New Orleans Development Thread

[sgray]

That is a gorgeous building. I woud love to see it in person when it is completed. Way to go New Orleans!

Poydras St. is going to be quite a corridor if they can get the Jazz Park project going by the dome and the Trump Building going up in the middle. On the river end have you seen the Fulton St. promenade by the new Harrah's hotel? Canal Street's going to look good too when they finish the improvements there.

[NCB]

Kern ready to begin $50M residential project this year

More info

ALGIERS - A 13-acre residential and commercial project on property owned by businessman Blaine Kern gained unanimous approval from New Orleans City Council to rezone the site.

The three-phase project calls for transforming a portion of the Algiers riverfront into 1,523 apartments, additional housing and retail space, public parks and a streetcar line, according to plans submitted to the City Planning Commission.

[SlidellWX]

I can't wait to see what this new development along the Algiers riverfront will look like in a few years. Plus...it's much needed housing for the city.

[tennis1400]

Link to an article about the Hyatt Project in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi...hi-business-hed

Cheers,

Derek

[sgray]

Link to an article about the Hyatt Project in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi...hi-business-hed

Cheers,

Derek

fyi, you can see Trump Tower floor plans at trumptowerneworleans.com

[sgray]

fyi, you can see Trump Tower floor plans at trumptowerneworleans.com

rec'd following from Trump sales staff after inquiring about ground breaking

Based on what we have to do with the city and pre-sales for the project, we expect to break ground late Spring 2007. Construction time has been estimate at 28 months. Thanks, Cliff

[nola17]

The downtown jazz park is having trouble purchasing surrounding properties

[dimebag1980]

The downtown jazz park is having trouble purchasing surrounding properties

What!? Well, since Imminent Domain was made so easy to obtain recently, they shouldn't have any problems taking the property.

[TBurban]

Anyone aware of the Louisiana Speaks Development in SE Louisiana?

Louisiana Speaks is a multifaceted planning process created to develop a sustainable, long-term vision for South Louisiana in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Sponsored by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), the effort combines the work of local, state and federal partners along with many experts, stakeholders and citizens into a comprehensive approach. The process includes planning at the regional, local and architectural levels, with DPZ working at the local level.

And the Gentilly Design Charrette...

Gentilly is a large community of many small neighborhoods, most of which were built in the mid twentieth century. Designers worked on general concepts for rebuilding and neighborhood hazard mitigation, and created guidelines for individual homeowners interested in raising and renovating their homes. Additionally, the team took on several projects at the request of the Civic Improvement Association, such as planning a new mixed-use town center on the site of a ruined strip mall and redesigning a failed public-housing project while maintaining its affordability. The designers also worked on masterplans for Gentilly

[eastover neworleans]

So, is this going to be built in New Orleans? great project though .Also, the finalists are going to be named on nov29 for the 4.5 mile stretch on neworleans riverfront, there are some notable architects to be included in the project the architects are from london,neworleans,newyork,and la.

[NCB]

I'm really excited about this riverfront redevelopment project going on in New Orleans:

REINVENTING THE CRESCENT

Five teams of architects and planners have been chosen as finalists to transform a stretch of land along the riverfront

Article

Nine teams of architects and planners from New Orleans and cities around the world responded to a recent invitation to help plan the redevelopment of a 4.1-mile stretch of publicly owned land along the east bank riverfront.

Among them were at least two winners of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, considered the highest international honor in the field, and architects from London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Mexico City, Edinburgh and other cities.

Famous names such as Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Zaha Hadid, Reiser + Umemoto, TEN Arquitectos and Chan Krieger Sieniewicz adorn the list of applicants to lead what Sean Cummings calls "reinventing the crescent" that gave the Crescent City its nickname.

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this too Tommy. That's a nice looking development with the town square's; grid/ forked grid, canals, and greenspace; kinda like Venice Italy.

New Orleans deserves a prized riverfront, it's already very nice. The rivefront is a great asset to have.

Edited November 14, 2006 by richyb83

[Puddinhead]

Anyone aware of the Louisiana Speaks Development in SE Louisiana?

And the Gentilly Design Charrette...

The first looks like the results from the St. Bernard Parish charrette done by DPZ. The "town center" concept for Gentilly is still sort of sitting in the "boy, wouldn't it be nice...." category at this time; I don't foresee there being CDBG money or any other such funds available for this, and the key would be convincing the current owners of the shopping center at Gentilly and Elysian Fields to either buy into the idea or sell to developers who will. Although the neighborhood association which sponsored the charrette has stated a goal of finding just such a developer, I don't know that any progress has been made at this time.

[Puddinhead]

By the way, more information about the Gentilly Charrette is available here:

http://www.gcia.us/Reports/Duany_Framework...ated24May06.pdf

[eastover neworleans]

Does anyone know what they are going to do with park plaza on canal street?

[sgray]

Does anyone know what they are going to do with park plaza on canal street?

Is that the old hotel on the corner of Canal and Claiborne? It's changed hands several times over the years. The last I remember about it it was condemned for infestation.

[tombarnes]

I think that you may be referring to the Grand Palace, once known as the Delta Towers, on Canal Street. I have also wondered what would become of this building.

Edited November 15, 2006 by tombarnes

[tennis1400]

If you look at the site plan for the new Charity-LSU hospital complex that hotel sits within the site. So im assuming it will serve some purpose like that unless it is bulldozed, which may be cheaper.

Also, Donal Trump has a huge new advertisement on the parking lot that will become Trump Tower New Orleans. I see that the Tracage site now has signs for a contractor all over the property.ALso, The Plaza Tower( Crescent City Residences) now has a small crane and other machinery on the site. I think this thing is a go now.

[tennis1400]

Interesting news in this times picayune article:

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/ind...&thispage=1

In Particular this comment in the article:

Kelly Parenton, who is working with developer Brian Gibbs on a proposed high-rise upscale apartment building at 930 Poydras St., said they need to start construction by March to have the building ready for occupancy by the end of 2008, as they and many other residential developers must do to qualify for special post-Katrina tax breaks.

[sgray]

What is this Federal City thing Nagin was talking about yesterday? Are they converting the Algiers Naval Station into a housing developement? Anyone have any plans or pictures?

[NCB]

What an awesome project/idea this is! And the best part, it looks like this actually has a very good chance of happening.

Broadway South

Roger Wilson's 'Broadway South' initiative could rebuild downtown New Orleans as a theater district

Article

"All Broadway productions do preview shows. In New York, the stakes are too high to fail there, so they use Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston and San Francisco," Wilson says. "Those cities don't offer tax credits. We're going to make it 30 percent cheaper for you to make New Orleans a pre-Broadway venue. The benefits are profound. It's not going to be a matter of should you take advantage of this. It's a matter of you can't afford not to."

More than 10 million visitors came to New Orleans in 2004. Wilson projects that even if only 5 million visitors come each year, and if just 5 percent buy tickets for pre-Broadway shows, the impact would be substantial. At an average ticket price of $65, Broadway South would generate more than $16 million in ticket sales alone. That does not include concessions, CDs or other souvenirs sold at theaters -- or dinners, cab fares, or additional hotel and retail spending outside the theaters.

[SlidellWX]

Federal City is planned to be just that...an office park composed of federal agencies and federal contractors. I know a few military agencies are moving in...and they are trying to get other regional offices into the park.

[eastover neworleans]

What an awesome project/idea this is! And the best part, it looks like this actually has a very good chance of happening.

Broadway South

Roger Wilson's 'Broadway South' initiative could rebuild downtown New Orleans as a theater district

Article

That will be a wonderful idea for the city, just imagine HOLLYWOOD SOUTH, BROADWAY SOUTH, THE JAZZ PARK, AND THE NEW RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT. New Orleans is on it's way to become the golden city of the south.

[eastover neworleans]

DEVELOPERS SEEK TO BUILD $36 MILLION DRAG RACE TRACK

Developer Gilbert Smith along with Eugene Green, president of the New Orleans Regional Business Park, are seeking $36 million to build a quarter-mile-long drag racing course and associated facilities to host nationally sanctioned drag races.The track would be the only one in Louisiana or Mississippi able to host sanctioned drag races. Smith hopes to attract a minimum of one national and one major regional race each year, along with local races, car shows, swap meets and other events. The race course could create 25 full-time jobs and additional part-time jobs on race days. The developers have their eyes on an isolated, undeveloped 444-acre tract in New Orleans east as their first choice. That site is marshy and would require $13 million of fill and excavation. In addition to the drag strip, $11 million will be spent to build a grandstand, luxury suites, a tower, lights and other facilities.Smith hopes to also generate funds from corporate sponsors and naming rights for the track as well as ticket sales and concessions. The developers sought support from the City

Edited November 18, 2006 by eastover neworleans

[tennis1400]

Just got a letter from the Tracage development. All the nescessary sales and permits are in place and they will be demolishing the building on the site soon to begin construction.