JPKneworleans

The long-term solution to crime is education. At least NOLA's schools appear to be going in the right direction.

THE GOOD AND THE NOT SO GOOD The Good News Yes, indeed. The Gibbs tower site is being cleared for construction of the apartment tower, which will be on top of a 9 floor garage. The Not So Good News Unfortunately, the project has been scaled back to 24 floors from 38. The height of the building will be about 240 feet, which will make it about the same height as the Amoco Building.

I don't know what it could be other than the Gibbs development. The parking lot is closed and the jackhammers were continuing today. My office is at 909, so I'll walk across the street tomorrow if I get a moment and ask the crew what's going on. As for the water park, I hope it's true, and I hope it works. I hate to say this, but a lot of people in Jefferson Parish won't go to New Orleans East for any reason because they are prejudiced. Frankly, the same thing can be said of people in Uptown (where I live) and St. Tammany as well. I'm not saying this to be mean or to cause a stink. I just think it is true.

EXCELLENT NEWS: It appears that 930 Poydras (a 38-floor apartment building) has started construction. The parking lot at the corner of Poydras and O'Keefe has closed, and heavy machinery has moved in. The current parking lot surface is being jack-hammered. It looks like a second crane will be joining the one in the Warehouse District soon!

I don't know how much stature it has. I hope it gets a LOT!

NCB: Why would you think the Macy's at The Esplanade would have a similar look? Is Macy's going to reclad the existing storefront in Kenner? I rather like it. It just needs some sprucing up. Surprise surprise (NOT). Can anyone tell me what Kailas has developed that has NOT failed in some way? I'm being serious.

The hospitals will be built. At this point, within the state itself, the big debate is the size of the LSU hospital.

For the most part, the buildings that did not reopen were in poor shape to begin with and were not Class A, e.g., 225 Baronne. As for the former Dominion Tower, it seems to me that there is leasing going on. I have noticed more and more lights on in the building at night. Work is also ongoing at the Plaza Tower. Asbestos and mold remediation is underway, which should make it a lot easier to sell or convert to alternate use. The floor plates are ideal for hotel or residential because they are so small. The upper floors were originally designed to be apartments, but that never worked out.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a TND?

This is very good news. It is further evidence of efforts to bring back parts of the city core that were not doing as well as they should. Tulane Avenue is also great news. It will be great to see that Falstaff sign lit up.

The commission also gave approval for bonds for the conversion of 2400 Canal, the former Pan American Building and City Hall Annex. The building is a great example of modernist international style designed by Skidmore Owings and Merrill.

As a former car dealership, the building has plenty of parking, including inside the building and on the roof. Parking should not be a problem. Also, I wonder whether the old Robert's on Annunciation will ever reopen. With the Saulet reopening, store has an immediate customer base.

Great news about the Hyatt. However, I find the Sewell project very intriguing. The Sewell building is in (or right outside of) the Warehouse District, where so many people now live. I've found it odd that there are so few retail services in the area to support the residents. A grocery, pharmacy, video store, and the like would be great for the part of town. It could transform the area into more of a walking neighborhood (like the Quarter) rather than a neighborhood in which people must use cars to get the necessities. The presence of retail could then spark further housing.

While in the Warehouse District today, I noticed a crane with a drill-like device that was drilling into the ground. The area was fenced off and is in the block between Cotton Mill and Woodward. It's not part of the DDay Museum expansion, because that expansion is further down the street, and it is not te Tracage, because it's not the right lot. Any ideas?

I thought the same thing. Then, I thought, to myself: The typical Mardi Gras visitor is not going to purchase a Trump condo.

Look at it this way....Trump is one of the survivors. I firmly believe the building will be built. The question, though, is when.

My response is number 7.

We should start an emailing campaign, and I'm serious. If Jackie were to have her way, New Orleans would become a huge parody of itself, to some extent, with its reliance on the tourism industry, and some of the buildings that have been built lately, it already has become a parody of itself.

I think that the particular rendering for the National Jazz Center was part of a redraft of the original plan once it was clear that the Dominion Tower was not going to be part of the deal. The plans for the building are now owned by the Jazz Center. I do hope it gets built. On another note, it is my understanding that, at a meeting regarding Reinventing the Crescent, at which designs by pre-eminent firms such as TEN Arqitectos were presented in connection with the linear river park, Jackie Clarkson started complaining about the lack of "tradition" New Orleans buildings.

Those are renderings of the New Orleans Jazz Museum. The former owner of the Hyatt tried to get the project started as a way to build interest in the area. New Orleans and Louisiana politicians, being buffoonish and who never realize the potential of something great, ignored the idea. Thus, the Hyatt was sold, but the former owner has donated the plans to the museum foundation in the hope that it will, one day, be built.

There was something about this a few pages back. Apparently, someone is planning to build a condo tower in central city! Now...THAT would be interesting. Speaking of condo towers, what is going on with TRACAGE?

Happy New Year everyone. There is a film studio project in the works for Algiers. Mardi Gras Studio to Open in '08. Here's another link regarding the same project: New Orleans Film Studio 100% Financed

Great news for South Claiborne. It seems like something will finally happen to the old Winn-Dixie location. Here's a link to the article in CityBusiness: New Retail for South Claiborne

The Brad Pitt 9th Ward pic is great! I've never seen the Lower 9 look so...colorful! In connection with the Joan of Arc statue, there is an exact copy (or is ours a copy?) right near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I was surprised to see it. It is also gold.

Plaza Tower Remediation to Begin This is great news! Finally, someone is stepping forward and will take steps to place the Plaza Tower back into service.