JPKneworleans

According to an article in the T-P this past week, the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar will roll all the way to Carrollton beginning December 23! Whoo hoo!!!!!

I was no fan of Trump when it first came out. That was when it had all of the balconies and looked like something that belonged in Miami. The current version is much better. The problem with New Orleans architects is that many of them try to imitate the old style, and the imitations end up looking very cheap, like the Astor. Thank goodness someone finally saw the light when Tracage was designed. Speaking of which, what the heck is going on with Tracage?

I know that I am probably in the minority, but I think the Royal Cosmo looks hideous. With all of those bay windows, it looks like a mega-stretch of the La Pavillon Hotel.

Wow. The bridge is progressing. However, considering all things, it's progressing so SLOWLY. The Chicago Spire (2000 ft tall) is just now beginning construction, and it will be completed before the bridge is completed.

Of course it is. It was moved in connection with the construction of Harrah's.

Let's hope. I think it's great that Phyllis Taylor has signed on for three units. Go Phyllis!

The Metro section of today's edition of The Times-Picayune has an interesting article about the new inspector general and his budget. Also, a letter to the editor praised the IG and indicated that she believed that he can turn New Orleans around. There is no question in my mind that, at least from what I have seen, Mr. Cesaroli is the right man for this job. If he can handle Boston, he can handle New Orleans. I am beginning to feel like the person who wrote to the editor. I am beginning to feel optimistic, and it is great that the City Council approved his budget. I am also heartened by the fact that the council supported him unanimously, although I question whether Cynthia Willard-Lewis' support was genuine. I believe Cynthia Hedge-Morrell's support was genuine. We could very well be on the road to recovery.

Where was the news about the town center published? I missed it.

That's just incredible news. Seeing the streetcars back on lower to mid-St. Charles has been great. What's weird, though, is now that they are back, it feels like they were never gone. I just hope I keep remembering to look far back over my left shoulder as I turn left on St. Charles onto the neutral ground! I'm sure there will be quite a few accidents stemming from those who forgot to look.

You're quite welcome. And thanks for concurring. It seems that some have written off the city. The city's population is now at or slighlty above 300K, and the metro area is over 1,150,000. Things seem so much busier than they were a year ago, and seeing the streetcars on St. Charles this morning was a great sight. Perhaps, in 20 years, there will be no rural area between the two cities, and we can have our own megacity!

I was in BR for two days attending a meeting downtown. Although I usually spend some time at the Capitol when the legislature is in session, this was the first time that I really had an opportunity to venture off, go to the Shaw Center, the river front, etc. When I drove home, I decided to avoid I-10 and took Perkins. Perkins Rowe is very nice. A Bally's Fitness? I'm jealous. I hope they build one in NOLA. I'm very impressed with how far BR has come! Regrettably, though, your council's statements in connection with the diversity resolution made me ill. I thought I was reading the results of a deliberation of some small town in north east Louisiana or somewhere in Mississippi. I bet each one of those judgmental council members thinks of himself/herself as a "Christian", and I wouldn't be surprised if one of the councilmen is closeted and self-loathing. Oh well, progress takes time!

GREAT NEWS! I was kind of disappointed that there was no mention of Trump or Tracage.

Not much of a market for a 37 floor apartment building, I guess. 925 Common is having a hard time of it as it is.

They did get the merchants out, but now, there are a few merchants that are in one of the buildings. In addition to the sales office, there's a church (I think) in the space that used to house the St. Vincent DePaul thift store. The project was granted significant incentives by Jefferson Parish, and some GO Zone bonding was made available for the project. The developers were very vocal about a March groundbreaking, and then an April groundbreaking, and then a summer groundbreaking. I have heard nothing since the late spring. I would love for this project to go forward. The project would be a huge catalyst to the gentrification of Jefferson Highway, which in some ways, seems trapped in the 1970s. Alas, I am not optimistic. Jefferson Parish doesn't seem like it has a population that would enjoy highrise condo living. There is not one highrise condo in the parish. All of the area's highrise condos are in Orleans Parish. Speaking of highrise condos, has anyone heard anything about the highrise proposals on the northshore? There were several proposals for highrises in and around the Slidell area. However, I haven't heard anything, although I still see the occasional advertisement in the newspaper.

What's more interesting is the location! MLK Blvd. I always thought that central city would gentrify after the storm, and this, I hope, provides some minor evidence that. What a very speculative project though, if it were to ever get off of the ground.

Has the Trump project tried to go for GoZone bonds?

Are you saying you want her to win so someone else can do a better job representing District E? A depressing eyesore? The exterior has been completely refurbished!

I received the exact same reply to my email.

I think it's very smart of him to start leasing as of January. It'll be interesting to see how much demand there is for space in the building. It's a great building. Frankly, if there's going to be a government entity involved, I'd much rather see the Superdome Commission owning the place than the City of New Orleans.

That's great, but also kind of weird. I know several people whose funerals were held there. If you were really close to the person, it would be kind of strange. Think about it: Wow, Aunt Millie was enbalmed in the murder-mystery/fiction section. I wonder if the owners are going to preserve the solarium. That's my favorite part of the building and would a great reading room.

I hope it comes to fruition. I wonder how the area got the name? I can't see a development like Perkins Rowe located in a place called "Fat City."

According to CityBusiness--------------------> Construction on Tracage to Begin by Year's End Besides Trump, of course, I really want this one to get off the ground. It's a very nice modern tower.

WTC Website to Become Clearinghouse of Info Regarding Major Louisiana Projects This is great news. I look forward to parouse the website when it is up and running in September.

It's funny. I was looking through old proposals and wondered if this had been canned because the developers failed to kiss Cynthia Willard Lewis's hand before speaking publically about a project in her district without first having spoken with her. I hope the development is not polluted with members of her political clan.

The New York Times has been very good to New Orleans, which is more than I can say about most other newspapers in this country. The editorial page of the Times has particularly been very kind, and also very critical of the federal government.