'm actually excited about quite a few of these projects:

--Podyras St complete overhaul
--Interstate lighting fully restored, CCC bridge light project, and streetlight improvements in the CBD and FQ
--Downman Road overhaul: This one is exciting because it benefits The East. They chose Downman Rd because of the Lakefront Airport.
--I also have read that the I-10 neutral ground in N.O. East will be relandscaped and improved. I-10 coming from the airport will also see some landscaping
--restriping of streets in the city
--drainage issues addressed, especially along Canal St
--One news story stated a cleanup of and around Plaza Tower
--5G being installed downtown/CBD/warehouse district
--significant sidewalk repairs throughout downtown/CBD
--pressure washing of the interstate buffer walls circling downtown
--Claiborne Ave from Uptown to Earhart: that massive street project will be completed and the street will be repaved
--Permanent murals on downtown buildings and 21 beautification projects
--10 parks: a mixture of already existing parks (Duncan, Lafayette) getting improvements or pocket parks downtown will be created. Also, it's a great idea to convert that concrete at Earhart and Claiborne into a green space/park. WVUE's story also stated there will be significant landscape improvements around the dome.


Overall, while I fully acknowledge the frustration of it taking the Super Bowl to complete these very necessary infrastructure projects, I am happy about all of it (will cost ~$40-60 million in total) because it will outlast the Super Bowl and be of benefit to residents. The focus on major arteries is very smart, in my opinion-- especially Poydras Street. Perception-wise, it is vital to have the main economic corridor look its best, and I hope, in turn, this helps spur infill development on the last remaining lots along Poydras St in the ensuing years. It seems all the powers-that-be recognize the importance of the image of the city and the completion of major infrastructure projects. They all indicated how they were kicking everything into high gear this summer and picking up the pace with all hands on deck. All of this to say is that my one main hope is they (city, state, businesses) maintain what they fix.

[kingque]

Originally Posted by socigradstudent

I'm actually excited about quite a few of these projects:

--Podyras St complete overhaul
--Interstate lighting fully restored, CCC bridge light project, and streetlight improvements in the CBD and FQ
--Downman Road overhaul: This one is exciting because it benefits The East. They chose Downman Rd because of the Lakefront Airport.
--I also have read that the I-10 neutral ground in N.O. East will be relandscaped and improved. I-10 coming from the airport will also see some landscaping
--restriping of streets in the city
--drainage issues addressed, especially along Canal St
--One news story stated a cleanup of and around Plaza Tower
--5G being installed downtown/CBD/warehouse district
--significant sidewalk repairs throughout downtown/CBD
--pressure washing of the interstate buffer walls circling downtown
--Claiborne Ave from Uptown to Earhart: that massive street project will be completed and the street will be repaved
--Permanent murals on downtown buildings and 21 beautification projects
--10 parks: a mixture of already existing parks (Duncan, Lafayette) getting improvements or pocket parks downtown will be created. Also, it's a great idea to convert that concrete at Earhart and Claiborne into a green space/park. WVUE's story also stated there will be significant landscape improvements around the dome.


Overall, while I fully acknowledge the frustration of it taking the Super Bowl to complete these very necessary infrastructure projects, I am happy about all of it (will cost ~$40-60 million in total) because it will outlast the Super Bowl and be of benefit to residents. The focus on major arteries is very smart, in my opinion-- especially Poydras Street. Perception-wise, it is vital to have the main economic corridor look its best, and I hope, in turn, this helps spur infill development on the last remaining lots along Poydras St in the ensuing years. It seems all the powers-that-be recognize the importance of the image of the city and the completion of major infrastructure projects. They all indicated how they were kicking everything into high gear this summer and picking up the pace with all hands on deck. All of this to say is that my one main hope is they (city, state, businesses) maintain what they fix.

This. All of this.

And having a major event be the main reason for an overhaul isn't out of the ordinary. When they announced the World Cup games here, construction in a bunch of areas were announced a few months after. People were complaining that it took an event for something to get done, but I'm in the small group of people that think: "Who cares? As long as it gets done. We tidy up the house a little bit better than usual before guests comes over, right?"

[sooperpaz]

Not totally development related, but more along the lines of the city beefing up its efforts to actually get stuff done this year:

Crime-ridden 24-hour Treme tire shop seized in multi-agency raid, DA says



"The shop at 1201 N. Claiborne had been seized this week by the DA, the New Orleans Police Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives...The tire shop was seized under the same statute the district attorney's office used to shut down the New Image Supermarket in Iberville in October...[DA] Williams hopes the site can be redeveloped into something that benefits the community."

https://www.nola.com/news/crime_poli...88d8cee6f.html

With all the effort to revitalize underneath the Claiborne overpass, this is a big step in the right direction, and hopefully a boon to the other businesses (and potential businesses) around there.

[BlueDot]

Look at NOLA trying to change its ways. Very encouraging development.

[Chris from N.O.]

Thanks for the advice on the pictures. I was using the same code with flickr but it wasn't working. I'll try again with imgur. Having some internet issues right now so it's
not letting me upload.

Glad to see some more residential on St Charles instead of a hotel. Also wasn't there some issue with financing or something for the Holy Cross development? I seem to remember the developers being in some kind of trouble.

And that 24-hour shop did serve a purpose. One of my cousins was in town a couple of years ago with his buddies and at 3:00 a.m. it was the only place they could find. But it also had the cops called on it on like a weekly basis and shootings and everything

[Chris from N.O.]

There we go. Don't know why the [IMG] autofill from the
picture capability worked with imgur but not flickr. Anyway these were the best pictures I could get It was late and there was a cop standing right outside the building so didn't want to do anything suspicious. Looks like kind of a standard medical building build out. The map is where they have other locations so not nationwide but there are at least six within 100 miles of New Orleans and I think they're building one in marrero

[broadmoor]

Originally Posted by sooperpaz

Looks like the "park" at Earhart and Claiborne is referring to this lot:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NgmALLYHj1iJCMKy5

I do hope they find a way to leave space for the food trucks. That's the only thing that's brought people to that spot for the past several years, and it could continue to be a great draw once it's a park. I've gotten food from at least one of them, and it was really good too. But I guess I'd prefer it become a pocket park without them than stay untouched with them.

[BlueDot]

I have a question about those buildings on Gravier across the street from Charity Hospital. I don’t know what they were used for previously ;but they’re abandoned and blighted now. Will that area be touched up before the Super Bowl?

[broadmoor]

Originally Posted by BlueDot

I have a question about those buildings on Gravier across the street from Charity Hospital. I don’t know what they were used for previously ;but they’re abandoned and blighted now. Will that area be touched up before the Super Bowl?

I doubt it. Gravier is hardly a major thoroughfare, and there are enough areas of blight downtown that are on major thoroughfares to focus on first. It would be nice, but I think the most likely things right there to get a facelift before the Super Bowl are buildings, sidewalks, and streets on or adjacent to Tulane-owned land.

[NOLAslimm]

Originally Posted by broadmoor

I do hope they find a way to leave space for the food trucks. That's the only thing that's brought people to that spot for the past several years, and it could continue to be a great draw once it's a park. I've gotten food from at least one of them, and it was really good too. But I guess I'd prefer it become a pocket park without them than stay untouched with them.

yea my brother works for Amtrak right there, he said the have some real good food trucks right there, cheap and you get plenty food, I know him and the other workers dont want to lose them...the one bad thing about that spot though is its, I guess you call it a drug den. people are always against the fence shooting up and they toss the needles over the fence. within the last couple years, they have removed a few bodies from ODs, not far as the morgue is right there. but its something that needs a good cleaning and follow ups to keep that out

[BlueDot]

Originally Posted by NOLAslimm

yea my brother works for Amtrak right there, he said the have some real good food trucks right there, cheap and you get plenty food, I know him and the other workers dont want to lose them...the one bad thing about that spot though is its, I guess you call it a drug den. people are always against the fence shooting up and they toss the needles over the fence. within the last couple years, they have removed a few bodies from ODs, not far as the morgue is right there. but its something that needs a good cleaning and follow ups to keep that out

Downtown could use more green space so this will be a welcome addition. Btw, will it be an official park or just a green space area for vendors and other outdoor activities?

[NOLAslimm]

Originally Posted by BlueDot

Downtown could use more green space so this will be a welcome addition. Btw, will it be an official park or just a green space area for vendors and other outdoor activities?

I dont know exact plans for it and its been a few months since ive been in that area but if they havent knocked it down yet, the building next to it is supposed to be demo'ed so that will increase the park size

[broadmoor]

Originally Posted by BlueDot

Downtown could use more green space so this will be a welcome addition. Btw, will it be an official park or just a green space area for vendors and other outdoor activities?

The presentation referred to it as a "park," but it didn't look like it's going to be anything more than green space with landscaping. Still an improvement, and there's a NORD facility right down the street with actual recreational facilities.

[NOLAslimm]

friends keep coming in town so I keep ending up down town. few pics, took an alternate route part of the way

ran down Earhart to Loyola

scrap building is still standing next to the "park" area



plenty tents along the fence of the "park"



Plaza



sporadic spots of street and sidewalk repair moving further down Poydras, almost to St. Charles now





Canal street smoking section has gates again, just needs to add the tables and machines and open up



Hotel canopy, much more visible ground area, seems to be getting cleaned up a bit



finish working into the existing building now



Poydras/Convention Center entrance is still closed but really close