Owen Courreges: Incomplete streets

 Posted by at 9:58 am  city government, opinion, politics, public safety, transportation
Dec 262011
 

Owen Courreges

On Dec. 15, the City Council adopted a “Complete Streets” ordinance.  At first blush, this ordinance appears entirely innocuous. It merely requires city agencies, most notably City Planning and the Department of Public Works, to create and adopt internal policies mandating that engineers consider curb ramps, bus stops, bike lanes and a variety of other traffic elements when resurfacing or rebuilding roads.

The overall goal is to create streets that are designed not just around private automobiles, but also pedestrian traffic, bicycles and wheelchairs — hence the notion of a “complete street.” Continue reading »

Latest estimate for Freret sidewalk repairs to begin: “After the holidays”

 Posted by at 3:22 pm  business, city government, public safety, transportation
Dec 232011
 

After promises of a firm Nov. 1 start date, the long-awaited reworking of the Freret commercial corridor’s sidewalks has been pushed back yet again. The most recent estimate of a start date for the project announced in August 2010 is now after the holidays, city officials told reporter Scott Satchfield of our partners at WWL-TV.

Toddler slain in crossfire at B.W. Cooper projects remembered in memorial, funeral service

 Posted by at 3:10 pm  city government, crime, politics, public safety
Dec 232011
 

A Christmas tree decorated with toys and candles stands in the courtyard of the B.W. Cooper projects on Erato Street, where Kiera Holmes was shot to death Sunday. Mourners observed her birthday Thursday in a small gathering around the tree. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)

A toddler killed in the crossfire of a Central City shootout was remembered Thursday afternoon with a small memorial on what would have been her second birthday, and she was buried Friday morning in a funeral ceremony that attracted city leaders and hundreds of mourners. Continue reading »

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Jean-Paul Villere: Where’s the ‘crete?

 Posted by at 9:40 am  city government, opinion, transportation
Dec 142011
 

A large sign announcing the still-stalled Freret streetscape project. (Jean-Paul Villere)

I live and work in the Freret corridor, and for many moons now promises of a new streetscape have been on the horizon.  Most recently, the collective residents and business owners were informed by the city just weeks ago the start date would be some time in early November.  Look at your calendar.  It’s the middle of December, and not a bit of concrete has been disturbed. Continue reading »

With new hospital as worst-case scenario, neighbors rally to keep DePaul site “quiet”

 Posted by at 3:18 pm  business, city government, colleges
Dec 132011
 

An aerial view of the DePaul medical campus next to Audubon Park in the Upper Hurstville neighborhood. (via maps.google.com)

Concerned that Children’s Hospital might one day develop the tranquil DePaul mental-health campus next to Audubon Park into a full-fledged hospital complex, a group of neighbors made a concerted effort before the city Tuesday to halt those changes before they happen. Continue reading »

Delachaise, Marengo, Touro and Milan neighborhoods moving to NOPD Sixth District

 Posted by at 11:36 pm  city government, public safety
Dec 122011
 

The boundary between the NOPD Second and Sixth Districts will move from Louisiana Avenue to Napoleon Avenue between Freret Street and the Mississippi River after the first of the year. (map via WWL-TV)

A swath of central Uptown with some of the most active neighborhood groups in the city will be patrolled by a completely different set of police officers after the first of the year, when the New Orleans Police Department shifts part of the boundary line between the Sixth and Second districts from Louisiana Avenue to Napoleon Avenue. Continue reading »

Allan Katz and Danae Columbus: Downtown Rouses supermarket shows city’s comeback

 Posted by at 5:30 am  business, city government, elections, food and drink, politics
Dec 082011
 

Allan Katz and Danae Columbus

One of the ways to tell the future of any city or neighborhood is to find out if investors are willing to put up their money to underwrite new ventures. By that criterion, New Orleans’ Warehouse District is on a roll. Continue reading »

Stacy Head among first-day candidates to file for Fielkow’s council seat

 Posted by at 4:06 pm  city government, elections, politics
Dec 072011
 

Stacy Head

Stacy Head, who represents much of Uptown in her District B seat on the New Orleans City Council, was among the first candidates to formally sign up to run in the March 24 election for the open at-large seat vacated by the retirement of former Councilman Arnie Fielkow, state records show. Continue reading »

Walgreens developer buys old American Legion hall on Magazine, begins initial renovations

 Posted by at 6:21 pm  business, city government, neighborhood groups
Dec 062011
 

The most recent rendering of plans for the redevelopment of the old American Legion hall on Magazine Street into a new Walgreens store.

Renovations began Monday that will convert the former American Legion hall on Magazine Street into a new Walgreens pharmacy, after the developer of the project finalized its purchase of the building late last month. Continue reading »

#OccupyNOLA eviction from Duncan Plaza (live coverage)

 Posted by at 6:51 am  city government, politics, public safety
Dec 062011
 

An #OccupyNOLA protester is led out of Duncan Plaza in plastic cuffs. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)

With an unspoken understanding between police and protesters that no one wanted a violent confrontation, the OccupyNOLA encampment in front of City Hall was disbanded early Tuesday morning in a pre-dawn sweep that led to only one arrest. Continue reading »

Cecile Tebo: My visit to OccupyNOLA

 Posted by at 5:30 am  city government, opinion, politics
Dec 062011
 

[Publisher's note: This column was written, edited and scheduled for publication today last week and over the weekend, without any knowledge that the OccupyNOLA gathering would be dispersed this morning. It has not been altered since then. For live coverage of the eviction of the #OccupyNOLA group from Duncan Plaza, see this article.]

Cecile Tebo

Catching wind last week that the OccupyNOLA group was about to get a visit from City Hall officials with a message to disband the Duncan Plaza area, I wanted a quick venture in before the message was delivered. I had been curious to see for myself who these folks living in our park were, as the reports I had heard were conflicting. Continue reading »

Pure Cake, Alamo Underground latest ventures to join Freret “renaissance”

 Posted by at 1:49 pm  arts, books and music, blight and demolition, business, city government, events, neighborhood groups, recovery
Dec 052011
 

Artist Devin Meyers' works on a mural at 4609 Freret Street, the old Jefferson's restaurant, on Saturday during the Freret Market. Meyers has worked on the mural about 40 hours so far and still has a few more days of painting until it is complete. The mural is based on a photograph that Meyers took in West Africa that has stuck with him. "I would like there to be more murals in New Orleans and this was a good opportunity to put one up." (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

Article by Patrick Rafferty, for UptownMessenger.com

With po-boys, pizza, hamburgers, Southern cuisine and sushi now on the Freret Street menu, the owners of two new ventures believe it’s time for dessert, or even a late-night snack. Continue reading »

Owen Courreges: The gated community of Uptown

 Posted by at 10:19 am  city government, colleges, opinion, public safety, transportation
Dec 052011
 

Owen Courreges

You would never confuse Uptown New Orleans with a modern American suburb.  Suburbs are post-Levittown marvels of mass production, complete with cul-de-sacs, large set-backs and (gasp!) gated communities. Uptown is the opposite.  Houses cling tightly to the sidewalk. A massive street grid connects everything, blending each neighborhood seamlessly into the next. Instead of large shopping centers, we boast commercial strips and corner businesses.

Given this massive disparity, one would think that anybody who prefers modern suburban amenities would steer clear of Uptown when deciding where to buy a house. Alas, you would be wrong. Uptown seems to have an inexhaustible supply of residents who incredulously deride New Orleans for being New Orleans, and irrationally expect to have their Uptown cake and suburbanize it too. Continue reading »

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