Through inaction, City Council halts plans for nail salon on St. Charles Avenue

Plans for a nail salon on St. Charles Avenue near the universities were scuttled after the City Council failed to vote on a zoning-change request within 60 days of City Planning Commission’s recommendation.

The Planning Commission was unanimous in its support of La Vang Pearl, the company that purchased 7457 St. Charles Ave. to turn it into a nail salon. The building at Cherokee Street, originally a grocery store, was home to a number of short-lived restaurants in recent years.

Council takes up school bus oversight, victims’ rights, property tax relief

The City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance to create a uniform regulatory framework for school buses, adopted a resolution urging Orleans Parish criminal justice entities to cease the practice of jailing victims to compel them to testify, received a presentation and CPR demonstration from the American Heart Association in celebration of Heart Month, and adopted a resolution supporting legislative initiatives to create financial relief options for longtime property owners.

Festival brings a taste of the Caribbean to Central City (Photos)

The annual Marley Gras festival took place at Central City BBQ on Saturday, Feb. 9. The festival featured live music, Jamaican food,  handmade crafts, as well as a pepper-eating competition and a jerk-chicken cook-off. The celebration of the connections between New Orleans and Caribbean culture is held during Carnival in honor of reggae pioneer Bob Marley’s Feb. 6 birthday.

Yo Joe! February Real Estate Advice

I’m Joe Gerrity, local businessman, investor and Real Estate Broker. For my monthly “Yo Joe!” column, I’ll be answering your real estate questions as well as providing market information and housing statistics.
I believe the main responsibilities of a Realtor are to add value and facilitate mutually beneficial transactions, and through this column I hope to help the New Orleans community make more informed decisions about their housing future.
Yo Joe! What kind of an impact does Mardi Gras have on the New Orleans real estate industry?

During the lead up and actual prime time of Mardi Gras, the market slows pretty substantially. People are busy setting up for parades, making preparation for house guests, knocking items off their professional to-do lists, and just generally avoiding the responsibility that comes with buying or selling a home.

B’nai B’rith Mardi Gras Mitzva Makers to parade on Feb. 17

The 40th annual B’nai B’rith Mardi Gras Mitzva Makers Hospital Parade, originally set for Feb. 10, has been changed to the following Sunday, Feb. 17,  due to citywide road closures.

The Mitzva Makers gather  at the Touro Infirmary’s Prytania Street entrance, 3500 Prytania, at 9:30 a.m.. The parade starts at 10 a.m.

Danae Columbus: Big downtown residential buildings eyed for boutique hotels

Preservationists Mike and Bettye Duplantier bought a run-down historic town house at 820 Baronne in 1978 and enjoyed a bird’s-eye view of the neighborhood’s transition from skid row to prime South Market District real estate. Little did they know that 40 years later a well-meaning young couple would dream of converting the spacious adjoining town house at 822 Baronne into a 10 to 12-room boutique hotel with lobby bar and courtyard. Both buildings share a common attic.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon to shut down St. Charles Avenue, other routes on Sunday

The 2019 Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon is slated for Sunday, Feb. 10. The international event attracts both the running masses and elite athletes. It also brings road closures, parking restrictions and traffic delays.

St. Charles Avenue will be closed to traffic Sunday morning from 6 a.m. to 10:45. The streetcar will not operate until all runners have cleared St. Charles Avenue.

Runners will begin at Lafayette Square, then follow St. Charles Avenue to the university area, where they will double-back along St. Charles to the CBD. The entire route is below.