The site for the proposed tennis club. (via City Planning Commission)
A community meeting is planned for the proposed tennis club at Palmetto and Monroe streets in the Dixon neighborhood.
The tennis center is the dream of Kevin Chaouat, a former Xavier University tennis player and now coach at Xavier. Chaouat has said he wants to create a tennis center that is a place for play, from beginner to professional, and for instruction at all levels. The business plans include accessibility to the facility for community members, particularly children.
The meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 23, at noon at the tennis center site, 8701 Palmetto St. The property, currently vacant land, is between Airline Highway and the Palmetto overpass.
The plans include covered and open-air tennis courts as well as a small indoor facility with a pro shop, showers and an open area.
The City Planning Commission voted to combine two tracts of land and change the zoning to an HU-RM2 multifamily residential district. Pending City Council action could consider a tennis center as a conditional use in the HU-RM2 zoning district.
Chaouat and his land-use counsel from Sherman Strategies held earlier Neighborhood Participation Project meeting and other meetings on the project, but the application for a conditional use to allow a tennis center at this site requires an additional meeting. This will be the first meeting at the site, so that neighbors can better visualize the project. It will include a walk-through tour.
Rendering of the proposed New Orleans Racquet Club by architect and designer Wendy Kerrigan, AIA of Studio 30|90; in association with Olivia Erwin of Olivia Erwin Interiors. (neworleansracquetclub.com)
