Rebuilding Plan Planning District 4 Mid-City Neighborhood Intermediate/District_4_Plan_FI… · 06/03/2010 · City of New Orleans Neighborhoods Rebuilding Plan Location and History

Mid-City Neighborhood Planning District 4

Rebuilding Plan

Mid-City Neighborhood, Planning District Four

Table of Contents

A. Mid-City NeighborhoodLocation and History 3Recovery Vision and Goals 4Planning Process and Neighborhood Participation 5Planning Efforts Pre-Hurricane Katrina 6

B. Pre-Hurricane Katrina Neighborhood Existing Conditions 7Land Use and Zoning 7Pre-Katrina Demographic Profile 7Recreation and Open Space 9 Roadway Hierachy and Jurisdiction 10Housing, Architecture and Historic Preservation 11

C. Hurricane Katrina Neighborhood Impacts 13Extent of Flooding 13Damage Assessment Residential Damage Assessment 13Commercial Damage Assessment 13Infrastructure Damage Assessment 14Parks and Open Space 15Community Facilities 15

D. Neighborhood Rebuilding Scenarios 17Neighborhood Re-population 17

E. Neighborhood Recovery Plan 19Critical Early Action Recovery

Initiatives and Objectives 20Needed and Mid-Term

Initiatives and Objectives 21Desired and Long-Term

Initiatives and Objectives 22Neighborhoods Rebuilding

Plan Proposed Housing Initiatives 24

F. Implementation and Funding Strategies 26

City Planning Commission:Planning District Designations

Introduction

The Recovery Plan for the City of NewOrleans was instituted by the City Councilin response to specific needs in the 49flooded neighborhoods Post-Katrina.These neighborhoods were organized intothe 13 Planning Districts as identified byprevious work undertaken by the CityPlanning Commission of the City of NewOrleans. Overarching Goals andObjectives were established by the CityPlanning Council: “Work withneighborhoods to assist them indeveloping revitalization plans that arethoughtful, can be implemented, andformed into a citywide recovery andimprovement plan for submission to theState of Louisiana and the federalgovernment.”

Planning District 4, the subject of thefollowing report, includes 8 geographicallyspecific neighborhoods: Treme / 6thWard, 7th Ward, Fairgrounds / Desaix, St.Bernard, Fauborg St. John, Mid-City and Gert Town.

Basic assumptions also formed the basisfor the Planning District 5 Recovery Plan:

1) That a flood protection systemwill be designed to withstand futurecatastrophic loss from a 1 in 100 yearstorm and that this is a commitment bythe Federal Government;

2) That stringent building codeswill be implemented to further limit winddamage;

3) That the basic urban structureof the city is sound and that rebuildingwill respect this structure;

4)That there is an organized,coherent and operable HurricaneEvacuation Program.

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Healthcare Committee Diane Handley, Marcelle Rousseau, Al Arnold,Mary Gubala, and Charles Belonge.

Security and Crime Prevention CommitteeJoe Porter, Romney Richard, Paul Stark, MaryGubala and Charles Belonge.

City Services CommitteeBilly Wright, Jake Springfield, Mary Gubala,and Eva Alito.

Hearts and Lives CommitteeVirginia Blanque (chair), Joe Porter, KathleenPorter, Tammy Hathaway, Susan Finch, BartEverson, Mary Gubala, and Doug Joubert

Modern Energy Efficiency: Eric Price

City of New Orleans

C. Ray Nagin, Mayor

New Orleans City Council:Oliver M. Thomas, PresidentArnie Fielkow, Vice-President Shelley Midura, District A Stacy S. Head, District BJames Carter, District C Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, District D Cynthia Willard-Lewis, District E

Project Management:Lambert Advisory, LLC Paul Lambert

SHEDO, LLC Sheila Danzey

Overall Planning Consultant:Bermello-Ajamil & Partners, Inc.Alfredo C. Sanchez, AIA, AICP

Hewitt-Washington, Inc. Lonnie Hewitt, AIA

Neighborhood Planner Clifton James & Associates

Acknowledgements

With grateful appreciation the planningteam would like to thank all the residents ofDistrict 4 and Mid-City Neighborhood whoparticipated in this planning process andwithout whose participation this plan wouldnot be possible.

Special thanks to the Mid-CityNeighborhood Organization and thefollowing Committees and communitymembers who sit on each of theCommittees:

Education CommitteeMichael Homan (chair), Amy Lafont, DougJoubert, Mary Jane Parker, Jennifer Molina,Dee Hurtt, Jeannette Thompson, ElizabethKennedy, Jo Ann LoRusso, Diane Nowik,Shawn Anglim, Mary Joe Decareaux, NancyOrtiz-Surun, and Jackie Tinguey.

Housing Committee Frank Cole (chair), Joe Porter, Jeff Keller,Martin Handley, Mary Schumann, Eric Price,Greg Hymel, Mark Folse and ColleenGannon.

Governance CommitteeBart Everson (chair), Wendy Laker, BillyWright, Virginia Blanque, Tammy Hathaway,Pattye Brignac, and Eva Alito havevolunteered to serve as liaisons to the CityCouncil, review the MCNO bylaws and workon the plan for local control.

Green Space CommitteeDee Hurtt, Virginia Blanque, Mary JaneParker, Kathleen Porter, Joan Arnold, MaryGubala, and Charles Belonge.

Zoning CommitteeAmelia Henderson, Mary Schumann, BettyCole, Jake Springfield, Cheryl Wagner, andVal Dansereau.

Economic Development CommitteeLynn McLean, Wendy Laker, Billy Wright,David Greengold, Diane Handly, JenniferWeishaupt, and Bob Rivard.

Transportation Committee Dawn Falgout (chair), Bob Rivard, BillyWirght, and Tracy Hamlin

City of New Orleans Neighborhoods Rebuilding Plan

Location and History

Mid-City, so named due to its locationmidway between the Mississippi River andLake Pontchartrain, is a large, diverseneighborhood. The neighborhood isbounded by Toulouse, City Park Avenue,the Pontchartrain Expressway and BroadStreet. The principal streets in the Mid-City neighborhood include: Canal Street,Jefferson Davis Parkway, Broad Street,Tulane Avenue and Carrollton Avenue. Keysecondary streets are St. Louis, Bienville,and Banks. Neighboring communities areGert Town (SW), Tulane/Gravier (NE),Bayou St. John (N) and the CooperHousing Development (E).

Mid-City was referred to as “Back of Town”until the second half of the 19th Century.The neighborhood’s position to attractdevelopment changed dramatically withthe development of the Broad and Bienvillepumping station in the 1890’s anddevelopment started to occur in the earlytwentieth century in a significant way.Further strengthening the neighborhood’sdevelopment in the early twentieth centurywas the development of the streetcaralong the broad Canal Street neutralground in the early 1900’s and the build-out of the neighborhoods that wasessentially complete by the GreatDepression. By the early 1960’s, thestreetcar was replaced by buses and manylarge, stately homes began to besubdivided into multiple units ordemolished to make way for apartments.

It was not until 30 years later, in 2004,that streetcar service along Canal Streetwas restored. The restoration of theservice was clearly benefiting theneighborhood’s revitalization in a variety ofways prior to Hurricane Katrina in August2005. The neighborhood was experiencinga burgeoning revival and return of single-family homes that were subdivided 40 or50 years earlier.

Although not directly within the official cityboundaries of the neighborhood, Mid-Cityis also partially defined, and the value ofthe area enhanced, by large recreation andtourist attractions that surround theneighborhood: The 1,500 plus acre CityPark and Fairgrounds to the north, theGreenwood and Cypress Grove Cemeteriesto the northwest as well as Bayou St. Johnto the northeast.

The Mid-City neighborhood is home to oneof the largest historic districts of the City,and is so designated by the NationalRegister of Historic Districts although theneighborhood does not enjoy the moreregulated local historic district status.Based upon surveys conducted by the Cityprior to Katrina, the mix of historic homesincluded a predominance of Shotguns(55.3%) and Creole cottages (15%),among many others. Bungalows (31.4%),Colonial and Queen Anne Revivals (17.6%)and Italianate (15.7%) make up the mostcommon architectural styles in theneighborhood

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A. Mid-City Neighborhood

Neighborhoods of PlanningDistrict Four


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Recovery Vision and Goals

The Mid-City Neighborhood Rebuilding Planprovides a vision and framework ofphysical improvements for this uniueresidential neighborhood.

Vision

Mid-Ci ty is a unique and h istor ic NewOr leans ne ighborhood tha t wassevere ly f looded due to levee breakson Augus t29 th , 2005 . As M id -C i tyrecovers f rom the devas ta t i on o fHur r i cane Ka t r i na , the commun i tyenv i s i ons a ne ighborhood wherepeop le o f a l l races and economicbackgrounds can f ind and enjoy a h ighqua l i ty o f l i fe toge the r and f i ndoppor tun i t i e s fo r mean ing fu lemployment and home ownership. Thecommunity wi l l be rebui l t upon thesame urban f ramework that ex is tedpr ior to Hurr icane Katr ina.

Neighborhood Recovery Goals

There are a variety of neighborhoodrecovery goals for Mid-City. These include:

• The community of Mid-City desires asafe neighborhood that allows for walkingand biking with plentiful green space;

• Mixed-use buildings, with appropriate,locally-owned businesses interspersed

intelligently with private residences and an

increasing number of owner-occupiedhomes;

• The historic character of theneighborhood will be preserved whileexpanding modern amenities;

• The recovery of Mid-City should bejust, humane and democratically controlledby the people of Mid-City; and,

• An effort should be made to encouragethe relocation of dislocated homeownersfrom more heavily damaged areas such asNew Orleans East, the Ninth Ward and St.Bernard Parish to settle in Mid-City.

Image Above:Aerial Map of District 4: Mid-City Neighborhood

Image below:Aerial view of Mid-City area lookingtowards the west.

Images Right to Left:

A: Bottinelli PlaceB: 4334 Canal StC: St. Anthony of Padua SchoolD: Apartment Building on Canal St


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.• Housing Committee:Frank Cole (chair), Joe Porter, Jeff Keller,Martin Handley, Mary Schumann, Eric Price,Greg Hymel, Mark Folse and ColleenGannon.

• Governance Committee: Bart Everson (chair), Wendy Laker, BillyWright, Virginia Blanque, Tammy Hathaway,Pattye Brignac, and Eva Alito havevolunteered to serve as liaisons to the CityCouncil, review the MCNO bylaws and workon the plan for local control.

• Green Space Committee: Dee Hurtt, Virginia Blanque, Mary JaneParker, Kathleen Porter, Joan Arnold, MaryGubala, and Charles Belonge.

• Zoning Committee: Amelia Henderson, Mary Schumann, BettyCole, Jake Springfield, Cheryl Wagner, andVal Dansereau.

• Economic Development Committee:

Lynn McLean, Wendy Laker, Billy Wright,David Greengold, Diane Handly, JenniferWeishaupt, and Bob Rivard.

• Transportation Committee: Dawn Falgout (chair), Bob Rivard, BillyWirght, and Tracy Hamlin.

• Healthcare Committee:Diane Handley, Marcelle Rousseau, AlArnold, Mary Gubala, and Charles Belonge.

• Security and Crime PreventionCommittee: Joe Porter, Romney Richard,Paul Stark, Mary Gubala and CharlesBelonge.

• City Services Committee: Billy Wright, Jake Springfield, Mary Gubala,and Eva Alito.

• Hearts and Lives Committee:Virginia Blanque (chair), Joe Porter,Kathleen Porter, Tammy Hathaway, SusanFinch, Bart Everson, Mary Gubala, andDoug Joubert

• Modern Energy Efficiency:Eric Price

Beyond the Monday night meetings, therewere three public meetings held in theneighborhood on June 10th 2006, July 8th,2006 and August 5th, 2006 to discussopportunities and challenges, various planscenarios, and the preferred plan.Additionally, one-on-one and smaller groupmeetings were virtually held every day andnight of the week that the plan was beingdeveloped among community members.This plan is the result of countless hours ofwork and effort by the community and itsconsultants.

Planning Process andNeighborhood Participation

The Mid-City neighborhood has an activeneighborhood association, the Mid-CityNeighborhood Organization. This grouphad promulgated a neighborhood-basedpolicy statement and revitalization visionprior to the involvement of the consultants.This included addressing housing issuesand a variety of other concerns. Thisearlier effort is the foundation for thisrecovery plan

Over a period of four months, theneighborhood association dutifully metevery Monday evening at Grace EpiscopalChurch at 3700 Canal Street, to developthe Recovery Plan. The consultantsparticipated, along with communitymembers, in more than four of thesemeetings. In July of 2006, a committeestructure was established which providedthe inherent focus for the recoveryplanning effort. The committees that wereestablished played a central role inproviding context and content for thisdocument. The committees andcommunity members who sit on each ofthese committees are as follows:

• Education Committee:Michael Homan (chair), Amy Lafont, DougJoubert, Mary Jane Parker, Jennifer Molina,Dee Hurtt, Jeannette Thompson, ElizabethKennedy, Jo Ann LoRusso, Diane Nowik,Shawn Anglim, Mary Joe Decareaux, NancyOrtiz-Surun, and Jackie Tinguey.

Images from left to right:

A - C: General District-wide CommunityMeetings


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Planning Ef forts Pre-Katr ina

Planning efforts pre-Hurricane Katrinaaddressed both district-wide andneighborhood specific issues. Planningefforts included the City of New Orleans’1999 Land Use Plan, the New Century NewOrleans Parks Master Plan of 2002 and theTransportation Master Plan of 2004.

The Parks Master Plan of 2002identified that improving maintenance ofexisting parks and park equipment shouldbe a top priority for the City of NewOrleans, as well as within Planning District4 areas where a deficiency of children’splay areas existed.

The New Century New OrleansTransportation Master Plan of 2004identified that bike paths within theneighborhoods of District 4 andconnections to other parts of the city wereneeded through the removal of auto lanesand added bike lanes. It identifiedimprovements to specific intersectionswhere pedestrian/bicycle safety is an issue.

These plans provided a wide spectrum ofpublic involvement for residents whileaddressing district-wide issues andopportunities and neighborhood concerns.As part of this planning process theseprevious planning efforts were evaluatedwith the intention of providing aneighborhood plan that reflects thecontinuous city planning process that

preceded the devastation of HurricaneKatrina and this neighborhood recoveryeffort.

A number of specific key issues came out ofthe prior planning efforts that are relevantto Mid-City. These include:

• Consolidation and concentration ofretail activities;

• Preservation of the residentialcharacter of the District;

• Placing emphasis on single or two-family home development with no furtherdevelopment of multi-family housing;

• Manicured open space should bedeveloped on vacant sites;

• Redevelopment of all commercialpivotal parcels should occur;

• Conversion of industrial toresidential should be encouraged along theLafitte Rail Corridor;

• Specific neighborhood and sectorplans should be developed; and,

• An emphasis should be placed onimproving the overall appearance of thearea.

Images from top to bottom:

Mapping Data Sources: City of New Orleans Parks Master Plan of2002 and Transportation Plan of 2004


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B. Pre-Hurricane Katrina Neighborhood ExistingConditions

Pre-Katr ina DemographicProf i le

Prior to Hurricane Katrina, according toCensus 2000 data, the population of Mid-City was 19,909. However, 6,078 of the“residents” of the neighborhood wereincarcerated in the Orleans Parish Prison(OPP). Therefore, for the purposes of thisplan, the population of the neighborhoodwas more accurately around 13,800 at thetime of the storm, albeit there had been asteady decline in neighborhood populationover the preceding two decades. Census2000 identified 5,827 households in Mid-City with an average household size ofover two persons per household.

Of the 13,800 residents who lived in thearea, only 9,380 were in family householdswhere multiple members of the householdwere related by birth or marriage.

Despite the fact that the Mid-Cityneighborhood is largely a historic area,and has some of the grandest streets andhomes in the City, there are consistentindications of persistent poverty and socialdistress in the neighborhood. Over 72% ofthe occupied units in the neighborhoodwere rental households (as compared to54% citywide and 32% statewide). Ofhouseholds with children, 47% of childrenlived without one parent present(compared to 29% statewide and 23%nationwide). Average household incomefor the area was 73% of the City’s, 70% of

Land Use and Zoning Elements

As with many older inner-cityneighborhoods which are well located andwhere there is inherent value, Mid-City hasan opportunity to redevelop in a way thatprotects the eclectic of uses in theneighborhood, but also takes advantage ofcurrent and future market conditions torefocus redevelopment around a variety ofland uses that enhance the character of theneighborhood. The predominant land usewithin Mid-City is single and two-familyresidential development with a significantamount of multi-family, industrial,commercial and institutional uses. Whendiscounting open space, residentialdevelopment comprises more than 55% oftotal land in the Mid-City. Commercial usesaccount for 21% and Industrial anadditional 13%.

The Mid-City neighborhood includesmultiple zoning classifications withcommercial zoning categories focusedalong the Tulane and Canal Avenuecorridors and industrial categories betweenBienville and the Lafitte Rail Corridor.

Mid-City Neighborhood Present Land-Use Map (Above)Source: City of New Orleans - 1999 Land Use Plan

Mid-City Neighborhood Present Zoning Map (Below)Source: City of New Orleans - 1999 Land Use Plan


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the State’s and 56% of the nation’s. Almost33% of the residents of Mid-City wereliving in poverty, compared to fewer than20% for the State and less than 13% forthe nation. Almost more troubling was thefact that more than 40% of children underthe age of 5 who lived in the neighborhoodprior to Katrina were in poverty comparedto less than half that number that for thenation’s population as a whole.

In terms of racial makeup theneighborhood generally mirrored that ofthe City as a whole with almost two-third ofthe population African American and one-third White. The key distinction in relationto ethnicity is the fact that 10% of thepopulation was of Hispanic origin vs. 3%for the City as a whole.

Overall, despite its strong locationalattributes and access, charming historiccharacter, and mature vegetation, theneighborhood was among the poorest inthe City prior to Hurricane Katrina andhoused a large number of low andmoderate income renters. Yet, despitethese challenges and largely due to thestrong location of Mid City and the fact thatthe neighborhood was not as severelyflooded as other communities closer toLake Pontchartrain, Mid-City is in factrebounding on a slow but steady path.

Mobility and Transportation

Based upon figures collected by Census2000 just fewer than 30% of residents ofMid-City utilized the bus or alternativemeans of transportation to get to work orschool. This is a significantly higherpercentage than for the City, State orNation a whole. As with manyneighborhoods with a high percentage oflow income residents, over one-third ofresidents do no have a vehicle comparedto 27% of residents citywide and 11.9% ofresidents in the State. The Canal Streetstreetcar, the only streetcar in the Citywhich is operating since Katrina, is animportant part of the neighborhood’stransportation network and furthersupports focused investment in thecommunity.

Source: U.S. Census 2000; the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center at http://gnocdc.org/orleans/


A: Bienville looking southB: Lindy Boggs BuildingC: Post OfficeD: Sav-A-CenterE: Criminal Court Building


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Recreation and Open Space

Mid-City is fortunate to have a significantamount of green space both within andimmediately surrounding the community,although there are no public gardens,pocket-parks or community plazas/publicgathering places in the neighborhood. Withthis in mind, it is clear that the plentifulgreen space will help define futureopportunities for redeveloping key areas,nodes, and corridors within Mid-City.Principal green areas that help define thearea include:

• City Park – While not officiallywithin the Mid-City neighborhood, by thedefinition of the City PlanningDepartment’s 1999 Master Plan, the 1,500plus acre City Park is central to definingthe community’s northeastern edge,particularly given the fact that thesouthern areas of the Park are the mostutilized from an activity perspective. Thehealth and maintenance of City Park iscritical to the long term value andopportunity for growth in Mid-City.

• Comiskey Playground –Comiskey Park is a 2.35 acre park that islocated on Jeff Davis Parkway and BaudinStreet. The park has a basketball count,playground equipment, and a baseballdiamond.

• St. Patrick’s Playground – Thispark is a small 1.8 acre triangular park

located at St. Patrick and Baudin Streetsand has both a baseball diamond andfootball field.

• Jefferson Davis ParkwayNeutral Ground - The Neutral Groundalong Jefferson Davis Parkway is amongthe widest and most beautiful in the City.It allows the street to serve as the grandeast-west boulevard of the neighborhoodcomplementing the intersecting CanalStreet. The neutral ground is generallypassive with a number of monuments andwalking paths but also has children’s playareas in some locations.

• Bayou St. John – Bayou St. Johnbounds the eastern edge of JeffersonDavis Parkway, and while largely notwithin the neighborhood boundaries basedupon the City Planning Commission’sdefinitions is an important passiverecreation anchor for the neighborhood.

• Orleans Avenue NeutralGround – Just as with the Jefferson DavisNeutral Ground, the Orleans AvenueNeutral Ground provides another keygreenspace which helps to delineate theneighborhood’s northeast border.

• Greenwood and Cypress GroveCemeteries - These historic cemeteriesare important to defining theneighborhoods northwestern boundaries.They serve as key tourist attractions aswell as the terminus of the Canal Streetcarline.


A: St. Patrick’s playing fieldsB: Cominsky ParkC: Jeff Davis Neutral GroundD: Bayou St John at Jeff Davis terminus


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Roadway Hierarchy andJurisdiction

Mid-City is defined by a road network thatincludes almost every type of roadwayclassification.

The neighborhood is bounded on the westby the Pontchartrain Expressway and tothe south by U.S. 90 (Broad Street).

Other important major arterials that bisectthe neighborhood include CarrolltonAvenue, a major commercial street thatruns from St. Charles Avenue at the riverto Esplanade Avenue at City Park, and JeffDavis Parkway, one of the widestboulevards in New Orleans. The most important streets running alonga northeast/southwest vector are CanalStreet and Tulane Avenue. These streetsare key commercial corridors in theneighborhood and Canal has one of thefew fixed rail transit lines in the City.Future plans, which are strongly supportedby the neighborhood residents call for theeventual connection of the Carrollton andCanal Streetcar lines, thus completing theloop through downtown New Orleans.

The Mid-City neighborhood also has tworail l ines that define neighborhoodboundaries and are important elements tothe plan. On one end, the rail line whichruns along the Pontchartrain Expresswayand currently serves Amtrak is proposed to

be the central line utilized for future lightrail access that would serve the CBD andthe Mid-City neighborhood. On the otherend of the neighborhood is the Lafitte RailCorridor (currently utilized approximatelyonce a week for the delivery of bricks)which is proposed to be converted to alinear park through a “rails to trails”redevelopment effort.

In sum the neighborhood has the benefitof being one of the most accessible in theCity without being dissected by a majorInterstate as is the case with Treme or theHistoric 7th Ward. The neighborhood’sstreet pattern is conducive to vibrantresidential and commercial development.

Images from right to left:

A: Cominsky Park - Playground areaB: Jeff Davis Parkway - Bike Path


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Housing, Architecture and HistoricPreservation

Housing

As previously noted, approximately three-fourth of the residents of Mid-City arerenters. This compares to 54% citywide.The high proportion of rental housingcombined with the presence a highconcentration of low and moderate incomerenters explains the relative poor conditionmuch of the housing stock in theneighborhood prior to the storm.

Rents of these homes, 63% of which werebuilt before 1949, generally did not supportthe cost of regular upkeep, particularlygiven the nature of ownership of housing inthe neighborhood, with many homes ownedby absentee landlords who may havepurchased the scattered site units with theintention of maximizing profits by puttingas little investment in the properties aspossible, or obtained the home throughinheritance but lived in anotherneighborhood or outside of the City.

Largely due to the poor condition of homesin the area, there were a high number ofblighted properties in Mid-City prior to thestorm. In Census 2000, in excess of 13%of the units in the neighborhood werevacant; more than double the city’s overallvacancy rate.

Architecture

Despite the condition of the housing stockin Mid-City, the area has tremendousarchitectural character. Based upon asurvey by the HDLC, the followingconstruction types/building stocks arerepresented: Shotguns (55.3%; i.e., single,double, camelback, and two storyshotguns); Creole cottages (15%); Raisedbasements (9.1%); Eclectic (7.7%);Commercial/ Institutional (7.5%); andSidehalls (4.5%). With regard toarchitectural `styles', within Mid-City themost common styles are Bungalows(31.4%), Colonial and Queen Anne Revivals(17.6%), Italianate (15.7%), Eastlake(5.8%), 20th Century Eclectic (2.6%), andGreek Revival (2.3%); the remaining 18.5%of the structures were described as NoStyle, Other, or Non-Contributing elements.

Historic Preservation

It is difficult overstate the role that historicpreservation will play in the future healthand benefit of the Mid-City neighborhood.

The majority of the Mid-City neighborhoodis a National Historic District, and has awide range of housing typologies from theearly 20th Century. In Jeff Davis Parkway,Canal Street, and Orleans Avenue, theneighborhood has some of the most

impressive and important streets in thisnationally important historic city. Banksand Bienville are highly desirableresidential streets that run practically tothe CBD, and if the condition of thehistoric housing stock on these streetswere to be significantly improved, themomentum of revitalizing these streetswould clearly have a catalytic impact onthe secondary streets in theneighborhood. Jesuit, Easton HighSchool, and Thurgood Marshall are allhistoric anchors in the neighborhood, andthe Cemeteries and proximateFairgrounds and City Park all providenearby tourist attractions central to theCity’s long history.

One of the key concerns of the Mid-Cityneighborhood at this point is the fact thatthe National Historic District designationdoes not provide the level of controlrequired to preserve the broad historiccharacter of the neighborhood,particularly given the post-Katrinapressures on quick low-cost rehabilitationsolutions.

Therefore, the neighborhood is urging theestablishment of a Mid-City Local HistoricDistrict with a Local NeighborhoodPlanning Unit (NPU) that would reviewand approve all proposed demolition ornew reconstruction projects within thehistoric district of the neighborhood.

Above:

Mid-City NeighborhoodHistoric District - National Register

Images from Left to Right:

A-C: Photos of exemplary residentialarchitecture found in Mid-City

The Mid-City community wants thedistinctive architectural characteristics oftheir neighborhood to be encouraged,maintained, and enforced during thecurrent (and any future) rebuilding andrehabilitation efforts. The Housing Committee of Mid Cityendorses and recommends to the ZoningCommittee enforcement of the CarrolltonOverlay, and development of a similarCanal Street Overlay, to preserve thecharacter of the neighborhood.

The Canal Street Overlay would bemodeled after other Carrollton Overlaywhich is a design regulatory tool thatprescribes how new and renovatedstructures are to be placed on the site.Structures should be placed on the site in amanner consistent with the establishedhistorical urban pattern. Buildings are to belocated near the sidewalk creating apedestrian friendly environment and urbanscale. This will in effect allow Mid City toprotect its architectural character andreinforce its historical status.


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C. Hurricane Katrina Neighborhood Impacts

Extent of Flooding

The Mid-City neighborhood had the mostextensive flooding of all of theneighborhoods in Planning District 4.Flooding exceeded 5 feet in approximately60 percent of the neighborhood as the areahas a range of elevations. Currently,certain areas of the neighborhoodexperienced only limited flooding. Whileflood depths were more significant inadjoining Planning District 5 (Lakeview),the flooding in Mid-City was the mostextensive in the central part of the city,with the possible exception of Broadmoor.

Residential Properties DamageAssessment

While Mid-City has a significant number ofhomes that experienced limited damagefrom Katrina flooding either do to the factthat the homes were raised or they werelocated in higher ground areas of theneighborhood, there are substantialpockets throughout the neighborhoodwhere large concentrations of homes thatsustained damage in excess of 40 percentand in many cases 50% exist.

Combined with the high concentration oflower and moderate income rental housingunder small landlord ownership in the MidCity neighborhood, the high concentrationof seriously damaged properties raisessignificant concern with regard to the

ability and inclination of non-occupiedproperty owners to restore their unitswithout some underlying write-down,funding support, or long-term rental.Without a focused rental revitalizationprogram many of these properties will failto meet the economic threshold for qualityreinvestment.

Commercial Properties DamageAssessment

While commercial properties in Mid-City wereheavily impacted by the storm, and the vastmajority of retail establishments continue to beclosed, there appears to be a general steady,albeit slow, trend towards reinvestment andrevitalization of these properties. Specificobservations with regard to key commercialnodes of activity include the following:

• Tulane Corridor (Broad to Carrollton) -Driven by the reopening of the Prison andCourthouse complex the Tulane corridor in theneighborhood has experienced a slow return ofbusiness activity principally related to these twomunicipal anchors. Business activity in thearea not driven by these two facilities has yet toreturn for the most part. While there is acertain amount of activity around theCarrollton/Tulane intersection with thereopened auto parts, reopened paint store,Rock-and-Bowl, and the FontainebleauHotel/Mini-storage center; it is limited in natureand certainly this area presents significantopportunity for redevelopment.

Mid-City Neighborhood Flood Damage Map showing inundated areas of theneighborhoood (above). Source: City of New Orleans - April 2006

Mid-City Neighborhood Damage Assessment Map showing the extent of the damage toneighborhood structures (below). Source: City of New Orleans - April 2006


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• Carrollton Corridor – The Carrolltoncorridor has seen a slow but steady return ofcommercial activity particularly at theCanal/Carrollton intersection.

• Canal Corridor – The Canal commercialactivity is a mix of professional office and retailin key intersections. A steady return of doctors,accountants, and lawyers to the area appears tobe underway along Canal, although it is clearlynot to the extent that would indicate that a fullrecovery of the commercial aspects of thecorridor is imminent. Additionally, the RTAcontinues to operate out of a series of trailerslocated within the parking lot of the RTA busand streetcar shed, and given the broad staffcuts at the agency, the return of use of the RTAheadquarters to full service appears to beseveral years away.

• Industrial Corridors – The industrialactivity in the neighborhood, particularly alongand proximate to the Lafitte Corridor rail spurappears to be largely restored to the extent theywere in use prior to Katrina (many of whichwere not). These buildings, most of which areconstructed of metal or brick/concrete, havebeen put back into service.

• Lindy Boggs Hospital Complex andAmerican Can Area – The Lindy BoggsHospital complex, a key employer in the arearemains closed, and no plans for reopening havebeen announced as of this date. What is largelyoperational in the area is the American Cancomplex including all of the apartments andapproximately ½ of the commercial activity onand surrounding the property.

• Banks and Bienville – Smallneighborhood retail and restaurant activityalong Banks and Bienville has partially beenrestored, however key intersection retail suchas that found at the intersection of Broad andBienville has been slow to return.

Infrastructure DamageAssessment

The infrastructure damage assessment carriedout was limited to drive-by evaluations of streetconditions conducted by the NeighborhoodPlanning Consultant. No underground utilitieswere assessed; however the consultant andneighborhood groups were able to determinethat BellSouth has been working to install fiberoptic lines in the area. One planning challengehas been the fact that fiber optic lines requireaboveground connection box installations whichare considered by the neighborhood to bevisually intrusive in exposed areas. Cabletelevision as of the date of this plan has beenrestored to 87% of the Mid-City neighborhood.

Information based upon visual inspectionincluded specific conditions as follows: missingstreet signs, damaged street lights, sidewalksand pedestrian circulation, etc.

Street Condition

Damage to streets was quite extensive fromHurricane Katrina. Based upon a block-by-block, street-by-street assessment we estimatethat 68,600 linear feet of street need to be

Above: Mid-City Street Survey showing the condition of the streets in the neighborhood. RED - Poor ConditionGREEN - Fair/Good Condition


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Parks and Open Space DamageAssessment

Hurricane Katrina had a tremendous impact onthe parks of Mid-City. Parks are particularly atrisk, given that FEMA allocates virtually nofunding for the recovery of green space andtrees, and the removal of destroyed canopy hasbeen difficult to obtain federal funding toaddress.

All of the parks in the neighborhood includingComiskey Playground and St. Patrick’sPlayground require wholesale renewal and thereare no operating funds to appropriately programthese facilities. The neutral grounds of JeffDavis and Orleans have largely been cleaned andrestored.

The poor condition of City Park, while not in theneighborhood’s official boundaries, continues tonegatively impact Mid-City’s recreation options.

Community and Other Major PublicFacilities

There are a broad range of public andcommunity facilities located in Mid-City. Schoolsaccount for a significant number of thesefacilities and are central elements to defining theneighborhood. Almost all of these facilities weredamaged to some extent as a result of thestorm; however, the list below provides anindication of the facility and their currentoperating status.

• Jesuit High School - open and operating• Warren Easton High School-open• Thurgood Marshall- closed• St. Anthony School-open• A.D Crossman Elementary School - closed /

plans for reopening undetermined• Fisk-Howard Elementary School - closed -

plans for reopening undetermined• Peters Middle School - status undetermined• John Dibert Elementary School – open,

Recovery District School

Other major community facilities in theneighborhood include the Lindy Boggs MedicalComplex which remains closed after the stormand no information is currently available on thestatus for reopening or conversion to some otheruse.

Public facilities in the area include the municipalcourthouse which is currently operating and theOrleans Parish Prison Complex which, whileoperating, has a significantly reduced number ofinmates today compared to prior to the storm.

Nearby community and public facilities whichimpact the neighborhood’s future includeDelgado Community College which in January2006 re-opened with limited capacity. Eight ofthe City Park Campus’ twenty-five buildings arenow accommodating returning students.Flooding and wind from the hurricane damagedapproximately 70% of the facilities on thecampus. Additionally, Xavier University isnearby and anchors one of the four corners ofthe I-10/Carrollton intersection.

replaced. While Canal Street, Jeff DavisParkway, and Tulane Avenue are in good oradequate condition, Carrollton is only partially inacceptable condition (where it runs from Canalto City Park) and partially in very poor condition(from Canal to the Expressway), much of therest of the neighborhood’s streets are indeplorable shape. Banks and Bienville, St. Louis,and the many secondary streets that run parallelto Jeff Davis and perpendicular to Canal arestrewn with potholes that make whole lanes, ifnot whole streets, impassable or unusable.

Street Signage and Way-Finding

Street signs and way-finding signs sustainedheavy loss in the neighborhood; however, theCity continues to restore signs on a reasonablysteady schedule.

Street Lights

Individual installations sustained damage fromwind, flooding, etc. Repairs have been madeincrementally.

Sidewalks/Pedestrian Circulation DamageAssessment

There are broad areas of sidewalks within Mid-City that were damaged as a result of HurricaneKatrina. The majority of these sidewalks wereeither broken by overturned trees or the weightof debris removal equipment.


A: Dibert Elementary SchoolB: Xavier UniversityC: Jesuit High School on S. CarrolltonD: Warren Easton High School


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D. Neighborhood RebuildingScenarios and Re-Population

The proposed recovery plan will conform tothe existing neighborhood urban structure.The recovery plan is predicated upon thefact that residents, investors, andbusinesses can flourish and property valuescan be enhanced based upon the existingstreet grid and pattern of developmentwith limited intervention as it relates tozoning and other land use changes. Thesechanges will be focused on allowing formore intense development at key nodes(Carrollton and I-10) or change of use inkey corridors (from industrial to mixedresidential/commercial use along theLafitte rails-to-trails corridor). Theneighborhood has established certainspecific goals for the recovery of theneighborhood no matter what therebuilding strategy.

1. Restoration of ordinary publicservices such as twice weekly trashremoval and U.S. Postal service to thedoor/porch are considered very importantbenchmarks to signify a return to normalcyin the neighborhood;

2. Focus on both for-sale and rentalhousing redevelopment andreconstruction and theimplementation of key policiesdetailed later in this document that willassist in insuring that the housing stock ofthe neighborhood is restored in ansensitive fashion (particularly as it relatesto the historic character) and the conditionof the housing stock and stability of

neighborhoods in improved to a housinglevel beyond that which existed prior toKatrina;

3. Insure the redevelopment ofrecreation and other communityfacilities allowing returning and newfamilies to have the necessary services andamenities that support continuedpopulation growth in the area. Thisinclude creation of pocket parks to servethe neighborhoods and address identifieddeficiencies, the inclusion of childrenplaygrounds to serve the needs of theneighborhoods’ children and youngparents, restoration of destroyed parks toinclude the activities previously identifiedby the community, and focus on thereconstruction of City Park in the fundinglist of projects for District Four.Additionally, critical community facilities,such as fire protection, must be addressedimmediately to insure the safety of thecommunity during reconstruction.

4. Mid-City's economic diversity is anintegral part of its recovery. Thecommunity will continue to support andfoster this historic and unique mix ofresidential, commercial, and industrialzones. Additionally, the community iscommitted that any redevelopmentscenario insure:

o A re-developed Tulane Avenuecorridor. With its central location,numerous under-utilized properties, and

potential to accommodate various sizedprojects, a Tulane Avenue commercecenter can act as an economic incubatorfor the city.

o Mid-City's commercialredevelopment (especially throughout theCarrollton Avenue commercial corridor) willbe focused on walkability, street-sidestorefronts, and neighborhood-friendlybusinesses such as small bookstores, earlychildhood development centers, andservice-oriented shops (cleaners, tailor,fitness studios, restaurants).

o The Canal streetcar line andCarrollton Avenue spur provide Mid-Citywith a direct connection to the tourist andconventioneer dollar. Therefore, Mid-Citymust capitalize on this by promoting thedevelopment and marketing of culturalattractions, i.e. music venues, art galleries,an independent movie theater, and historictours. Additionally, the neighborhoodpromoters must be focused on attractingrecreation-based business to the area,such as bicycle and/or canoe rental.

o The community will ensure asymbiotic relationship between residents'needs and concerns and the needs andconcerns of neighborhood businesses.

o Mid-City must encourage therecovery of the small business communityin any way possible.

o By keeping neighbors and smallbusinesses involved and informed, theMid-City community should foster bothlarge and small-scale commercialredevelopment, with a vision towardsretaining and preserving the historiccharm of the Mid-City neighborhood andimproving the quality of life.

o Transit oriented development- aregional concept, will be supported tobring together intermodal mixed use withthe increase of density and thedevelopment of a destination project,“Midtown New Orleans” at the intersectionof Carrolton, the I-10 and Tulane Avenue.

5. As it relates to parks andrecreation, City Park is a wonderfulamenity, but it is no substitute for smallerparks intermixed throughout residentialareas. Research indicates people do notuse green space if it is more than a threeminutes walk. Open, public green space isneeded within a three minutes walk of anyhome in Mid-City. This requires that greenspace distributed at intervals ofapproximately every 1,500 feet. More thanhalf of Mid-City can achieve this throughthe creation of a linear park on the LafitteCorridor and through enhancement of theJeff Davis neutral ground. Key areas inneed of green space are the area nearBroad and above Canal and the Carrolltoncorridor on the Uptown side of Canal.Parks have been underutilized and theyhave been poorly maintained or not


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maintained at all. Community centers areneeded within larger parks. Specifically, asit relates to any rebuilding scenario, thecommunity is seeking:

o The Rails-to-Trails Project along theLafitte Corridor is favored by thecommunity along with any other greenspace the project will provide;

o At least four small communitygardens throughout Mid-City;

o A dog park in Mid City;

o St. Patrick’s Park could bedeveloped, along with a multi-use complex,such as the Joe Brown Complex in NewOrleans East;

o Comisky Park and the YWCA couldbecome a revitalized playground,community center, and indoor sportscomplex. The Comisky location would give avisible field with nearby open parking alongthe Jeff Davis corridor in which all childrencould participate;

o City Park is area for considerationand planning within District 4 and, for thatmatter, the whole city. Residents are insupport of the park being funded in orderto move towards their master plan that wasdeveloped prior to the storm;

o The Bayou St. John area across fromthe post office needs to be more user

friendly, with added benches, more trees,shrubbery, etc., to become a destinationarea for people to come and enjoy.

o More trees need to be planted,especially flowering trees that are native tothe area. Also along with planting trees,residents would like to have an arborist tocare for the many trees on the city propertythat have been neglected. Also related tothis would be beautification, especiallyalong Jeff Davis and Orleans Ave., theareas of the large neutral grounds thatcould be beautified by planting gardens.

o Development of the warehouse areaadjacent to the linear park (rails-to-trails)with mixed use opportunities including,multi-family housing, retail facilities, artstudios and exhibit space, way-findingdevices to community historic structures,plazas, seats, landscaping and lighting.


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E. Neighborhood Recovery Plan

The following details the neighborhoodrecovery plan broken down by key projectsand stages of implementation. The plan’selements fall into one of two generalcategories: Capital projects for which thereis a direct investment associated with theproject and policies which call for changesin regulations or enforcement.Additionally, both capital projects andpolicies may have recurring operating costsassociated with them and these are notedwithin the context of the recovery plan. It is important to note that what ishighlighted herein principally ties to theprioritization matrix included as part of thisreport. However the Mid-CityNeighborhood Organization has beendeveloping a recovery plan and policystatement beginning a few months afterHurricane Katrina, and this plan/statementwill continue to form the basis of how theneighborhood’s residents monitor,evaluate, and participate in therevitalization of their community.Additionally, it is expected that theneighborhood organization’s plan willcontinue to be the living document guidingredevelopment and reconstruction in theMid-City area over the next several years.The Organization’s plan can be found a:

h t t p : / / t h i n k n o l a . c o m / w i k i / M i d -City_Recovery_Plan

and is updated on a regular basis.

LEFT:Aerial and Site Plan of Proposed NewPublic Library adjacent to WarrenEaston High School


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LEFT:Aerial view and Site Plan for ProposedRenovation of YMCA and Cominsky Parkas revitalized Playground, CommunityCenter and Indoor Sports Center

CRITICAL EARLY ACTIONRECOVERY INITIATIVES ANDOBJECTIVES

The following are recovery projects thatthe neighborhood’s residents considercritical to Mid-City’s revitalization:

Repair, Restore and Improve allUnderground Utilities – The City’s watersystem continues to require repair despitesignificant progress in recent months. It isimportant that the Federal government andState entities insure that the Sewage &Water Board has the necessary resourcesto quickly repair systems and the Sewage& Water Board develop a rational plan foraddressing the leaks and breaks in thesystem so that above groundimprovements can begin.

Repair streets, sidewalks, trafficsignals/signs, street lights, andReplace missing drain, manhole,catch basins and water meter covers -There are approximately 68,500 linear feetof street and sidewalks that need to bereplaced in Mid-City. While manystreetlights have already been repaired,the introduction of more attractivepedestrian-scale lighting is preferred inareas where reasonable. All drain,manhole, catch basis and water metercovers also require replacement.


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Images ABOVE:

Aerial, Site Plan and IllustrativePerspective for proposed Lafitte CorridorRail Right-of-Way into Linear Park andTrail system.

neighborhood. This includes designationof the area as a Local Historic District,which vests the neighborhood with thelevel of regulatory protection and oversightit deserves.

Focus on Rehabilitation of Damagedand Blighted Housing and CommercialStructures – The neighborhood cannotrecover without a viable housing stock toaccommodate displaced residents andattract new residents into theneighborhood. This can only beaccomplished by addressing the largenumber of damaged and blighted homes inthe neighborhood. While theneighborhood supports the Road Homeinitiatives at is relates to both homeownerand rental housing, the neighborhoodbelieves there needs to be a richer rangeof housing programs to address theblighting conditions that both existedbefore the storm and which wereexacerbated by Katrina. The neighborhoodsupports the Lot Next Door program,elderly housing initiative, and thereinvestment of second generation fundsfrom the sale of homes or properties inhigher income areas into areas such asMid-City. These programs are more fullydescribed below. An aggressive effort tosupport business development and therestoration of commercial properties needto be a focus of any revitalization effort aswell.

Urge City Council to adopt therecommendations of the PlanningCommission’s Land Use Plan and theDevelopment of a ComprehensiveZoning Ordinance – Healthydevelopment in the neighborhood will bedefined by maintaining strong controlsover development and this can only occurthrough the imposition of a thoughtful landuse plan and zoning code.

NEEDED AND MID TERMINITIATIVES AND OBJECTIVES

Turn Lafitte / Bienville Corridor RailRight-of-Way into Linear Park andTrail System – In order to better tie thecommunity through pedestrian access andbike to other areas of the City and tocreate a linear park or trail which canbecome the centerpiece for furtherdevelopment of a older industrial area ofthe neighborhood, the neighborhood isseeking the development of the Lafitte raill ine into a pedestrian/bike trail thatextends from the Municipal Auditorium tothe cemeteries on Canal Boulevard. Theredevelopment of this rail line into apedestrian and bike trail creates theimpetus for additional residential andcommercial development in what is nowprincipally an industrial corridor.

Redesign St. Patrick’s Park t IncludeField and Multi-Use RecreationComplex – The St. Patrick’s Park should

Add Trees and Benches to the area ofBayou St. John near the Post Office –Improving the quality of the green spaces isimportant to the revitalization of theneighborhood and, therefore, theneighborhood is seeking the addition oftrees and benches along Bayou St. Johnnear the Post Office. These addedamenities will enhance the attractivenessand passive park-like nature of the area.

New Public Library – The neighborhoodis seeking the development of a new publiclibrary to be located adjacent to WarrenEaston High School on the Physician’sHospital Site. The neighborhood recentlyreceived funding to support the build-outand operation of a temporary library in thearea and is now seeking additional fundingso the library can find a permanent home inthe neighborhood.

Study Development of a Mid-CityCommunity Health Clinic, SeniorHousing and Medical Care Complex atLindy Boggs site or site nearby – Theneighborhood believes the rapid restorationof the Lindy Boggs complex to commerce isan important element to the neighborhood’srevitalization. While it is unclear what thecurrent owners intend to do with theproperty at this point, it is important tostudy reuse of the property for non-hospital

uses, looking at a broad range ofopportunities to re-use the site for a mix ofhealth care and residential use.

Restore Public Schools inNeighborhood - Emphasis should beplaced upon restoring John DibertElementary, Thurgood Marshall MiddleSchool, and Warren Easton High School. Asthe schools are reconstructed, theopportunity should afford the recoveryschool district the chance to create facilitiesof excellence with the mix of academicfacilities found in newly built schools acrossthe nation.

Clean Up, Rapid Restoration of Cityand Other Services – One of the keyelements that will restore a sense ofnormalcy in the neighborhood is the basicclean up of the neighborhood and therestoration of day-to-day municipalservices. This includes once-a-weekremoval of debris and hazardoussubstances, restoration of twice a weekgarbage removal, and the reintroduction ofdoor-to-door postal service.

Aggressively Protect Mid-City’sHistoric and Architectural Characterto Protect and Improve Quality of Life– As has been noted throughout this plan,the degree and extent to which the Mid-Cityneighborhood recovers and improves isdependent upon its protection of thehistoric and architectural character of the


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be redesigned to serve both outdoor andindoor recreation needs. However, theindoor complex will not be as extensive asthe community center proposed forCominsky Park.

Enhance Jeff Davis Parkway andOrleans Avenue Neutral Grounds withAdditional Trees and Public Gardens –The neutral grounds of grand boulevardscan be significantly enhanced through theplanting of trees and public gardens whichwill allow these public spaces to rival someof the grandest streets in the nation.

Develop Mid-City Dog Park and AddFour Small Community Gardens –There is strong interest among Mid-Cityresidents for the development of a dogpark and four small community gardenswithin the neighborhood. These mostlikely can be developed in areas which willbe cleared of large numbers of blightedstructures although the gardens must bescattered throughout the neighborhood toserve the largest number of residents.

Fund Youth Outreach, VocationalTraining, Crime PreventionTechniques and a Judicial LiaisonProgram to Ensure NeighborhoodSafety – It is important that a holisticstrategy be undertaken to address crime inthe neighborhood and that the strategy beimplemented at the neighborhood level.The following are recovery projects thatthe neighborhood’s residents consider

critical to Mid-City’s revitalization:

DESIRED AND LONG TERMINITIATIVES AND OBJECTIVES

Renovate YMCA and Cominsky Parkas Revitalized Playground,Community Center and Indoor SportsCenter – The plan identifies CominskyPark as being a centerpiece recreation andcommunity center for the Mid-Cityneighborhood. This community andrecreation center developed in conjunctionwith the YMCA is envisioned as a state-of-the-art facility with indoor tracks, pools,basketball courts, fitness center, andmeeting and intergenerational elementsthat serve the needs of both the youth andelderly of the community.

Study Redevelopment Options forCommercial Corridors inNeighborhood – The restoration ofcommercial services was consistentlyidentified as a key element of theneighborhoods recovery althoughdetermining the scope of publicinvolvement in insuring that thisredevelopment occurs in a way which isconsistent with broader communityrenewal goes beyond the scope of thisplan. Therefore, the plan herein calls forfurther study of the commercialopportunity and investment required toencourage commercial development along

Carrollton Avenue, Canal Street, TulaneAvenue, Broad Street, and the Conti StreetCorridor.

Build Community Centers on orNearby Public School Campuses – Inorder to encourage interaction betweenstudents, teachers and communitymembers any development of communitycenters in the area should be co-locatedwith school facilities.

Encourage Development of Light RailAlong the Pontchartrain Expresswaywhich connects the Central BusinessDistrict to the Louis ArmstrongInternational Airport – Thedevelopment of a light rail systemconnecting the airport to the CBD isconsidered to be of significant benefit tothe residents and businesses in theneighborhood.

Study Construction of Internal FloodProtection Levees – While therestoration of the flood protection systemfor the City is currently underway, theresidents of the neighborhood believe thatit is critical to look at a layered system ofdefense with regard to hazard mitigationand flood protection and thereforeencourages the study of a secondaryinternal flood protection system that wouldprotect Mid-City and adjoiningneighborhoods in the event of a break inthe existing levee and broaderCity/regional flood protection network.

Images LEFT:Proposed light rail development alongthe Pontchartrain Expressway


23Images TOP:Proposal for Mixed-use Sports Complex at former Albertson’s Site and Main Library Site

Images Top - Right to Left:Proposed Mid-Town / Xavier Redevelopment at CarrolltonA: Land Use - First LevelB: Land Use & Circulation System - Second LevelC: Overall Land Use Plan - Roof Level

Study and Encourage Development of“Midtown New Orleans” – Broad scaleredevelopment, including the identificationof funding strategies, should be studied forthe four corners where the I-10 meetsCarrollton and Tulane Avenues. This is oneof the most important intersections in theCity, has the potential to become a keygateway into the City from the west, canhelp stem the leakage of retail sales intoJefferson Parish if large parcels are createdin the area to support larger scale retailers,and is currently in a state of seriousdisrepair where the acquisition of a largenumber of parcels becomes possible.

Extend Existing TransportationOptions and Maintain NeighborhoodWalkability – A concerted effort shouldbe made to extend the varioustransportation options in the area throughthe extension of streetcar lines and byadding pedestrian and bike paths whereverfeasible.

Endorse Full Funding of City Park –City Park is one of the City’s gems thathelps make Mid-City the strong communityit is. The health of City Park is directly tiedto the health of Mid-City and theneighborhood strongly endorses extraeffort being placed on identifying publicfunding which will help restore as well asoperate this important neighborhoodanchor.


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Neighborhoods RebuildingPlan Proposed HousingInitiatives

A number of housing initiatives areproposed as part of the NeighborhoodsRebuilding Plan and are presented in theoverall policy element of the plan andissued under separate cover. Below asummary of the policies that are relevantto Mid-City are highlighted.

HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSINGDEVELOPMENT

There are a number of specific housingdevelopment and policy considerationswithin the historic neighborhoods of NewOrleans that received significant damagein Hurricane Katrina. The challenges ofrebuilding are particularly severe in thosehistoric neighborhoods where a significantnumber of low and moderate incomehouseholds resided prior to the storm.

The City of New Orleans, prior toHurricane Katrina, generally made $25,000soft second mortgages available throughthe HOME program to write down the costof acquisition for eligible families inCommunity Development neighborhoodsthroughout the City.

However, even before the storm, thisamount was generally not enough to coverthe gap in funding that was required to

rehabilitate units that were historicstructures and required specialconsideration. Typically construction costsrelated to historic buildings is as much as30 percent above non-historic newconstruction, and while the City madeexceptions and increased the maximumfunding available in some cases due tohistoric considerations, given the limitedfunds available, the increase in funding forhistoric units meant that fewer units wouldbe rehabilitated overall.

Today, the problem is further exacerbatedby a rapid escalation in construction costsin the post-Katrina period which hasfurther eroded the degree to which the$25,000 fills gaps in funding for newconstruction, let alone more costly historicrehabilitation.

There is a need for targeted programs forareas such as Treme and Mid-City forexpanded historic and blighted housinggap funding in order to insure the longterm health and character of these uniqueneighborhoods.

Assuming that the gap now stands at$30,000 to fill the gap for new homeconstruction (and stil l maintainaffordability for low and moderate incomefamilies), the amount required for therestoration of a historic home could be inexcess of $50,000 (covering the additionalcost of not only that portion addressed bythe $30,000 in new construction but a


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widened gap associated with the entire unitreconstruction).

While gap financing of $50,000 per unit or$5.0 million for every 100 units of blightedunits of historic housing is quite significant,it is difficult to see how the historic fabricof many low and moderate incomeneighborhoods will be maintained withoutthe provision of this funding. Otherwise,what is at risk is a major change in thecharacter of many neighborhoods throughdisplacement of the neighborhood’s lowand moderate income residents or thefurther erosion of a neighborhood’s historiccharacter.

Currently, no gap funding program isaddressing this challenge, and withoutadditional use of CDBG funds to fill thesegaps, the historic and community fabric ofmany of the historic moderate incomeneighborhoods of New Orleans stands to beshredded.

Changes in the Road Home and other gapfunding efforts should take into account thehistoric nature of the Treme and 7th Wardneighborhoods, among others, and makeenhanced funding available which will allowthe neighborhoods to retain their historiccharacter while concurrently continuing toserve moderate and low incomehouseholds.

LOT NEXT DOOR

The principal thrust of redevelopmentprograms and policies that encourage thespeedy redevelopment of neighborhoods,must match various government powersand financing tools to the local housing andreal estate market conditions.

A key question will be hot to mosteffectively encourage the redevelopment ofhomes and residential lots that fall intopublic ownership.

The “Lot Next Door” program is one of aseries of proposed housing policies whichhave been developed as part of theNeighborhoods rebuilding plan and takesdirect aim at some particular markethurdles that slow the redevelopment ofmany of these properties.

In its simplest form the Lot Next Doorprogram will offer homeowners who arecommitted to redeveloping their home theability to purchase publicly owned adjoiningproperties prior to these properties beingoffered to any other buyers. This optionwould be provided should the property endup in public ownership either through theadjudication process or through the sale ofthe property to a public entity through theRoad Home or other public acquisitionprogram.

ELDERLY MODERATE INCOMECONDOMINIUM ROAD HOME TIE-IN

What has become quite apparent throughthe neighborhood planning process is thatsenior households which have some of thestrongest ties to the community and haveexpressed some of the strongest voices forrebuilding and returning to the City alsoface some of the most significantchallenges in redeveloping or rebuildingtheir homes.

First, there are many areas of the Citywhich had a high concentration of elderlyhomeowners (Lower Ninth, PontchartrainPark, and Lakeview) which sustainedsubstantial damage and will require thedemolition and reconstruction of manyhomes. Historically, the challenges dealingwith contractors, permit inspectors,lenders, etc. has proved particularlychallenging for many elderly householdsafter experiencing the substantial damage(physical and psychological) that has beenvisited upon other communities after otherdisasters. Additionally, there are asubstantial number of areas of the Cityincluding Lakeview, areas of Gentilly,among others where rebuilding homes withdamage in excess of 50 percent will requirethe total reconstruction at three feet abovegrade or the Base Flood Elevationswhichever is greater. Many of thesehomes will have to be raised close to onestory making them a difficult housingproduct type for people with physicalfrailties.

Elderly homeowners are clearly a specialcase with specific needs, and currentlythere are no programs targeted to thissubgroup of homeowners.

A targeted elderly homeowner program isneeded which will allow elderly householdsto tie their Road Home grant to seniorspecific elevator multi-story condominiumprojects to be developed throughout theCity. There has been wide support fordedicated multi-family senior housingproduct in many parts of the City, butparticularly in areas where youngerhomeowners have aging parents livingnearby. In some cases, there may be aneed to increase the grant amount orprovide a low interest loan to thehousehold if there is a gap between thevalue of the buyout (and insuranceproceeds) and the market value price ofthe condominium unit.

USE OF SECOND GENERATION FUNDSAND EXPANSION OF HOMEPURCHASER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

One of the principal questions that hascome up again and again in neighborhoodmeetings is the issue of how propertiesthat end up in public ownership eitherthrough the adjudicated or buy backprocess are going to be resold in themarketplace.

While the Lot Next Door program providesone method for recycling lots in the


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market, there are going to be numerouslots that are not acquired by next doorneighbors that are going to have to be soldto third party purchasers.

Assuming that there are few newregulations associated with developinghousing (i.e. some requirement that certainunits must be homeownership vs. rental) itis likely that the value placed on manyproperties for sale will determine howquickly that property will be rebuilt forhousing. Additionally, and realistically,there are a variety of neighborhoodsthroughout the City, where reducing thecost of a lot or unit to essentially zero willnot be enough to insure the redevelopmentof the property. These are generally thoseneighborhoods prior to Hurricane Katrinawhere land values were quite low andhomes were not built unless there wassignificant targeted public assistancerelated to construction.

Given the different market factorsinfluencing the redevelopment of housingin different neighborhoods, there are avariety of strategies that will have to beemployed with regard to the sale of lotsacquired through the acquisition programon the open market. These strategiesinclude the following.

• Recycle second generation proceedsfrom higher income neighborhood propertysales to properties in neighborhoods wherevalues are lower. This will ensure that

more housing redevelopment dollars will tolow-income areas than could otherwise beimagined prior to Katrina.

• Sell adjacent lots and blocks of lots inpublic ownership to experienced for-profitand not-for-profit developers when notpurchased through the Lot Next Doorprogram. .• Re-sell properties at fair market valueand reduce price of lots only when veryspecific policy objectives are being met,such as providing for mixed-incomehousing in a neighborhood.

F. Implementation andFunding Strategies

Funding Matrix

What ties the Neighborhoods RebuildingPlan to funding are the identification ofspecific projects and an estimate of initialcost (by project) for each neighborhood. The costs analyses are provided on anorder-of-magnitude basis as to the scopeand magnitude of the project proposed andthe investment required to construct it. Assuch, variations as to the scope of theproject could result in variations on thefinal cost of construction.

In the process of cost analyses,consultations were carried out with theCity of New Orleans Public WorksDepartment to identify general costguidelines typically used for the calculationof street improvements and reconstruction.Additionally, other sources of costidentification included the Means Cost Dataand our team’s professional experienceinside and outside of New Orleans.

No single source of funding or financialplan will be capable of dealing with thecapital improvements needs for totalredevelopment and reconstruction of allthe neighborhood projects and needs.However, the funding matrix included inthis report show different funding sourcesthat could be made available for specificprojects and it should be expected thatlayering of multiple sources of funding willbe required in most cases. The ability toobtain these funds will rest with the City of


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• Undertaking specific furtherstudies to determine the actual cost togovernmental entities for certainpublic/private initiatives (for which wehave noted the general estimated cost ofthe study);

• Housing initiatives for whichthere may be dollars already allocatedthrough the Road Home, LIHTC, privatefunding sources, or other sources butwhere the additional gap in funding isimpossible to determine at this point;

• Other policies including landuse and zoning regulations which thecommunity believed to be in the short andlong term interest of the community; and,

• Recurring operations (i.e.expanded police patrols, libraryoperations, park operations, etc.) thateither tie to certain capital improvementsor are important to the health of thecommunity through the expansion ofexisting services.

New Orleans and neighborhood groupsand advisory committees.

Each matrix matches proposed projectswith potential funding sources identifiedthrough the planning process and whilenot exhaustive in its scope, it serves as aguide to where funds could originate. Asubstantial financial commitment byfederal and state entities are a vitalingredient in the recovery effort and willprovide the necessary economicinfrastructure to attract the privateinvestment required to create stable andvibrant communities.

Each funding matrix, based uponconsultation with neighborhood residentsthrough the community meeting process,also ranked projects based upon priority ofneed with regard to recovery: “EarlyAction/Critical;” “Mid-Term/Needed;” and“Long Term/Desired.” This rankingprovides a general guide as to whatcommunities believe are the mostimportant priorities with regard torevitalization and redevelopment.

Finally, there are a variety of items orinitiatives listed on the funding matrixwhere a capital cost can not be attachedor determined without further study, butthe community believed needed to be acentral part of the plan. These include:

Documents

Rebuilding Plan Planning District 4 Mid-City Neighborhood Intermediate/District_4_Plan_FI… · 06/03/2010 · City of New Orleans Neighborhoods Rebuilding Plan Location and History