Archive for Uncategorized
Proposed Demolitions: City Council Appeals for March 11, 2010
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1962 Duels St.
The owners of the properties listed below were denied a demolition permit by the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee 
and have now taken their case to the City Council. The hearing for these demolitions will take place at the City Council meeting on March 11. If you have a position on any of these proposed demolitions, please email the Councilmember in which the property is located.
1962 Duels St. – Cm. Hedge-Morrell
2311 Urquhart St. – Cm. Carter – DEMOLITION APPROVED
The NCDC ’s decision of denial of demolition of 3801 Baronne St. is being appealed to City Council. The proposed hearing date does not appear on the Council agenda.
Federal Budget Cuts Threaten Historic Preservation
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these tough economic times, everyone understands the necessity of budget cuts, but we need to be careful not to do long-term damage in exchange for short-term savings. National Trust for Historic Preservation President Richard Moe calls Save America’s Treasures “the country’s most significant preservation effort in over 40 years,” and the proposed 2011 budget has provided no money for funding, effectively shutting the program down for the foreseeable future.
Save America’s Treasures is the nation’s only bricks-and-mortar grant program and is one of the federal government’s most successful tools for preserving the places that tell America’s story. Over the past 10 years, Save America’s Treasures has worked to restore more than 1,100 structures and collections in every state in the nation, including $2.8 million in funding to Louisiana for projects ranging from cemetery stabilization to preserving historic Fort Pike and restoring the Grand Opera House of the South.
The latest SAT project in New Orleans was the $70,000 restoration at Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, done in partnership with Save Our Cemeteries
Nationally, Save America’s Treasures’ collection includes such iconic objects as the Star Spangled Banner and the Founding Fathers’ Papers, historically and architecturally significant structures, including the Acoma Pueblo, Lincoln Cottage, Taliesen, and the Conservatory of Flowers, as well as the autobiographical homes of Edith Wharton, Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Tubman and Captain Frederick Pabst.
But saving these historic treasures is only one part of the program’s benefits. The Save America’s Treasures program required a one-to-one match, so that every federal dollar invested must be matched by one private dollar, successfully leveraging dollars from corporations, foundations and individuals in a prime example of a public-private partnership. There has been a push to create more of these types of partnerships, so why would you want to de-fund such a wonderful, working, proven example?
The program also contributes to the economy through job creation. It is estimated that Save America’s Treasures has added more than 16,000 jobs to state and local economies and given that these projects are typically 20-40 percent more labor intensive than new construction they employ a variety of craftspeople, not simply handymen. At a time when supporting sustainable communities and job creation are top priorities for Congress and the Administration, it is tragically shortsighted to overlook — or even cripple — the power and potential of historic preservation programs such as these.
Save America’s Treasures is an integral part of the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), and elimination of the project would result in a 30 percent across-the-board cut to federal historic preservation. In fact the HPF has never been fully funded. Despite that it has an authorized annual budget of $150 million, it typically only receives one-third to one-half that amount, even though their funds come from Outer Continental Shelf oil leases, not taxpayer dollars.
Ultimately, Save America’s Treasures is a program that gives back far more than it receives, both to the economy and to our nation’s heritage. Please take a few moments to contact your representatives and tell them to fight to make preservation a priority. Click here to fill out a simple form that will look up your rep’s contact information and make it easy to let them know what you think.
NCDC Meeting Results for Feb. 22, 2010
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The Post-War Cottage at 2311 Dreux in Gentilly Terrace was denied for demolition today
1315 Reynes in the Lower 9th Ward was one of a row of three double shotgun houses approved for demolition
Click here to view the results from the NCDC meeting today.
Congratulations Katherine Saer Duncan- Queen Rex!
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The PRC was thrilled to hear that Katherine Saer Duncan was selected as Queen of Carnival this year. Katherine spent last summer interning at the PRC working on facade easements and quickly became a valued member of our staff before returning to the University of Virginia in the fall.
Katherine comes from a long line of Carnival royalty, and was excited and honored to be selected. From the Times-Picayune story announcing her selection:
Fat Tuesday always has been Katherine’s favorite day of Carnival season. Her earliest memories of Mardi Gras morning are of going to St. Charles Avenue for the Rex parade, dressed in a tiny clown costume that matched her mom’s.
“My dad rides a horse in the parade, and I would look for him,” she said. “He’d pick me up and let me ride for a little ways.”
Mardi Gras 2010 will be different from any other for her. She has friends and relatives here from UVA, from London, and from around the country, and she has spent the past week preparing to be queen. She has learned the proper way to walk, how to wave her scepter and how to do the queen’s curtsy.
“I’m more excited than nervous,” she said, exuberantly. “I don’t want it to end.”
Congratulations Katherine!
The Circle Food Store Is Being Redeveloped?
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Photo by New Orleans Lady on Flickr
It appears that plans are in the works for the Circle Food Store. The following appeared on the City Planning Commission agenda for January 26, 2010:
ZONING DOCKET 131/09 – Request by CIRCLE FOOD STORE INC. AND VIP HOLDINGS, LLC for a Zoning Change from a B-1A Neighborhood Business District to a C-1 General Commercial District, on Square 632, Pt. Lots A, 2 and 3 or R, 2, 3, 4, 4B and 5B and Lots B-B1 or Pt. 10, B, A-1, A-1, B-2, C-4, M, N, and an undesignated lot in the Third Municipal District, bounded by Saint Bernard Avenue, North Robertson Street, Laharpe Street, and North Claiborne Avenue. The municipal addresses are 1502-1522 SAINT BERNARD AVENUE, 1517 LAHARPE STREET, AND 1546-1550 NORTH CLAIBORNE AVENUE. (ZBM D-13/PD 4)
We’ll find out why the zoning change is needed and we’ll keep you posted.
Holy Cross Named One of “10 Best Comeback Neighborhoods in the South”
Posted by: | CommentsMedia Contact: Jennifer Zawadzinski , 212-522-9046January 19, 2010
The Holy Cross Neighborhood in New Orleans Is Named One of the “10 Best Comeback Neighborhoods in the South” by Southern Living Magazine: The January Issue Reveals Neighborhoods That Were Once Down on their Luck But Are Now Resurging.
PRC Renovation in Holy Cross
Birmingham, Ala.– The Holy Cross neighborhood in New Orleans is named one of the 10 best comeback neighborhoods in the South, according to the January issue ofSouthern Livingmagazine, on newsstands now. For the full story, click here .
Southern Living scoured the South to find neighborhoods that were once down on their luck but are now resurging with community pride. It’s where revival isn’t just about fixing up old houses, it’s about working together to rebuild traditions and save the soul of a place, according to the magazine.
“These stories are the essence of the South,” Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Griffin writes in her editor’s letter. The “10 communities…are reborn with the feels-like-a-small-town lifestyle we Southerners cherish.”
“In choosing the neighborhoods, Southern Living considered civic pride backed up with community action. What makes our choices special are the owner’s drive to work beyond the walls of their own homes to improve public parks, support local shops, and each other,” according to Southern Living Building Editor Rex Perry. “We considered the comeback story — how far down did the neighborhood fall, and how far has it come back.”
“Our top choices recognize the importance of local amenities, walkable neighborhoods, and streetscapes with character. Finally, we looked at neighborhood green spaces,” he said.
“Natural disasters bring out the best and worst in people and the places where they live,” writes Southern Living. “The destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina on Holy Cross laid bare countless civic and social problems. More than four years after the flooding, the restoration of Holy Cross is also uncovering the resilience of people determined to save their neighborhood,” writes the magazine.
“Volunteers from the neighborhood and beyond, the Preservation Resource Center, and countless other organizations are saving Holy Cross by rebuilding the historic homes and allowing residents to return to this sliver of high ground within the Lower Ninth Ward,” according to Southern Living.
According to Southern Living, the Top 10 Comeback Neighborhoods are:
1. Springfield — Jacksonville, FL
2. North Chattanooga — Chattanooga, TN
3. Wilmore/South End — Charlotte, NC
4. Crescent Hill — Louisville, KY
5. Patterson Park — Baltimore, MD
6. Historic Fairmount — Fort Worth, TX
7. Phelps Grove — Springfield, MO
8. Viola — Greenville, SC
9. East Nashville — Nashville, TN
10. Holy Cross — New Orleans, LA
Southern Living , the premier lifestyle and entertaining magazine of the South, reaches more than 16 million readers each month and enjoys a circulation of 2.8 million. Published 12 times a year by a subsidiary of Birmingham, Alabama-based Southern Progress Corporation, Southern Living celebrates the heart of Southern life.
Veteran Affairs Hospital Hearing on Mid-City Location
Posted by: | CommentsVA MEDICAL CENTER PUBLIC MEETING ON SITE-SPECIFIC DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
6:30-9pm
Grace Episcopal Church at 3700 Canal Street
Notice of Availability
VA Medical Center Draft Site-Specific Environmental Assessment
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces the publication of a Draft Site-Specific Environmental Assessment (SEA) addressing the proposed replacement New Orleans regional VA Medical Center. The Draft SEA has been prepared in accordance with the regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA ), (Public Law 91-190, 42 USC 4321 et seq.) as amended.
The Draft SEA will be published on Wednesday January 13 which will mark the beginning of a 30-day comment period on the Draft SEA. A public meeting will be held on January 19th to receive public comments that may be incorporated into the final SEA. The meeting will be held from 6:30-9pm at Grace Episcopal Church at 3700 Canal Street in New Orleans. Comments may also be submitted in writing. The public meeting and comment period are being provided to receive public input in accordance with NEPA and Executive Order 11988. During the public meeting, the public will be provided the opportunity to voice their comments and opinions on the Draft VA Medical Center SEA.
The Draft SEA, as required by law, analyzes areas of community sensitivity in regard to environmental impacts for resources such as aesthetics, floodplains, and transportation. The purpose of the Draft SEA is to provide the public with the information required to understand and evaluate the proposed medical center project and provide their input to the decision-making process. Any substantive comments that are received will be addressed in the Final SEA. After the conclusion of the public comment period, a Finding of No Significant Impact or a Notice of Intent to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement will be issued, as appropriate.
Information about the proposed medical center project is available at http://www.valsumedcenters.com. The draft SEA will be available on Wednesday, January 13, 2010. Copies of the document can be obtained at http://www.valsumedcenters.com or by contacting AECOM at 504-343-8037.
All public comments are due no later than Friday, February 12, 2010. Written comments can be submitted electronically to public.comments@earthtech.com or by mail to:
AECOM . 1555 Poydras Street . Suite 1860 . New Orleans, LA 70112
Open Thread: Lower Mid City
Posted by: | CommentsThis Arts and Crafts home is located in Lower Mid City,
within the footprint of the proposed LSU and VA hospitals.
217 S Rocheblave
Learn more about the homeowner, Wallace Thurman, on the Save Charity Hospital website.
Open Thread: SIGN of the Times
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Crescent City Steaks in the Broad St. Main Street District
Homeowner Rehab Tax Credit and Entergy Efficiency Programs Workshop Tuesday!
Posted by: | CommentsTuesday, November 10, 2009: Homebuyers Workshop
“Homeowner Rehab Tax Credits and Entergy Efficiency Programs”
6:00-7:00pm, PRC, Free and open to the public
7:00-7:30pm, “Properties for Sale” St. Roch neighborhood
Alison F. Saunders, Tax Incentives Director for the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation will share information about tax incentives available to help property owners restore historic properties. Bridget Joseph, Program Consultant CLEAResult will discuss Entergy New Orleans’ Efficiency Programs to help property owners save money on their utility bills.