Wheels Finally in Motion for Revitalization of St. Roch Market

See our Flikr gallery of today’s St. Roch Market press conference here.

PRC’s Advocacy and Preservation in Print teams were on the scene today as Mayor Mitch Landrieu, along with members of the New Orleans City Council, FEMA, the US Attorney’s Office and Faubourg St. Roch Project director Mandy Pumilla held a press conference today to announce a new wave of energy (and funds) in the restoration of the 1875 St. Roch Market, which has been vacant since Hurricane Katrina. The structure currently has a leaking roof (which attendees experienced firsthand when a brief but strong rain storm began mid-way through the presentation) and extensive damage to the interior woodwork, but elements such as the massive cast-iron columns are wonderfully intact. The building will be restored with $3.1 million in HUD-funded CDBG grants that were allocated to the project by the City. The building will be developed as “white space” to allow interested developers to outfit the building as they please; however, neighbors hope that the future tenants will bring back fresh food sales in the front of the building and return the legendary oyster po’boys with some sort of seafood restaurant in the back.