Traçage and Trump (New Orleans, Poydras: to live in, professionals, shop)

[Nico82NO]

I dont know who they are specifically. I think they are a larger group than just a few politicians. Probably older generation with old money that want to keep things the same as always. The old architecture is great but it is starting to feel more like a Disney World attraction. Some progress would be great.

[WestbankNOLA]

Originally Posted by Usmgrad09

I have just moved to New Orleans after graduating college. I found a good job with a bank down here. I have several friends who are in my age group 22-25 who have had enough of these preservationist holding this city down! Does anyone know how to find out who these people are? They seem to work in the shadows we need to get names and find out where the meet, work, and live so we can protest!!! I am saving to buy a home before the end of the year and would love to have more condos to choose from so that the prices would be more competitive. I just do not understand why we cannot build around the historic buildings or why we can't build a new building in place of a grafiti filled abandoned warehouse.

Sorry for the spelling on a phone.

Originally Posted by Nico82NO

I dont know who they are specifically. I think they are a larger group than just a few politicians. Probably older generation with old money that want to keep things the same as always. The old architecture is great but it is starting to feel more like a Disney World attraction. Some progress would be great.

Where have you all been in the last year and a half?

[Prytania]

There is no reason that old architecture cannot be reused. Its done all over Europe in residential and commercial real estate.

[WestbankNOLA]

New Orleans City Business: Top Construction Projects of 2010

^ran across this today.
Doesn't list most of the projects going on around the city, but includes the more important ones.

[domino]

Originally Posted by Usmgrad09

I have just moved to New Orleans after graduating college. I found a good job with a bank down here. I have several friends who are in my age group 22-25 who have had enough of these preservationist holding this city down! Does anyone know how to find out who these people are? They seem to work in the shadows we need to get names and find out where the meet, work, and live so we can protest!!! I am saving to buy a home before the end of the year and would love to have more condos to choose from so that the prices would be more competitive. I just do not understand why we cannot build around the historic buildings or why we can't build a new building in place of a grafiti filled abandoned warehouse.

Sorry for the spelling on a phone.

Yeah! Let's tear down all these old historic structures that make New Orleans unique. We want to look just like Houston!

[WestbankNOLA]

Originally Posted by domino

Yeah! Let's tear down all these old historic structures that make New Orleans unique. We want to look just like Houston!

Jefferson and East Baton Rouge has that routine on lock. They can just move next door.

^no offense people.

[Nico82NO]

Originally Posted by domino

Yeah! Let's tear down all these old historic structures that make New Orleans unique. We want to look just like Houston!

I like how the assumption is that progress is synonymous with urban sprawl and bland, uninspiring architecture…

Originally Posted by WestbankNOLA

Where have you all been in the last year and a half?

This city is a tourist attraction, as its major source of income is from tourism. Some projects are underway that could be considered progressive, and at worst experimental with regards to making progress. For example the expansion and improvements being made to I-10, even though that is in Jefferson parish not Orleans. Or the public housing developments intended to “mix” households with a wide range of income levels from insufficient up to “market rate” levels, except that was started back in 2004 and is still considered controversial. The thing is progress is forward movement and not dwelling in the past. If the preservation of something from the past keeps new developments from occurring then it is hindering progress. I think true progress for this city would be the encouragement of developing living standards on par with more successful cities, a movement towards developing business and culture that is not based on tourism, a true renovation of the educational system in place here (not just rebuilding flooded schools), encouraging internships for college students from local businesses, improving public transportation so that people interested in urban sprawl can commute without a car (I like the idea of a public train line that runs around the lake and out to St. Bernard and way out on the west bank and such, but that’s a pipe dream), and working with insurance companies to improve rates so that home-ownership and rental property investment may become more reasonable (which could have a positive effect on rental rates), not just fixing things Katrina broke or things that should have been delt with 20 years ago. I don’t know what else I think we have gotten off subject form the original post.

[WestbankNOLA]

I don't see what any of that has to do with architecture though. Those old buildings don't keep away development. Our political system does (both city and state) that for the most part and bulldozing left and right won't fix it. If you build it they won't necessarily come, for that we have to make this place business friendly again. It's slowly happening (very slowly), but it's happening. We have to see what the new administration will do and we also have to compete with BR now.

The highways, they've been doing that for the last 10 years. It started in NOLA and worked its way out to Jefferson. People complain about the timing, but it took Houston 6-8 years to do theirs portion of I-10. We did have our usual delays due to cronyism (this is Louisiana).

Elaborate on the living standards issue. What makes the living standards in New Orleans worse than anywhere else other than the job/income issue and the current hospital issue.

The school system has almost been entirely reinvented in the last 3 years. The results actually show hope for the future. They may not be moving at the pace that some desire, but look at what you're dealing with. It's going to take time. This entire city is going to take time.

More things in this city have been fixed/improved in the last 5 years than in the 20 before that IMO.

I still don't see how the city looks like a giant tourist attraction. Of Bourbon is DisneyWorld XXX, but the rest of the city is a far cry. Don't get me wrong, some of the preservationalist get in the way, but the majority of the development in the last 5 years have been a far cry from historical.

[Nico82NO]

It frustrates me when I get stuck behind 3 tour vans/busses on the way home from work as they poke at 20 mph down the street giving tours of private property. Or how the same busses drive by as i work (residential construction) and slow down so they can take pictures and look etc., yet Im not getting payed to be an attraction.

You are right, the school system has been through a major restructure... Ill admit I am far out of elementary and highschool, and have no kids in the system so i have no experience with the current system.

I think the main reason many things are being fixed is the storm, not that they intended to fix them at this point in time.

You may have me on standard of living. Its mainly because i have a hard time putting a finger on the issue, as i easily confuse my lack of socio-economic status with average standards of living, if that makes any sense. I complain about standards of living because, well mine is pretty poor only because i am. I cant say much for hospitals, as i cant use them for the $$$ issue. I tend to stick to eating well, sleeping a lot, working, exercising, and hoping my body can fight off anything that could be potentially debilitating.

True the highways have had work for around 10 years but the streets, although paved occasionally, they have needed the extent of work now being done.

All in all there are finally things being done and it is somewhat exciting to think what could come of it all. I think my current financial situation mainly makes me feel like I am missing the boat though, so I get a bit pessimistic.

[AndThenThereWasMe]

Originally Posted by WestbankNOLA

Where have you all been in the last year and a half?

Seriously, my friends and I are in that same age bracket and are looking to get involved somehow.

I think everyone is sensitive to the historical significance of the architecture here. However, to hear/read what's stopping a major investment from moving forward is an unused eyesore you drive past every day, that drove the surrounding property values so low that they too are empty is INCREDIBLY frustrating. To hear that same story over and over is downright dismal and makes me recall the basic definition of insanity.

What beats me is how letting a structure succumb to disrepair and neglect counts as preservation?