Eastern New Orleans to Get Walmart

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

The New Orleans City Council has given its approval for national retail chain Walmart to build a store in eastern New Orleans. According to a report by The Advocate, the retail company will develop a 187,500-square-foot Walmart Supercenter at 6000 Bullard Ave. at Interstate 10.

The new store, scheduled to break ground in early 2013, will be developed on the site of the former Lakeland Medical Center. Even though the site is zoned for commercial use, it had a conditional-use ordinance in place that had to be removed by the city council – one of several special conditions the city council has or soon will implement. For example, special waivers will be introduced regarding issues as diverse as signage, parking and landscaping that the planning commission approved in October.

Such special waivers include the increase of parking spaces from an initial 626 to 727 – even though the typical Walmart Supercenter features 938-car parking. In the case of New Orleans, it is not uncommon for big-box retailers to feature smaller-than-average parking, as it is argued that the Big Easy shopper relies more heavily on public transport than the average American.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2013 and will begin with the demolition of the shuttered Lakeland Medical Center. It is expected to be completed in late 2013 or early 2014. The store is expected to create between 300 and 350 jobs. It is also expected to boost business’ , residents’ and former residents’ confidence in the area and its possible rebirth.

The Bullard Avenue Walmart will be the first major retail center to be built in Eastern New Orleans since Katrina. Before the storm, the retail chain operated a store on Bundy Road, but after suffering extensive damage during the storm, it never reopened, leaving the city’s eastern part, home to some 70,000 residents (nearly a fifth of the city’s population), without a shopping center.

As previously reported on this page, Walmart is planning another store in the Big Easy. The second store will replace the shuttered Gentilly Woods Shopping Center. It will reportedly cost $13.4 million and is expected to open in early 2014.

Photo courtesy of Walmart’s Pinterest profile

Southern Hotel Closer to Redevelopment

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

The Covington Historical District Commission recently approved the Wards’ plans for redeveloping the 105-year-old Southern Hotel. According to The Times-Picayune, state officials also have to approve project plans, as the property’s developers are seeking state and federal tax credits.

Located at 428 E. Boston St. in Covington, La., the property sits 45 miles north of New Orleans.  Owners Lisa Condrey Wall, Joseph Wall and Ricky and Gayle Condrey purchased the 37,778-square-foot property in 2011 for $1.8 million with plans of restoring it to its original purpose.

According to press releases issued by the developers, Historic District Commissioner Shiloh Moates has declared: “The developers have gone above and beyond the requirements needed to access historic rehabilitation tax credits. The Southern Hotel will be an authentic representation of what guests experienced more than a century ago.” More than a century ago, what awaited guests was hot water, electric lights and carpeting, fine china, linens and attentive service – the epitome of luxury in 1907. And that is what its current owners plan to restore it to: a beautifully appointed full-service hotel with luxurious furnishings and quality service.

Scheduled to reopen in 2013, the Mission-style hotel will feature more than 40 guestrooms, banquet facilities including a 2,400-square-foot ballroom, a restaurant/bistro, a bar/lounge, a fitness facility, spa rooms with massage and facial services, a plunge pool, Wi-Fi access throughout the property, with the centerpiece of the estate being the lush courtyard and water features. The 2,480-square-foot restaurant will feature a separate street-side entrance and bistro-style setting, with the restaurant’s future owners applying personal touches.

New Orleans-based Trapolin-Peer Architects is in charge of design, which will preserve as much as possible of the historic architectural elements. Trapolin-Peer previously worked on such projects as the Audubon Hotel and 600 Julia St.

Photo credit: Southern Hotel’s Facebook page

Courtyard New Orleans Downtown/Iberville Completes Conversion

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

The multimillion-dollar conversion of the Courtyard New Orleans Downtown/Iberville is now complete. Formerly known as Iberville Suites, the property was refashioned into a Courtyard by Marriott boutique hotel.

The 910 Iberville St. hotel sits in the French Quarter, just one block from Bourbon and Canal streets. The property adjoins The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, as the two hotels were one property until the late 1990s, when the estate was redeveloped into the The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans and the Iberville Suites. The building, erected in 1878, was originally a thriving premier department store.

The Courtyard New Orleans Downtown/Iberville fuses 19^th century glamour and historic architecture with modern design features. The 230-key hotel features luxurious, modern guest rooms that were renovated during the conversion. Rooms are comfortably spacious and feature elements such as free WiFi and a flatscreen TV, a wet bar with coffee maker and mini fridge, and a desk. The 140 suites also offer separate sleeping and living areas, with desk and sleeper sofa. Suites are available for extended stays, as well.

The hotel lobby has been reimagined as the central hub of the hotel. The conventional front desk has been replaced by a freestanding welcome pedestal to offer guests a more intimate check in. Seating options abound in the lobby and range from a communal table to private lounge areas and media booths equipped with high-definition televisions. The signature GoBoard technology is also available on site.

Various dining options range from a sundry/convenience store to deliveries from local restaurants, as well as the adjoining Ritz Carlton’s Vieux Carre Café for American cuisine, including breakfasts and Starbucks coffees, and the M Bistro, with eclectic cuisine and fresh seafood. The Davenport Lounge also offers an eclectic menu of festive French Quarter dining, as well as live entertainment on selected nights.

Courtyard guests also have signing privileges at the adjoining Ritz-Carlton’s  resistance pool, fitness center, spa, spa restaurant, sauna and steam room.

The Courtyard New Orleans Downtown/Iberville is a member of the Marriott Rewards frequent travel program.

Photo credit: The Iberville Suites’ Goggle+ profile

Ascend Hotel Collection Continues Expansion

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

The Ascend Hotel Collection, the international network of historic, boutique and unique upscale hotels offering an authentic, local experience, with upscale amenities and services, continues to expand. The Ascend Collection, part of Choice Hotels International Inc., recently added a bevy of properties to its growing portfolio, bringing the brand roster to 75 properties worldwide.

Among Ascend’s recent additions is The Blake Hotel New Orleans. Located at 500 St. Charles Ave., The Blake is in the heart of the Big Easy. The 11-story hotel sits on the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar line at Lafayette Square, in the French Quarter – the heart of the Crescent City.

The 122-key former Parc St. Charles Hotel is located in the former Bank of New Orleans building. The hotel features floor-to-ceiling windows and typical New Orleans wrap-around terraces that provide exquisite views of the city.  Guests are greeted in a stylish lobby that also doubles as a lounge and features cream-colored travertine floors and walls accented by a sizeable strawberry-red faux alligator-skin wall hanging and a bold red semi-circular couch.

Hotel amenities include a business center, two meeting rooms, a fitness center with state-of-the-art ProMaxima equipment, as well as complimentary passes to the nearby Elmwood Fitness Center, as well as tour assistance, 24-hour front desk services and nighttime security. Valet parking and dry cleaning services are also available on site, and the full-service Café at the Square restaurant and bar serves southern cuisine.

All rooms feature complimentary wireless Internet access, 37-inch LCD TVs offering free premium channels, coffeemakers, irons and ironing boards, hair dryers, work desks and safes. Accessible rooms are also available.

The Blake is owned by JM Hotels L.L.C. and managed by Matrix Hospitality Group of New Orleans.

Other hotels that have recently joined the Ascend Hotel Collection network include envision Hotel in Boston, the Gettysburg, Pa., Federal Pointe Inn, The Clifton Hotel South Beach, The National Hotel and Suites in Ottawa and Hotel Elan in Calgary.

Choice Hotels International Inc. franchises approximately 6,200 hotels, representing more than 495,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories.  The Ascend Hotel Collection is a membership program under the Choice Hotels umbrella.

Photo credit:  The Blake Hotel’s Facebook page

$70M Luxury Development Green-Lit by City Council

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

Following almost  a year of negotiations and hammering out of details, the New Orleans city council has given its final approval to the development of 1031 Canal St., a 240-unit luxury mixed-use project.

According to the project’s Web site, the building will feature 225 rentable residences and 15 penthouses for sale, with amenities such as three rooftop decks, two swimming pools, two private lounges, two full size gymnasiums, a movie theater, an elevated dog-walking park and a banquet room complete with a catering kitchen. The development will also feature 65,000 square feet of retail area and 550 parking spaces.

According to a report by The Times-Picayune, Praveen Kailas of Kailas Cos., one of the largest owners and operators of commercial real estate in Louisiana, hopes to break ground on the project in 2013 and finish sometime in 2015. Leasing has already started, but rental rates have yet to be announced.

The 190-story building has a price tag of around $70 million. Kailas has said there is strong interest for the commercial element of the project from both local and national brands.

Though well above the neighborhood’s 70-foot height limit, the project was approved after the residential element was scaled back from the initially planned 307 apartments, while parking was increased from 486 spaces to 550 and the commercial surface almost doubled from the initially planned 38,000 square feet to 65,000. Though French Quarter preservationists disapproved the 190-feet height and tried to push a 120-foot limit, pressure from neighboring residents and businesses, as well as Kailas, tipped the scale in favor of the developer. Neighboring businesses and residents expect a commercial rebirth of the area with the development, which according to some sources would have an economic impact of around $200 million. Kailas cited the inability to line up financing for a much smaller-scale project, as it would not be economically feasible.

Architect Hank Smith is reportedly responsible for the design-development drawing of the property.

Photo courtesy of 1031 Canal Street

Chart courtesy of Larry G. Shedler & Associates, Inc.

FelCor Sheds Two Properties for $70M

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

FelCor Lodging Trust Inc. has entered into an agreement to sell two properties for the combined price of $70 million. The properties are the 296-key Embassy Suites – Nashville – Airport and the 370-key Embassy Suites Hotel New Orleans – Convention Center.

Located at 315 Julia St., the 370-key Embassy Suites Hotel New Orleans – Convention Center sits in the heart of the Crescent City’s downtown, in the Warehouse District.  Embassy Suites New Orleans – Convention Center features a 24-hour BusinessLink business center, complete with the necessary professional amenities, such as photocopying services. The hotel also features 8,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 3,952-square-foot event space, plus an atrium, a heated lap pool and a fitness center, along with a bar, Madeline’s Lounge, and The Sugar House Restaurant, offering local cuisine.

Services include complimentary cooked-to-order breakfasts, manager’s receptions in the evening, as well as valet parking.

Suites feature private bedrooms, spacious living rooms, flat-screen televisions, high-speed Internet access, plus a wet bar, work/dining table, refrigerator, coffeemaker and microwave.

The buyer has put forward a $2.1 million hard-money deposit toward the purchase price. The deal is expected to close in October. The sale is part of FelCor’s long-term portfolio repositioning strategy, through which it is seeking to divest itself of 39 (non-strategic) hotels of its total of 69. It has shed 18 of the 25 properties it has put on the market since December 2010.

FelCor, a real estate investment trust, owns 69 primarily upper-upscale, full-service hotels in major and resort markets in 22 states. FelCor partners with leading hotel brands such as Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hilton, Marriott, Sheraton and Westin, as well as premier independent hotels in New York.

Photo credit: Embassy Suites Hotel New Orleans – Convention Center’s Google+ page

Stirling Properties Takes Over Summit Freamux

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

The long-delayed Summit Freamaux retail project in Slidell might finally be moving toward actual development, reports The Times-Picayune. According to the publication, Bayer Properties of Alabama has withdrawn from the project that should have been finished more than two years ago, and Covington-based Stirling Properties is taking over development of the project.

This is reportedly considered a major step forward, as the project has been lagging for years now. Initially, Bayer Properties approached the city of Slidell in 2008 with plans to develop a $900 million, 400-acre retail, office and residential project, with phase one of the build being operational in March of 2010. The project, however, did not get off the ground. Bayer Properties blamed the collapsing market and economic environment that refused to recover. As previously reported on this page, in March of this year, after months of friction between the local government and Bayer, the developer came forward with plans to build a scaled-down version of the project. The residential component was scrapped, and prospective retail tenants were far from the originally expected high-end shops. Groundbreaking was set for this past summer. City officials were frustrated with the lack of development, as millions were spent on infrastructure build-outs.

According to the newest reports, however, Stirling will be tacking the project and work will go forward as planned, with an expected opening date of spring 2014. Furthermore, already signed leases with retailers will be unaffected, including those with Best Buy, Kohl’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, T.J Maxx, PetSmart, Michaels, Versona Accessories and Ulta Beauty.

Stirling Properties has yet to release a statement.

In other news, the highly anticipated but also controversial 73-unit luxury apartment complex Elisio Lofts in the historic Fabourg Marigny neighborhood seems to be blocked, as developer Sean Cummings’ request to exceed the area’s height limit was rejected. As previously reported on this page, the apartment complex would have comprised a redeveloped two-story former warehouse flanked by a 48-foot-tall, modern structure on one side and a 74-foot new building on the other. The height limit in the Fabourg Marigny is 50 feet. According to a report by The Times-Picayune, the developer considers the rejection to have killed the project, which seemed a sure thing after the city planning commission unanimously approved most parts of it. The city council rejected the request to exceed the 50-foot height limit.

Elisio Lofts was to be located along an entire block at Elysian Fields and Decateur Street. The 73-unit luxury apartment complex would have had three street-level commercial spaces and 74 covered parking spaces. The apartments were expected to convert to condos in a few years.

Photo credit: Infrogmation via Wikimedia Commons

Ian Somerhalder Tries to Save Land Slated for Industrial Development

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

A tract of land along Bayou Lacombe, below Interstate 12 in Lacombe, La., could be making entertainment headlines, as actor and philanthropist Ian Somerhalder will be making a last effort to acquire the land for the Ian Somerhalder Foundation’s ISF Sanctuary.

According to a report by The Times-Picayune, the actor will appear at the St. Tammany Parish Council meeting set to take place in a few days to try to convince the parish council to deny the zoning change, which would allow local businessman Chris Jean to develop a waste transfer station and an industrial park on the 198-acre parcel Jean has the rights to purchase.

The property is currently owned by John and Valerie Van Vracken.  IESI Corp. would build the waste transfer facility on 28 acres off I-12, to the northwest of Lacombe, while an additional 100 acres would be developed into a business or industrial park. An earlier report by The Times-Picayune mentioned plans of creating a business park on the land in the vicinity of Lacombe and erecting warehouses beyond that. Jean has a deed restriction on development on 70 acres along Bayou Lacombe to preserve it.

By contrast, Somerhalder would like to build the Ian Somerhalder Foundation Animal Sanctuary, “a haven for outcasts and misfits,” going beyond the typical animal shelter to create an animal shelter for abandoned and abused animals that would pair them with troubled teens from across the country, focusing on bullies, thus giving all a chance to rehabilitate themselves by giving them “the opportunity to demonstrate their true potential within their daily lives, a healing and educational journey side by side (that) has the power to manifest changes in perspective.”

The foundation estimates the cost for the entire project at around $5 million, of which $150,000 would be the initial cost of the land. In addition to the animal sanctuary, the Ian Somerhalder Foundation would build a youth education center that would be home to summits on issues such as wildlife and land conservation and clean energy. A sustainable farm could also be established on the site. Somerhalder was in talks with the owners previously, but the foundation failed to raise the necessary funds in time to make an offer before Jean did.

Somerhalder’s chances of succeeding are not promising, as the St. Tammany Parish Zoning Commission and the St. Tammany Planning Commission approved Jean’s plans in July. The developer also reached an agreement with the Concerned Citizens of Lacombe, a group that fought the project in its initial form, citing concerns that the waste treatment plant was too close to Louisiana 434, the main highway into Lacombe. Furthermore, the Ian Somerhalder Foundation’s monthly update mentions that “the initial land we had our heart and eyes on has fallen through and we are on the search for a new location.”

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Photo courtesy of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation’s Facebook profile

South Market PILOT Approved

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

South Market District, one of the most ambitious private-sector projects since Hurricane Katrina, took a major step forward last week. The Industrial Development Board (IDB) of New Orleans gave its unanimous, albeit preliminary, approval for a payment in lieu of taxes financing package for the first development phase of the mixed-use project on Girod Street along the Loyola Avenue streetcar expansion, The Times-Picayune reported.

As previously reported, developer Domain Cos. petitioned the New Orleans IDB for a 15-year PILOT worth $114,000 per year, an amount that is just above taxes due on undeveloped land. However, Domain was able to hammer out a new agreement during further talks with the city economic development adviser, the New Orleans Business Alliance and the IDB. Among the changes is reducing the PILOT from 15 to 10 years. Taxes will be completely frozen for two years while South Market is under construction, with the 10-year PILOT commencing after completion, in 2015. Between 2015 and 2021, property taxes will increase 5 percent annually. In 2022, the developers will pay 25 percent of the estimated tax bill; it will pay 50 percent the next year and 75 percent the following year, with 2025 becoming the first year of full-value tax billing, amounting to $859,451 per year,  according to The Times-Picayune.

South Market’s biggest impact on the city won’t be through the property taxes it pays, though. In an area currently dominated by parking lots, Domain Cos. will attract 15 national and local retailers ranging from home decorating and furnishing shops to apparel and accessories stores. Some of the tenants lined up or being wooed will be new to the Crescent City’s market. Domain has yet to release a tenant roster, as it is waiting to finalize all negotiations so it can release all the names at once. Cafes, bars and restaurants will all be native to the Big Easy.

Groundbreaking is set for early 2013. Woodward Design Build is the project’s general contractor.

South Market’s phase one will include 195 apartment units, 67,200 square feet of retail space and 435 garage spaces, and is expected to take 18 months to complete. The 10-month phase two will result in 364 apartment units, 111,000 square feet of retail space and an additional garage.

Financing is not yet complete, but the PILOT reportedly will round out financing consisting of a $55 million Goldman Sachs loan, $8.4 million in owner equity and $4.9 million in federal equity, as well Louisiana Enterprise Zone rebates.

Rendering credit: South Market District’s Facebook page

Howard Hughes, Others Pursue Mall Redevelopments in New Orleans

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

The Howard Hughes Corp. will be investing $70 million in redeveloping the Riverwalk Marketplace into an upscale outlet center, rebranding it The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk. Project plans call for increasing the property by 25 percent, to approximately 250,000 square feet, by late 2013.

But The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk project isn’t only about increasing surface – though considering that New Orleans has 30 percent less retail surface per capita than the national average, the addition of extra retail space is a welcome development. According to a company press release, other goals include diversifying shopping opportunities and changing tenants, in some cases to bring in retailers that currently lack a Gulf location.

Located at 500 Port of New Orleans Place, the outlets will be easily accessible to both Eastbank and Westbank shoppers, as well as tourists. The planned addition of dining and entertainment options will increase its appeal. A significant overhaul was much needed, as the Riverwalk has not been updated since opening in 1986.

But not everyone is happy with the project, although its annual sales taxes will jump from a current $860,000 to $2.7 million, according to The Times-Picayune. Many of the current tenants will be hard-pressed to find new leases in locations that are as advantageous, an especial hardship since the 2013 Super Bowl is just a few months away, WWL-TV reported.

Another shopping center soon to be revamped is the Algiers Shopping Center at General DeGaulle and Holiday drives. New Orleans CityBusiness reported that Southlake, Texas-based N3 Real Estate will invest $32 million for redevelopment.

PMAT Cos., the locally based owner of the shopping center, will be able to double the mall’s current retail surface to 250,000 square feet, as well as renovate some of the existing on-site businesses, such as the Winn-Dixie grocery store. The expansion in retail surface will also bring in a bevy of new tenants; Petco and Ross Dress for Less were among the first names to be announced, and negotiations are still in progress with other prospective tenants.

Photo credit: The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk’s Facebook page

Louisiana Housing Corp. Opens 224-Unit Senior Living Center

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

New Orleans’ newest seniors housing community, the 224-unit Village de Jardin targeting residents 55 and older, has announced an opening date of Aug. 14, reported New Orleans CityBusiness.

Located at 8801 Lake Forest Blvd. in eastern New Orleans, the senior living community has been developed on the site of the former Gaslight apartment complex.  It sprawls on 11.4 acres abounding in community gardens and public green space. The housing complex comprises two five-story towers of one- and two-bedroom apartments and a town house. Single-family homes surround the multifamily structures in order to maintain the architectural unity of the largely single-family neighborhood.

The Louisiana Housing Corp. is the seniors housing community’s developer and current owner. The property is managed by Latter&Blum, according to ApartmentFinder.com. Units range in size from 724 to 1,283 square feet and rent at rates between $600 and $900 per month. All units are outfitted with wood and ceramic flooring, have high vaulted ceilings and feature patios or balconies. The community has gated access and is on the city bus line.

Village de Jardin will also boast a health clinic that will operate in partnership with LSU Health Sciences Center. The health clinic will offer non-urgent care for geriatric patients with a staff of nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants. The clinic will cater to patients outside the community.

According to New Orleans CityBusiness, development costs are around the $40 million mark. There was, however, FEMA funding that aided the project, which took four years to be finalized. Before construction could be started on Village de Jardin, the Gaslight apartment complex had to be torn down. The structure suffered extensive water and wind damage during the storm, as it was vacant when Katrina hit. The property then went into foreclosure, and the Louisiana Housing Corp.’s predecessor, the Louisiana Housing Financing Agency, assumed ownership of the property.

Photo courtesy of ApartmentFinder.com

Luxury Apartments to Rise in Marigny

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

New Orleans is reaching for new residential heights. Or at least some of its developers are–like Sean Cummings. The notorious Crescent City developer recently presented plans for a 74-foot-tall apartment building before the New Orleans City Planning Commission and received approval to bring his plans before the city council, reported The Times-Picayune.

Cummings’ project, dubbed Elisio Lofts, entails developing a 73-unit luxury apartment complex along an entire block at Elysian Fields and Decateur Street in Fabourg Marigny. The design of the apartment complex would be quite inventive, as it would be broken into three separate pieces, mixing old and new and keeping in line with the eclectic character of the neighborhood. More to the point, one of the buildings would be a revamped two-story historic warehouse, flanked on both sides by modern structures: one 48 feet tall, the other 74 feet. The apartment units will quite likely be converted into condos in a few years’ time. The project also includes three ground-floor commercial spaces, including a restaurant and a retail shop. Seventy-four covered parking spaces would complete the project.

There is controversy surrounding the project, stemming from the 74-foot height of one of the buildings, as until recently the neighborhood had a strict 50-foot height limit for all developments. The law in question became more lax following the 2006-approved Riverfront Vision plan, which called for occasional special 25-foot bonuses in height for new structures being built on the riverfront end of major streets in the neighborhood. A further issue is the number of parking spaces, as the law would require 159 off-street spaces for a development like Elisio Lofts, especially since patrons of the planned restaurant would also require parking services. Furthermore, some Marigny residents fear the project would set a dangerous precedent that would allow other developers to build even taller structures.

However, according to The Times-Picayune, the City Planning Commission sent the plans forward to the city council, recommending them with an 8-0 vote but specifying that not all points of the project are endorsed. Furthermore, the commission noted that it would not be endorsing any developments taller than 75 feet.

Area real estate executives hope the new development will attract new residents, affluence and safety to the neighborhoods, while relaxing prices for existing apartments.

Photo credit: Infrogmation via Wikimedia Commons

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Fresh Market Coming to New Orleans; Medical Clinic for Lower Ninth

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

First Costco and Wal-Mart announced plans to come to New Orleans. Now another chain store has announced plans for the Crescent City. The difference, however, is that The Fresh Market already has a three-store presence in New Orleans, with  the fourth one scheduled to open on July 25 at 9 a.m., reported The Times-Picayune.

According to the New Orleans daily, The Fresh Market’s newest Louisiana endeavor will be located at 3338 St. Charles Ave. in Uptown. The 24,800-square-foot building used to house Bultman Funeral Home, before converting into a Borders bookstore, which in turn closed in 2011 during the book retailer’s nationwide wave of shutdowns.

According to The Fresh Market’s Web site, the newest Big Easy supermarket will feature the store’s usual full-service, old-style butcher shop, fresh seafood, freshly baked pies and breads, more than 200 domestic and imported cheeses, over 400 types of produce that includes a large organic selection, European delicatessen, prepared meals, elegant platters and trays, specialty grocery items, gourmet coffee, freshly cut flowers and custom-made gift baskets.

The store’s impact however, goes beyond increasing retail options for locals and redeveloping a vacant building. The St. Charles Fresh Market is bringing 90 new jobs, most of which will go to locals. Furthermore, The Times-Picayune reports the store’s strong commitments to the local community by selling local products and making regular food bank donations.

In other news, WWL-TV reported plans to convert a portion of the blighted Holy Cross campus in the Lower Ninth Ward to a medical clinic, a much needed addition to an area that suffered a great deal of damage during the storm. Furthermore, it would seem that the clinic might be operational by the end of the year.

Faith-based non-profit New Orleans Baptist Ministries acquired 3.5 acres of land through a “sale and donation” process. According to WWL-TV, the future Christ Community Health Services-NOLA primary care clinic will be built on seven lots on St. Claude Avenue that the former all-boys Catholic school donated, as well as the school’s former baseball field, which was purchased for $450,000.

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Photo courtesy of Fresh Market’s Facebook profile

$13.4M Wal-Mart to Replace Former Gentilly Woods Mall

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

Looks like New Orleans’ shortage of retail options will soon be remediated, as national retailer Wal-Mart has closed on a deal to acquire the shuttered Gentilly Woods Shopping Center from the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA), The Times Picayune reported.

Wal-Mart and NORA have been in talks for the past several months, but were unable to come to terms on the financial aspects of the deal. But a deal has been struck between the national retailer and the redevelopment agency. Wal-Mart will pay $3 million for the property itself, significantly less than the $4.3 million NORA spent in 2008, when it outbid a private developer, or the $5.5 million the property was said to be worth that year.

The discounted price tag of $3 million comes with a few strings attached, however. As Wal-Mart plans to demolish the blighted shopping center to build its own big-box structure, the retail chain has to pick up the tab on any and all demolition costs, as well as any contamination remediation. Furthermore, payment on these services has to be made before any construction work on the site is started. Another important condition attached to the low price is Wal-Mart’s commitment to New Orleans’ goal of hiring workers from disadvantaged and minority groups during the construction phase of the project, and as employees at the future store.

Wal-Mart will reportedly spend $13.4 million at the site – a sum smaller than the $15.9 million it was willing to spend in 2008, when the retail chain first approached NORA with plans to redevelop the site as a big-box Wal-Mart store. NORA favored a mall developer’s plans, which never came to fruition due to lack of funds. Wal-Mart plans to open the store in early 2014.

The chain retailer is also developing a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Eastern New Orleans, expected to open in the fall of next year. Late 2013 is the estimated opening time for Costco’s recently approved warehouse-style stores that will rise on the site of the former Carrollton Shopping Center.

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Photo credit: Wal-Mart’s Facebook Profile

Former NOCCA Building to Become Luxury Condo Property

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

Plans to convert the former New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) building into a luxury multifamily project has been unanimously approved by the New Orleans City Council, reported The Time-Picayune.

Developer Jim MacPhaille purchased the former school in April 2011 from the Orleans Parish School Board for $2.5 million, outbidding would-be buyers such as a private school and paying $1 million more than the appraised value of the asset. MacPhaille, who is a seasoned developer, especially in the New Orleans area, initially envisioned redeveloping  and expanding the building into 24 apartments, then 18 condos, but neighbors repeatedly expressed concern, and their ability to shut down the project made MacPhaille revise plans.

The final, approved plans call for expanding the property from 40,300 square feet to 44,700 square feet and creating 31 off-street parking spaces. The building will be divided into 12 two- and three-bedroom condos and a smaller unit for future residents’ guests. MacPhille will also build two single-family homes on the property, behind the main school building, while miscellaneous additions are to be moved to an interior courtyard. Initially, plans called for wraparound porches, but those were eliminated in favor of smaller individual balconies due to neighbors’ concerns, while the pool and play area have been moved from the rear of the building to the corner of Perrier and Webster streets out of the same considerations.

Construction and renovation work are expected to take approximately18 months and $6 million to $7 million, not including the single-family homes. When finished, the condos are expected to list for prices starting at $1 million.

Located at 6048 Perrier St. in Uptown, a mainly upscale neighborhood, the building was erected in 1901 and expanded in 1926, then left to deteriorate. In 1973, NOCCA moved in and occupied it until 2000. After NOCCA moved out of the Italianate-style property, blight took over to the extent that in 2009 the Louisiana Landmarks Society placed it on New Orleans’ Nine Most Endangered Sites list.

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Photo credit: Infrogmation via Wikimedia Commons

$40M Carollton Costco Almost a Reality

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

Plans to build a Costco store on blighted land near I-10 in the Carollton area seem closer to reality than ever. According to The Times-Picayune, the New Orleans City Planning Commission approved plans for the big-box warehouse store – albeit with a few tweaks.

Costco submitted plans to build a $40 million big-box warehouse store across from Xavier University on the site of the former Carollton Shopping Center. The retailers would like to erect a 148,000-square-foot facility of pre-fabricated steel panels – the building material being one of the concerns raised by the planning commission, which was concerned about its visually appeal and integration into the area. Another issue is the size of the parking lot: Developers are pushing for 750 parking spaces, while planners would limit that number to 499.

If approved, the development wouldn’t just make use of blighted land and take care of the eyesore across from Xavier University, it would also generate much needed jobs in the city. Costco announced it plans to create 200 new jobs, of which about 100 will be full-time jobs averaging salaries of $36,000 and adding up to a payroll of $7.5 million. Furthermore, developing the store would create 120 temporary construction jobs.

Even with a five-year plan for the city to rebate $3.3 million in sales taxes to the retailer, New Orleans would pocket about $6 million in new sales tax revenue. And property taxes would amount to $1.7 million annually, which would soon cover the cost of nearby infrastructure upgrades promised by the city. These include street and sidewalk repairs, new traffic signals and streetlights with a combined price tag of $2 million. Further incentives offered by the city include reimbursements for elevation work required by FEMA regulations to mitigate flooding.

Project plans include the traditional Costco features: sales of general merchandise and food, as well as a pharmacy, tire center and gas station.

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Photo credit: Costco’s Facebook profile

FEMA Funds New Orleans SPCA Facility with $8M

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced close to $8 million in consolidated funding to the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for a new animal control facility.

The old Louisiana SPCA center was located at 1319 Japonica St. and sustained extensive damage during Katrina. The facility that provided care and basic medical services for homeless animals was not only flooded by storm waters but sustained wind damage, as well.

“Given the level of damages at their original facility, the Louisiana SPCA asked us if they could utilize FEMA funding to build their post-Katrina facility at a new location—one that makes them less vulnerable to future flooding. Our recent grant approves this request, supporting not only their recovery efforts but preparedness efforts, as well,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan in a press release.

The request for a new location has been approved, thus the new facility is to be erected at 1700 Mardi Gras Blvd., where the proximity to the riverbank ensures higher ground. The new SPCA complex will offer the same services and have the same functions as the pre-storm facility; however its space configuration and capacity will improve.

The project falls into FEMA’s Public Assistance Program category. This means that the money will be made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, which will extend the money to the Louisiana SPCA  for eligible work completed.

The grant brings the statewide Katrina- and Rita-related recovery funding provided by FEMA through public assistance programs to $1.3 billion.

The Public Assistance Program funds recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and private non-profit organizations’ buildings, as well as bridges, roads, and water and sewer plants.

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Photo credit: The Louisiana SPCA’s Facebook Profile

Slidell Memorial Hospital Expands Cardiology, ER Units

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

Slidell Memorial Hospital broke ground on its much needed new wing Tuesday. The community hospital has been struggling for some time now because of space shortages and increasing numbers of patients.

The Times-Picayune reports that the number of patients treated in 2010 at Slidell Memorial was 3,500 more than it was meant to efficiently handle, reaching 28,000. And the number of patients won’t be declining anytime soon – it is expected that by 2025 Slidell will be receiving 36,000 patients annually.

The two-story, 64,000-square-foot new wing will resolve crowding issues and relieve pressure from the main building, freeing space for other departments. The structure will rise on Slidell Memorial’s main campus; 12^th Street has been rerouted to curve west into 11^th Street to make space for the new facility.

The new wing’s first floor will accommodate a spacious 31-bed emergency room, more than doubling Slidell’s current ER bed capacity, which currently numbers just 14. The emergency unit’s floor plan will provide more privacy and comfort, as well. Patient rooms will have two entrances: one opening to a visitor’s corridor, the other to a staff area.

The second floor will house an extension of the cardiology unit. It will consist exclusively of 38 private patient rooms.

The project, designed by architectural firm Sizeler Thompson Brown, is expected to be completed in a year’s time.  The necessary funds for the project will come from a $25 million bond renewal, approved by public vote in April 2011. Slidell has been providing medical care to the area’s population since 1959.

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Rendering credit: slidellmemorial.org

Dyno Nobel Considering $800M Plant in Jefferson Parish

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

Dyno Nobel International, the Utah-based explosives and chemical products manufacturer, is to spend $30 million on a comprehensive study regarding the feasibility of establishing an $800 million ammonia production factory on a brownfield site in Jefferson Parish, reports Area Development Online.

If the study yields a positive result, the facility would be developed at Cornerstone Chemical’s existing complex in South Kenner, upstream from Waggaman, according to The Times-Picayune. The Cornerstone Chemical site’s attraction lies not only in the existing infrastructure but also in the standing permits for ammonia production on the site, as up until a decade ago ammonia was manufactured there. Available and qualified workforce is another major pull, as is Louisiana’s access to well-performing energy markets. The main advantage of the site, however, might be its Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield Redevelopment Program area status, which would give Dyno access to a number of grants, incentives and tax credits for any clean-up and redevelopment work it does on the 800-acre site.

Results from the study will be available in the first half of 2013, when the announcement regarding development will be made. If the results are positive, production at the plant would start in the fall of 2015. Furthermore, in addition to Cornerstone Chemical’s 441 current workers, 60 direct new permanent jobs will be created, as well as 440 indirect jobs. Average salaries are estimated to be around $58,000.

Also, the expected 750,000 metric tons of annually produced ammonia would cut Dyno’s demand for overseas import of the substance, as well as covering Cornerstone’s need for it.

The Louisiana Economic Development’s Business and Expansion Retention Group and the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission have been conducting discussions with Dyno since April 2011.

Dyno Nobel International was founded by Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite, in the 1800s.

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Photo credit: Sharon Loxton via Flickr.com

$30M to Finish Guste Homes; New Fire Department Building in Jefferson Parish

By Eliza Theiss, Associate Editor

Officials recently approved $30 million in state bonds to finalize the redevelopment of the Guste Homes public housing complex in New Orleans’ Central City.

According to a report by The Times-Picayune, the third and final stage of Guste Homes, a project of the Housing Authority of New Orleans, has a price tag of $43 million. That breaks down to roughly $186,000 per apartment unit.

The project at 1301 Simon Bolivar Ave. will replace a still-standing blighted and vacant structure with 155 apartments distributed across two-, three- and six-unit buildings. It will house exclusively low-income residents.

Controversy has surrounded the project for some time now, with some officials and locals claiming costs are too high, especially for public housing units. According to The Times-Picayune, officials admitted that costs are indeed higher at Guste Homes than at other public housing projects, but said it is due to amenities at the complex. The complex features amenities other projects don’t have, such as a community center. In addition, costs have been driven higher than expected by the fallout from Katrina.

Some officials have argued the money should be used to put some of the 47,000 existing blighted structures back into use, but the state bonds are earmarked exclusively for Guste Homes.

In other news, The Times Picayune reported Jefferson Parish’s plans to build a new fire department complex. The new complex will be erected on undeveloped land on Riverside Drive and would cost around $4 million, a cost that the East Bank Consolidated Fire Department’s capital budget will cover.

Plans for a new headquarters were made three years ago, but an $8.5 million complex designed by architect Anthony Gedusa fell through due to costs and opposition from the firefighters’ union. The first plans envisioned transforming Station 19 on Edwards Avenue in Elmwood into a five-story central operations center.

The Riverside Drive plans have met with no opposition.

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Photo by Amerique via Wikimedia Commons