alon504

I'm so glad to see the Hyatt come back...with the new streetcar in this area along with Champions Square by the Dome...this area is coming back alive!

Double post.

The building is starting to go up...there is a large crane onsite now.

I drove by there the other day and they were driving piles. Construction is underway and I'm glad. That area of Canal is coming back a little slower, but, I think this project will speed things along.

That's an ugly building. There has to be another renduring coming out that will do that building more justice. This is why I would prefer to see projects scrapped if they can't be done right. There needs to be more height at that location.

I like the City of New Orleans new website.

Yes...we will be fine. The team is in the process of reconnecting with the city. It's a little bizarre scenario as New Orleans was just grasping the team when Katrina struck. The last two years threw things out of whack, but, we're reconnecting. It will be fine. They aren't leaving. The new contract is an "interim," contract. Expect a full fledged contract in 2010, at the latest. We will meet the benchmarks. FYI, it helps that we have a winning team.

Don't take it so personal....as far as New Orleans, it was filthy pre-Katrina. Thank God the city wisened up and got this city cleaned up properly post-Katrina. Granted the waste contract had to literally double in price, but, it's worked. I love Georgia, but, it's just not the Georgia I once knew. Sorry, that is how I feel. I still visit pretty often, but, when I go N. of Atlanta and see what has happened, it breaks my heart. It will never be the same.

I hate to see this happen to Georgia. I've loved Georgia for so many years. Georgia is destroying itself with all of this wild, unregulated growth. The pollution in Atlanta is terrible, Lake Lanier is drying up, and the creeks and rivers of the N. Georgia mountains are so polluted they are practically contaminated. I will never go canoeing in N. Georgia again. Everybody in Georgia thinks that this growth is such a great thing. The bottom line is it is only more humans. That's all it is. And it has ruined Georgia for the rest of our lives.

It's getting chilly finally. The wind is blowing pretty good tonight from the North. With dropping temps overnight, I can easily see wind chills in the 30's for the Southshore tomorrow AM...and 20's for the Northshore. Clearly a strong Canadian front has passed through the area.

That is Icinola. My two very good friends are behind this development. I've seen the plans and have been in the building numerous times. It is going to be a great project for the Bywater. And they are getting ready to roll with it....I think construction is starting in November. That is what I hear from them whenever we discuss their project. But, we don't talk about it that much. Just basics.

Icinola in the Bywater is coming. Two very good friends of mine are developing this Bywater project. They are shooting for a Fall, 2007 groundbreaking.... http://www.icinola.com

I heard that Vantage was failing about 6 months ago...apparently it was a poor business plan. The units were too small and over-priced. But, I've heard positive things with varying degrees about most of the other projects... We'll see what happens. In any case, things are beginning to escalate with improvement all over the City and we're going to be seeing noteworthy developments underway by years end.

My parents moved to Livingston Parish after their home flooded with Katrina. It's very interesting that there are now several thousand that live in Livingston Parish, are counted as "Metro Baton Rouge," but, commute and live their lives out of New Orleans. My parents have little to nothing to do with Baton Rouge. Their lives revolve around New Orleans, yet, they are counted as Metro Baton Rouge. The Metro areas are, obviously converging along I-12, not I-10.

It's very cold tonight...I just took my dogs out for the evening bathroom outing.

Incidently, I drove past this project today and they have begun tearing down the structure that is there, now, to make way for Tracage to begin construction.

Here is the project:

My name is Sean and I live in Uptown New Orleans.

Not to mention that unbelieveably wonderful crawfish that come from there!!!

Royal Street in New Orleans....

I think Jackson is a great city...I have issues with the interstate system in Jackson. It is lagging, IMO. Traffic and accidents are ridiculous. The interstates are narrow, turny, and outdated. I have family in Jackson and always stay at the Hilton Hotel on County Line Road when I visit...nice area. Jackson city limits is showing signs of urban issues and needs to address these issues. Population in the city is decreasing and it needs to get addressed before it gets like New Orleans. We are having alot of ground and issues to make up from the past 30 years. It's a hard and expensive job for people that live in New Orleans now...The outskirts of Jackson are experiencing the most positive economic developments.

It's been so hot here this Summer...please allow me to reminisce back to Christmas Day, 2004 in New Orleans with more than 1 photo.... New Orleans French Quarter... Suburban Meraux, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana... Skiing in Chalmette, Louisiana!! (or trying too... ) Uptown New Orleans as the Christmas snow began to fall... Thanks for indulging, me...it's cooled me off!!

You guys that want a Mississippi Forum should post in the Louisiana Forum and maybe, a demand will be revealed. With that said, I do think that the Mississippi Gulf Coast should remain with the Louisiana Forum due to it's continuous interaction with Metropolitan New Orleans. A large population on the MS Gulf Coast does work in Metro New Orleans and a sizeable population in St. Tammany Parish in suburban New Orleans does work in the MS Gulf Coast Region. The interaction is quite heavy to seperate the two, in my opinion.