New Orleans Development Thread

[imaterry78247]

I wouldn't call this project languishing. They are still demolishing the place. It takes time to do these things right. The Lowes is going up, and that will be the first catalyst in redeveloping this area. The East needs retail options, and this is the most logical place for retail to locate. Consider this, there has been little if any work done on the massive lifestyle center going up in Covington, and that's been discussed for 2 years on this forum. In that time, the developers have lined up an impressive array of stores, and the development should begin this summer. It just takes time to get things in place. Let the developers in NO East at least market the site for a few more months before getting too upset. Ashton Ryan is a sound businessman, and I do not doubt he will get the job done.

When I lived in Newnan, GA, a huge outdoor shopping center was discussed for nearly 3 years before any dirt was turned on the site. Coweta County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, and it took that long for everything to fall into place.

I am so tired of these lazy , that a do Louisianan who can get there stuff together. Especially, in New Orleans. you rather go to Atlanta thatn buld your own community up-Traitors. Developer now it your time to shine-where are the Donald Trumps of NOLA. New Orleans inner core and culture is much better than Dallas or Atlanta. Where is the former KKK David Duke doing-instead of hating he should be helping the NOLA metro area. How can the greatest city in the South be run by such fools. Nagin get off your butt and curse the congress again.

Great areas for development after the levees and marshland are fix are Lake Borgne and St Bernard Parish and along the Miss River.

i hope I can get some amens

[eastover neworleans]

If that message was directed towards me I'm not a traidor , but I tell you what I will not live in a city were everything is in shambles . I've been helping rebuild New Orleans East before Katrina. People are leaving New Orleans ,because they've had enough with the polotics. Katrina didn't run alot of our residents away our poloticians did. I would'nt be suprised if polotics plays a role in thsi development. As for being lazy if I was so lazy I would have never gone to MedSchool for 8 1/2 years and becoming a successful Doctor and a graet Father and Husband. Slidellwx I get what you're saying I'll give it time.

[imaterry78247]

If that message was directed towards me I'm not a traidor , but I tell you what I will not live in a city were everything is in shambles . I've been helping rebuild New Orleans East before Katrina. People are leaving New Orleans ,because they've had enough with the polotics. Katrina didn't run alot of our residents away our poloticians did. I would'nt be suprised if polotics plays a role in thsi development. As for being lazy if I was so lazy I would have never gone to MedSchool for 8 1/2 years and becoming a successful Doctor and a graet Father and Husband. Slidellwx I get what you're saying I'll give it time.

Don't give up-run for office and change things. It is just a shame that a city with New Orleans potential is being wasted. Traitors are companies like Ruth Chris who left new orleans. Maybe a Marshall plan is needed for New orleansone that screws bureauracy and get some express service for the resident there. I am sorry that I offend you but I love the city and its culture. Who was the last gool politician NOLA had? Is Bobby jindl the saviour. The Creoles, African Americans, Sicilians, Irish, Hispanics and Vietnamese can still save this city if they work together. One of the reason whites are so prejudice against blacks is becasue of the crime. The professional blacks do have point becasue they have been held back by NOLA good old boys for so long that they flee to Houston, Atlanta or Dallas or become criminals

[eastover neworleans]

Don't give up-run for office and change things. It is just a shame that a city with New Orleans potential is being wasted. Traitors are companies like Ruth Chris who left new orleans. Maybe a Marshall plan is needed for New orleansone that screws bureauracy and get some express service for the resident there. I am sorry that I offend you but I love the city and its culture. Who was the last gool politician NOLA had? Is Bobby jindl the saviour. The Creoles, African Americans, Sicilians, Irish, Hispanics and Vietnamese can still save this city if they work together. One of the reason whites are so prejudice against blacks is becasue of the crime. The professional blacks do have point becasue they have been held back by NOLA good old boys for so long that they flee to Houston, Atlanta or Dallas or become criminals

That's so sad that a group of people would have hate towards blacks because what ONE has done all of us aren't criminals so, it's basically jus ignorance. Whites commit crime too, alot of white men are sexual predators , but you don't see me and alot of others having prejudice towards them. One thing that I have learned is to treat everyone the same don't judge people , because the person who you are judging could be the one that saves your life. I know that black professionals flee the city, but there aren't none that I know of that become criminals . I accept your apology.

Edited June 16, 2007 by eastover neworleans

[JPKneworleans]

The Times-Picayune was on target. Kailas can't develop Lake Forest on his own. Does anyone know what he has successfully developed?

[SlidellWX]

Nothing that I can think of...but I don't think Gowri Kailas really runs the show on this one. The only reason he is involved is because he owned the site before Katrina hit. Ashton Ryan would not sign onto something like this without knowing that he will have some say in this development and be able to turn a profit. It takes alot of time to even begin marketing these massive projects, and this thing is at most 6 months old right now.

[imaterry78247]

That's so sad that a group of people would have hate towards blacks because what ONE has done all of us aren't criminals so, it's basically jus ignorance. Whites commit crime too, alot of white men are sexual predators , but you don't see me and alot of others having prejudice towards them. One thing that I have learned is to treat everyone the same don't judge people , because the person who you are judging could be the one that saves your life. I know that black professionals flee the city, but there aren't none that I know of that become criminals . I accept your apology.

Please accept my apolgy. I just meant that blacks need to be given the same opportunuities in New Orleans as white. Just think of all the great minds that are leaving NOLA. A city that produces everyome from Prima, Marsalis, Armstrong to Connick to Lagasse and the world best cusinem music and culture can't bounce back. New Orleans area is home to one of the largest ports in the world, oil reserves. Did anyone know that pound for pound Louisiana has more natural resources than any other state.

Housing:

Develop large subdivision basis on NOLA architecture

Traitors list:

Ruth Chris

[nola17]

Well this really ruins my day. The Hyatt Jazz District looks like its not going to happen. DAMN!!!!

[sgray]

Master planner of Jazz Park says of fading plans for his project:

"It's almost two years later. You should be looking out your window and seeing cranes over the skyline," Geller said. "New Orleans can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

Article in today's Times-Pic speaks poorly of state and city leadership.

[tombarnes]

It is unfortunate that this project has not gone forward as originally envisioned. I'm afraid that its demise/ shrinkage does not, as you have noted, reflect well upon city leadership. Doubtless, it is easy to cast blame. Unfortunately, it is even harder to lead a city and a state out of the depths of catastrophe. While I think that Nagin and Blanco have tried, I'm not sure they have been up to the Herculean task at hand. I would have liked to have seen this project completed. It's too bad that it may not be. This area of the city has worlds of potential and should not be left to lie fallow.

Edited June 17, 2007 by tombarnes

[sgray]

International Shipholding pleased with move to Mobile.

I heard on the radio (I believe it was on Garland Robinette's show) that this move could have been averted if Ray Nagin would have returned a phone call to Erik Johnsen. This sounds unbelievable on one hand and believable on the other. Say it isn't so.

[eastover neworleans]

For the sake of New Orleans Ray Nagin just needs to step down. I know some of you support him ,but this is not the same Ray from pre-katrina. He has racially divided the city even more than before katrina. It just hurts my heart that after a big castrophe like katrina we still can't get our s*it together. I teach my kids that racism isn't allowed in my house, but I don't have that problem , because they know we may be a different color, but they are just like us. Hopefully, this project isn't all the way dead.

[richyb83]

Sorry to hear the news. Thanks for posting this. Hopefully they can at least do a scaled down version?? The Jazz District would also be such a nice compliment to Trump's Tower proposal. Then these "big-time" projects could have a domino-effect and lead to more nice developments.

I remember waiting for this "big" announcement when it happened.

New leadership can't seem to come quick enough, unfortunately Nagin is in for how much longer??

Edited June 19, 2007 by richyb83

[sgray]

This looks like it's the Royal Cosmopolitan project on Royal at Canal. Maybe September will be the banner month when Trump and some other big projects finally get started.

I was also glad to see Sydney Torres get the sanitation contract for City Park. You need to check out the newly planted Crepe Myrtles and oaks along the corridor leading to the art museum. They look great, however there's a lot of work left to be done.

[JPKneworleans]

This looks like it's the Royal Cosmopolitan project on Royal at Canal. Maybe September will be the banner month when Trump and some other big projects finally get started.

I was also glad to see Sydney Torres get the sanitation contract for City Park. You need to check out the newly planted Crepe Myrtles and oaks along the corridor leading to the art museum. They look great, however there's a lot of work left to be done.

Has anyone seen a bid sheet for Trump? Speaking of which, what's the deal with the advertising roll-out? I thought the ad campaign would have been started by now. The website is still pathetic.

[intheknow]

Has anyone seen a bid sheet for Trump? Speaking of which, what's the deal with the advertising roll-out? I thought the ad campaign would have been started by now. The website is still pathetic.

Regarding Trump, I was told by the marketing people that the national marketing campaign would be starting now. They said they were trying to get 1600 reservations for the 500 to 600 or so units. So far, I've seen a full page ad in City Business this week, but I think that was was paid for by the sales agents, not the developers.

Things have been very quiet. I do not expect that construction will start anytime soon. I have not heard of a builder being nailed down, they are still trying to get a handle on costs, and they still need to convert condo reservations to binding sales contracts before they start building anything. That process will take months and months.

[sgray]

Trump's local office has indicated that construction would start in September. I sure hope so. It should act as a catalyst for more construction like the superdome did in the 70's.

[NCB]

Hornets' training facility approved

In 'crucial' vote, state allocates $18 million

Times-Picayune Article

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The last paragraph of the article also had some great new info on the continued renovations of the Superdome...

Thornton said most of the exterior work at the Superdome won't begin until after the Saints' 2007 season is finished. The Phase II improvements consist of adding exterior glass and VIP escalators to the four club rooms on each corner of the Dome and repairing the outdoor sign pylon, which has been inoperable since Hurricane Katrina.

[sgray]

Construction is underway on the Falstaff Breweryconversion. I believe it's on run down Tulane Avenue which needs a lot work from Claiborne all the way to Carrolton.

[NCB]

New heights

Motorists on the twin spans can see the future rising beside them: Taller, stronger and six lanes wide

Article from the T-P

As thousands of motorists make the daily trek across the patched-up Interstate 10 twin spans, they are witness to an ever-growing phalanx of concrete columns rising skyward from the brackish waters of Lake Pontchartrain.

The maze of pilings represents the foundation of the largest public works project in Louisiana history: a new $803 million twin-span bridge that officials say will be wider, taller and stronger - in essence, hurricane-proof - so the New Orleans area will never again lose the crucial highway artery.

Very cool interactive graphic comparing the new twin spans to the old:

http://www.nola.com/photos/t-p/index.ssf?/...newtwinspan.swf

[SlidellWX]

That bridge is moving along nicely. In the week I was on vacation there were several more pilings driven in, and the bridge deck was extended signifcantly. Can't wait to drive on the finished portions in a couple of years.

[JPKneworleans]

Construction is underway on the Falstaff Breweryconversion. I believe it's on run down Tulane Avenue which needs a lot work from Claiborne all the way to Carrolton.

Falstaff, the apartments under construction at the old Baumer Foods plant, and the soon to be under construction apartments at the Cresent City Motors location should be a great boost to Tulane Avenue.

[sgray]

This looks like the Hyatt Hotel, Jazz Park project. Hopefully it'll get started in the near future.

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this sgray. I saw this too! Keep us updated please

[JPKneworleans]

This looks like the Hyatt Hotel, Jazz Park project. Hopefully it'll get started in the near future.

The Hyatt (or at least a portion of it) is supposed to reopen this year.