Naw'lins Pics

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

Oh... I forgot, great pics Mancuso!

[dalparadise]

Yes, very nice pics. I love N.O. aswell. Very fond memories, especially of Jazz Fest.

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Yeah, and the entire state of Oklahoma is a pit.

[dalparadise]

Yeah, and the entire state of Oklahoma is a pit.

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Sorry, I meant that as a kidding reply to Sooner and Rice grad.

[Hunter]

Thanks for posting the pics. I so miss that lovely city. Where I do agree that it can be a dangerous place I still ove it. It is not a place you woudl want to raise a family anymore but if I was single or had not kids I would live there in a heart beat.

Both of my parent were born and rasied there and I was born there but primarly raised in Houston. Again thanks

[RayLSU]

New Orleans is a great city. There is a lot of short-sightedness on this forum in that regard. While New Orleans has a lot of crime, it isn't all over the city like some portray. Some of the most beautiful residential areas that I've ever seen are in New Orleans. Houston's downtown will never have the appeal for tourism and cultural activities like the city of New Orleans. Sure, Bourbon Street stinks, but it is a bar strip in the middle of a city. Any areas with non-stop partying will be the same.

HOWEVER, there is no sustainable economy in NO except tourism. Most people have to leave South Louisiana to go to cities like Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta to get really good jobs that pay well. Not so many people flee NO and South LA like some portray because the thing about people there is they are very family focused, and those that leave generally return within a few years.

I like Houston and grew up outside of New Orleans in a smaller town. However, I would no go back unless I got one unbelievable opportunity (which isn't likely). I live in Midtown Houston and there is no way that it compares to Uptown New Orleans. Nothing in Houston does if you like a lot of historical influence in your architecture and atmosphere.

Houston could learn a lot from New Orleans from a historical and architectural perspepctive. However, NO could learn a lot from Houston in more economic regards. That being said, Houston isn't exactly a beacon of economic diversity.

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

Sorry, I meant that as a kidding reply to Sooner and Rice grad.

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I haven't been on in awhile... I apoligize. Life has wrapped me up, lol. I was taken aback when I did see that though, reassured when I saw your explanation though. Good one. Ha!

Not True Though.

[tw2ntyse7en]

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[kjb434]

I grew up in the city of Thibodaux about 60 miles southwest of New Orleans. I've visited New Orleans several times and made it a point to see more and more areas. The city is always better than the news portrays it. You would think the city should be called New Fallujah from the new reports, but it is not that bad.

The current Mayor is also weeding out all the corruption from the past 20 years of bad mayors. He is a local business man that is cleaning things up like Mayor White is trying to do here.

[Hunter]

Garden District - Beautiful streetside density. 200 year old woodframe victorians next to double entry/exit shotguns. St. Charles Ave & the electric streetcars, with wonderful mansion type homes & oak trees lining the street all the way to Carrollton Ave.

Uptown - Still more beautiful victorian architecture & home to Audobon Zoo and Audobon Place (a River Oaks type neighborhood), also home to Loyola University.

(I will edit this post to add pictures as soon as I get them hosted, which should be today.)

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My father grew up on Audubon blvd in the heart of the garden district. I spent many a happy day lying in the grass in the front yard watching the squirrels playing the ancient oaks and riding the streetcars down to the Quarter. Ah how I miss those days.

Can

[Gary]

The Garden District - in may eyes it is the best neighborhoods on the continent.

The Warehouse District - Old Warehouses turned into lofts, art galleries, and upscale restaurants.

Mid City - nice neighborhoods lined with oaks and century old homes and business

The Margine - just like the French quarter but not with clubs and bars.

By-Water - a up and coming neighborhood with artist and professionals

Old Metarie - old estates just outside the city that is on par with river oaks

The CBD - that has many turn of the century skyscrapers.

Should I go on?

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Although I wouldn't want to live there I have to admit that I like N.O. It's unlike any city in the country and has such a french feel to it. My wife is from Red Stick (Baton Rouge) so I get over there every now and again. The food is great to!!!

[J.A.S.O.N.]

Do people from smaller surrounding cities or in New Orleans metro treat it as any other "Big City", where they come to shop, enjoy theatre, sporting venues and such on the weekends?

[111486]

Great pics jmancuso. I don't know what is up with some, but when some people bash on another city, take it as a compliment, because deep down inside they are really thinking differently. I don't know, I just notice that on some of these threads. I love NO.

[tw2ntyse7en]

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[musicman]

New Orleans is supposed to be a bit dirty, and mildewed and decayed. It's what gives the French Quarter its patina, its ambiance, its mystery.

New Orleans can be dangerous. The natives were very clear about which streets to avoid at night, and even on which side of the street I should walk (the side away from where the cars are parked; muggers lurk there).

New Orleans is a peculiar blend of truth and fiction, of calculated charm. If I had a spare liver, I'd love to live there.

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You are correct. It is a great place to visit. I go at least 3x/yr. However living in the Quarter (or nearby can be difficult). Many long term residents that I know are moving from the quarter.

The comment about walking on the side of the street where the cars aren't parked is true.

I went on a garden district tour 4-5 yrs ago and i remember the guide told the ladies "please clutch your purses as you walk through the intersection." I asked why? and she said that the kids come by on their bikes and while the ladies are crossing the intersection, they grab their purses.

The architecture is wonderful as i have befriended numerous residents who now invite me to stay with them while i'm there. Some of them consider me a native there. I know to say buGUNdy not BURgandy, etc The people are nice there just like Houston.

Yes the town is economically blighted for most, however the Quarter area is a wonderful place to visit for adults. Kind of like Houston, there are MANY hidden gems. If you say off the beaten path, you will like it.

As for that spare liver, head to Warren's Inn downtown on Travis, I'm sure there are a few there to spare.

[JWR]

I'm from New Orleans, and I'm not one for bashing. But one thing I can't tolerate is someone talking about my home. The best thing that ever happened to New Orleans was the oil bust. New Orleans was poised to become what Houston is. And thanks to some political pocket lining and the economy, ironically for the best, we missed out on the mess that Houston endures. Yes, New Orleans is dirty. But a little dirt doesn't kill. The New Orleans murder rate does seem high. But take out a map. Mark in red where all of the murders occur. You'd find a pretty clean map with a couple of dime sized red dots. The fact is that the perception of crime here is much worse than the violent crime itself. It's VERY confined to just a few areas. I also happen to like the fact that anywhere I need to go, I can get there within a half an hour. And that's with heavy traffic! New Orleans did miss out on a whole hell of a lot. We missed out on being #1. Number 1 in air polution, ground polution, water polution, reinforced concrete highway monstrosities, and out of control urban sprawl. We are by no means perfect. Unlike Houston, we don't claim to be. We are struggling with our public school system. We are cleaning up our fragile corporate environment. We are working hard on our strengths in tourism and the convention industry. We are taking the regional approach seriously in our area. (example: La. has committed 1 million dollars to help Stennis, in Miss., land a NASA project) We, as a community, have taken a step back... looked good and hard at what we want to become, and we're trying to do our best to get there. We don't want to be Houston or Atlanta. We want to be the New Orleans that we know we can be, unique in every way. So please, before you bash my home, take a good look at your own.

[kjb434]

Great post JWR. I'm from Thibodaux and love to go to New Orleans. I like your representation about the murder rate in New Orleans. It is so true.

[NCB]

yea great post JWR..N.O. is a great city..but just like any other big city it has problems. problems that are being solved and handled in the proper way. Now the real estate market is hitting big and plans for 3 new high rise condos are being brought up. New Orleans seems to be moving forward, new jobs are being created, 2004 was the first year that the gain in the metro pop. wasnt just from people moving out or NO but from people(mostly retired people) moving to the suburbs around the city, and now if these condos work it could draw even more people to the city which would bring in more money and create more jobs which would make the cities economy go up. I was born in NO and I now live in covington about 40 miles north.. and I love the city. there is so much to do, amazing food and culture..and history is everywhere. Houston is great to, i have family living in the woodlands area and consider it my secong home..but there is just something about New Orleans that makes me love it.

does anyone know when the artists pic of the new 700-800 foot condo will be released??

[JWR]

Here's the problem... There is a tower that hasn't been announced yet. It's supposed to be an office tower, possibly a mixed-up devolopment like the Hancock Tower in Chicago is. They want to be the tallest (and from the talk, will be no matter what). But the knew condo tower wants the honors. That's why they first said 50 stories @ 700 ft. Now they say 60 stories, which would make it atleast 790 ft, and that's with 8' high ceilings with 1' thick decks. From the sound of things, they could go into a height battle. If they finally decide on a height, it could go before the Regional Planning Commission by next month. If it passes, they should be eager to introducing it to the public. So, I would think that we would be seeing it by the end of July.

[kjb434]

Great news.

I guess all those post cards showing the city skyline will have to be updated soon.

[NCB]

once the height on the buildings is agreed on, should they have a problem being approved or will construction start farely quickly?

[JWR]

There should be no problem. The condo tower purchased the block that the building will be built on a couple of weeks ago and the financing is already in place. They said that if they were able to agree on a purchase price for the block, which they did, that construction would start by the end of this year. As far as the other tower goes, they've got the money, and I believe the design phase is over. I'd think to get financing that it would have to be done. But I don't know where it would be built. I would imagine on Poydras as well, since it's the high-rise corridor. But that tower won't even be announced until the end or beginning of next year.

[NCB]

im glad the funding for the condo tower is in place, money for these things is always such an issue in N.O.

i hope the condo tower will have a spire..if they really want it to be the center of the skyline they need to make it stand out, and a tall spire woulddo that and it would also add height to the building 1. so it would be more then 3 ft. taller then shell square 2. so that mobile doesnt have the tallest building on the gulf cost, thats just embarrasing to N.O.

[NCB]

and JWR is this other building you talking about the "ultra luxurious state of the art building" that i have been hearing about? becasue if it is i have heard that the project wont be scrapped because of a height war with the condo tower and that it will be built no matter what

[kjb434]

good news NCB.

I believed New Orleans always had the layout to have a great skyline.

[NCB]

yes theyve always had a good layout but funding has always been a problem becasuse of new orleans a poor city and other factors; the fact that new orleans is sinking makes some areas very difficult to build a large structure on, and many builds have been downsized or scrapped all together because historic buildings would have to be destroyed in order for the building to be built.

but it seems to be coming together now, and if this "other" tower is a mixed office and condo building im shure that would help bring in more busineses

[LTAWACS]

looks pretty cool

[kjb434]

The sinking issue is not a reall factor in the construction of skyscrapers of New Orleans. The solution is to dig a deep basement (2 floor for N.O.), then drive lots of pilling under the basement.

The downtown areas actually sits on a geologic formation that is fairly strong. The GNO bridges use the same formation. It is some large areas a densely compacted sand deep beneth surface. The bridge and many large building will tap into this to support themselves.

Much of the rest of the city doesn't have this formation. Mostly around downtown and parts near the river.

This is mostly from my Foundations course in college which also had a Louisiana Geology supplemental.

[NCB]

the only issue with all the planning going on in N.O. is money. i realize the major building being build and proposed are privately funded, manny of the majot projects like the new medical center and the major expansion of canal street dont really describe where the money will come from(this is a state/city that can barely make a 10 million dollar payment to the saints)

if anyone knows more about the funding of these projects, please let me know

[NCB]

and thanks for the info kjb..i wasnt aware of how they solve that problem

[TSmith]

the only issue with all the planning going on in N.O. is money. i realize the major building being build and proposed are privately funded, manny of the majot projects like the new medical center and the major expansion of canal street dont really describe where the money will come from(this is a state/city that can barely make a 10 million dollar payment to the saints)

if anyone knows more about the funding of these projects, please let me know

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Well, with the price of oil near $60/barrel, Louisiana is flush with cash at the moment. Every budget estimating conference finds more money each time they issue their report. Paying the Saints is a matter of priority, and right now, they are near the bottom, unfortunately. As for the city, hotel/motel taxes have been hurt by blocks of rooms being purchased at drastically reduced rates by websites such as Hotels.com. However, Mayor Nagin has run the city like a business, and has New Orleans on sound financial ground. Before he took office, the previous mayor had let the state of financial matters get out of control. When Mayor Nagin took office, the city only had 12 hours of cash reserves on hand to run city services. Now, it's close to a month, which is the norm. A little known fact about New Orleans is that it is home to many small businesses. There are few large businesses left, but the city has a robust community of small businesses... one of the largest number of small businesses per capita in the country. Mayor Nagin also recently passed a $250million proposal to replace or repair hundreds of miles of streets in New Orleans, freeing up millions for other services and for the city's department of economic development. All of this has New Orleans' bond rating at it's highest point in years, allowing the city to help finance projects throughout the city. As a matter of fact, at the moment, there is approximately $1.5Billion worth of construction in the city's downtown district alone... with more on the way. Hopefully, this clearred things up for you.