Central City – Uptown Messenger

Danae Columbus: Redevelopment of Brown’s Dairy signals further change for Central City

Posted by UptownMessenger.com at 10:35 am business, land use & development, opinion, politics

Jun 132019

The former Brown’s Dairy complex has gone on the market. (Danae Columbus)

Danae Columbus, opinion columnist

Local and national real estate developers are excited by this week’s announcement that the former Brown’s Dairy complex — just uptown of the Pontchartrain Expressway and one block off St. Charles Avenue — is now for sale. According to listing agent Matthew Eaton of Re/Max, this 200,000-square-foot parcel presents the largest infill development opportunity to hit the New Orleans market in recent years. Continue reading »

Buddy Bolden house envisioned as center to foster young musicians

Posted by UptownMessenger.com at 11:15 am arts, books and music, blight and demolition, Featured, land use & development

May 062019

Musical pioneer Buddy Bolden’s former home on First and Lasalle streets. (courtesy of Preservation Resource Center)

By Emily Carmichael, emilycarmichael19@gmail.com

Musician PJ Morton had not heard of Buddy Bolden until three years ago, when the Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church, where his parents are pastors, planned to turn Bolden’s former Central City home into a parking lot.

The architect for the project, a longtime friend of Morton’s, sent him an article about Bolden, the cornetist considered the founding father of jazz. “[He] was like ‘Hey man your mom, they just tried to knock down Buddy Bolden’s house,’” Morton said. “And I’m like, ‘Who’s Buddy Bolden?’”

PJ Morton steps in with plan to save Buddy Bolden house in Central City

Posted by Katherine Hart at 11:18 am arts, books and music, blight and demolition, land use & development

Mar 282019

The unassuming First Street shotgun that Buddy Bolden once called home draws jazz pilgrims from across the globe. (via Google Maps)

The fate of the Central City shotgun where early jazz pioneer Charles “Buddy” Bolden once lived has long concerned preservationists and jazz aficionados. Now some fresh hope for the dilapidated building has appeared in the form of PJ Morton, an acclaimed musician with close ties to the building’s owner.

At a blight hearing Tuesday, Morton laid out plans to renovate the building at 2309 First St. He wants to turn the shotgun double and its twin next door into a museum, recording studio and event space, according to a Facebook post by the Preservation Resource Center, which is advising Morton on the project.

The Indians are coming: Here’s the schedule, route and music lineup for Super Sunday

Posted by UptownMessenger.com at 7:13 pm arts, books and music, events

Mar 152019

Big Chief Victor Harris of the Fi Ya Ya and Mandingo Warriors beats his tambourine down LaSalle street during the 2018 Super Sunday. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)

Super Sunday is an annual gathering of Mardi Gras Indian tribes celebrating their heritage and culture in a magnificent display of hand-sewn suits, singing, dancing and chanting. The festival in A.L. Davis Park will include two stages and more than 50 food and craft vendors.

Dew Drop Inn renovation deal falls through, but hopes for redevelopment remain

Posted by UptownMessenger.com at 7:41 am arts, books and music, business, Featured, land use & development

Mar 142019

The Dew Drop Inn remains vacant at 2836 LaSalle St. in Central City, as it has since 2005. (Nicholas Reimann, Uptown Messenger file photo)

By Nicholas Reimann, Uptown Messenger

The future of the historic Dew Drop Inn on LaSalle Street in Central City is once again in doubt, after a deal to restore the dilapidated former music hall fell through.

Ryan Thomas, owner of real estate development company Peregrine Interests, said a difficulty getting investors for the planned two-story development with a hotel, museum and restaurant — along with a music venue — is what held up the deal that was set to close Dec. 30.

Police blotter: Robbery, home invasion

Posted by UptownMessenger.com at 12:54 pm crime

Mar 122019

(via NOPD)

Man robbed on Felicity Street

A 48-year-old man was robbed on the street Monday night in Central City, the New Orleans Police Department reported.

Man gets 20 years in 2014 Central City killing

Posted by UptownMessenger.com at 1:05 pm court, crime

Feb 272019

George Short, 43, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Central City shooting death.

George Short was sentenced to 20 years last week for the killing of a man in Central City in 2014.

Short, 43, averted his scheduled murder trial and potential life sentence on Feb. 20 by entering into a plea agreement as potential jurors lined up outside the courtroom of Criminal District Judge Arthur Hunter, District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro’s office reported.

Under the terms of the agreement, Short pleaded guilty to an amended charge of manslaughter, two counts of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of introducing contraband into a corrections facility.

Café Reconcile recruiting new students

Posted by tcworthy at 2:00 pm food and drink, good works

Feb 112019

Cafe Reconcile is open for lunch M-F from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

Café Reconcile is recruiting new students for its 2019 classes. While Café Reconcile’s Class 1 is already underway, applications to participate in future classes, including Class 2 which begins March 18, are currently being accepted both online and in person. Young adults ages 16-24 years old can apply.

Café Reconcile is an eight-week hospitality training and job placement program that provides paid stipends, life skills classes, visits to industry partners, interview training and more. Continue reading »

Big Freedia helps Project NOLA install first gunshot-detection camera in Central City

Posted by UptownMessenger.com at 1:15 pm public safety

Jan 292019

Project NOLA Director Bryan Lagarde with Big Freedia, who paid for the city’s first gunshot detection crime camera in honor of her brother, who was shot to death in Central City. (courtesy of Project NOLA)

The city’s first gunshot-detection crime camera was installed last week on Martin Luther King Boulevard, Project NOLA reported. Sponsored by bounce music star Big Freedia, it was installed one year after Freedia’s younger brother Adam Ross was killed in a Central City shooting.

Police seeking suspects in car burglaries

Posted by Katherine Hart at 12:09 pm crime

Nov 062018

The NOPD is trying to identify the occupants of the pictured vehicle, who are wanted in connection with an auto burglary on Louisiana in Broadmoor. (via NOPD)

The New Orleans Police Department is seeking assistance in locating and identifying subjects linked to separate vehicle burglary incidents in Uptown locations. The first incident took place in Broadmoor on Oct. 31. On Nov. 1, multiple car burglaries were reported in the Sixth and Second districts.

In the Oct. 31 incident, officers are seeking assistance from the public in identifying the occupants of the pictured vehicle, who are wanted in connection with an auto burglary that occurred in the 3800 block of Louisiana Avenue Parkway.

The victim told police that on Oct. 31, around 7:30 a.m., he entered his vehicle and discovered several electronics had been stolen from inside the vehicle.

Suspect named in Thalia Street burglary

Posted by Katherine Hart at 11:24 am crime

Nov 052018

Kerry McMillian, 37, has been identified as the suspect in a Central City home burglary. (via NOPD)

The New Orleans Police Department is searching for a suspect in a simple burglary incident that occurred in the 2100 block of Thalia Street, near Saratoga Street.

The victim told police that he left his residence unlocked and unattended around 9 a.m. on Oct. 20. Upon returning to the location at approximately 11 a.m., the victim discovered that his wallet and cellphone were missing.

Suspect arrested in fatal hit-and-run on Claiborne

Posted by UptownMessenger.com at 11:22 am crime

Nov 022018

Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com

The New Orleans Police Department has arrested the driver believed to be responsible for a fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred Oct. 18 in the 2300 block of South Claiborne Avenue, near Philip Street.

Howard McDowell, 23, of Marrero was arrested Oct. 31 and charged with manslaughter in connection with fatal accident. The victim was a pedestrian.

Film festival selection features Central City youth football team and combating violence-based trauma

Posted by tcworthy at 12:05 pm arts, books and music, Festivals, film and television, sports and recreation

Oct 222018

The A.L. Davis Park Panthers, its players, and their mental health are the points of focus for the 2018 New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) selection, The Children of Central City.

The 18-minute documentary—shot and directed by Emma Scott, based on the reporting of Jonathan Bullington and Richard A. Webster—shows the impact of the youth football program based in Central City New Orleans, and the violent environment its children must go through.

New Central City park to commemorate historic 1957 founding of MLK’s civil rights organization

Posted by Robert Morris at 11:55 am city government, good works

Aug 312018

Part of a promotional flier for the fundraiser for the park. (via Felicity Redevelopment)

By Nicholas Riemann
Special to Uptown Messenger

On Feb. 14, 1957, a crucial moment of American history was made in Central City, when Martin Luther King Jr. came to the New Zion Baptist Church on Third Street to found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, what would become one of the country’s foremost African-American civil-rights organizations.

The only marker commending the group’s founding, though? A plaque on the edge of the church’s property. But there’s a dream to change that — one that’s now starting to become a reality. Continue reading »

Young Men Olympian Jr. second line Sunday through Central City

Posted by Robert Morris at 8:56 am events

Sep 222012

The Young Men Olympian Junior Benevolent Association will hold its 128th annual second line Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. at the club’s hall on South Liberty and looping around Louisiana Avenue, South Claiborne and Martin Luther King Boulevard, touted by Gambit’s Big Red Cotton as “the biggest, most exciting second line of the season.” See her post at Gambit for turn-by-turn details.

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