Is Chalmette rebuilding? (New Orleans, Metairie, Jackson: insurance, violent crime, houses)

[NEWJERSEY]

Hi all,

My husband and I are considering to move out to Chalmette. Does anyone know if there are any plans to redevelop? Or know of a website where I can get more information regarding residential development and occupation?

thanks

Your input will be greatly appreciated.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by NEWJERSEY

Hi all,

My husband and I are considering to move out to Chalmette. Does anyone know if there are any plans to redevelop? Or know of a website where I can get more information regarding residential development and occupation?

thanks

Your input will be greatly appreciated.

WHY would you even consider such a plan? Seriously, this is not the place anybody wants to be right now. There is very little infrastructure, very limited everything. If you are looking to get out of high-priced NJ, look at other areas of the south. The New Orleans area will take a minimum of another 10 years to recover.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by NEWJERSEY

Hi all,

My husband and I are considering to move out to Chalmette. Does anyone know if there are any plans to redevelop? Or know of a website where I can get more information regarding residential development and occupation?

thanks

Your input will be greatly appreciated.

More info to help you understand the dire situation in Chalmette:


In 2005 Chalmette's levees were breached by Hurricane Katrina, and about 99% of Chalmette was under water, over 20 feet deep at times, for a period of over 2 weeks, followed by an oil spill. On 29 August 2005 the enormous storm surge pushed by Hurricane Katrina up the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, a little-used commercial channel dug by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s, inundated the entire town up to 30 feet in some places. As a result, in a matter of hours, Chalmette was almost entirely destroyed. Fortunately the majority of the population succeeded in evacuating shortly before the storm hit, but there was loss of life of many who had not gotten out. As of 25 October, 2005, most of the bulidings were judged to be unsavable. Despite findings published by the EPA, the toxic chemicals in the water from local oil refineries have been postulated to be an ongoing health hazard by several civilian ecological groups. Especially notable was the large oil spill originating in Chalmette's large Murphy Oil facility, where the storm surge knocked over a huge oil tank (see photo).

Deputies working for the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff stated in early December 2005 that the oil tank floated in the flood. When the water receded the tank settled on uneven ground. That is when it lost its structural integrity and the oil spill occurred. By late November, the Murphy facility was back up and running, as was a small cluster of businesses around the intersection of Paris Road and St. Bernard Highway, on the least damaged River side of Chalmette. The devastated residential areas further back from the River were only open during daylight hours for residents to attempt to salvage belongings from their home sites; houses often had been knocked off their foundations, if they survived the storm at all. The majority of people staying in Chalmette full-time were living in trailers, that started to be supplied by FEMA or private enterprise on Oct. 12; although many who had been promised FEMA trailer housing were still waiting as late as March 2006.


Education
Chalmette is served by the St. Bernard Parish Schools district.

Before Katrina, Chalmette was served by more than 20 schools including:

C.F. Rowley Elementary School
Lacoste Elementary School
Chalmette Middle School
Andrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High School
Chalmette High School
Joseph Davies Elementary
Due to Hurricane Katrina, the St. Bernard Parish School Board did everything they could in order to get a school open, including telling FEMA that they would not wait for them. The parish opened the St. Bernard Unified School as a K-12 school in late 2005.

With the opening of the 2006-2007 school year, the Unified school has reverted back to Chalmette High School and now houses grades 7-12. The former Andrew Jackson High School has been repaired and now houses grades PK3-6.

The catholic and private school sector was also completely destroyed in Katrina.

The archdiocese of New Orleans has consolidated all local schools into one on the Our Lady of Prompt Succor campus. It has grades PK-8.

[alrom1955]

The Chalmette Area was destroyed ! It is a refugee camp basically. Do not even consider moving there.

[Drouzin]

Chalmette is rebuilding, but we have a looonnnnggg way to go. If you are adventurous, young, and are mentally fit (no joke here), then go for it. If you are elderly, unhealthy (ie asthema), have bouts of depression, this is not the place for you.
This is a difficult place to live in right now, even for those of us who have of roots here. The sewage system is still not working (we rely on external pumps), insurance has tripled in cost, and if you need a hospital you can count on waiting 8 plus hours before being seen (mother-in-law waited 17 hours on Jan. 3,2007 with a broken hip). Things are getting better here, however.
We do have 2 large grocery stores, a few fast food places, several dollar type stores, and are not plagued with violent crime. We are 15 min from the French Quarter and a 35 min. drive will take you to Metairie (a viable area with lots of shopping). The people here are close knit with many extended families living on the same street. We have a little town mentality with the advantage of living near a big city, but again, this is a disaster area, even today 5/5/07. Think long and hard before making your decision.

[Vampgrrl]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

WHY would you even consider such a plan? Seriously, this is not the place anybody wants to be right now. There is very little infrastructure, very limited everything. If you are looking to get out of high-priced NJ, look at other areas of the south. The New Orleans area will take a minimum of another 10 years to recover.

I dont know about Chalmette but New Orleans is still a pretty good place to live.

[smittyjd]

My Husband and I lost our home in Chalmette. We had 15 feet of water. Our house was demolished recently. The neighborhood is so sad - like a black cloud hanging over it. You don't hear birds singing, crickets chirping, or tree frogs. It is like they know - this is not a good place to be. You can buy houses REAL cheap, and remodel them. A lot of houses in my neighborhood are selling for about $30,000.00 - $40,000.00.

[Micktooth]

Smitty, sorry to hear about what happened to you. Are you still in Chalmette or have you moved elsewhere?

[Drouzin]

Smitty, were you in BVN? Mom had 14 1/2 ft. Birds, crickets, and tree frogs are back now, and the red ants are all over the place. We're looking better, but frankly it's still a mess. Four inches of rain produced street flooding this week, something that didn't happen before the storm. Vampgrrl, are you the same Vampgrrl on nola.com?

[Vampgrrl]

oh yeah.

Not sure if that's a good thing or not considering how roudy it is over there.