city government

Roadwork ahead: Lanes to close for repaving work on MLK Boulevard

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Drivers can expect intermittent lane closures on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from South Claiborne Avenue to Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard from Wednesday (June 21) through Friday of next week (June 30), as crews apply asphalt paving to the roadway. Motorists are advised to use caution during this time as the lane closures will occur across the closed parking and travel lanes. The street will reopen to traffic at 5:30 p.m. each day (see map.)

Signage and traffic control measures, such as barrels and fencing, will be onsite to direct drivers and pedestrians. Vehicles must be moved off the street before Wednesday at 7 a.m. The Department of Public Works asks that residents adhere to no parking signage on the streets. Vehicles parked in these zones will be ticketed and towed.

city government

Planning Commission rejects plan for Bohemia outdoor restaurant on Freret

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A proposed open-air restaurant complex on the Freret Street corridor received a thumbs-down from the City Planning Commission on Tuesday (May 23)

The large vacant lot on Freret and Upperline Street is envisioned as Bohemia Gardens, an outdoor recreational space with a bar and three restaurants featuring up-and-coming chefs, the developer told the CPC. In its report, the Planning Commission staff objected to the project’s design, stating it did not fit the character of the neighborhood. “The historical development pattern of the Freret Street mixed-use corridor is what makes Freret a vibrant and walkable neighborhood,” the staff states. “The proposed design strategy drastically departs from the character of Freret Street in that current layout of the structures breaks the rhythm and fabric of the street by not providing building facades to the edge of the sidewalk.”

The CPC asked the developers and their architect to bring the building facades to the sidewalk and combine the small structures into one larger building to anchor the corner of Freret and Upperline. After meetings with the CPC staff, a redesign and three deferrals, the Bohemia group had not brought the plans into compliance.

city government

Tulane University asking city for control over four Uptown blocks

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Tulane University is asking the city for control over four city blocks adjacent to its Uptown campus. The proposal requests “long-term leases for site control and access” to the four Uptown blocks and one block near the downtown medical school. The request took University Area neighbors, already rankled by parking and traffic congestion in the area, by surprise. Tulane spokesman Michael Strecker told Uptown Messenger that the university just wants to fix and maintain the Uptown streets. “None of these areas would be closed to the public,” Strecker said in an email.

Hoffman Triangle hosts Neighborhood Cares Day

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Taylor Park in the Hoffman Triangle hosted a Neighborhood Cares Day on Saturday (April 22) that featured a job fair, tabling from public health workers and community organizations, neighborhood cleanup teams, and clothing and food giveaways. As a DJ played music, attendees browsed brand-new clothing that was donated to Thrive New Orleans, collected free rapid Covid tests from Resilience Force NOLA, and mingled. Free neighborhood events like Saturday’s offer services to residents and a chance to meet people working for the city as well as connect with neighbors and community services. The well-attended event was organized by the Mayor’s office of Neighborhood Engagement, in partnership with District B Councilwoman Lesli Harris, Rebuilding Together New Orleans, the Hoffman Triangle Neighborhood Association, Thrive New Orleans, the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission, Resilience Force NOLA, and local businesses. 

College students Milahni and Rylie (students at Xavier and Loyola, respectively) were volunteering and tabling for For Us By Us Market, a farmer’s market that features Black vendors. “I heard about it from my nutrition professor,” said Milahni, while Rylie heard about the event on Instagram.

Roadwork ahead: Camp and Washington to close for six weeks

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The intersection of Washington Avenue and Camp Street will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning Monday (March 20) at 7 a.m. The closure is expected to last about six weeks. Crews from Department of Public Works contractor Hard Rock Construction will be doing subsurface utility repairs. The intersection is scheduled to reopen by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 28. Traffic control measures such as barrels and fencing will be onsite to direct drivers and pedestrians. The $12.5 million Camp Street (Louisiana Avenue to Washington Avenue) Infrastructure Improvement Project calls for repairing and/or replacing sewer and drainage lines.

Roadwork ahead: MLK Boulevard to close for a week between St. Charles and Oretha Castle Haley Castle Haley

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Beginning Monday (March 13) at 7 a.m., will temporarily close Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from St. Charles Avenue to Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. The closure is expected to last for one week, according to the Mayor’s Office. Crews from the Department of Public Works contractor Boh Bros Construction Co. will be performing asphalt paving operations.

City is proposing zoning changes for Uptown commercial corridors

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The city is proposing zoning changes for a few Uptown commercial corridors that would allow more housing in these areas. The City Planning Commission discussed these and other potential amendments to the city Master Plan last week at a public meeting held at the International School of Louisiana. The meeting was for Planning District 2, which includes  Central City, the Lower Garden District, St. Thomas, the Irish Channel, the Garden District, Milan, Touro-Bouligny, East Riverside and the Hoffman Triangle.  A few dozen residents showed up for the opportunity to see the proposed amendments in their district and provide feedback. The Master Plan, a policy and planning document, is subject to regular revision.

Join us in exploring the Many Lives of Charity Hospital, hosted by Chelsey Richard Napoleon, Clerk of Civil District Court (sponsored)

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The Honorable Chelsey Richard Napoleon is excited to announce this year’s Archives Month showcase! Email your interest in experiencing this new showcase: civilclerkresearchctr@orleanscdc.com
The Notarial Archives Research Center is located in our Land Records Division. These documents, which date back to the 1700s, represent the rich history of New Orleans. The archives can be used for property, genealogical, architectural and landscaping research, among other subjects. The Land Records Division is where documents regarding property are recorded.

city government

City is remaking its parks and recreation. And it wants your input.

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A new master plan for the city’s parks, The Big Green Easy project, is in the works. The city’s Office of Youth and Families and the New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) Commission — in partnership with Parks & Parkways, the City Park Commission and the Audubon Nature Institute — is now taking the first step: collecting public input on the public’s vision for the green space and recreation opportunities. The citywide plan is part of the 2019  parks and recreation millage proposal that passed with 76% voter approval. Public input is a core part of the project. A series of public meetings and an online survey will help shape the master plan.

Roadwork ahead: Lanes closed on St. Charles Avenue near MLK Boulevard

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The city has temporarily closed alternating uptown bound travel lane on the 1400 block of St. Charles Avenue, approaching Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The closure to accommodate asphalt paving operations will last all day on March 2, until 5:30 p.m.
Vehicles parked on the 1600-1800 blocks of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between St. Charles Avenue and Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard should be moved off the street, and the Department of Public Works asks that residents adhere to the “no parking” signage on the streets. Vehicles parked in these zones will be ticketed and towed.