New Orleans Development Thread

[tennis1400]

I also ran into Rande Gerber a few months back at Whiskey Blue. He said they are in town looking into building a Hard Rock Condotel in downtown New Orleans. And if you can i suggest you check out the Port of New Orlean's website for a rendering of the Erato street cruise terminal. It looks pretty large considering it is just a garage. Cheers.

[NCB]

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Expansion

Current Square Feet of Exhibit Space: 1.1 Million

Square Feet of Exhibit Space after Expansion: 1.6 Million

[GoodNews]

I am still very much surprised of all this development going on here after what this city has been through. I think it's great for this city though.

[NCB]

I am still very much surprised of all this development going on here after what this city has been through.

It suprises me sometimes as well. And most of the major development hasn't even taken place. There are projects in the works that are much larger than most of the developments on this board. In the coming months, I think we'll start to see the high-rise developments getting taller and taller, and many more of them being proposed, especially in lower downtown and along the river, which is really becoming prime real-estate.

[tombarnes]

Wow...what an ambitious expansion! This should help New Orleans get its convention business back on track. Great news indeed!

[richyb83]

Yes indeed ! Great to see ! With the expansion , where will it RANK as far as SIZE ? amongst other convention centers U.S. cities ?

[dimebag1980]

Wow, that is impressive-looking. The existing building was state-of-the-art when it was built, but the style is so outdated now. This is great news for New Orleans and for the convention market as a whole.

[NCB]

Wow...what an ambitious expansion! This should help New Orleans get its convention business back on track. Great news indeed!

It certainly will!

Yes indeed ! Great to see ! With the expansion , where will it RANK as far as SIZE ? amongst other convention centers U.S. cities ?

I'm not completely sure, but I know it will be in the top 10 largest in the country, and possibly the top 5.

[JWR_NOLA]

It certainly will!

I'm not completely sure, but I know it will be in the top 10 largest in the country, and possibly the top 5.

We're already in the top five. We will bump to #4.

[richyb83]

Thanks JWR NOLA for that list !

[dimebag1980]

[NCB]

N.O. faces new condo glut

Article from N.O. City Business

Cliff Mowe, one of the developers of Trump International Hotel and Tower New Orleans, last week said the roughly $400-million, 67-story project for 501 Poydras St. is close to having finalized floor plans. Hopefully, units will begin preselling in the next month or so, Mowe said.

[JWR_NOLA]

Holy... 3.2 million? I knew Las Vegas was the biggest convention market in the country, but 3.2 million sq. ft. is just so amazingly unbelievable. Wow.

And the Morial Convention Center is huge, but this expansion will be awesome.

That's just the public center. If you account for the private convention centers and other exhibition space, Las Vegas has over 13 million square feet.

[dimebag1980]

That's just the public center. If you account for the private convention centers and other exhibition space, Las Vegas has over 13 million square feet.

Wow, that's unbelievable...

[richyb83]

This says New Orleans current population is 155,000 and is expected to reach 198,000 by this September ! By 2008 The Crescent City projections say 272,000, 56 % of the population before Katrina struck.

http://rand.org

I guess by 2008 NOLA and BR will be fairly close ; unless BR decides to incorporate more parish sprawl . Jacksonville and Louisville incorporate the entire county to boost their rankings way-up !

Edited March 15, 2006 by richyb83

[tombarnes]

I'm not sure that would really mean much. I don't give Jacksonville any credit for being a good place to live just because it has a supposedly large metro area. Sprawl is the key word here. Creating a strong, vibrant downtown is the answer for Baton Rouge. Who cares how many acres of subdivisions and WalMarts surround a city? It's the downtown core and the amenities therein which make- or break- a city.

Edited March 15, 2006 by tombarnes

[NCB]

This says New Orleans current population is 155,000 and is expected to reach 198,000 by this September!

That 155,000 figure is off, IMO. The city's population has been put at around 200,000 by 3 or 4 different surveys recently, and that figure seems to be dead on from being in the city. The 272,000 in 2008 figure seems low as well, as most demographers are now saying the city could have around 300,000 at this time next year.

[richyb83]

I agree with you Tom . That is so TRUE ! BR 's Downtown was left for dead for many years ! I guess the downward spiral accelerated in the mid 80's til the late 90's ! It has been so good to see Downtown coming back to LIFE ! And mid-city has revitalized many areas as well.

You can see all the sprawl in BR by just looking at the road configurations on Mapquest . Now some major in-fil is finally taking place that is sure to strengthen BR as a legit mid-sized city ! There are some large chunks of land that has never been developed in the city that will be filled-in . NOLA is the opposite , grid ,grid ,and more grid...and very "compact" !

There was not alot of places left to build in NOLA. Causing the Northshore and LaPlace to explode !

That's great to hear NCB ! I figured you could give some better imput . Those studies and surveys are not always so accurate .

[NCB]

Update on the "Tracage"

The 22-story project at Calliope and Annunciation planned as city's housing market heats up. To be dubbed "Tracage," French for "loft," the project will be built on a lot bounded by Calliope, Annunciation and John Churchill Chase streets. The 22-story complex -- 23 stories if a rooftop swimming pool and other amenities are counted -- will sit atop a three-and-a-half-floor garage with 169 parking places. Two metal warehouses now stand on the site.

Construction could begin in six months and be finished for a summer 2008 opening.

[richyb83]

Great to see all the nice high-rise condos planned !!! I can't wait too see the future skyline !

[NCB]

I can't wait too see the future skyline!

Same here!

[dimebag1980]

Update on the "Tracage"

The 22-story project at Calliope and Annunciation planned as city's housing market heats up. To be dubbed "Tracage," French for "loft," the project will be built on a lot bounded by Calliope, Annunciation and John Churchill Chase streets. The 22-story complex -- 23 stories if a rooftop swimming pool and other amenities are counted -- will sit atop a three-and-a-half-floor garage with 169 parking places. Two metal warehouses now stand on the site.

Construction could begin in six months and be finished for a summer 2008 opening.

I really like the design of that building.

PS... I think the rooftop should be counted as a floor if there are things up there for the residents.

[richyb83]

Wow , "What-a-Rush" ! A swimming pool on the 23rd floor ! What a view that would be !

[richyb83]

Here is another high-rise condo development ! I was not sure if this had already been posted ?

http://www.925common.com

New Orleans first International-style bldg.-listed by National Historical Register to become it's newest luxury Apt.bldg.

[NCB]

Wow , "What-a-Rush" ! A swimming pool on the 23rd floor ! What a view that would be !

Yea, that would really be something! From that vantage point, you would be able to look over the Mississippi River, all of downtown, Uptown, and on clear days you could see all the way up to Lake Ponchartrain! Great picture opportunities from that spot too!

Here is another high-rise condo development ! I was not sure if this had already been posted ?

http://www.925common.com

New Orleans first International-style bldg.-listed by National Historical Register to become it's newest luxury Apt.bldg.

Thanks for posting that, Richy! I forgot all about 925 Common, but it is the cities newest condo tower, even though the building itself has been around for awhile.