WRM2007

Good news for the New Orleans area. If the city would proceed and rip down murderous, ghetto projects from it's main boulevard, then MAYBE a Macy's or a Dillard's would returning with boutique style stores along CANAL such as what Rubenstein's offers. There is no glamour when a murder a day happens over lunch/dinner just blocks away. Chocolate city my arse. So why didn't independents take the ball and roll with it sooner?? Because independents are elitist and insular.

Beautiful pic of Bourbon. When I worked for one of the tour companies for a couple of years, I would always tell visitors looking for Bourbon during the daytime to start down down Royal, go down as far as possible.....preferreably to Esplanade.....then walk UP Bourbon towards Canal. One then sees the residential aspect as well as the visual rythym that is missing from the opposite end....at least during the day.

'Bounce' music/rap came from that area. And it was horrendous and the West Coast hated it. It reflected the serious ignorance of project blacks in New Orleans. Jazz musicians may have come from rough and tumble hoods, but the CONFIGURATION of these bloody bricks did not define or dominate or even exist. Big difference.

Oh I understand the mixed nature of New Orleans neighborhoods; I am not seeking to change that one bit. I am seeking to change the configuration of ONE MOTHER SHIP DOMINATING/RADIATING HER NEGATIVE ETHOS INTO THE MORE IMPORTANT HISTORICAL AREAS that she is allowed to exist in. SHE is a visitor, considering the age of the hoods and homes she exists in......There is a clear difference between a row of houses on a street that some own and some do not and a MOTHER SHIP. The former can be controlled and maneuvered much easier; the latter offers ENTRENCHMENT...at best. And C.J. Peete is really not the Garden District proper....it is Central City. The St. Thomas resided directly within the Garden, Lower Garden, and Irish Channel hoods........which existed LOOOOONG before the mother ship Thomas. Mother ship is gone....and so is the sense of being held hostage. Now we must move to the OTHER side of 'The Avenue' and raze those other mother ships. And then on to Lafitte and Iberville. It is time that our history cease being defined by this filth as well as black New Orleans. That is, black New Orleans being defined by it as well.

The garden District doesn't have a project in it's backyard. Not anymore. But I'm still baffled at why folk defend this ugly monstrosity anchoring our main grand boulevard. And I still wonder what type of condo dweller will live there....WITH a murderous ghetto in ones back yard??? Will they discount the condo fee for the occasional murder? They are 'partially' re-opened. Something to do with the hotels needing cooks and cleaners and room attendants......I dunno. I contend it was to shut the rabble-rousers up. "SAVE IBERVILLE"! Indeed.

While I'm excited to see the building preserved and turned into condos, (Canal needs MORE residential conversions) I just cant imagine anyone wanting to live with a dangerous housing project in your backyard.

Thank God! When one checks out their site and sees how the building will look and where it will be, you realize what a wonderful addition this building will be to the downtown landscape.

While walking down Camp the other day I turned back to see the lot that Trump will be in. And I saw that from that vantage point the Trump building (aqua bluish in color) will contrast nicely against the white-stone color of the court buildings across the street.....or at least I think it was the court buildings. I still think Lafayette Square is screaming for a beautiful, elegant black wrought-iron fence.

Your photos are exquisite. We share the same eye for street/urban vistas. Keep em' coming.

I live in Metairie.....much to my despair. Grew up in River Ridge. I enjoy walking the city. I started this many years ago: I call it the *state of my city*. When one knows the layout of the town.....it's boundaries.....when the neighborhoods are no longer a mystery.....one sees the potential and beauty of what we must fight for..........you have no more fear. Those who slam New Orleans have either never been here or have never ventured past Bourbon Street. Walked mid-city a few weeks back: Canal, Iberville, Bienville, Banks, Palmyra, Cleveland. I was most encouraged by what I saw and felt with my mid-city jaunt. Lot's of street vistas to be recorded there. Thanks for the pics.

Walked the city day before last. Beautiful sunny day. Walked S. Peters, Tchoup, Magazine, Camp, St. Charles from Iberville to Howard. Love feeling the immediate shift from Fauborg St. Mary to the foreign/euro density of the upper Quarter. Also saw where Tracage will be built; great location.....I'm excited. LOVE the Warehouse district. If I had my druthers, that is where I would live. I had coffee at the outdoor patio of the Board Of Trade Plaza; sat and had a bite to eat within the Piazza D' Italia; crossed thru Place St. Charles while heading towards Carondelet........as well as using the rest room in the food court. And all Ikept thinking was......'This is great URBAN LIVING'. There is much to fight for. To those who will take pics: take pics of the vista of Julia from say......South Peters or Tchoup looking away from the river..........beautiful visual rythym; most lovely from the Emabassy Suites. Also, I think that Lafayette Square is SCREAMING for a beautiful black wrought-iron fence to surround it......like Jackson Square.

I'm disappointed that this (VANTAGE) has temporarily fallen through. When one looks at the location of where it would have been, you realize that this section of the CBD needs this type of development; as is, it's too much open space, ugly buildings, and parking lots. I hope it will re-ignite in the near future. Skyline Development NEEDS to be growing in this direction:between Canal & Tulane.