People gather outside the new Allstate Insurance office at 3001 Napoleon avenue on August 12. The same building is home to the Green Tea restaurant and a Verizon store. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
The development saga that started years ago with the displacement of a small Chinese restaurant from the Garden District ended Sunday with the grand opening of an Allstate insurance agency in Broadmoor, the final tenant in the new Green Tea development there.
City Councilman Jay H. Banks and Mei Xiao pose for a photo together at the AllState grand opening in Broadmoor. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
Green Tea was formerly next door to the Blockbuster video store, but after the video-rental business’s demise, plans were announced in 2014 to convert the entire development into a CVS, displacing the restaurant and other tenants. Last year, however, owner Yung Lau finished construction on a new development for his restaurant at the prominent corner of South Claiborne and Napoleon avenues, which then-Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell hailed as an important milestone in the revitalization of South Claiborne Avenue.
Over the past year, a Verizon store leased the second unit in Lau’s development, and on Sunday, his wife, Mei Xiao, opened her branch of Allstate insurance in the third and final unit. The grand opening brought out not only friends and well-wishers, but also new District B City Councilman Jay H. Banks, who praised the couple’s work at the corner.
(Left to right) Whitney Batiste, Mei Xiao, agency owner of the Allstate branch, Robert Romero, honorary counsel from the Philippine Honorary Consulate – Louisiana and Mike Singler cut a ribbon, officially opening the new Allstate Insurance branch at 3001 Napoleon avenue on August 12. The same building is home to the Green Tea restaurant and a Verizon store. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
AD Berry, from WYLD 98.5, takes a video with Mei Xiao outside the new Allstate Insurance building at 3001 Napoleon avenue on August 12. The same building is home to the Green Tea restaurant and a Verizon store. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
