NCB

But are the crowds and tourists back? I know some are, but how much compared to before Katrina?

Quite a few of them, to say the least. New Orleans is "back in the swing" with things like conventions, and festivals such as Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, French Quarter Fest, etc. The days of constant flows of tourists from conventions are back now, for the most part.

Not here to argue about Nagin; the guy is a moron, and that's coming from someone who knew of him long before Katrina. However, I did want to let some of you know that New Orleans, especially the CBD and the Quarter, are practically spotless now. The days of trash all over New Orleans are long gone, thanks to a new and locally owned waste removal company in the city. The French Quarter, which has historically (I'm talking 300 years back) always been very dirty, is cleaner now than it has ever been according to city historians. For decades, Mardi Gras attendance in New Orleans has been estimated based off of the amount of trash in the city, however, those days are gone as well.

And as someone who lived in the Quarter for 18 years, I can tell you, it's much cleaner now than I have ever seen it, especially on Bourbon Street, which is almost a miracle!

i know three couples who moved here from nola. they are all still here. one told me that his business has no plans to return so he goes back to his house every 2 weeks. another couple just moved into the heights. they are liking it here too much to return. they lived on royal before but their place was pillaged after the storm.

Yeah, that's not suprising. Many have not, and will not, return. However, one interesting thing is the fact that very many new people are moving to New Orleans right now because of the opportunities for good jobs, and to help the city rebuild. The USA Today ran a story about that a couple of months ago, and I'll try to dig it up.

I'm a student at Tulane, and it, along with just about all of the other New Orleans universities, will see a major jump it students from outside of the area next year. Tulane, UNO, Loyola, SUNO, Xavier, etc. are all going to see this jump, which was not in any way expected, as it was only a year ago that these schools had to cut classes because enrollment had dropped dramatically. This is something that I'm happy to see, as it's very encouraging to see so many young people showing interest in the city.

BWT, musicman, what type of business did the man you're talking about run or work for in New Orleans?

not sure how positive this is. i know several who've moved here and the pics i've seen aren't encouraging. i think a significant portion are construction people.

Don't know what parts of the city you're referring to, but neighborhoods like Lakeview, Gentilly, New Orleans East, etc. are really moving forward right now. The progress from a year ago is just amazing. The fastest growing neighborhoods in the city right now are the neighborhoods that sustained the most damage, and that's a very good sign. Another thing to note is the fact that the New Orleans metro area is growing faster now than it ever has before. Jefferson Parish leads the nation in job growth, with Saint Tammany Parish not far behind. Three of the fastest growing parish's in the state are located in metro New Orleans, and Saint Bernard Parish, which was completely dessimated by Katrina, is coming back faster than anyone expected right now.

As for the question about business; something like 97% of large businesses in New Orleans have returned after Katrina, and most of them are doing well. Small businesses are still facing problems, but most are starting to really move forward now as tourism returns to the city.

I'll tell you guys, as someone who has been here since Katrina, and was highly skeptical about this city's complete recovery a year ago, things really are getting better. The rebuilding process has really picked up, people are coming back, businesses are coming back, tourism is coming back, schools are greatly improving, and on and on. Behind the national stories about the crime and slow pace of recovery in the Lower 9, the city is really coming back.

Based on your post, it sounds like these things only "feel" like New Orleans when IN New Orleans. So my guess is that perhaps these items will never have the same feeling considering they are not coming from New Orleans

That is true, IMO, and something I was trying to point out. I agree with the poster who said that the experience of eating the food in the area where it originated is a big part of it all. Someone used an analogy that I would like to add again, a Mexican restaurant in Houston can get the same exact ingredients and use the same cooking teqniques as a small "mom and pop" restaurant anywhere in Mexico, but the experience and overall "feel" of the food may not be the same. It's the same scenario with a seafood restaurant in Houston and in New Orleans. You'll never truly be able to duplicate what makes the food and experience in New Orleans so special.

And to dbigtex56, yes, it's the same Gulf of Mexico, but that doesn't mean what you'll find in the Gulf around SE Louisiana is the same as what you'll get in SE Texas. If you don't believe that seafood coming off the coast of SE Louisiana is any different in taste than what you get off the coast of Texas, then that's fine by me. But most people who are familiar with the food originating in both area's will tell you that is not the case. The Mississippi River Delta and everything the river carries alone affects the seafood in this area, and you won't find that in Texas. It's not about state boundries in this case, it's simply about different geological things affecting the Gulf. The Gulf of Mexico in SE Louisiana is is no way exactly the same as it is in SE Texas, and the same can be said about what is found in the Gulf here.

http://jasonsdeli.com/

Based off of the description of their Muffaletta on the website, their Muff would actually be a bit smaller than the original Muffaletta found in the founding location(s) in New Orleans. The Muff at Jason's Deli is 9 inches across, while the original Muffaletta from Central Grocery is about 10 inches across. Either way, both are big enough to serve as all three of your daily meals.

Try going to any Jason's Deli and you will find those there. Major difference will be the size. They are built Texas sized!

I did forget about Jason's Deli, and I don't know why considering they're everywhere now. But I can't say I've ever been to a Jason's Deli, so I don't know how big the Muffaletta's are. This is the original Muffaletta that originated in 1906 at Central Grocery in the French Quarter, and it is big enough to feed at least two people. Are the Muffaletta's at Jason's Deli even bigger than this?

I'm still trying to figure out what native cuisines they can't find here in Houston though.

It's the quality more than the quantity. The food in New Orleans is unique to New Orleans, and only New Orleans. You'll find things like po-boys, "gumbo," etouffee, jambalaya, bisque, and whatnot in Houston and other cities, but it's nothing like what you get in New Orleans. It all feels more like a copy rather than the genuine feel you get from the food in New Orleans. Houston may have many of the dishes, but it won't be the same or as good as what most New Orleanians are used to. But I can't say I've ever seen a place offering things like Muffaletta's or real beignets in Houston. And as for seafood, there is obviously plenty of it in Houston, but again, it's just not the same. The shrimp, crabs, oysters, and many different types of fish that you find here are the cream of the crop, and once you get outside of south Louisiana, it's just not the same.

I spent a few hours in New Orleans Wednesday just walking around and taking pictures, and here are some of them from the Riverfront, the CBD, and the French Quarter. The city looks very quiet and and deserted in most of these pictures, but that is because most of them were taken between 6:30-7:30 in the morning, before most of the downtown workforce piles into the city. Downtown is back to being very busy and chaotic during the day as nearly all of the workforce is back, or has been replaced.

I apolozige for the number of photos, I've never been good at selecting only a few photos out of hundreds to post.

This building is actually being converted into condo's

Charity Hosiptal, this building may not be around much longer

And that's it! Hope you guys liked the pictures.

Just saw an ad on CNN for "Louisiana Rebirth." Encouraging people across the country to visit again. Seems like a good idea, but I wonder if it's a little premature. Anyone been to New Orleans in the last couple of weeks?

I think now is the perfect time. Things in New Orleans are starting to come back pretty quickly. The French Quarter is more than fine, as is most of downtown, Harrah's Casino has re-opened, the Riverfront is completely fine, as are many parts of The Garden District, the streetcars are running again on Canal and on the Riverfront(though no the red cars you usually see) and in the next few months the Saint Charles Ave. streetcar line will be up and running again as well. Even the hardest hit areas like Lakeview have FEMA trailers in front of nearly every house, people are rebuilding, more and more businesses are opening back up, etc.

Population-wise, the city's population is now well above 200,000, and could be as high as 300,000. You here different numbers and projections from everyone, but if I were to make an educated guess at the city's current population, I would say somewhere between 225K-250K. And the metro area is booming, and now is back up to 1.2 million.

I don't know, Mr. Forman looked like he was about to get beaten senseless during that Q&A session that they did on MSNBC last week. The other candidates were acting as if he were a nimrod.

I don't know if Landrieu is an upgrade over Nagin but I've heard some people say that they're not all that cool with having a family of politicians back in New Orleans (Mary Landrieu, Mitch's wife, I believe, is a congresswoman).

We'll see how it goes.

Mary Landieu is his sister, and she is Louisiana's lead senator. I think Landrieu would be an improvement over Nagin, but I don't know if he has the will and commitment that will be necessary to turn the city's government, education system, and the overall way it approaches and does business around.

Just to give you guys some info from here in New Orleans, Nagin doesn't have an easy shot at this one. The primary contender is current Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu. His father, Moon Landrieu was one of the best mayor's that New Orleans has ever seen, and his sister Mary Landrieu is the lead senator for Louisiana.

The top 3 are Landrieu, Nagin, and Ron Forman. A very well known businessman in New Orleans. But nearly everyone expects to see Landrieu and Nagin in the runoff, and at that point, I think Landrieu has a better chance to win. One major factor is that the city is now greatly predominantly white, and Landrieu is also well liked throughout the African American community because the Landrieu family has always been high on equality and rights for African Americans. But then again, you never know with elections, but Landrieu is still the current favorite to be the next mayor of New Orleans.

Article from the Times Picayune..

In CBD, condo tower preparing for takeoff

Many developers see room for more

Article

I really see this tower moving forward. Everything has already been fully financed, it is not interfering with any height or zoning limits, and it will not affect any historic structures or districts. This will be interesting to watch.

Hey guys!

I havent posted here in quite some time, as I just got my power back last week, but I have some updates on this project.

A rendering has been released, to see it, go to www.adache.com, and click on "portfolio" and Trump Tower is the 1st project in the box at the bottom.

thanks alot TSmith, that really helped, sadly when "big projects that could really help the city" come up, i look at them pessimistically, due to the fact that so many projects have failed. Now however i am really starting to think this really will work.

To start a fire, you need a spark, and hopefully the condo boom, tourist friendly projects, and better streets etc.. will be the spark that will get new orleans going

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

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

a few skyscraper and real estate sites are saying that developers are trying to bring this building back,and that the area where it was designed to be built is still a street level parking lot

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

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

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.

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

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??