Gentilly Woods (New Orleans, Claiborne, St. Gabriel: houses, neighborhood, elementary school)

[inave]

I haven't lived in the N.O. area snce 1985 and haven't even visited much since the big K. Having reached that nostalgic age, I've been trying to get info on the Gentilly Woods area, specifically Congress Drive. I lived there until fourth grade. I can't even find W.C.C. Claiborne Elementary School on the internet. Is it still there? I think our address was 1633 or something like that. If you have any info on this area, I'd love to hear it. Thanks.

[user1000]

Originally Posted by inave

I haven't lived in the N.O. area snce 1985 and haven't even visited much since the big K. Having reached that nostalgic age, I've been trying to get info on the Gentilly Woods area, specifically Congress Drive. I lived there until fourth grade. I can't even find W.C.C. Claiborne Elementary School on the internet. Is it still there? I think our address was 1633 or something like that. If you have any info on this area, I'd love to hear it. Thanks.

Probably doesn't exist anymore. My neighborhood does not even pull up on google earth.

[Ronald120]

Are you talking about that neighborhood that was off of Chef, round that small ass mall? Close to SUNO?? If so, then yeah that neighborhood is still around, though it did suffer a lot of damage after Katrina. I really don't think too many people in this forum would even mess with that area, so I don't think you'll get much help here.

[inave]

I remember there was a Howard Johnson on the corner of the highway and Congress Drive and a Schwegeman's (sp?) across the highway. It was right around the corner from the levee b/c we often got in trouble for climbing the levee! Thanks for the replies, ya'll.

Ronald, why wouldn't people "mess" with the area?

User1000, where's your old neighborhood?

[Ronald120]

Originally Posted by inave

Ronald, why wouldn't people "mess" with the area?

1) There aren't that many posts about New Orleans on here.

2) When there are posts about New Orleans, the subject manner, from what I've seen, leans more towards the tourist-y places of New Orleans (CBD, French Quarter, Uptown). Gentilly Woods isn't what I would describe as "tourist-y".

3) That place got devastated by Katrina. The Gentilly Woods Mall isn't open at all. Pretty much the only things that appear to be active along that strip of Chef are the fast-food restaurtants -- hardly interesting thread topics. SUNO isn't even back (unfortunately).


I just realize that I was born the year when you last lived in this city. Eerie as hell. At my age, I have a ton of nostalgic feelings towards this city so I can't even imagine the nostalgia you're feeling. I have a inkling that that section of town was probably a lot more booming when you lived there. It seems to me that there was various parts of the city that was on the decline way before Katrina hit and all Katrina did was sped up the decay. Unfortnately, I look at that area of New Orleans as an example of this.


I'm curious, how was the shape of the area when you lived there? Did it peaked? Was it starting to go downhill?
4) I'm not sure, but I get the inclination that some of the people in this forum just don't really have vested interest in that part of town.

[desol11]

that area and the whole city has been in decline since the early mid 80s, when the city started giving all its energy buissness to houston, plus the corruption, and crack epidemic. whats is so crazy is i use to work at that schweggmanns

[Drouzin]

Ooh Gentilly Woods! Used to live on St. Ferdinand a looonnnnggg time ago. The old neighborhood isn't looking good at all. Not many are rebuilding, streets are worse than ever. I will say that the rebuilt houses are looking really nice, but it's not any where near looking good overall. It's so sad to pass by the old house. The trees Mama planted had to be cut down; a hole was cut in the roof for an attic rescue, and they tore down my Grams' house.

W.C.C.'s name was changed to Parkview abt. 15(+/-) years ago.

Desol11 I used to think those little shops upstairs in the storewere the neatest thing when I was little. I thought people lived in them.

[desol11]

yea i worked there and only been up there a few times. it was really state of the art long long time ago.

[Drouzin]

What decade did you work there (not trying to date ya)? My BIL worked there in the 90's.

[toupsee]

Oh my, I have such fond memories of GW. riding our bikes down the levee or using cardboard boxes to slide down. Walking from Grant's to (whatever that store was down at the other end, passing HFC, Butler Shoes, Catherin's Stout Shop, Werlines (?) (piano store). Dating my self, aren't I. Riding our bikes or walking through the "short cuts" to get to Harris Playground, between Claiborne and St. Gabriel.
It did receive a lot of damage and, as we all know, nothing stays the same. It went down hill long before Katrina, but it has fond memories for me. After the storm I kept having a recurrent dream, of driving up to and away from the house I grew up in. If I won the lottery I'd go back and rebuild all that my Father and Mother built....Although it would all be 10 ft higher.