the plan! - CivicMoxie

BROAD CONNECTIONS
A Revitalization Strategy for a New Orleans Commercial Corridor
Created by the Students
Studentsofofthe
the Revitalizing Urban Main
Main Streets
StreetsPracticum,
Practicum
UPDATED FALL 2007
MIT Department of Urban Studies
Studies and
and Planning,
Planning,Spring
Spring2007
2007
PROJECT TEAM
STUDENTS OF THE REVITALIZING
URBAN MAIN STREETS PRACTICUM 2007
Oreoluwa Alao
Shannon Garth-Rhodes
Cali Gorewitz
Jianxiang Huang
Seth Knudsen
Tejus Kothari
Tran Le
Tsukihito Nakajima
Laura Rothrock
Jeff Schwartz
Ted Schwartzberg
Anne Schwieger
Ben Stone
Amanda Stout
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Project Team would like to thank the
many people who supported our endeavor.
We have tried to be as inclusive as possible
and apologize for any ommissions. We would
like to extend a special thank you to PNOLA
for providing housing and work space
assistance, and to Grace Episcopal Church
and the Children’s Defense Fund School for
providing meeting space. We especially
want to thank the following people who
offered us guidance, information and
feedback over the last four months.
Development Corporation Improvement
Association
Keith Twitchell, ED, Committee for a Better
New Orleans
Vera Warren-Williams, Community Book
Center
Interviewees
Officer
Daniel Samuels, Friends of the Lafitte
Corridor
Eleanor Cameron Skov, Cameron College
Kenya Taylor, Full Circle Automotive
Other Supporters
MIT Public Service Center
Tara Banks, Ujamaa CDC
Broad Street Steering Committee
Lisa Amoss, Faubourg St. John
Neighborhood Association
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Caitlin Cain, New Orleans Urban Main Street
Program
Vaughn Fauria, NewCorp
Timothy Terway, vignettes (p. 55)
Gena Peditto, oral history project design
expert
Hal Brown, Faubourg St. John Neighborhood
Association, Downtown Neighborhood
Improvement Association
Felix Figueroa, F & F Botanica
Gary, Gary’s Appliances
Project Advisors
Paul Ikemire, Phoenix of New Orleans
Nadine Jarmone, Providence Community
Housing
Karl Seidman, Senior Lecturer in Economic
Development, MIT
Kara Mattini, New Orleans Urban Main Street
Program
Susan Silberberg-Robinson, Lecturer in
Urban Design and Planning, MIT
Jim Kelly, Providence Community Housing
Jean Nathan, Downtown Neighborhood
Improvement Association
Alvi Mogilles, McHardy’s Chicken
Peter Reichard, Stay Local
Miji Park, Idea Village
Bob Rivard, Mid-City Neighborhood
Organization, Mid-City Community
Officer Frank Robertson, Community Police
BROAD
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
Executive Summary
ANALYSIS
Introduction
Community Analysis
Economic Analysis
Physical Analysis
Synthesis
RECOMMENDATIONS
Tulane Gateway
Lafitte Corridor
Bayou Road Village
Districtwide
Implementation
APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Market Supply and Demand Analysis + Methodology
Appendix 2 Existing Businesses on Broad Street as of March 2007
Appendix 3 Louisiana Business Recovery Grant and Loan Program Offices
Appendix 4 Supplementary Documents
Appendix 5 New Markets Tax Credit New Orleans CDFIs
Addendum Fall 2007 Updates
i
1
7
11
19
31
33
45
61
75
91
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Broad Street Corridor is a commercial
district in the midst of four vibrant
neighborhoods, but it divides the
neighborhoods of Tremé, Faubourg St.
John, Tulane-Gravier, and Mid City more
than it links them. However, as New
Orleans recovers from Hurricane Katrina,
local businesses, residents, community
organizations, and city government have
come together to imagine a new future
for Broad as a place for neighbors and a
destination for the region. In connecting
its four surrounding neighborhoods, Broad
will become not only a unified commercial
corridor, but also a place of tremendous
cultural and economic resonance.
Currently, Broad Street is a throughway
for automobiles rather than a place for
pedestrians to linger. The challenges
facing the corridor and its revitalization are
substantial. The residential population of the
four neighborhoods adjacent to the corridor
has decreased by over 50% since Hurricane
Katrina. Additionally, Broad was in economic
decline for years prior to the storm, without
access to many of the resources necessary to
maintain a vibrant commercial corridor. The
physical infrastructure on Broad is declining,
and the existing streetscape is extremely
unpleasant for any traffic but that of the
automobile, both because of its length, the
generally poor quality of the buildings, and
the complete lack of quality greenspace
and landscaping. Lastly, the neighborhoods
surrounding Broad have failed in the past to
convey a sense of ‘ownership’ of the corridor.
numerous developments that occurred in
the intervening months. The Addendum
provides a brief description of such projects.
This plan presents the results of a
commercial district planning process
conducted from January to May 2007 by
graduate students in MIT’s Revitalizing
Urban Main Streets class in conjunction
with a Steering Committee of Broad Street
neighborhood residents, community
organizations, and business owners. After
the Steering Committee submitted an
unsuccessful application to become a formal
Urban Main Street under the Louisiana State
Main Street Program, it partnered with the
Revitalizing Urban Main Streets practicum,
a course in MIT’s Department of Urban
Studies and Planning, to formulate plans for
the Broad Street Corridor to become a ‘selfinitiated’ Main Street. The Project Team--the
practicum’s 14 students and two professors,
Karl Seidman and Susan Silberberg--was
tasked with creating a plan to aid local
Broad Street advocates in preparing a
plan to guide future work, strengthen the
capacity to gain public and private funding,
stimulate business return and reinvestment,
and explore a formal Urban Main Street
designation in the near future.
ANALYSES
While this report was completed in the
spring of 2007, it was updated in the
fall of 2007 in order to account for the
To assess the opportunities and challenges
facing the Broad Street Corridor, the Project
Team performed an extensive analysis of
existing conditions. The following findings
from the community, economic, and physical
analyses provided the framework for the
planning process that ensued.
Community
The Project Team explored the rich history
of the Broad Street Corridor through formal
research and at community meetings. The
four neighborhoods surrounding Broad
Street possess rich histories upon which
Broad’s future as a vibrant commercial,
residential, and cultural district should
capitalize. Any intervention should:
•
Visually highlight historical locations,
events, and buildings with signs, art
work, and other markers.
•
Encourage festivals and other events to
celebrate local history.
•
Establish a museum or cultural center,
where the area’s history could be shared
and celebrated among local residents
and be explained and passed on to
future generations and visitors.
•
Use stories about individuals, the
Executive Summary
i
neighborhoods, and the evolution of
Broad Street to brand the uniqueness of
Broad Street and create a positive image
for the corridor.
Economic
Once a thriving district, Broad Street has
experienced decades of economic neglect
and currently suffers from high vacancy,
lacks certain retail categories, and pales in
comparison to other commercial districts
in New Orleans. The economic assessment
involved an inventory analysis of businesses
along the corridor, a spatial analysis of
business locations, a sales gap analysis
showing the demand and existing supply for
different retail categories, and an analysis of
competing commercial districts. Nearly half
of all non-residential properties are currently
occupied and more businesses return each
month. Retail activity along the corridor
centers on auto-related and beauty-related
businesses. In contrast, there is limited retail
activity for comparison-based shopping; for
example, there are no grocery or discount
department stores. The largest unmet local
demand for retail is for a grocery store and
department store retail.
Physical
The Project Team surveyed land use, building
conditions, vacancies, sidewalk and street
conditions, green & open space, and the
architecture & urban design of the corridor.
ii
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The length, width, lack of cohesive visual
character, and dominance of automobile
traffic are all challenges to the revitalization
of Broad. The corridor’s physical attributes
vary, offering both pedestrian-oriented areas
at Bayou Road, characterized by traditional
urban architecture, and contrasting
automobile-oriented development at Tulane
Avenue. The corridor is predominantly
commercial in terms of land use, with
significant light industrial uses at the Lafitte
Corridor. Building types vary widely, from
classic New Orleans shotgun houses and
Creole cottages to more generic, suburbanstyle retail buildings, and most structures
are in fair or good condition despite the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Sixty-five
structures remain vacant throughout the
corridor. Unlike many streets in New Orleans,
the street pavement is continuous and level
with few potholes or serious subsidence
problems. There is a dearth of parks, open
space, or quality green space along the
Broad Street Corridor. Finally, the pedestrian
experience on Broad Street is primarily
undermined by a lack of continuity in the
urban fabric, exposure to the automobile,
lack of continuous streetwall, and absence of
green spaces or places to linger.
RECOMMENDATIONS: BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Based upon this extensive analysis,
community feedback, and guidance from
the Steering Committee, the Project Team
developed the following proposals. The
Project Team makes its recommendations
from two vantage points: three strategic
intersections along Broad--Bayou Road, the
Lafitte Corridor, and Tulane Avenue--are
targeted for interventions that capitalize on
the distinct characteristics of the node, while
a fourth set of interventions addresses the
unifying linkages and thematic elements
that run throughout the Broad Street
Corridor. The proposals for the three nodes
and the district are outlined below.
Tulane Avenue
The revitalization plan for Tulane envisions
a redefined perception of this intersection
from “the place where you go to jail” to a
professional office and service area by day
and an entertainment hub at night. In
order to transform the area from its current
state into a vibrant, 24-hour, and pedestrian
friendly area, the proposals will be carried
out in three different phases. Initial steps will
address the image and public perception
of the area by focusing on improving the
landscaping at the intersection of Tulane
Avenue and Broad Street, and capitalizing
on immediate development opportunities.
Over time, the focus will eventually shift to
larger-scale commercial and entertainment
developments that will take advantage of
the opportunities presented by the vacant
and underutilized land at the intersection.
Lafitte Corridor Greenway
The proposed economic and physical
redevelopment plans for the Greenway
will facilitate its transformation into a high
density, mixed-use development zone that
encourages pedestrian activity and serves
as an entertainment and recreation hub that
attracts regional clientele. Redevelopment
proposals for the Lafitte Corridor Greenway
are aimed at:
•
Transforming the area into a high
density, mixed-use development zone.
•
Attracting a Target store for the defunct
Robert’s site.
•
Encouraging pedestrian activity.
•
Providing an entertainment and
recreation hub that attracts regional
clientele.
•
Creating seamless connections between
the business and residential aspects of
this node to the leisure, recreational, and
social amenities of the Greenway.
Bayou Road Village
The Bayou Road Village stands out as
the only area along the Broad Street
Corridor that has a consistently walkable,
neighborhood feeling. At the core of
the project proposals for the Village are
partnerships that will draw the community
together, from artists, students, and schools
to business owners, residents, and city
officials. Proposals for Bayou Road Village
include:
•
Enhancing the existing village feeling
and pedestrian experience through
streetscaping improvements.
•
Making Bayou Road Village a destination
by introducing the weekend Freedom
Market and developing the Bayou Road
Village Heritage Center.
•
Creating new business opportunities
with the establishment of a business
incubator and community market.
Avenue into an identity of its own. The
districtwide proposals include:
•
Creating historic and cultural signage to
mark historic landmarks in the district.
•
Crafting a mural program to address
vacancy and streetwall problems.
•
Emphasizing the rich institutional
connections throughout the corridor
and promoting linkages that will have
wide-ranging and positive impacts on
Broad Street, improving quality of life,
lowering crime, and fostering economic
development.
•
Improving the transportation and other
infrastructure.
•
Greening the corridor for leisure and to
create a sense of place and ownership.
Broad Street District
While Broad Street assumes many of the
qualities of its adjacent neighborhoods
and intersecting thoroughfares, the
corridor has several latent attributes that,
once activated, will make Broad Street a
destination. The corridor boasts a history
as old and rich as that of New Orleans,
from its large institutional assets, to the
vibrant surrounding neighborhoods.
Beyond a mere throughway, the vision for
Broad Street strives to assert its unique
identity, fusing the vibrant street life, small
businesses, and residences of Bayou Road;
the active Greenway and cultural institutions
on the Lafitte Corridor; and the regional
entertainment and amenities of Tulane
IMPLEMENTATION
To ensure that the proposals outlined above
have the capacity and mechanisms in place
to be carried out, the project team has
designed an implementation framework
that:
•
Recommends the formation of
a new organization, The Broad
Partnership, to coordinate and lead
the revitalization effort.
•
Identifies potential funding tools
and resources.
•
Provides a broad phasing plan for
implementation.
Executive Summary
iii
iv
BROAD
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01
INTRODUCTION
This plan presents the results of a
commercial district planning process
conducted from January to May 2007 by
graduate students in MIT’s Revitalizing
Urban Main Streets class in conjunction
with a Steering Committee of Broad Street
neighborhood organizations and business
owners. Several organizations coalesced to
apply for designation under the New Orleans
Urban Main Street Program, established by
the Louisiana State Main Street Program
and the Regional Planning Commission
of New Orleans in the summer of 2006.
Broad Street was not chosen as one of the
four designated pilot districts, but local
organizations who wished to continue
working to revitalize the corridor sought the
help of the Revitalizing Urban Main Streets
practicum, a course within MIT’s Department
of Urban Studies and Planning, in order to
formulate plans for the Broad Street Corridor.
The Project Team, made up of practicum
students and professors, was tasked with
aiding local advocates for Broad Street
in preparing a plan to help guide future
work, strengthening the capacity to gain
public and foundation funding, stimulating
business return and reinvestment,
and perhaps obtaining a future Urban
Main Street designation. The project’s
client consists of a Steering Committee
of community-based organizations, a
merchants association and an affordable
1
01 Introduction
1 As this map illustrates, Broad Street has many links
to important areas in New Orleans. The Broad Street
Corridor, roughly outlined in the grey-green study
area, is run-through by the Lafitte Corridor, connecting
the French Quarter, Treme, and the older American
and Creole neighborhoods to Mid City, Faubourg St.
John, and City Park. The corridor also enjoys several
intersections with major thoroughfares, such as Tulane
and Esplanade Avenue, and Canal Street (with its
streetcar line to the cemeteries).
1
1
housing developer. The client initially
intended to focus planning efforts on the
corridor from Tulane Avenue to Esplanade
Avenue. Upon conducting a preliminary
analysis, the Project Team subsequently
added Bayou Road to the corridor, due to
both a request from one of the merchants
operating there, and the quality and range of
activity happening on that edge.
Hurricane Katrina devastated the entire city
of New Orleans, with Mid City among the
hardest hit neighborhoods. Flood levels
varied in the neighborhoods surrounding
Broad Street, reaching up to approximately
six feet of water.
CONTEXT
The planning process unfolded in three
phases. An initial phase that gained an
understanding of Broad Street and its
neighborhoods and collected baseline
data, a second phase that analyzed existing
conditions analysis and defined revitalization
approaches, and a third phase in which the
proposed plan was formulated. All three
phases incorporated the following activities:
Broad Street is a major north-south corridor
in central New Orleans that runs from
Interstate 610 to Napoleon Avenue. It is
situated west of the CBD, the French Quarter
and the Mississippi River. The focus of this
plan is on the section of the corridor from
Tulane Avenue to Bayou Road; it intersects
the four neighborhoods of Tulane-Gravier,
Mid City, Tremé and Bayou St. John.
A long commercial history, the presence of
auto-oriented commercial and industrial
development, and a mix of historic buildings
characterize the Broad Street Corridor. Prior
to Hurricane Katrina, small independent
businesses dominated the commercial
district. The area was declining, however,
partly due to the limited resources and
reinvestment capacity of local business and
property owners; the low-income status
of its surrounding neighborhoods also
contributed to the adverse state of affairs.
2
1 The residents around Broad Street are ready to rebuild.
Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs and Mardi Gras Indians
are well-represented in the neighborhoods surrounding
Broad.
2 Broad Street has a number of vibrant institutions,
some of which are even better off than they were before
Katrina.
3 Other signs on Broad Street are evidence of the
optimism and rebuilding in New Orleans.
2
3
BROAD
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PLANNING PROCESS AND
METHODS
Understanding the Context and Key
Issues of the Broad Street Corridor
The Project Team’s work commenced with a
one week field visit to New Orleans, LA. The
goal was to establish relationships with the
client committee, interview stakeholders and
carry out initial research and assessment.
The initial analysis consisted of a walking
assessment of the corridor, talking to
business owners, and holding a community
meeting. The team collected and analyzed
data to better understand existing physical
and economic conditions in the business
district, local visions and goals for the district
among stakeholders, existing activities
and plans, and key future opportunities.
After the initial field visit, the team spent
two months reviewing existing physical
conditions, economic data, regulations
and studies. During this time, the Project
Team conducted an inventory of existing
properties and businesses. In addition, the
team also conducted a demographic and
economic analysis to create profiles of the
district’s market and key business sectors.
This allowed us to identify preliminary
priority areas for detailed planning. The
team reviewed these findings with the client
committee and then went on to conduct
more detailed research, analysis and design
work to help formulate proposals for the final
plan.
January
February
1. Understand
the context and
key issues if
Broad Street
March
April
2. Analyze opportunities and
challenges for Broad Street
• Economic Analysis
• Physical Analysis
3. Brainstorm possible approaches
30 Jan
1st Steering
Committee and
community
meetings
May
4. Craft a revitalization plan for
Broad Street
• Decide upon an appropriate
planning approach
• Prioritize ideas + projects
• Design an Implementation
framework
29 Mar
2nd Steering
Committee and
community
meetings
3 May
3rd Steering
Committee
meeting
31 May
Plan
completed
1
Engaging the Client Steering
Committee
The Project Team engaged the Client
Steering Committee in all three phases of its
work, presenting the Steering Committee
with analysis and recommendations along
the way. This has been essential to the
planning process. Bi-weekly telephone
conferences have been the primary means
of communication in between formal
presentations to the committee. In Phase
1, the Project Team presented the Steering
Committee with its initial findings. During
the secon presentation in Phase 2, the
Project Team outlined its analysis and
1 The project timeline for the Broad | Connections
planning effort shows the meetings that have been
held from January to May, 2007.
01 Introduction
3
findings, and received feedback on how
to proceed with recommendations. In
Phase 3, the Project Team presented its
recommendations and solicited final
feedback before distributing the finished
plan. In the fall of 2007, the plan was
updated to account for developments
that occurred in the intervening months
between the completion of the study and its
dissemination.
1
Outreach to Business Owners,
Organizations, and Residents.
1 The original Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse was located at
the corner of Broad Street and Orleans Avenue and was
a destination for residents and visitors from throughout
the city. The building is currently vacant.
The planning process has engaged the
diverse population of residents, businesses
and organizations working and living along
the corridor and encouraged them to share
their insights. During an initial Broad Street
community meeting, the Project Team
heard from merchants and residents of
the four neighborhoods. The community
discussed the role Broad Street filled in the
past, and initiated a visioning process for
the future of the corridor. In that meeting,
community members raised major themes
and questions, contributing ideas that
have served to guide the team’s analysis
of the corridor throughout this process. A
second community meeting was held in late
March to present findings from the existing
conditions analysis and gain feedback
on strategic options for the revitalization
plan. Another aspect of outreach was to
contact business owners and stakeholders
2
2 The Crescent City Steakhouse is another New Orleans
landmark. The restaurant, at the corner of Broad Street
and St. Philip Street, is open.
3 As this image with the Lafitte Corridor in the
foreground and the Downtown skyline in the
background shows, Broad Street is very close to the
Downtown, which positions it well for attracting people
from throughout the city. The Lafitte Corridor Greenway
is envisioned to connect the French Quarter to City Park
and Mid City.
4
3
BROAD
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throughout the second phase, the goal
being to ensure they remained involved
in the process. On the second field visit,
in addition to a client meeting, the Project
Team held a business owners meeting that
aimed to connect the owners to technical
assistance providers and to generate even
more ideas for our proposed agenda and
focus. This final plan is now presented
to the business owners, residents and
organizations, all of whom have a vested
interest in the revitalization of the corridor.
COMMUNITY CONCERNS
During community meetings and interviews,
residents and business owners expressed
concerns on several issues that presented
obstacles to revitalizing Broad Street.
Safety on Broad Street and in its adjacent
neighborhoods is a matter of great concern
to members of the Steering Committee,
community members, and business owners.
High levels of violent and property crime
in this vicinity impact both the perceived
and real safety of the Broad Street Corridor.
Business owners and residents also hold
concerns that the current physical conditions
of the Broad Street Corridor, aside from
needing aesthetic improvement, are in many
ways not conducive to basic comfort and
safety of pedestrians. Inadequate lighting,
absence of curb cuts, vacant lots, and
abandoned storefronts that have not been
properly cleaned and secured are examples
of such safety considerations.
The cost and availability of business
insurance is a key issue for merchants.
The potential departure from the state of
Louisiana of a large commercial insurer is a
point of major concern for business owners
on Broad Street. In addition, commercial
insurance rates have increased markedly in
the months following Hurricane Katrina.
The population of the 70119 area code
decreased by over 50% following Hurricane
Katrina. This translates into an enormous
decrease in residential population in
the neighborhoods adjacent to Broad
Street since Hurricane Katrina and is a
concern on several levels. Beyond the
simple facts that business owners need
customers and neighbors need neighbors,
the precipitous decline in population has
serious implications for the incentive of both
businesses and residents who have left to
return to the community.
vision is branding Broad as a cultural artery.
Community members agreed that the
revitalization plan should emphasize the
significant aspects of the area and preserve
its historic integrity. Community members
also voiced a desire to have a more green,
walk-able street with well-lit, reputable
businesses. In addition, a reliable public
transit system would make the corridor
more accessible and help to integrate it into
the life of the city at large. Broad Street will
be a place that appreciates itself as a space
connecting wonderful neighborhoods and a
place that appeals to people both during the
day and at night.
uniqueness of the four neighborhoods adjacent
to the street from Tulane Avenue to Bayou Road.
The challenge raised in the community goals
and visions was thus developing a plan that
1) facilitated the four neighborhoods taking
ownership of the corridor, and 2) promoted it as
an attractive destination in the city.
Providing a grand entrance from Uptown to
Downtown, the Broad Street of the future
will be a place to linger, and it will reflect the
1
COMMUNITY GOALS AND VISIONS
1 This sign on N Broad Street is emblematic of both the
automotive heritage of the corridor and of the optimism
that exists among business owners and residents.
The goals and visions for the future of Broad
Street, shared by business owners and
community members alike, have served
to guide the Project Team’s approach to
planning along the corridor throughout
this process. At the core of the community
2
01 Introduction
2 The houses on S Broad Street (between Palmyra and
Banks) are an example of the distinctive New Orleans
architecture that can be found on Broad Street. Any
new development on Broad should emulate the density
and streetwall of the older urban design, and should be
at least as dense.
5
6
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
02
COMMUNITY ANALYSIS
OVERVIEW
Tremé, Faubourg/St. John, Mid-City, and
Tulane/Gravier are all neighborhoods
near Broad Street. Broad Street can be
seen as the figurative seam which joins
these neighborhoods’ distinct histories
and provides physical space to celebrate
the cultural aspects of their communities,
both present and past. Broad Street is also
an important historic and contemporary
element of the region’s transportation
infrastructure; the street hosts a stretch of
U.S. Highway 90, the Old Spanish Trail, as
well as intersects with the southern end of
U.S. Highway 61, the Blues Highway. The
section of the Broad Street Corridor which is
the subject of this report has also played a
prominent role in the transportation history
of the neighborhoods. For example, Bayou
Road is the old portage between Bayou St.
John and the French Quarter. In addition
to serving as points of connection, the
history and culture of these neighborhoods
provide a valuable way to highlight what
makes Broad Street unique and increase
its potential as a destination for people
throughout New Orleans.
NEIGHBORHOODS
1
Tremé/Lafitte
Mid-City
Bayou St. John
Tulane/Gravier
8,853
20,163
4,861
4,234
% Black
92.4
64.3
67.8
78.2
% White
4.9
23.2
26.7
13.5
% Asian
0.1
1.2
0.9
5.0
% American Indian
0.3
0.w3
0.4
0.2
% Hispanic
1.5
10.0
3.2
2.6
% Other
0.8
1.0
1.0
0.5
$18,732
$27,143
$31,175
$14,147
% Owner-occupied housing units
21.80
27.90
35.00
19.30
% Individuals living in poverty
56.90
32.10
32.00
56.20
Total Population
Race/Ethnicity
Average Household Income
Tremé
Tremé was acquired by Claude Tremé, who
built a plantation on Bayou Road. Tremé later
1 Map of the four Broad Street Corridor neighborhoods.
Source: U.S. Census 2000 from http://www.gnocdc.org/prekatrinasite.html
2
02 Community Analysis
2 Demographic information by neighborhood.
7
sold off most of his land and subdivided
the rest for development. Free persons of
color, Caucasian people, and Creoles from
Haiti came to the area, bringing with them
talents in music, arts, and crafts. The new
settlers soon purchased the subdivided
property and established business and
built shotgun houses. The neighborhood
was later home to several early jazz greats
including George Lewis, Chris Kelly, Jimmy
Noone, and Henry Ragas. Beginning in the
1930’s, parts of Tremé were demolished
to make way for additional development.
Tremé Market, at the time the fourth largest
public market in the city, was demolished
and replaced with the Municipal Auditorium.
Less than a decade later the Lafitte Public
Housing Complex was built to provide
housing to the growing low-income AfricanAmerican population. Like so many urban
communities in America, Tremé was divided
by an Interstate Highway, I-10. Tremé
post I-10 vaguely resembles its heyday of
jazz greats, prosperous African-American
businesses, and rich culture.
1
1 The origianl Fort St. Jean was established by the
French before the actual founding of New Orleans in
1718. The ruins, where Bayou St. John touches Lake
Pontchartrain, used to guard the bayou and have played
host to Ulysses S. Grant, Jules Verne, and Mark Twain
when the site was a resort. Currently the rubble is
buried under the levees lining Bayou St. John.
2 Congo Square in the Treme is the fabled founding
place of Jazz. Currently located in Armstrong Park,
the Square is overseen by the National Park Service;
however, it has been cut off from the community as a
result of its status as a National Park.
8
Faubourg St. John
The Faubourg St. John neighborhood was
originally called Bayuk Choupic by the
Choctaw and Chapitoulas nation. These
Native American groups traveled by way
of the Bayou and a path, now known as
Bayou Road, to the Mississippi River; there
at the old portage, they bought and traded
2
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
goods. The Choctaw later led the French
settlers down Bayou Road to the river. The
French settled there, building what is now
the French Quarter. In 1701, a small fort was
established by the French beside the Lake
Pontchartrain end of the Bayou to protect
this important route. Then named Fort
St. Jean, this fort would be known to later
generations of New Orleanians as the “Old
Spanish Fort”. Bayou St. John boasts an array
of historic houses, cottages, and bungalows.
An example of this is the Pitot House. Now
used as a museum, the Pitot House was
an entertainment center for many jazz
greats. The banks of Bayou St. John are
another element of cultural significance
to this neighborhood. These banks are an
important meeting place for the Downtown
Mardi Gras Indian tribes on the day of their
“Super Sunday” parade following Carnival.
Mid-city
In terms of its spatial boundaries, Mid-City
is said by locals to be one of the most
broadly defined neighborhoods in New
Orleans. The expansive physical nature of
Mid-City may explain why the population
of Mid-City is more diverse than that of the
other three neighborhoods and most of
the New Orleans area. Known as the “Back
of Town”, Mid-City was originally inhabited
by Native Americans and extended out to
the New Basin Canals. In the 1890’s, after
the construction of the city’s hydrology
system, houses were built along Canal
street and out to the cemeteries. The
Mid-City Neighborhood Organization
(MCNO), founded in April 1990, has long
since established itself as an important
and consistent contributor to the physical
and economic development of the
neighborhood. An example of one of the
longer standing small businesses located in
Mid-City is Rock ‘N Bowl. Rock ‘N Bowl is a
perennial favorite among both tourists and
locals. In addition to bowling, people come
to this dynamic venue to listen and dance to
live Zydeco, rock and roll, blues, and jazz.
landmark since 1907 and is the last brewery
of New Orleans once flourishing brewing
industry. Though the brewery received as
much as 8-10 feet of water as a result of the
flooding brought on by Hurricane Katrina,
the brew house and the historic cypress
tankage were undamaged. Dixie partnered
with an out of state brewing company
and celebrated their 100th anniversary
this year. The famous Falstaff Brewery’s
structure, which is visible from miles
around the city, still remains and is currently
being redeveloped into mixed income
condominiums and apartments.
Tulane/Gravier
The neighborhood is also home to the
intersection of two historical national
highways. Highway 90, the Old Spanish Trail,
was created in 1915 as the shortest route
between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
It connects St. Augustine, Florida to San
Diego, California. U.S. Route 61, the Blues
Highway, runs 1,400 miles from New Orleans,
Louisiana to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota.
Its southern terminus is at the intersection
of Tulane Avenue and Broad Street. Many
southerners, particularly black southerners,
used the Blues Highway as a north-south
connector, before the existence of the
interstate highway system. Signage and
stores highlighting the Blues Highway and
the Old Spanish Trail could be an excellent
opportunity to draw renewed attention to
the area.
Tulane/Gravier was sold at auction in 1763 to
Bertrand and Jean Gravier, two brothers who
founded Faubourg St. Mary (now known as
the Central Business district or CBD). The
neighborhood later took the name of the
brothers and Paul Tulane, founder of Tulane
University and major financial contributor to
education in Louisiana. The neighborhood
extends from Claiborne to Broad Street.
Louisiana State University Health Services
Center serves the neighborhood and
broader community as both a hospital and
nursing school.
Two brewing companies, the Falstaff Brewery
and the Dixie Brewing Company are also
located in the Tulane/Gravier neighborhood.
The Dixie Brewery has been a New Orleans
1
2
1 Orleans Parish Criminal Court Building at Tulane,
1925: After correctional functions moved to the facility
at Tulane and Broad in 1931, this building is used as
a municipal court. Source: Campanella, Richard and
Marina, New Orleans Then and Now. Pelican Publishing
Company. Gretna 1999
2 Rock N Bowl is a New Orleans institution. Located in
Mid City, the lanes have been rocking and bowling since
the first half of the twentieth century. Thursday Zydeco
Nights are the place to be.
3
02 Community Analysis
3 The iconic Falstaff building is in the old Brewery
District on the I-10 side of the intersection of Broad and
Tulane. King Gambrinus toasts the city from his perch
on the 7th story biergarten. The building is currently
under renovation to become a mixed-income residential
development with several hundred units--a potentially
catalytic project.
9
CONCLUSION
1
1+2 Before I-10 was built, Claiborne Avenue (parallel
to Broad Street) was a vibrant commercial corridor with
a beautiful shady neutral ground. It’s fate has been
similar to that of Broad. Source: Campanella, Richard
and Marina, New Orleans Then and Now. Pelican
Publishing Company. Gretna 1999.
2
3
4
3 Colorfully painted shotgun houses at the corner of
Broad Street and Ursulines Avenue.
4 Broad and the roads that intersect it have enjoyed
numerous periods of intense activity, one of which was
during the era of pre-Interstate automobile travel. The
intersection of Broad and Tulane is also the intersection
of US Highways 90 and 61, which have a storied
history. Similarly, Broad was a part of the Old Spanish
Trail, an automobile route that linked cities and towns
founded or administered by Spain. The route linked St.
Augustine, FL to San Diego, CA. Broad street should
capitalize on its important role during the early years
of automobility.
5+6 Old and New Treme are represented by the
traditional creole cottage and Tulane’s UrbanBUILD
house.
10
5
6
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
The rich history of the neighborhoods
surrounding Broad Street and the role of
Broad Street and other nearby roads as
transportation corridors that shaped the
evolution of New Orleans and the nation are
key assets in the process of revitalizing and
rebuilding Broad Street. Future plans can
build on these assets in several ways:
•
Visually highlight historic locations,
events, and buildings with signs, art
work, and other markers
•
Hold festivals and other events to
celebrate the local history
•
Establish a museum, cultural center, or
other venue where the area’s history can
be shared and celebrated among local
resident and be passed on to future
generations and visitors
•
Use stories about individuals, the
neighborhoods, and the evolution of
Broad Street to brand the uniqueness of
Broad Street and create a positive image
for the corridor
03
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
OVERVIEW
The Broad Street Commercial Corridor, a
once thriving district in the pre-Interstate
Highway era, has experienced decades of
economic neglect and currently suffers
from high vacancy, lacks certain retail
categories, and pales in comparison to
other commercial districts in New Orleans.
However, many pockets of optimism lace
the area as several small business owners
have returned to the area and many
institutional assets are located nearby.
Before briefing the Steering Committee,
the Project Team conducted an extensive
economic assessment to understand existing
conditions and identify redevelopment
opportunities. Contained in this economic
assessment is an inventory analysis of
businesses in the Broad Street Corridor, a
spatial analysis of business locations, a sales
gap analysis showing the demand and
existing supply for different retail categories,
and an analysis of competing commercial
districts.
Business Mix Analysis
While the impact of Hurricane Katrina
damaged the corridor both physically
and economically, considerable business
activity has returned. Nearly half of all
non-residential properties are currently
occupied and more businesses return each
month. As of January 2007 there were 82
active businesses or organizations occupying
approximately 259,000 square feet in the
Broad Street Corridor.
Among retail categories, auto-related
businesses are most prominent. There are 15
auto-related businesses with an estimated
46,000 square-feet. The second and third
strongest clusters in the corridor are beautyrelated businesses and restaurants. There
were 13 restaurants and 10 beauty-related
businesses as of January 2007.
# of
Businesses
Square Footage
(000’s)
Auto-related
15
51
Restaurants
12
23
Cosmetic/Beauty Supply
8
13
Other Retails
20
26
Legal Service
7
13
Financial Service
6
38
Other Services
7
33
All Other
7
62
82
258
Business-Mix
TOTAL
1
In contrast, the corridor has limited retail
activity for comparison-based shopping
(goods and services where consumers are
likely to visit more than one retailer before
purchasing) for local residents and limited
retail activity for every day essentials such
as groceries. There are no grocery stores or
discount department stores. Furthermore,
as many residents or business owners
have pointed out at community meetings
which took place during the course of this
revitalization effort, the Broad Street Corridor
needs to reinforce financial and community
services other than insurance agencies and
day care; there are only a few active banks
and medical services along Broad Street.
Other important features of the business
mix in the Broad Street Corridor include the
following:
•
Although there are some national chain
1 Business mix measured in square footage, showing
high concentrations of auto-related businesses and
restaurants.
03 Economic Analysis
11
•
•
1
1 Business mix measured in percentage, again
showing high concentrations of auto-related businesses
and restaurants.
2 Business mix spatial distribution, showing a
concentrated cluster of auto-related businesses between
Bienville Avenue and Orleans Avenue as well as a cluster
of service businesses between St. Phillip Street and
Esplanade Avenue.
12
stores and services such as fast food
restaurants, gas/auto service stations,
and a pharmacy, most businesses in
the corridor are owned and operated
primarily by local small business owners.
The business mix or product/service
mix in this district is quite diversified;
offerings include a wide range from
restaurants to a costume rental store.
There are a handful of anchors or
important destinations which can
attract region-wide traffic to Broad
Street. For example, the Zulu Social and
Pleasure Club is a strong regional and
cultural anchor as it attracts members
far beyond the NOLA region. Likewise,
Crescent City Steaks contributes to the
corridor by attracting and retaining
customers from across the region. Close
to the intersection of Tulane and Broad,
Dixie, a local brewery, attracts and
entertains regional beer fans by selling
products which are only available at the
factory (e.g., Dixie Blackened Voodoo
Lager). In terms of their potential to
attract customers from all across the
region, these destinations hold great
potential to facilitate redevelopment of
the Broad Street Corridor.
Spatial Analysis
2
Businesses have reopened at locations
all along the length of the corridor from
Tulane Avenue to Bayou Road. No one
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
area of the corridor is completely dormant
of commercial activity. However, several
areas of the corridor do stand out in terms
of their relative level of activity. One area
of distinction is the cluster of strong locally
owned shops and restaurants on Bayou
Road. The variety of business activities on
Bayou Road and the cooperative business
community cultivated by its business
owners give this area a warm, village-like
atmosphere. In addition, one finds services
offered by business in this cluster that are
similar to those provided by a community
center. This cohesive character is lacking in
other portions of the Broad Street Corridor
where businesses tend to be more spaced
out.
The area around the intersection of Broad
Street and Tulane Avenue has limited
business activity but is in close proximity to
the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court
and the Medical District. Currently, visitors to
the area are underserved as there is a severe
lack of restaurants and other commercial
activities catering to the needs of the
District Courts and Medical District. The
area surrounding the intersection of Broad
Street with Lafitte Corridor hosts a cluster of
auto-related businesses. As described later,
the auto-related cluster at this node holds
the potential to be one of the sources of
competitive advantage of this district over
other major commercial districts in the NOLA
supply
Automotive
Cosmetics/Beauty
demand
Drugstore/Pharmacy
Clothing
Convenience
Furniture
Restaurant/Carryout
Department Store
Supermarket
Discount Department Store
10 000
Retail Category
20 000
30 000
40 000
square feet
50 000
60 000
1
Demand
Estimated Annual Average Supportable Square Existing Square
– Supply Square
Retail Expenditure Sales PSF Footage (Demand) Footage (Supply)
Footage
Discount Department Store
$4,808,128
$103
46,717
1,500
45,217
Supermarket
$9,316,278
$354
26,344
0
26,344
Department Store
$1,208,661
$103
11,744
0
11,744
Restaurant/ Carry Out
$6,948,580
$231
30,135
23,912
6,223
Furniture Store
$1,388,165
$161
8,600
4,012
4,588
Independent Food Market
$1,484,329
$354
4,197
0
4,197
Convenience Store
$966,250
$109
8,835
6,580
2,255
Shoe Store
$200,083
$123
1,627
0
1,627
Liquor/ Wine Shop
$367,179
$254
1,445
0
1,445
1,015
Pet Store
$158,767
$157
1,015
0
Clothing Stores
$1,092,784
$165
6,631
6,995
(364)
Drugstore/ Pharmacy
$1,051,163
$408
2,574
9,900
(7,326)
Cosmetics/ Beauty Supply
Automotive Related Businesses (non-gas)
$119,577
$214
558
13,069
(12,511)
$17,482,587
$1,916
9,125
50,896
(41,772)
03 Economic Analysis
1 Supply/demand analysis by retail category showing
high unmet demand in the categories of department
stores, discount department stores and supermarkets.
2
2 Chart showing the quantity of square footage, by
category, that could be supported by local demand.
Again, the categories of department stores, discount
department stores and supermarkets show the highest
levels of unmet demand.
13
region. Similarly, the intersection of Broad
Street with Canal Street holds assets such as
a street car station, a bus station, and cross
town vehicular traffic which can also serve
as a source of competitive advantage for the
area.
SUPPLY AND DEMAND ANALYSIS
Overview
To develop targeted economic development
recommendations grounded in market
realities, the Project Team conducted a
supply and demand analysis of various retail
categories. Supply was measured as the
square footage of existing businesses while
demand was estimated through a groundup calculation of demand for different
market segments. Through this analysis,
retail categories whose local demand is not
being met can be identified. Conversely,
retail categories that rely on non-local
demand can also be identified as strengths
for the Broad Street Corridor. Results from
this analysis, in particular retail categories
where local demand is not being met, inform
revitalization strategies that are presented
later in the plan.
Methodology
The supply and demand analysis compares
estimated customer demand for various
retail categories with the existing supply
in the corridor of those retail categories.
14
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Demand for local residents, regular visitors,
and occasional visitors is estimated through
population and income data, consumer
expenditure patterns, and real estate
averages relating square footage to sales.
Supply was estimated through a sidewalk
survey of the corridor in January 2007 and
building footprint maps provided by the city.
For a more extensive review of methodology,
please refer to Appendix X.
Results
In estimating the gap between supply
and demand, discount department stores,
supermarkets, and department stores were
the largest retail categories where local
demand was not being met. For discount
department stores, it was estimated that
demand exceeded supply by about 45
thousand square feet; for supermarkets,
it was estimated that demand exceeded
supply by about 26 thousand square feet;
and for department stores, it was estimated
that demanded exceeded supply by about
12 thousand square feet. In contrast,
consistent with the business mix analysis,
the supply of automobile-related businesses
and beauty-related businesses far exceeded
the estimated demand, indicating that these
businesses draw upon a larger customer
base than the local area.
COMPETING COMMERCIAL
DISTRICTS
Identifying competitive advantages relative
to neighboring commercial districts is
an important component of building
loyal customer traffic to the Broad Street
Corridor as the position of the corridor
relative to these competitor districts will
have a large impact on its success in both
recapturing and exceeding pre-Katrina levels
of commercial activity. Descriptions of
competing commercial districts are offered
below:
Carrollton Avenue
Carrollton Avenue is a city-wide shopping
destination that attracts predominantly
mixed-income customers from Uptown
and Mid City. The majority of businesses
on Carrollton Avenue are large national
chains. Store categories include hardware,
supermarkets, and fast-food chains.
Carrollton Avenue also offers entertainment
options such as cinemas and a bowling alley.
However, the district is highly auto-oriented
and not a pedestrian friendly shopping
district; therefore, visitors cannot enjoy
walking around and window-shopping in
this district. It is difficult for visitors who do
not own a car to access the district.
Magazine Street
As a well known shopping destination,
Magazine Street draws tourists as well
as customers from all over New Orleans.
Although it does have several national chain
stores, Magazine Street’s assortment of
businesses is comprised mainly of relatively
small and upscale boutique specialty stores,
cafés, bars, and locally owned restaurants
which offer a wide variety of dining
atmospheres. Unlike Carrollton Street,
Magazine Street provides the combination of
its stylish and sophisticated atmosphere and
pedestrian friendly environment by which
visitors can enjoy walking around this street
and window-shopping.
CBD/ Warehouse District / French
Quarter
The downtown area is the center of business
and tourist activity with clusters of high-end
boutiques, restaurants, antique/art shops,
souvenir stores, and related commercial
activity. In its unique position as a regional
center of commerce and entertainment, the
downtown area captures the most economic
activity of any area in the city. In particular,
the French Quarter provides a historical
and exotic atmosphere, which attracts and
entertains visitor traffic from outside the
region.
1
1 Map of competing commercial areas. Noteworthy is
the proximity of the Carrollton corridor and downtown
neighborhoods to Broad Street, serving both as a
challenge to economic development as well as an asset
because of potential synergies to be built with these
neighboring commercial areas.
East Jefferson (Veterans Boulevard and
Clearview Parkway)
East Jefferson Parish attracts region-wide
customer traffic in suburban strip style retail
03 Economic Analysis
15
centers. East Jefferson also plays a role as
a hub of national chain mega stores. Two
shopping malls – which are dominated
by national chain stores – are located in
this area. However, this district, similar to
Carrollton Street, is highly auto-oriented
and not pedestrian friendly. All commercial
sites within this district are designed on the
premise that visitors use their car to reach or
pass through the area.
Others Sites (Canal Street, Claiborne
Avenue)
Local businesses and a few restaurants,
which serve mainly local middle-income
residents, are scattered on Claiborne Avenue
and Canal Street. However, neither Canal
Street nor Claiborne Avenue is as strong a
business or shopping cluster as the business
areas discussed above.
Summary
1
Revitalization plans for the Broad Street
Corridor should focus on the opportunities
and strengths that differentiate the district
from neighboring commercial areas. As
previously discussed, the unique qualities
of the more diversified mix of businesses
on Broad Street provides a foundation for
the corridor to succeed as a convenience
shopping and service destination for local
residents and regional customers alike. For
example, the corridor has a strong presence
of automobile-related and beauty-related
1 Commercial district benchmark showing Broad
Street’s uniquely high quantity of auto-related
businesses, as well as relatively high quantities of
beauty-related businesses and restaurants for its
immediate area.
16
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
businesses that attract regional traffic. Efforts
should be made to strengthen these clusters
so that other businesses can tap into the
customer traffic which these clusters bring
into the area.
With its proximity to the Orleans Parish
Criminal District Court and the Medical
District, the area near the Tulane and
Broad intersection has significant potential
to attract businesses such as legal and
medical offices, an office services store, and
restaurants that cater to the surrounding
institutional presence. The intersection
is also the southern terminus of the US
Route 61, which is also known as the Blues
Highway. This connection to American
blues music provides a unique historical
background for this node, which can
be leveraged to attract entertainmentoriented businesses. This potential is further
strengthened by the two breweries located
nearby. The area around Bayou Road
contributes to the unique advantages of
the corridor with its strong historical and
cultural roots. There is also an emerging
agglomeration of small specialty stores
and restaurants on Bayou Road that
attracts visitors from outside the local
neighborhoods.
IMPLICATIONS FOR ECONOMIC
REVITALIZATION
Based on the economic assessment, the
following implications are drawn for the
revitalization project for the Broad Street
Corridor:
Attract a discount store to satisfy
unmet local living needs
As the market analysis suggests, the gap
between demand and supply for a discount
department stores was significantly large,
implying that basic local living needs are
not satisfied by existing businesses in this
district and that local residents are traveling
elsewhere to fulfill their needs. In order to
stem this sales leakage, attention must be
dedicated to attracting retailers such as a
discount department store and a grocery
store that can serve basic living needs.
Pursue alternatives to a full-size
supermarket
While the market analysis did indicate unmet
demand for a supermarket, the size of the
unmet demand is likely not large enough
to attract a developer. As an alternative,
strategies to create a weekly market, attract a
specialty food provider to the area or draw a
small-scale grocery store to the area should
be pursued.
Real estate development opportunities
at the intersection with Tulane Avenue
To serve visitors to the Orleans Parish
Criminal District Court and the Medical
District and to utilize existing sites available
for development, restaurants and cafes,
office space for the medical and legal
professions, and office services, retail should
be recruited to develop stores at this
intersection. Furthermore, given the unique
historical background associated with blues
music and the proximity to local breweries,
constructing an entertainment facility would
in the long-term be a viable opportunity to
attract more regional traffic.
Leverage the strength in auto-related
businesses clustered around the Lafitte
Corridor
Given the fact that the corridor has a strong
automobile business agglomeration at the
Lafitte Corridor, this cluster and its brand
image as a top automobile-related business
cluster in NOLA region should be promoted
in order to attract additional regional traffic
to the corridor. The existence of this cluster
and it’s location at a future recreational
corridor that will serve the entire city will
require careful planning to manage growth
and possible relocation of automobilerelated businesses.
03 Economic Analysis
17
Take advantage of the unique villagelike characteristics of the Bayou/
Esplanade Area
Several small specialty stores and restaurants
have already been emerging on Bayou
Road. Ensuring the success of these “first
movers” should be prioritized. Keys to the
continued success of these businesses
include the provision of required technical
assistance and access to financial sources.
In conjunction with provision of business
support services, initiatives which seek to
further enhance the village-like atmosphere
of this area should be pursued in an attempt
to capture a greater share of visitors form
outside of the corridor.
1
SUMMARY
1 Target is a chic discount retailer that will both fulfill
the unment demand for discount retailers in the Broad
Street Corridor while also acting as an anchor for
small and local businesses. The defunct Robert’s site
is an ideal location for an urban Target, not unlike that
pictured in the Nichollet Mall in Minneapolis, MN.
An inventory analysis of businesses in the
Broad Street Corridor, a spatial analysis of
business locations, a sales gap analysis
showing the demand and existing supply for
different retail categories, and an analysis of
competing commercial districts, were used
to identify economic development strategies
crucial to the revitalization of the corridor.
Development of discount department
store and smaller-scale alternatives to a
supermarket should be pursued. Promoting
the automobile-related cluster near the
Lafitte Corridor as a regional destination can
help the Broad Street Corridor recover and
prosper. Leveraging the unique features
2
2 The Crescent City Farmers Market is an institution
supporting local farmers and traditions as well as
small businesses for more than a decade. Because the
expected demand for a grocery store is sizable but not
quite large enough to satisfy a conventional suburbanstyle grocery footprint (typically 40 000 square feet), a
Crescent City Farmers Marktet location on Broad would
be an innovative alternative to bringing fresh foods and
local culture to the corridor.
18
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
of both the Tulane and Bayou Road area to
attract additional economic development
is a viable strategy. These strategies will be
discussed at greater length in subsequent
sections of this report.
04
PHYSICAL ANALYSIS
The Broad Street Corridor presents a
variety of distinct images, from pedestrian
areas characterized by quaint, traditional
urban architecture to automobile-oriented
development more characteristic of
suburban development. These extremes,
along with a mix of infill between, contribute
to a sense of incoherence along the length
of Broad Street. In contrast to the four
predominantly residential neighborhoods
that border it to the north and south,
the corridor lacks continuity in land use
and architecture. Broad Street, rather
than exhibiting a distinct linear character
of its own, is dominated by a series of
intersections with major north-south cross
streets and functions as a gateway to these
cross streets.
Land Use
The land use along the corridor is
predominantly commercial. There are a few
residential uses scattered along the corridor
with the majority of uses sprinkled along
the corridor, mostly concentrated near the
intersection with Esplanade Avenue. There
are a handful of mixed-use parcels with
structures that contain businesses and
residences. A few industrial uses, including
several automotive businesses, are centered
on the Lafitte Corridor. Institutional uses
consist of the Criminal District Court and the
Israel Augustine School near Tulane Avenue
and a church near Canal Street.
Architectural Character/Façade Treatments
The majority of the building stock on Broad
Street predates World War II. However,
there are few continuous stretches of
historically intact urban fabric. The corridor
is punctuated by a handful of architecturally
significant buildings, including the
Neoclassical and Art Deco Criminal Courts
Building (1929) at the intersection with
Tulane Avenue, the Spanish Revival Israel
Augustine school at Baudin Street, the
classical temple-inspired Pumping Station
No. 2 (1899) at St. Louis Street, and the
Sciambra and Masino (1924) building near
St. Peter Street. A number of other notable
buildings, including the Dixie and Falstaff
Breweries, Lafitte Public Housing, General
Laundry, and Warren Easton and John
McDonogh schools, are situated within a few
blocks of the corridor.
1
Building Types
Building types on Broad Street vary widely,
from classic New Orleans shotgun houses
and Creole cottages near the intersections
with Banks Street, Orleans Avenue, and
Esplanade Avenue to more generic,
suburban style large format retail buildings
near the Lafitte Corridor. Building types have
been adapted to host uses other than those
for which they were originally intended.
While a significant portion of the building
stock along the length of the corridor is of
a residential type, many of these buildings
2
1 This classic New Orleans shotgun double was a
mixed-use structure containing a residence and a
small business prior to Hurricane Katrina. Mixed use
structures promote an active streetscape 24 hours a day
and should be encouraged.
2 Historic structures like the Sciambra & Masino
building add character and visual interest for
pedestrians and motorists along the corridor.
3
04 Physical Analysis
3 Automotive services occupy industrial land near
the Lafitte corridor and are an important part of Broad
Street’s economy, but they undermine the pedestrian
experience.
19
age
LeP
Esplanade Ave
Be
St
to
So
St
De
t
ll S
St
t
eS
ass
ch
lle
Be
St
Ave
id
ch
Or
Ursulines
St Philip
e St
Dumain
St Ann St
St
Ave
St Peter
Orleans
e St
Lafitte St
St Louis St
Ave
Conti St
Bienville
Canal St
Ave
Cleveland
Palmyra St
Banks St
o St
t
ier S
Baudin St
Grav
id
Perd
10
ve
ne A
Tula
Iberville St
Toulous
t
te S
Cre
N Broad Ave
White St
St
Bayou Rd
Barracks St
Governor Nic
S Broad
holls St
LEGEND
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Mixed Use
Institutional
ois St
Dorgen
1
0
250
500
1,000 Feet
ge
a
LeP
Esplanade Ave
t
ll S
Be
St
to
So
St
De
id
St
a
ch
lle
Be
St
Ave
ch
Or
Ursulines
St Philip
e St
Dumain
St Ann St
St
Ave
St Peter
Orleans
sse
e St
Lafitte St
St
Conti St
Ave
St Louis St
Bienville
Canal St
Ave
Cleveland
Palmyra St
Banks St
Baudin St
Ave
10
id
Perd
t
ier S
Grav
ne
Tula
Iberville St
Toulous
t
te S
Cre
N Broad Ave
o St
White St
ois St
Dorgen
0
2
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
250
500
1,000 Feet
Bayou Rd
20
St
Barracks St
2 Historic and architecturally significant buildings are
scattered throughout the corridor, but are most heavily
concentrated at both ends. The concentrations reflect
the relatively recent auto-oriented redevelopment of the
central area near the Lafitte corridor.
S Broad
holls St
Governor Nic
1 The land use map shows a predominantly commercial
corridor that exhibits a wide range of uses. Residential
and mixed-use parcels are few and far between.
LEGEND
National Register
Architecturally Significant Buildings
Classic Urban Fabric
age
LeP
Esplanade Ave
t
ll S
Be
St
to
So
St
De
St
t
eS
ass
ch
lle
Be
St
Ave
id
ch
Or
Ursulines
St Philip
St Ann St
e St
Dumain
St
Ave
St Peter
Orleans
Lafitte St
Conti St
St Louis St
Ave
Bienville
Iberville St
Canal St
Palmyra St
Banks St
Baudin St
ve
ne A
Tula
o St
t
ier S
10
id
Perd
Grav
Ave
Cleveland
e St
Toulous
t
te S
Cre
N Broad Ave
White St
holls St
ois St
Dorgen
0
250
500
Bayou Rd
St
Barracks St
Governor Nic
S Broad
LEG END
Good
Fair
Poor
1,000 Feet
1
2
1 A map of building conditions shows most structures
appear to be in fair or good condition and suggests that
most of the existing building stock can be reused.
2 A few buildings along the corridor have not been
remediated since Hurricane Katrina, but still appear to
be structurally sound.
04 Physical Analysis
21
St
to
So
St
age
LeP
Esplanade Ave
De
t
ll S
Be
St
lle
t
eS
ass
ch
St
Ave
St Peter
Orleans
St Ann St
e St
Dumain
St Philip
St
id
ch
Or
Ave
Ursulines
Be
t
te S
e St
Toulous
Lafitte St
Conti St
St Louis St
Ave
Bayou Rd
Barracks St
holls St
Governor Nic
ge
a
LeP
Esplanade Ave
St
t
ll S
Be
St
to
So
ch
Or
St
Ave
t
eS
ass
ch
lle
Be
St
e St
St
Ave
e St
Ave
Conti St
St Louis St
Lafitte St
Toulous
St Peter
Orleans
St Ann St
Dumain
St Philip
Ursulines
De
t
te S
id
Cre
Bienville
Iberville St
Canal St
Ave
Cleveland
Palmyra St
Banks St
Baudin St
e
e Av
Barracks St
Bayou Rd
LEGEND
Parking Lot
Governor Nic
holls St
ois St
Bienville
ois St
N Broad Ave
n
Tula
Dorgen
Iberville St
Canal St
Ave
Cleveland
Palmyra St
Banks St
Baudin St
e
e Av
t
ier S
Grav
o St
id
Perd
1,000 Feet
500
250
0
1,000 Feet
500
250
0
N Broad Ave
n
Tula
t
ier S
Grav
o St
10
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
22
2
2 Surface parking lots are most heavily concentrated
on the western side of the corridor, providing plenty of
vehicle capacity and potential plots for redevelopment.
St
S Broad
1 Vacant buildings and vacant lots distributed along the
corridor vary considerably in size and provide a number
of locational opportunities for small businesses.
id
Perd
10
Dorgen
LEGEND
Vacant Building
Vacant Lot
St
S Broad
Cre
White St
1
White St
have been converted to commercial uses,
primarily office spaces.
Building Condition
A sidewalk survey of structures along Broad
Street revealed that most of the buildings
appear to be in fair or good condition
despite pervasive wind and flood damage
due to Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent
floodwall failures. Flood damage has largely
been remediated through gutting, with
the exception of a handful of buildings that
have not been touched since the storm.
According to the city’s Good Neighbor
Ordinance, these buildings should be
remediated. The majority of buildings
damaged by the storm and/or flooding
can likely be renovated and reused, but a
structural engineer should be consulted for
a professional opinion before deciding on
a course of action for individual buildings.
The structural integrity of a few buildings
appears to have been compromised by
storm damage.
Vacant Buildings
Many buildings on Broad Street are vacant
due to storm damage and the subsequent
displacement of businesses and residents: a
sidewalk survey revealed approximately sixty
five vacant structures distributed along the
corridor. The majority of the vacant buildings
are smaller structures of 2,000 square feet or
less. Most blocks and intersections have at
least one vacant structure. No block faces
are completely vacant and Broad Street at
Bienville Avenue is the only intersection
with vacant structures at all four corners.
The failure to remediate or repair stormdamaged buildings, or the decision to simply
board them up, detracts from the pedestrian
experience and contributes to negative
perceptions of the corridor among potential
customers and investors. However, at the
same time, the variety of vacant structures
provides opportunities for new or existing
businesses to find a suitable space on the
corridor.
1
Vacant Lots
There are approximately 20 vacant lots
distributed along the corridor. Some are
used for storage, others for illegal dumping,
and few are well maintained. Many of these
lots appear to predate Hurricane Katrina,
but a few are undoubtedly the result of
recent demolitions of storm or flooddamaged structures. Because most of the
lots are small and dispersed throughout
the corridor, there are few opportunities for
large-scale development. However, these
infill lots provide opportunities to increase
density with mixed-use structures that could
incorporate street level commercial uses and
upper floor residential uses.
2
1 Vacant lots along the corridor create a negative
pedestrian experience as gaps in the street wall that
attract litter.
Underdeveloped Land
In addition to vacant lots, a significant
2 Formal and informal parking lots support an
auto-oriented environment and present significant
opportunities for redevelopment.
04 Physical Analysis
23
amount of land on Broad Street is
dedicated to parking lots for current and
former businesses. Large parking lots are
particularly prevalent west of the Lafitte
Corridor and regularly punctuate the north
side of Broad Street east of the Lafitte
Corridor. The large-footprint parking lots at
the street edge provide little visual interest or
opportunities for pedestrian activity. While
some of these parking lots serve operating
businesses, a large number are attached to
shuttered enterprises. These parcels could
support additional future development that
should be oriented to pedestrians at the
street edge.
1
Infrastructure
Unlike many streets in New Orleans, Broad
Street’s infrastructure is in relatively good
condition. Street pavement is continuous
and level with few potholes or serious
subsidence problems. The good condition
is likely a side effect of insignificant tree
planting along the corridor – root systems
tend to grow and alter the water table and
effectively undermine the roadbed. Traffic
signals have been replaced since Hurricane
Katrina and are fully operational, although
they lack pedestrian walk signals. Standardissue, highway-caliber streetlights, while
not aesthetically pleasing, illuminate the
street at night. Sidewalks are also generally
in good condition, although few crosswalks
feature ADA-compliant curb cuts. Pedestrian
2
1 Recently replaced traffic lights without pedestrian
signals and high overhead lighting cater to automobile
traffic and discourage pedestrian activity at major
intersections like Tulane Avenue.
2 Street furniture is uncommon and only appears at
selected bus stops. Signage is inconsistent: the bus
stop sign occupies an independent pole while the traffic
signal lacks a street sign.
3 Broad Street is U.S. Highway 90, an important eastwest roadway through the city. Wayfinding signage
along Broad is sometimes found on telephone poles.
24
3
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
activity, however, is hampered by a lack of
street furniture, with the exception of small
benches at select bus stops. Wayfinding
and directional signage for vehicles and
pedestrians are inconsistently presented
along the corridor. When present, they may
be posted on traffic signals, telephone poles,
or independent poles at different heights.
Some street signs are simply missing. Bicycle
transit is not supported by Broad Street’s
infrastructure as there are no bike lanes or
bike racks present anywhere in the corridor.
TRANSPORTATION ANALYIS
Many New Orleans motorists would attest
to the central role that Broad Street plays
in the City’s street network. In the 2.61
mile (20-block) length of the corridor that
is the subject of this study, Broad Street
intersects with several major cross-streets.
From southwest to northeast, these include:
Tulane Avenue, Canal Street, Bienville
Avenue, Orleans Avenue, Ursulines Avenue,
Esplanade Avenue, and Bayou Road.
Automotive
Broad Street, which is officially classified
as U.S. Highway 90, is a primary arterial
roadway that serves both local and regional
through-traffic. Observation on the street
revealed the traffic pattern to be a mixture
of commercial trucks and passenger
vehicles. Between Tulane Avenue and
Orleans Avenue, Broad Street has three-lanes
of traffic in each direction, and between
Orleans Avenue and Bayou Road, it switches
to two-travel lanes in each direction plus
one lane of on-street parking. It makes little
sense, both from a safety perspective and
from a practical one, to widen Broad Street
to three lanes for the lone one-mile stretch
from just west of Tulane Avenue to Orleans
Avenue. Drivers get a false sense of security
and accelerate through the 3-lane zone, then
are forced to quickly merge back into two.
Thus, there is an opportunity to consider the
disconnect between the roadway geometry
and the actual needs of the area.
For many commuters, Broad Street and
Tulane Avenue provide alternatives to the
often-congested Interstate 10, as both
streets parallel different section of I-10 as it
swings around at a 90-degree angle near
the Superdome. Broad Street parallels the
section of I-10 that runs through Downtown,
while Tulane has a direct entrance to
I-10 heading westbound. Based on data,
anecdotal evidence, and direct observation
of the corridor at different times of the day
and week, it is clear that many vehicles
traverse Broad Street each day—both driving
the length of Broad and crossing it while
driving on major cross-streets. Most traffic
follows the “rush hour” trends, as there is
more traffic headed south on Broad Street
(towards Downtown) during the weekday
morning peak hours and more traffic
headed north on Broad during the evening
peak. This trend also affects land use and
the placement of businesses, as businesses
would like to locate on the side of the street
with the most traffic during their peak period
(thus, an auto repair shop might hope to
capture the morning rush hour, while video
rental store would hope to catch drivers
on their way home from work). Although
Broad Street is an important route for many
drivers, it is also clear that the capacity of the
street far exceeds its actual usage and there
are opportunities to rework the corridor
to ensure that it more closely meets the
demands of vehicular transportation while
also better matching the pedestrian-oriented
character of the street.
1
Parking
As a significant auto-oriented corridor,
it is not surprising that land use and
transportation concerns revolve around
parking. As the map on the previous
page illustrates, parking lots account for
a significant portion of the underutilized
spaces along the corridor. Parking lots are
important components for many Broad
Street businesses, particularly because car
dealerships and gas stations, as well as
restaurants and shops, require dedicated
parking areas. As a result, the parking lots
account for approximately 38% of the block
2
1 A traffic analysis of Broad Street in 2005 shows peak
hour vehicle volumes at levels well below the carrying
capacity.
2 Broad Street consists of two lanes and a parking lane
in both directions between Orleans Avenue and Bayou
Road and comfortably accomodates traffic.
04 Physical Analysis
25
area adjacent to Broad. In addition to lots,
there is on-street parking along both sides
of Broad Street. Residents and businessowners expressed concern regarding a lack
of available parking in close proximity to
businesses. They also noted that on-street
parking along side streets is often dimly-lit
and is perceived as unsafe.
Despite concerns about parking, adding
additional parking lots is not a favorable
solution. There are opportunities for the
application of more efficient parking
patterns, such as improved on-street
parking and shared parking. If used more
efficiently, the current on-street parking
areas would significantly relieve the demand
for centralized parking lots.. Additionally,
shared parking can provide another way to
increase the parking efficiency. For example,
a business open only in the daytime hours
might share its parking lot with adjacent
restaurants that serve dinner, allowing
dining patrons to park conveniently while at
the same time contributing to the practice
of efficient land use within the district.
Furthermore, parking in the neutral ground
should be discouraged, as it is unsafe for
both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Thus, although safe, convenient, and
adequate parking is a necessary land use
along the corridor, it is useful to rethink the
design and distribution of parking that can
best complement other land uses in this
1
2
1 The corridor is served by RTA bus route 94 which runs
its length and connects Broad Street to other transit lines
and the rest of the city.
2 At Canal Street, Broad Street is served by the one of two
streetcar lines -- the only one currently in operation.
26
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
pedestrian-oriented, urban commercial
corridor.
Public Transit
Although it is an auto-oriented corridor,
Broad Street is well-served by public
transportation through the New Orleans
Regional Transit Authority. Broad Street
is served by Bus 94, a very long route that
connects Downtown with Gentilly. There
are many bus stops and streetcar stops
along Broad Street because some of the
intersecting streets are well served by these
systems, as well. The stops are reasonably
close (less than 3 blocks apart) and the signs
are mostly visible. However, most stops on
Broad Street lack bus shelters and amenities
are typically limited to one bench per stop.
Furthermore, some of the benches are in bad
condition and need replacement.
The Canal Street Streetcar is the first streetcar
line to resume activity in post-Katrina New
Orleans. The streetcar system may provide
a commuting option for some people who
live or work on Broad Street, but the streetcar
serves a greater function as a symbolic
connector and a means for tourists to travel
to Broad Street. The Canal Street Streetcar
runs from the Mississippi River to City Park
and serves as a reminder of Broad Street’s
central location in New Orleans and the
opportunity it has to serve diverse clienteles
from throughout the city and region.
GREEN SPACE
There is a dearth of parks, open space,
or green space of any kind along the
Broad Street Corridor. Although there
are a significant number of vacant lots
throughout the corridor, some of which
play host to grass and other vegetation,
most of these lots are fenced off from
public access and the green growth inside
is poorly maintained. The most prominent
green space can be found in Broad Street’s
wide neutral grounds. The neutral grounds
provide strips of greenery and comprise
the one constant throughout the length
of the corridor. These spaces, however, are
traditionally considered a part of the realm
of the automobile and are devoid of activity.
The high-speed traffic in the six lanes of
traffic along most of the corridor has had
the major impact of limiting pedestrian
access to the neutral ground. As a result,
this linear green space exists more for the
driver’s experience than for the pedestrian’s
enjoyment. There is an opportunity to
activate the neutral ground, which would
make it easier to cross Broad Street and
would better utilize these precious pockets
of green.
Compared with its cross-streets, notably
Canal Street, Ursulines Avenue, and
Esplanade Avenue, Broad Street lacks large,
dramatic tree canopies. Trees provide
pedestrians with shade from the New
Orleans heat and serve to visually narrow
the road for drivers, naturally slowing and
calming traffic. Both the wide sidewalks
and the wide neutral grounds provide
opportunities for tree planting.
The Lafitte Corridor represents the most
concentrated green space along Broad Street
and presents the greatest opportunity for
the creation of a green space with significant
recreational and environmental benefits
for the Broad Street Corridor. Currently,
the vegetation and landscape are poorly
maintained, but this lawn has the potential
to become a sizable public open space.
1
PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE
Pedestrian friendly environments are wellmaintained and characterized by calm traffic,
dense low-rise development, a full range of
businesses within walking distance, access
to open space, and a human scale. The
pedestrian experience on Broad Street is
primarily undermined by a lack of continuity
in the urban fabric. Buildings in varying
states of repair are interrupted by gaps in
the form of vacant buildings, parking lots,
or vacant lots. Few blocks along Broad
offer the enclosure and visual interest of
a street wall characterized by continuous
development at the street edge. The lack of
a street wall is particularly noticeable near
2
1 Neutral grounds are the only siginificant green spaces
along the length of the corridor. Near Bayou Road, the
neutral grounds are planted with small trees.
2 A blank facade and vacant lots create a dull,
uninteresting environment and discourage pedestrian
activity on Broad Street near Orleans Avenue.
3
04 Physical Analysis
3 Close to the intersection with Esplanade Avenue,
historic development with small setbacks and mature
trees between the sidewalk and street create a feeling of
enclosure and protection.
27
age
LeP
Esplanade Ave
t
ll S
Be
St
to
So
St
De
id
St
t
eS
ass
ch
lle
Be
St
Ave
ch
Or
Ursulines
St Philip
St Ann St
e St
Dumain
St
Ave
St Peter
Orleans
e St
Lafitte St
Conti St
Ave
St Louis St
Bienville
Canal St
Ave
Cleveland
Palmyra St
Banks St
e
e Av
Grav
o St
t
ier S
id
Perd
10
Baudin St
n
Tula
Iberville St
Toulous
t
te S
Cre
N Broad Ave
White St
holls St
ois St
Dorgen
0
1
1 Broad Street green spaces consist of neutral grounds
and the Lafitte corridor.
2
2 The Lafitte corridor, a former railroad right-of-way,
is an underutiflized green space that bisects the Broad
Street corridor and could support significant recreational
development.
28
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
250
500
1,000 Feet
Bayou Rd
St
Barracks St
Governor Nic
S Broad
LEGEND
Neutral Ground
Lafitte Corridor
the Lafitte Corridor where the majority of
the automobile-oriented development is
characterized by deep setbacks from the
street and large parking lots. A continuous
street wall is critical to provide a sense of
enclosure and safety on such a wide street
that encourages fast traffic. The businesses
that are open are dispersed throughout
the corridor and few offer window displays
or other pedestrian friendly interventions
like benches. Inconsistent, temporary, or
nonexistent commercial signage makes it
difficult to tell which businesses are open.
Few residential or night time business uses
contribute to lack of activity after 5 p.m.
Further, pedestrian areas are dark at night
due to a lack of pedestrian-scale lighting
along the street and little exterior or interior
lighting among businesses.
1
CONCLUSION
The length, width, lack of cohesive visual
character, and dominance by the automobile
are all challenges to the revitalization of
the Broad Street Corridor. Nonetheless,
many opportunities exist to make physical
improvements—some small and short-term
and others more capital-intensive and longterm—to the corridor that will have a large
impact on the form, function, and character
of Broad Street.
1 Sidewalk plantings, transparent facades, and shelter
from the elements create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly
environment on Bayou Road.
04 Physical Analysis
29
30
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
05
SYNTHESIS
Thus far, this report has described diverse
aspects of the 2.61-mile long, 20 block
Broad Street Corridor. A history of the
corridor and surrounding neighborhoods
has been explored, economic conditions
identified and quantified, and the physical
environment mapped and analyzed. What
does this all mean for the commercial
corridor we call Broad Street? Can there
be one vision for the street? The physical
characteristics, types of businesses and
land uses, and the scale and character
of the corridor vary greatly between the
Tulane and Bayou endpoints. While it is
easiest to consider physical and economic
interventions at particular locations, rather
than over the length of the entire disparate
corridor, it was necessary to balance this
tendency to divide the corridor with the
need to foster a cohesive identity for Broad
Street as a whole. Therefore, the vision
for the corridor builds on the strengths
and potential of particular places along
the corridor, called nodes, as well as the
possibilities offered throughout the district.
are defined clusters that are centered at
intersections and extend into the adjacent
neighborhoods. Nodes can serve as
physical anchors and as centers of place
and activity. When considering nodes along
Broad Street, it was necessary to examine
both intersections that are currently highlytrafficked corners as well as those sites that
exhibit potential to develop as significant
hubs of activity in the future. Dividing
the corridor into nodes offers a pragmatic
and feasible approach to the corridor and
reflects the local uniqueness of specific
geographic areas. Focus on relatively few
places allows a more in-depth investigation
of the interventions instrumental to physical
and economic development at specific sites
along the corridor.
While several nodes were considered, three
were selected to be the focus of physical and
economic development initiatives proposed
in this plan. These proposals are the subject
of the following chapters:
ELEMENTS OF THE BROAD STREET VISION
•
•
•
Chapter 6: Tulane Gateway
Chapter 7: Lafitte Corridor
Chapter 8: Bayou Road Village
The Nodes
Broad Street intersects several major
cross-streets, forming an integral part of
the New Orleans road network. Thus, one
way to consider the corridor is through a
focus on intersections, or “nodes.” Nodes
These three nodes represent the diversity of
the Broad Street Corridor and are grounded
in the surrounding neighborhoods, while
at the same time being oriented to varying
degrees to a regional audience. The nodes
can also serve as testing grounds for projects
that may someday extend throughout the
corridor. The fact that the Lafitte Corridor
and Bayou Road Village are also locations
that have been identified and earmarked
for funding by the New Orleans Office
of Recovery Management lends further
credence to their selection as nodes worthy
of special consideration.
A District-Wide View
It was also necessary to consider physical
and economic revitalization strategies that
unite the length of the Broad Street Corridor.
Taking this wider angle allows for a greater
focus on the interplay between the four
neighborhoods that border Broad Street
and enables resources and critical assets
throughout the corridor to be leveraged
to enhance the whole revitalization plan.
Plans for infrastructure improvements,
coordinated approaches toward greening
and streetscape, and the development of
organizational capacity can best be achieved
at a district-wide scale. These proposals are
discussed in Chapter 9.
Thus, the overall approach to revitalization
for Broad Street combines an appreciation
for the nodes within the corridor with
recognition that addressing district-wide
characteristics is essential to fostering an
identity and sense of place along Broad.
05 Synthesis
31
A Cohesive Vision
The revitalization plan and recommendations
that follow build on the strengths of the
neighborhoods that belong to the district. At
the same time, this plan uses Broad Street’s
location and role as a major cross street to
capture a regional market for economic,
cultural, and recreational activity. This
plan supports Broad Street as a unifier – a
common ground for the Mid-City, TulaneGravier, Faubourg/St. John, and Tremé
neighborhoods—as well as a destination
for residents and tourists from throughout
New Orleans. By combining a consideration
for the district-wide elements that will
create a livable, walk-able, safe street that
serves residents and business owners with
a recognition that there is great potential
to capture the drive-by traffic and citywide thirst for culture, shopping, and other
amenities, this plan aims to set Broad Street
at the forefront of revitalization in the postKatrina New Orleans landscape.
1
What follows is a detailed look at the
recommendations for three vital intersections
along Broad Street and an overall approach
to enhancing the image, walkability, and
sense of ownership along the corridor. Finally,
suggestions for organizational and financial
implementation, along with short-term,
mid-term, and long-term goals, are offered
to help guide the realization of this vision for
Broad|Connections.
2
1 The Broad Street Corridor nodes.
2 Addressing streetscape improvements is best done
through a corridor-wide vision, rather than focusing on
specific nodes.
32
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
06
TULANE GATEWAY
NARRATIVE: Tulane and Broad, May
2017
years in favor of downtown and Jefferson
Parish.
As the Central Business District’s economic
recovery progresses, its impact continues
to reverberate further and further out
from the city center along major east-west
thoroughfares. Because of the design
and economic development initiatives
undertaken by The Broad Partnership and
the Office of Recovery Management in
the years immediately following Katrina,
the Broad Street Corridor has been able to
capture a large share of the reinvestment
that emanated from downtown in the later
years of the recovery.
As the rush hour commute subsides, the
area still bustles with activity. As has always
been the case (even in the difficult years
immediately following Katrina) the criminal
justice complex is a constant source of
activity. Attorneys, law enforcement officials,
litigants and bail bondsmen fill the area
during work hours. Office supply retailers,
FedEx-Kinkos, accountants and a host of
other professional support services have
moved into the area. Most businesses
associated with the court rent space in the
new mid-rise office towers that anchor
the corners, though some attorneys have
elected to reuse traditional shotgun houses
along Broad Street, between Tulane and
Palmyra.
Shortly after the sun rises Friday morning,
an early stream of commuters begins to
trickle through the neighborhood. Drivers
headed downtown on Tulane Avenue and
Banks Street stop at shops in and around
Tulane and Broad to pick up breakfast and
newspapers. Local shopkeepers have
noticed that some commuters coming
in to town from the west regularly exit
I-10 as they near Broad Street to enjoy a
more scenic commute, as well partake of
the good food and services of the area’s
stores and restaurants. The mayor points
to this phenomenon as an ultimate symbol
of the return of investment to the area,
after the intersection and the Broad Street
Commercial Corridor had been bypassed for
Throughout the day many of these workers
eat at Dizzy Mama’s 61-90 Diner, named
for the intersection of two U.S. highways
locally known as Tulane and Broad. The
diner’s success encouraged its owners to
open the Baudin Brewhouse in the new
entertainment complex across the street. As
afternoon turns to early evening clientele at
the two restaurants shift from area workers
to neighbors and visitors from across the city
who arrive for dinner. After the dinner crowd
leaves, the diner stays open throughout the
night, serving third shift employees from the
courthouse across the street, visitors passing
through the area and residents from the four
adjacent neighborhoods.
Surprisingly, the criminal justice complex has
helped spur the growth of entertainment in
the area. Israel Augustine reopened a few
years after Katrina as a youth rehabilitation
center focused on music, building off the
music heritage of the nearby Blues Highway
(U.S. 61) and Louis Armstrong’s history in the
area. Talented, but at-risk youth identified by
Juvenile Court were encouraged to enroll
in the center’s programs. Developed in
partnership with the Tipitina’s Foundation,
participants can choose training in all
aspects of the music business, from
music performance to artist and label
management. The participants manage
and perform in the all-ages venue in the
entertainment complex across the street.
Several alumni have gone on to perform
internationally, start record labels, and host
music clubs.
Initially, the return of residents after the
storm was slow. However, encouraged by
the success of the residential reuse of the
Falstaff Brewery, many homeowners have
reinvested in their properties and moved
back to the area. The return of residents to
the neighborhood was certainly a factor in
the decision of many shop and restaurant
owners locate here. These stores, along
06 Tulane Gateway
33
with new landscaping and traffic calming
measures, have led some real estate agents
to label Broad Street in this area as an
affordable Magazine street. Some residents
and area workers gladly disagree, pointing to
the nearby Canal Streetcar line as proof that
they have superseded the competing street.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
With its proximity to the Orleans Parish
Criminal District Court, the Medical District,
the LIFT project, and the southern terminus
of the Blues Highway, the intersection of
Tulane Avenue and Broad Street is well
positioned for redevelopment. The court
complex contributes to Broad Street by
consistently infusing the area with regionwide visitors and has the potential to serve
as a vital anchor as the area becomes
redeveloped. The emerging Medical District,
bounded by Canal, Claiborne, Tulane, and
North Rocheblave, will bring visitors and
employees from the entire metropolitan
area and will increase demand for medical
support-related businesses.
1
2
Furthermore, the intersection is the southern
terminus of US Route 61, which runs 1,400
miles from Wyoming, Minnesota to New
Orleans, Louisiana. The route is known as the
“Blues Highway” on account of its historical
association with blues music. Many famous
musicians including Muddy Waters and Bo
1 Criminal District Court physically dominates the
intersection of Tulane and Broad.
2 The historic U.S. 61 “Blues Highway” ends
unceremoniously at Broad Street.
3 Low-quality restaurants and office space and the
intersection of two six lane highways fail to generate
significant pedestrian activity.
34
3
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Diddley have traveled north along this route,
while others, such as Son Thomas, Mississippi
Fred McDowell, and Bob Dylan have written
songs about the road. The intersection has
the potential to become a mecca for blues
and jazz music, building upon New Orleans’
existing ability to attract music enthusiasts
from around the world. In sum, the area is
blessed with several unique assets which
have the potential to attract more regional
visitor traffic and business activities.
The opportunities these unique assets
present have not been realized though.
Visitors to the courthouse and area
employees are severely underserved as
there are only a handful of low-quality
restaurants and shops nearby. There are
minimal connections such as work-release
or youth rehabilitation programs between
the courthouse and the surrounding area.
There is an identifiable lack of quality officespace for lawyers, bondsmen, and medical
offices. There are no venues or tributes to
the unique musical history of the area and
the role Highway 61 had in the development
of blues music. Physically, the area suffers
from a lack of greenery and pedestrian
features, like crosswalks or walk signals; the
pedestrian experience is dull and dangerous.
The intersection of two six lane roads creates
an imposing obstacle to pedestrian activity
and connections to businesses along Broad
and Tulane.
The unique assets the Tulane Avenue and
Broad Street intersection possess have
significant potential to improve the character
and vibrancy of the area. Currently, there
are sizeable opportunities to redevelop
the area as the southwest corner is vacant
and a large portion of the southeast corner
is for sale and ripe for redevelopment as
well. The time is right for the Tulane Avenue
and Broad Street intersection to leverage
its unique assets to remake the area into a
pedestrian friendly, 24-hour hub of office
and entertainment activity.
VISION AND GOALS
A sincere assessment of the area should
acknowledge that the large institutional
presence of the criminal justice complex
dominates local residents’ perceptions
of the area. This revitalization plan’s
long-term vision for the intersection is a
professional office and service area by day
and an entertainment hub at night. The
criminal justice image can be balanced with
professional offices and an entertainment
complex. In other cities, courthouses
impart a sense of credibility and civic-ness
to a neighborhood or downtown. Here,
the lack of landscaping and streetscape
furniture and vacant lots detract from the
credibility that the court complex can bring.
Just as office development should occur
in response to demand generated by the
court, the entertainment component, in its
early years, should also build on synergies
with the nearby court. Because the area is
already associated with the criminal justice
system, a transitional program for troubled
youth would likely face minimal opposition
and provides a way to nurture new
entertainment activity and foster an updated
image for this intersection.
Initial phases will build off existing assets
including the market potential of court
visitors, the Falstaff Brewery residential
redevelopment, and the potential for a
music training/rehabilitation program.
In combination with streetscape
improvements, these initial investments
will begin a cycle of positive reinforcement
whereby increased investment in the area
will inform more positive perceptions,
attracting more investment and continuing
the cycle.
1
2
The following goals frame our phased
redevelopment approach:
Pedestrian friendly intersection:
•
Narrow both Tulane and Broad from six
lanes of travel to four
•
Widen sidewalks on Broad Street
•
Widen neutral ground on Tulane Avenue
•
Introduce landscaping elements
that create shade, offer aesthetic appeal
1 The austere stucture of the courthouse overwhelms
pedestrians. Proposed landscaping will help the
building relate to human scale and create a more
comfortable pedestrian environment.
2 Redevelopment of Tulane and Broad will build off
the market potential of the nearby Falstaff Brewery
conversion and Renaissance Property Group should be
approached as a redevelopment partner.
06 Tulane Gateway
35
1 Major proposals for Tulane include (clockwise from
the top): a widened Tulane Avenue neutral ground
with left turn lane, a two-story diner (red), corner
bumpouts, pedestrian crosswalks, a monument (light
blue), tree planting on Broad Avenue neutral grounds,
an entertainment and office complex (purple), an office
building (red), and landscaping in front of Criminal
District Court.
36
1
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
•
and relate courthouse massing to
human scale
Install pedestrian-scale lighting
A 24-hour district:
•
Professional offices and court operations
contribute to business hour activity
•
Entertainment complex and diner
anchor nighttime activity
•
Criminal Sheriff’s Office operates around
the clock
Gateway to Broad Street:
•
A monument signifying the history
of the Blues Highway and the Old
Spanish Trail set in the neutral ground
will be aesthetically tied to the diner
and entertainment complex and be of
sufficient scale to be noticeable to both
passing drivers and pedestrians.
•
Green the Broad Street neutral ground
with large native trees will create a
distinctive character and visual appeal
for the corridor’s entrance
The recommended Tulane and Broad
intersection improvements should
be undertaken in collaboration with
surrounding property owners including
the Renaissance Property Group (Falstaff
Brewery developer). A partnership with the
developer of the brewery project not only
recognizes the potential synergies between
the commercial and entertainment needs
of Falstaff residents and the offerings of a
revitalized district, but also recognizes the
obligation of Renaissance to contribute to
planning efforts that will likely mitigate traffic
impacts and increase the value of its own
project.
PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to transform the area from its
current state into a vibrant, 24-hour,
pedestrian friendly area, we have organized
our recommendations in three different
phases – short-term (less than two years),
mid-term (two to five years), and longterm (five years and beyond). In the shortterm, our recommendations are centered
on initial steps to change the image and
public perception of the area, improving
the landscaping at the intersection, and
capitalizing on immediate development
opportunities. In the mid-term, our
recommendations include physical road
and pedestrian improvements and continue
with efforts to create a 24-hour, pedestrian
friendly environment. In the long-term, the
plan focuses on larger-scale commercial
and entertainment development that
would take advantage of the development
opportunities presented by the vacant and
underutilized land at the intersection and
complete the realization for the vision for this
area.
1
1 The intersection of Tulane and Broad offers a significant
amount of underdeveloped land in the form of vacant
lots (light gray) and parking lots (dark gray) that are ripe
for the proposed redevelopment.
06 Tulane Gateway
37
Short-Term Proposals
The following are recommendations that can
be implemented immediately:
Music Based Youth Rehabilitation Program
We recommend that the Israel Augustine
School be reused and reprogrammed to
house a music-focused youth rehabilitation
program. We envision a program that
will both train at-risk youth in musical
performance and the music business and
run a performance venue. Music is a major
component of the city’s hospitality industry
that has yet to realize its full potential and
professional training in the industry could
serve as a rehabilitative tool.
1
Providing a much needed alcohol-free
all-ages entertainment venue will offer
budding young musicians a much-needed
performance space that offers a positive
outlet for the exploration and development
of new skills and talents. This aspect of the
program could be modeled, in part, on
Seattle’s Vera Project. Local organizations,
such as the LSF Foundation (best known
for Café Reconcile), Providence Community
Housing (redeveloper of Lafitte Public
Housing), and the Tipitina’s Foundation,
could partner with the city to make this
program a reality. Tipitina’s Recording Studio
and Eighth Floor Rehearsal Studios are
further up Tulane Avenue and could partner
with the new program.
1 Israel Augustine School can be reused to house the
Music Based Youth Rehabilitation Program in the shortterm. In the long-term, the building should be reopened
as a full-time school.
38
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
In the near-term, the school’s proximity to
the court stands as an asset that can be used
to build synergies between jail-exiting youth
and its music rehabilitation programs. In
the long-term, the entertainment district
that is envisioned can grow in concert with
the success of the music training program.
The all-ages venue, initially on the Israel
Augustine campus, could expand to the
entertainment complex across the street as
development of this parcel moves forward.
Should the Recovery School District elect
to not immediately reopen the school, the
rehabilitation program partners should seek
to lease the building from the School District.
This program could quickly reactivate the
building by converting existing classrooms
and assembly spaces for use as instruction
and performance areas. Because the
building layout is already well suited to
hosting a musical rehabilitation program,
renovations would be limited, leaving
the building’s core structure intact and
facilitating the potential for its reopening as
a full time school at a later date. Anticipating
and building a market for the entertainment
district envisioned for the intersection,
the program could run a small indoor/
outdoor café at the front of the school,
offering regular musical performances by
its students. This open space at the school
entrance is one of the few opportunities at
this intersection where a public space and
gathering area can be provided. The activity
of the café’s customers and performers
would generate street life, initially perhaps
only among court visitors and students’
families, and later as a destination. The
success of a music venue at the rehabilitation
program would serve as “proof of concept” to
attract the investment needed to realize the
vision of an entertainment/office district.
Green Gateway
To improve the ambiance of the area, we
recommend an intense greening of the
intersection. As a first priority, we propose
the creation of a Green Gateway on Broad
Street just north of the intersection. Lush
tree plantings will help give Broad Street
visual definition as people travel into the
rest of the corridor. Additionally, rows of
large trees in front of the courthouse and
in the Tulane neutral ground on the same
block could serve to soften the hard edges
of the building and streetscape and give
the environment a more human scale.
Additional greening proposals are suggested
in the mid-term phase.
Monumental Gateway
To signify the historical significance of
Highways 61 and 90 and the history of
adjacent neighborhoods, we propose the
placement of a monument on the neutral
ground of Broad, on the eastern side of
the intersection. In addition to marking
the gateway to the Broad Street Corridor,
the monument would serve as a regional
attraction, drawing potential customers
from across the New Orleans area to
nearby businesses such as the diner. The
monument could incorporate historic
iconography from the Blues Highway
(U.S. 61) and the Old Spanish Trail (U.S. 90)
and should be an original work of art. A
community-based design contest could
select a local artist to determine its exact
design.
1
Pedestrian Improvements
The construction of crosswalks with curb
cuts and corner bumpouts, along with the
installation of pedestrian walk signals at the
intersection of Tulane Avenue and Broad
Street, are interventions crucial to the goal of
improving the pedestrian experience in this
area and should occur as soon as possible.
Once additional funding is available, the
same set of improvements should be made
at the intersection of Banks and Broad.
These measures to promote walkability are
essential components in achieving the vision
of a pedestrian friendly area.
2
1 The current entrance to Broad Street is nondescript
and visually unappealing to pedestrians and motorists
alike.
Mid-Term Proposals
The following are proposals recommended
in the two to five year time frame:
2 A schematic view of the proposed gateway to Broad
Street from Tulane Avenue showcases significant tree
planting and a substantial new monument in the
neutral ground to commemorate two historic U.S.
highways. The diner and entertainment and office
complex can be seen on either side of the intersection.
06 Tulane Gateway
39
Office Building with Ground Floor Retail
In order to take advantage of the area’s
proximity to the Criminal Court and Medical
District, we propose a six to ten story office
building with ground floor retail on the
southwest corner of the intersection. To
anchor this development, city officials
and a developer should work to identify a
public sector entity as a tenant – an entity
that would benefit from the site’s close
proximity to the courthouse complex. The
New Orleans Police Department’s Crime
Lab, displaced by flooding from its location
on the other side of the courthouse, is a
potential tenant that could be approached.
The District Attorney, Public Defender’s
Office, and Clerk of Criminal District Court
are also in need of new and larger facilities.
The remaining portion of office space should
be marketed to legal and medical offices.
It is recommended that retail oriented to
surrounding office uses fill ground floor
space. Given the high number of legal
and medical offices nearby, a copying
and printing services business is one
such possibility. Take-out restaurants and
sandwich shops geared toward lunch time
and after-work crowds are another option.
1
2
1 The proposed office building with ground floor
retail could look like this six story example under
construction in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
2 This schematic view from the top of Criminal
District Court shows the proposed diner, monument,
entertainment and office complex, and office
building anchoring the corners of the intersection,
relating in size and scale to the court and surrounding
development.
40
Entertainment/Office Complex
Development of a mixed-use entertainment
and office complex on the northeast corner
of the intersection holds the potential to
strengthen the area’s links to the music
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
history of nearby neighborhoods and to
address the re-emerging market for medical
and court-related office space. This multiuse and multi-story (three to six stories)
development will feature entertainmentoriented uses on the ground floor and
offices on the upper floors. The music
program in the Israel Augustine School will
form partnerships with the ground-floor
commercial tenants that afford young
musicians additional performance venues.
Possibilities for ground-floor tenants include
a café and a music club specifically geared to
youth. Part of the office space will be geared
to tenants associated with the entertainment
industry, including recording studios for
music and film production. Excess office
capacity would be occupied by legal and
medical services. A rooftop beer garden
and microbrewery, inspired by the nearby
brewery heritage of the currently shuttered
Dixie Brewery and soon-to-be residential
Falstaff Brewery would offer a great afterwork meeting place for nearby professionals.
Design guidelines for development at this
intersection should include specifications
regarding outdoor green space, heights
and even particular façade and program
elements. It is recommended that this
building’s design include a glass wall along
the Tulane façade of the building. This
feature will make the interior hallway visible
to pedestrians and passing motorists and will
feature displays on the area’s musical history
and can provide a safe, visible route from
adjacent parking into the building and to the
entertainment venues or office elevator core.
Pursue Shared Parking Strategies
Based on estimates of the scale of the
developments that are being proposed, an
additional 392 parking spaces are needed:
32 for the diner, 120 for the office building,
and 240 for the entertainment/office
complex. As proposed on the existing
parcels, the diner site can accommodate 10
spaces, the office building site can support
11 spaces, and the entertainment/office
complex could provide 38 spaces of surface
parking. Additionally, it is estimated that
there are approximately 330 spaces in
existing private lots within one block of
the intersection and nearly 700 within two
blocks. On-street parking is also available
in the surrounding neighborhoods. Given
the mix of day and night time uses that
are being proposed, shared parking is a
viable solution to meet parking needs in a
cost-efficient manner. The Tulane Tower,
in particular, has a significant sized garage
that very likely has spaces that can be used
for the entertainment/office complex. Any
new construction of parking should seek to
meet needs of multiple businesses that have
varying operating hours.
Reduce Broad Street to two lanes of traffic
in each direction
Condensing Broad Street from three lanes
of traffic and one parking lane in each
direction to two lanes of traffic and one
parking lane will help Broad Street become
a safer and more pedestrian friendly street.
Sidewalks and the neutral ground should
also be widened to take advantage of the
space gained from the reduction of traffic
lanes on Broad. A recent analysis shows
that currently, with an average daily volume
of 35,000 vehicles on Broad Street near
Tulane, the peak-hour capacity of the street
exceeds current usage by 136%.**(CITE BEN
SOLOMON-SCHWARTZ) Even compared
with higher traffic-counts from 2004,
capacity exceeded demand by about 93%,
clearly showing no transportation rationale
for maintaining three lanes of traffic in each
direction.
1
Reduce Tulane Avenue to two lanes of
traffic and allow left turns
The neutral ground on Tulane Avenue at
Broad is too narrow for pedestrians to rest
safely while crossing the street. Even while
standing in the middle of the median,
pedestrians risk being sideswiped by
traffic in both directions. Widening the
neutral ground will provide more room for
pedestrians to pause while crossing the
street and allow for the creation of a new
left turn lane. Presently, left turns are not
1 Tulane Avenue should be reduced to two lanes to
reflect reduced traffic volumes and restructured to allow
left-turns in order to provide wider neutral grounds for
pedestrian crossing and convenient vehicular access to
Broad Street.
06 Tulane Gateway
41
1
1 The intersection of Tulane and Broad is dominated by
the physical presence of Criminal District Court.. The
court is currently served by this small convenience store.
Pedestrians find the intersection difficult to navigate.
2 Proposed interventions soften the court’s Tulane
Avenue elevation, enhance pedestrian circulation
through the addition of corner bumpouts, crosswalks,
pedestrian walk cycles, and a twenty-four hour
destination diner with a walk-up window.
42
2
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
permitted from Tulane Avenue onto most
cross streets along the length of the avenue.
It is recommended that local government
agencies be lobbied to condense three
lanes of traffic and one parking lane in each
direction on Tulane to two lanes of traffic
and one parking plus a left turn lane. This
unique configuration would allow for the
possibility of a left turn from Tulane Avenue
onto Broad Street and help distinguish Broad
Street from other Tulane cross streets.
Continuing greening the area
Building off the Green Gateway on Broad
just east of Tulane, the remaining portions
of Broad and Tulane near the intersection
should receive significant tree plantings.
The additional trees will help in reimaging the area and in creating a more
visually appealing and pedestrian friendly
intersection.
Long-Term Proposals
The following are long-term proposals:
Diner
Creation of an iconic diner will build upon
and enhance the 24-hour activity slated
to result from the development proposals
outlined above as well as the opening of
Falstaff residences and will also help link
the intersection with the historical roots
of Highways 61 and 90 and the musical
history of nearby neighborhoods. The
diner will serve nearby workers at the
Criminal Court, Sheriff’s Office, and other
places of employment, as well as patrons
of nearby entertainment venues, residents
of the surrounding neighborhoods and the
redeveloped Falstaff building. Commuters
traveling to and from the Central Business
District will also be enticed to stop for
breakfast or dinner on their way to and from
work. Given the small building site, the diner
should consist of a minimum of two stories
and feature signage and displays both on the
diner’s exterior and within the interior; these
displays would recognize the music history
of adjacent neighborhoods and the historical
aspects of the Old Spanish Trail and the Blues
Highway. The main entrance should be on
Tulane Avenue with a walk-up window for
takeout located on the Broad Street side.
This walkup feature will create a physical
and visual connection from the courts
complex and other uses on the far side of
Tulane to the uses on Broad Street beyond,
such as the reuse of the Israel Augustine
School. While market support for 24-hour
operation is unlikely to occur immediately,
24-hour operation is strongly recommended
in the long-term once the entertainment
potential of the area begins to materialize.
The diner will require the displacement of a
convenience store – it is suggested that an
agreement be negotiated with the business
owner to relocate to an alternate site near
the intersection or to a ground floor retail
space in one of the two new recommended
office/retail/entertainment developments.
Israel Augustine School
Should the Recovery School District seek
to reuse the building as a school, the
performance functions of the rehabilitation
program could move into the adjacent
entertainment venues that should be
developed in the interim. The program
could retain limited classroom and
administrative space (and possibly the café)
on the Broad Street side of the school. The
majority of the building would then revert
back to use as a public school, with a new
main school entrance and drop-off zone
located at the rear of the building, on the
quieter Baudin Street.
Development on Adjacent Blocks
Traveling north on Broad Street toward
Banks, the scale of buildings and landscape
improvements will step down from the
monumental gateway at the intersection
of Tulane to a scale more consistent with
the fabric of the rest of the corridor and
surrounding neighborhoods. On the block
between Tulane and Banks the dense nature
of the “green gateway” will transition down
to landscaping that is consistent with the
conventions of the rest of the corridor. The
scale and use of buildings will similarly
transition over this block from the largerscale office buildings and court at Tulane to
06 Tulane Gateway
43
the shotguns and multi story wood frame
buildings closer to Palmyra. It is proposed
that new infill construction include mixeduse spaces, featuring retail on ground floors
and offices or residences on the second and
third floors. At present, the more functional
parts of the block are the shotguns and two
story buildings that have been renovated
for continued residential use or commercial
reuse (primarily as legal offices). Taking
architectural cues from these existing
structures, new construction should apply
the area’s overall look to a scale of buildings
that transitions from the large-scale criminal
justice-related facilitates at Tulane to the
more varied use and smaller-scale that is
found at the intersection of Palmyra.
1
SUMMARY
In summary, by forging ahead initially with
the music based rehabilitation program, the
historical monument, and the greening of
the area, the Tulane Avenue and Broad Street
intersection will begin to change its image.
Combined with roadway modifications
to improve the pedestrian experience,
this gradual change in image will attract
additional activity such as office space
development and entertainment venues
to the area. All together this will redefine
the criminal justice image of the area to
a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly office and
entertainment hub.
1 Adjacent development on Broad Street should
transition between the higher scale proposed at
Tulane Avenue and the lower scale development of the
surrounding neighborhood.
44
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
07
LAFITTE CORRIDOR
NARRATIVE: Lafitte and Broad,
May 2017
The Lafitte Corridor Greenway has become
an attraction rivaled by few others in New
Orleans. Near the intersection with Broad
Street, the corridor boasts an array of public
amenities that attract residents and visitors
alike. On a Saturday morning, the first signs
of life along the Greenway are children from
the adjoining neighborhoods riding their
bikes to the basketball court near the corner
of Lafitte and Broad. As the day warms up,
the young athletes take a rest, grab a snack,
and experiment with the interactive water
exhibits at the Pumping Station outdoor
interactive museum and park. Also at the
park today are visitors to the city who have
rented bicycles to explore the length of the
Greenway. Some visitors come to view the
lush community gardens that have received
regional notoriety for the benefits that their
harvests have brought to households in
the surrounding neighborhoods. All along
the corridor, one sees people lounging
on benches whilst writing emails in the
sun, reading books recently checked-out
at the nearby public library, and visiting
with one another. Later in the evening, the
Greenway will be bustling with fans of a
local brass band giving a performance at the
amphitheater.
Building off the Lafitte Greenway, the
businesses surrounding the Lafitte Corridor
cater to the arts and recreation. On a
typical weekday after work, parents bring
their children to swimming or art lessons
at the community center and then walk
over to Target to pick up a few things. The
community center is a place for old and
young alike to enjoy hobbies and explore
new interests while mingling with their
neighbors. A mother might want to take
a yoga class herself before picking up her
child at daycare. Before returning home, a
trip to the food co-op could provide a quick
and inexpensive fix for that night’s dinner.
Seniors can also take advantage of the
community center with special classes and
socials designed just for them.
After the opening of Target, the construction
of the Greenway, the start of the community
gardens, and the success of the new
community center, the long-term vision
for Broad Street around the Lafitte Corridor
has been realized. This includes more
arts and recreational businesses, such as
an independent movie house, an indoor
rock climbing gym, a bike rental facility,
and a recreational sporting goods shop.
These types of activities and businesses
have encouraged restaurants and cafés
in the district to create a family evening
entertainment center. On a typical evening,
families might go to the Lafitte Corridor
to attend a social event at the community
center and stop by the ice cream parlor
before catching a movie. During the day
on weekends, the corridor is filled people
running errands and grabbing coffee on
their way in and out of the gym.
The vacant lots and low quality industrial
buildings that previously lined the Lafitte
Corridor and Broad Street have been
replaced with new mixed-used buildings
that combine active ground floor shops and
restaurants with housing above. In some
cases, business owners live in the housing
above their stores. Older homes have been
renovated, and vacant homes, occupied.
With bustling activity in the evenings, these
residents feel safe meandering through the
shops and stopping to chat with neighbors
during their after-dinner stroll.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The area from Bienville Avenue to Toulouse
Street is characterized by low density
commercial and residential buildings, a
large number of which are abandoned. This
condition, part of the larger character of
Broad Street, contributes to the perception
that this section of the Broad Street Corridor
is not a pedestrian friendly environment.
The intersection of the Lafitte Corridor and
Broad Street serves as an area of transition
where traffic on Broad shifts from three lanes
07 Lafitte Corridor
45
1
2
1 The Lafitte Corridor features a wide open greenway
bordered by streets and buildilngs in various states
of repair on both sides. Most of the buildings are not
currently in use.
2 The building fabric is interrupted by vacant lots which
contribute to an unfriendly environment for pedestrians,
but also represent opportunities for investment.
3 The abandoned Robért’s MarketFare site is the largest
vacant property on Broad Street and the most logical
place for significant commercial redevelopment.
46
3
BROAD
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to two lanes. This section of the district
feels like an empty divide between two
distinctly different areas of the corridor, with
overgrown grass and shrubbery, unkempt
trees and little residential or business
development. A wide neutral ground
bounded by Conti Street and St. Louis Street
is home to the St. Louis Pumping Station No.
2. This historic structure, built in 1910, is still
operational and an integral part of the city’s
drainage system.
Most of the buildings within the Lafitte
section of Broad Street are in good structural
condition, but have been abandoned and
are in need of maintenance. While many of
the businesses that were in operation prior
to Hurricane Katrina have not yet reopened,
those that have returned are predominantly
auto-related businesses such as Delta World
Tire and Santos Automotive Center. The
market analysis shows that the supply of
automotive business in the corridor exceeds
the demand, suggesting the area around
Lafitte is an auto cluster that attracts a more
regional clientele.
The sidewalks in this area are in good
condition and welcome pedestrians, but
speeding traffic and the lack of shade and
street furniture detract from the pedestrian
environment. Currently, there is little reason
to walk this length of the district, as most
of the retail is abandoned. The businesses
in operation are auto-related and tend to
attract vehicular, rather than pedestrian,
traffic. Most of the adjacent residences are
abandoned, leaving too few eyes on the
street and contributing to the perception
that the corridor is unsafe.
One abandoned property particularly stands
out—the former Robért’s Market at Broad
and Bienville. Occupying a whole city block,
the building is set back from the street with
an abandoned gas station adjacent to the
Broad Street sidewalk and a large parking lot
in between. The building (with a footprint of
about 60,000 square feet on a 126,000 square
foot lot) is the only ‘big box’ structure in the
district. The surface parking lot is also the
largest of its kind in the corridor.
The current economic and physical
conditions present a number of
opportunities for redevelopment that can
create a destination for residents of all four
adjacent neighborhoods. The Greenway
presents potential for an active and open
green space with recreational improvements,
while vacant lots surrounding the Greenway
present an opportunity for commercial and
residential real estate investment. Overall,
this vision can connect Lafitte with Broad
Street and contribute to the creation of a
coherent corridor.
VISION AND GOALS
The primary objective for economic and
physical development of the Lafitte Corridor
is to facilitate its transformation into a high
density, mixed-use development zone that
encourages pedestrian activity and serves as
an entertainment and recreation hub. The
development will attract a regional clientele
and expand housing opportunities for new
and returning residents. Given its prominent
location in the center of the Broad Street
corridor, it is hoped that redevelopment in
this area can give a much-needed boost to
the image of the corridor as a whole.
Target
According to the market analysis, the
largest unmet demand in the market
surrounding Broad Street is for a discount
department store. As the only “big box”
site in the district, the Robért’s Market site
would serve as the most appropriate place
for such a development. A Target general
merchandise store would be fitting at this
particular location because of its ability to
act as a major retail anchor for the district
and its potential to fulfill the neighborhood
and regional demand. Additionally, because
Target is a discount department store that
generally attracts a diverse demographic, it
will act as a convener of the four surrounding
neighborhoods’ diverse residents. Target is
the focus of this site because of its excellent
reputation for quality merchandise and its
commitment to community redevelopment,
education, and the arts.
At 126,000 square feet, the Robért’s site
does not provide the square footage
needed to accommodate both the building
and parking lot of the standard Target
store footprint (Target’s standard building
footprint is 126,000 square feet). However,
this site constraint can be viewed by Target
Corporation as an opportunity to build
upon their current record of modifying the
standard footprint created for suburban
stores, in order to offer quality merchandise
and employment to residents of urban areas.
Target stores in the Bronx in New York City
and a new store to be located in Washington
D.C. are two precedents of Target altering it’s
standard building footprint to accommodate
unique urban sites. If Target Corporation
were to use the standard building footprint
for a store at the Robért’s site, the building
would need to be elevated in order to
accommodate parking underneath the
structure. Elevating the structure would also
provide protection against future floods in
the area.
Target Corporation could further bolster
its image as an innovative “big box” retailer
by incorporating contemporary green
technology and designing the site in a
manner that connects the Target store to the
community center and the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway, consistent with the overall theme
of the Lafitte Corridor – namely active,
environmentally responsible uses. As such,
Target Corporation may seek to build a store
that is multi-level and uses a smaller building
footprint. Visual fields of connection
between the interior of the store and the
Greenway can be achieved by including
an upper story café with windows through
which resting shoppers may gaze over the
community center and Greenway.
The following pro forma, while based on a
number of important assumptions, indicates
that the Robért’s site would be attractive
to a developer and lender. The site would
only need $5.85 of rent per square feet to
obtain a 1.25 debt service coverage ratio in
Year 1. This is a conservative estimate for a
store such as Target, whose sales in Louisiana
are about $310.521 per square foot; if Target
moves ahead with a store at this location,
the debt service coverage and internal rate
of return would actually be much higher.
Additional incentive for Target to locate
at the Robert’s site would be a united
community, eager to set standards and work
with the company to achieve mutual goals.
A multiple tenant, locally-owned shopping
1 Sales per square foot calculated from sales per capita
and total square feet data from Target Corporation Annual Report 2006.
07 Lafitte Corridor
47
center provides a viable alternative to fill
unmet market demand in the event that the
Target Corporation is not interested in this
site. Such a development would include
a smaller building footprint with surface
parking and retail behind to encourage
incoming and outgoing shoppers to look out
on the rest of the district. This mixed retail
center could provide convenience services
such as a smaller discount department store,
a dry cleaner, a small independent grocery
store, and carry-out food establishments.
Community Benefits Agreement
Another goal in recruiting Target into the
district is to enter into a Community Benefits
Agreement that would take advantage of
the Target Corporation’s commitment to
communities and achieve some of the Broad
Street community goals.
1
Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs)
are legally enforceable contracts between
a developer/corporation and a community
group or groups. Through a series of
negotiations, the community group will ask
the developer to shape the development
in a certain way or provide specific benefits
to the community where the development
will take place. In exchange, the community
agrees to support the proposed project.
This community support is especially
important when the developer goes in front
of government agencies to obtain necessary
1 This vignette offers a vision of how Target Corporation
can play a role in the revitalization of the Broad Street
Corridor by complimenting the array of vibrant business
activity with an innovatively designed Target store.
The Target store in this vignette is located in Nicollet,
Minnesota.
48
BROAD
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permits or requests government subsidies to
help finance the project. If the developer is
a large corporation, a positive public image
is an added benefit of a CBA. The terms of
CBAs vary, and depend on the developer’s
financial resources and the community’s
bargaining power, but run the gamut from
an energy efficient building requirement,
a community recreation facility or park,
or a living wage requirement for workers
employed in the development.2
A Community Benefits Agreement with the
Target Corporation could include Broad
Street community support for a store at the
former Robért’s Market site in exchange for
a Target-supported community center in
the abandoned brick building across the
street, at the corner of Conti and Broad. The
community center would provide a place
where residents of all four neighborhoods
adjacent to Broad Street could come
together for social and recreational
activities. The center could house a food
cooperative, fitness center, swimming
pool, daycare center, and multipurpose
rooms for meetings and social gatherings.
Programming and activities could include
family art, cooking or aerobic classes,
recreational team sports, and summer camps
for children. Activities such as group bike
1
2 Gross, Julian. Community Benefits Agreements: Making Development Projects Accountable. Good Jobs First
and the California Partnership for Working Families, 2005.
1 This pro forma offers a detailed quantitative account
of the financial feasibility of retail development on the
former site of Roberts market.
07 Lafitte Corridor
49
rides or a running club could be easily linked
to the amenities along the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway.
Neighborhood leaders are encouraged
to negotiate community benefits with
Target so that both the company and the
community realize mutual goals through the
redevelopment of the Robért’s site. Target
could assist in the programming of activities
for the community center, provide seed
money for an operational endowment, and
help with the acquisition and renovation of
the currently vacant buildings surrounding
the Greenway. The community may also
want to see that Target’s physical design
be built according to specific preferences
outlined in a CBA. This could include nontraditional building footprints, such as a
multi-level store, constructing the store close
to the Broad Street roadway with parking
on the side or behind, and possibly even
creating shared parking for users of the
Lafitte Corridor Greenway. Other design
considerations could include the provision
of windows in the building façade on
Broad Street that might display community
artwork or notice boards. These “windows
on Broad” will help create an interesting
experience for pedestrians and support the
creation of a pedestrian friendly corridor.
Finally, developers of parcels surrounding
the corridor could be obligated to pay into a
fund allocated for maintenance of the Lafitte
1
2
1+2 The wide open green space of the Lafitte Corridor
could support the development of active and passive
spaces for recreation.
50
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Greenway.
Lafitte Corridor Greenway
This plan envisions that the Broad Street
Commercial Corridor will play host to the
Lafitte Corridor Greenway pilot project.
Because of the interest and activism shown
by area residents, organizations, and business
owners, the portion of the Greenway
adjacent to Broad Street is the ideal place
to launch the Greenway pilot project. The
urban design, landscape, parking, land use,
and programming standards developed
for the first portion of the Greenway can be
tested in this area and applied throughout
the Greenway as funding becomes available.
A major design objective for development
along the length of the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway is to create physical and visual
porosity. In urban design terms, porosity
refers to the ease with which people can
move from one place to another and the
visual sight lines that allow other things to be
seen a block or two away. Porosity can help
create connections between disparate uses,
such as commercial and residential, in the
corridor and entice drivers and pedestrians
to explore. The designed ability to see and
pass through the development will help
ensure that small local businesses may reap
the benefits of visitors to the Greenway and
of shoppers at a large anchor retailer.
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07 Lafitte Corridor
1 An Interim Zoning Overlay District (IZOD) will
help create cohesive development around the Lafitte
Greenway. Proposed boundaries for the district are City
Park Avenue, Bienvielle/Iberville, N. Rocheblave, and
Orleans Avenue, with the possiblity of extending further
in the future.
51
Transfer of Development Rights and
Community Benefit Agreements
The Lafitte Corridor Greenway IZOD
should venture into terrain beyond
typical zoning considerations. For
example, the IZOD could provide for
the Transfer of Development Rights
(TDRs), which permit developers to
build according to a communityimposed restriction in order to enjoy
development elsewhere in the
district with no such impositions.
Such a tool could be implemented
between the development of the
Lindy Boggs Medical Center, where
‘big box’ retailers such as Target
are objectionable, and the former
Robért’s site on Broad, where a
retailer such as Target is more
desirable.
Similarly, the IZOD could be used
to delineate the boundaries of
Community Benefit Agreements
(CBAs) or community equity funds.
As businesses move into the IZOD,
they could be required to provide
financial or other resources to
the benefit of the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway. For example, a CBA
could stipulate that incoming
businesses with a certain amount of
revenue will be required to purchase
playground equipment for the
Lafitte Corridor Greenway according
to a sliding scale of project value
or construction costs. On larger
projects, the CBAs could provide for
more extensive benefits, such as a
housing mortgage buy-down fund,
but the principle would remain the
same.
52
Residents from all parts of the city can access
amenities along the Greenway through a
recreational trail running its length and bus
service with large, well-designed stops on
both sides of the street where the Lafitte
Greenway meets Broad Street. At the same
time, it is hoped that customers parking to
shop at a discount department store will
be close to other area amenities, or will
see them along view corridors (openings
between buildings), and will leave their cars
to walk and explore.
The long-term plan for the Lafitte Corridor
area of Broad Street and the Greenway
includes mixed-use development as well as
restoration of the existing housing stock on
the streets adjacent to the corridor and along
Broad Street. Mixed-use development plans
will call for buildings that accommodate
ground floor business use and upper story
residential use. This will allow property
owners, who are in some cases also business
owners, to capture additional rent and
simultaneously contribute to increasing
the stock of affordable housing units in the
area. Ongoing work by various community
organizations to rehabilitate housing stock
in the neighborhoods surrounding Broad
Street will continue to support residents
and business owners alike in creating safe,
vibrant areas that are visually appealing
and offer comfortable living, shopping, and
opportunities for recreation. Mixed-use
BROAD
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development and restoration of housing
stock will support the goal of cultivating
an active, dynamic atmosphere around the
Lafitte Corridor on Broad Street and along
the length of the Greenway.
Lafitte Corridor Zoning Overlay Districts
Interim or Temporary Zoning Overlay
Districts (IZODs) manage the growth and
change of an area in transition. In the case
of Broad Street, an IZOD will enable adjacent
neighborhoods and other stakeholders to
help manage the changes taking place postKatrina. The proposed initial boundaries for
the district include the entire Lafitte Corridor
between City Park Avenue and North
Rocheblave Street, with varying widths
between Orleans Avenue and Bienville
Avenue.
As an area of the city that has the potential
to become a linear, active Greenway, the
Lafitte Corridor should be protected as a
continuous whole for the benefit of the
surrounding communities and city residents.
The IZOD should provide the mandate for
redeveloping the Greenway exclusively
into an active recreational area, ensuring a
pedestrian and cycling connection between
City Park, Mid City, and Faubourg St. John
on the one hand and Broad, Tremé, TulaneGravier, the French Quarter, and Downtown
on the other. Conceptions of such a
Greenway have been explored in several
high quality studies (see Appendix 4). The
Lafitte Corridor will draw pedestrian and
other activity to and through Broad Street,
acting as a regional conduit for invigorating
Broad’s streetscape. The IZOD should also
take into consideration the desire to densify
surrounding residential areas, ensure the
orientation of housing towards the corridor,
and encourage a mixture of uses, especially
at Broad Street and Jefferson Davis Parkway
and at other major intersections.
At the minimum, the IZOD should stretch
from the lake side of Jefferson Davis Parkway
in the northwest to the river side of N.
Rocheblave in the southeast, and to the
boundaries of the Lafitte Corridor upriver (St.
Louis Street) and downriver (Lafitte Street).
However, in this revitalization plan, only the
area of the corridor adjacent to Broad Street
is addressed and this area is suggested for a
Pilot Project of the Greenway—the first area
to be developed under Greenway guidelines
and the Greenway IZOD.
The IZOD also presents the opportunity
for abutting neighborhoods to be more
expansive in guiding the changes already
afoot in and around the Lafitte Corridor. The
former Lindy Boggs Medical Center faces
potential redevelopment, and there are a
number of sites available for large-scale
development immediately adjacent to the
Lafitte Corridor thanks to the area’s industrial
past. As such, an Interim Zoning Overlay
District with boundaries extending beyond
the Lafitte Corridor’s formal borders is
warranted. It is recommended that the IZOD
extend from City Park Avenue on the lake
side of the corridor to N. Rocheblave on the
river side, and from St. Peter Street downriver
to Iberville upriver. The zoning boundaries
should extend to mid-block to make certain
that there are no zoning discrepancies visible
on the streetfront (see preceding map).
when office parking demand is low)
should be identified and as well as areas
where people could be encouraged
to walk a block or two through the
neighborhood or Broad Street to access
the Greenway.
•
The following are guidelines for use and
development of the Greenway that should
be considered for inclusion in the IZOD:
•
•
Programming of Spaces: Heavily
programmed greenspaces and
recreational fields should be located
near key intersections and away from
mid-block areas. This is based on the
assumption that higher density housing
will be mid-block and is desired to keep
noisier, more intensely used areas with
basketball courts, skateboard parks, etc.,
close to major streets.
Parking: On-street parking should be
allowed in some areas on the streets
adjacent to the Greenway, but restricted
around key access points. Other parking
areas that could be potentially shared
with offices (assuming more demand for
Greenway on evenings and weekends
Pavement Standards: Streets and
crosswalks along the Greenway
should be paved to provide visual and
physical continuity with the Greenway’s
landscaping and pathways. Though
vehicular traffic on the streets should
be separate from that of the bicyclists
and pedestrians using the recreational
path, paving and crosswalks should be
designed in such a way that they feel
like an extension of the paths and green
spaces.
•
Road Use Schedule: Streets adjacent
to the Greenway should be periodically
closed on Sundays and holidays to
allow for more people and larger scale
activities such as skating and bike riding
on roadways.
•
Home Design Guidelines: New
housing along the Greenway should
provide a semi-private yard or space as a
buffer between buildings and the street.
People should treat the Greenway as
an extension of their front yards. All
new buildings should face and be
entered from the Greenway rather being
oriented to adjacent streets.
•
Signage: Signage and wayfinding
markers should be frequent and
designed consistently throughout
the Greenway. Local artists should
be employed in the design and
manufacturing of these signs.
•
Artful Street Furniture: Signature
benches and street furniture, such as
artist painted trash cans, should be
placed throughout the corridor.
•
Wi-Fi: Free public wireless internet
access should be provided throughout
the Greenway.
•
Active Use Requirement: Active
ground floor uses such as retail stores or
restaurants should be required elements
for any new commercial buildings
developed on Broad Street or along the
Lafitte Corridor Greenway.
•
Uses to be encouraged along the
Greenway:
•
Housing (mid and high density)
at mid-block locations and minor
intersections
•
Public access uses such as retail,
restaurants, cafes
•
Commercial (office) – mid and high
07 Lafitte Corridor
53
•
density at major intersections
Community uses and municipal
services – libraries, gyms, day care,
etc.
Amenities along the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway
Pumping Station Interactive Exhibit and
Recreation Stop
An outdoor pumping station exhibit will
commemorate the historical and current
significance of Pumping Station No. 2 and
other pumping stations throughout New
Orleans. The development of this attraction
will occur in phases. Development may start
with creation of a dual purpose outdoor
shelter that offers bicyclists and others using
the recreation trail an opportunity to rest
and meander through an exhibit detailing
the history and science behind the unique
drainage system in New Orleans. Later
stages of development might include the
addition of elements for visitors of all ages
such as interactive water exhibits based
on the physics of water movement and
containment. Interactive hand pumps
and water play exhibits would cater to
children. This attraction will serve as both
an everyday stop for frequent users of the
recreation trail and as one of a series of
similar exhibits along the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway celebrating the history and culture
of New Orleans that might attract regional
1
1 The Lafitte Corridor Greenway’s amphitheater will
offer a venue for a variety of entertainment activities.
2
2 The Sewerage & Water Board operates pumps, like
St. Louis No. 2 on Broad Street, based on century-old
technology. The pumps, however, are still considered
state-of-the-art because of their innovative and
successful design. St. Louis No. 2 will serve as the
backdrop for an interactive outdoor pummping station
museum and park on the Lafitte Greenway.
54
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
visitors and tourists. The informational and
wayfinding signage designed for this exhibit
could be designed by local artists and serve
as the prototype for signage along the
length of the Lafitte Corridor Greenway.
Amphitheater
The objectives in locating an amphitheater
within the Lafitte Corridor are to provide an
outdoor venue for musical and theatrical
performances and to increase the level of
evening activity in the non-residential areas
of the Lafitte Corridor Greenway. Musical
and theatrical events at the amphitheater
will bring people from all areas of New
Orleans to the Broad Street Corridor.
Restaurants along Broad Street will benefit
from this new customer traffic, as will
businesses that are closed in the evenings
but whose products and services are
advertised in sponsorship of the events and
for all to see in attractive storefront window
displays.
1
Basketball and Tennis Courts
Public basketball courts and tennis courts
will be prominently placed in the space
along the Greenway between the bus stop
and the pumping station exhibit. These will
be full sized courts with a “stay cool” surface,
plenty of drinking fountains, and bleacher
seating for spectators.
2
1+2 Public amenities along the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway will provide a place for city residents and
visitors to take part in a variety of recreational activities.
Community Gardens
07 Lafitte Corridor
55
Landscaped green spaces as well as
community garden plots will be located
along the Lafitte Corridor Greenway and
will provide a source of fresh, locally grown
produce as well as offer beautiful floral
surroundings to residents and visitors
alike. It is intended that the community
garden plots be available through a lottery
system if demand exceeds supply and that
half will be reserved for residents of the
adjacent neighborhoods while the rest will
be open to residents city-wide. This policy
will encourage people from outside the
neighborhood to frequent the Greenway
and the Broad Street Corridor and assist in
the development of a city-wide constituency
for the Greenway.
Wi-Fi Access
Free Wi-Fi access along the length of the
Lafitte Corridor Greenway will support the
primary objective of developing this area
as an active recreation and entertainment
zone. Businesses within the Lafitte Corridor
area of Broad Street and those that develop
along the Lafitte Corridor Greenway can
advertise themselves as ‘Wi-Fi Hot Spots’, and
in so doing, attract a broad demographic of
residents, students and tourists to the area
who rely on their computers for business,
academic and personal use. Just as public
amenities such as the pumping station and
community gardens physically activate
the Greenway, outdoor Wi-Fi access will
56
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
technologically activate the area.
PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS
Short-term Proposals
The overarching objective in the first phase
of development within the Lafitte Corridor
area of Broad Street is to increase the volume
of vehicular and pedestrian customer traffic.
By virtue of its potential to both attract this
kind of traffic and to catalyze additional
economic and physical development within
the node, securing an agreement with Target
Corporation or another retailer to anchor
new development on the Robért’s site is
among the top economic development
goals. The Community Benefits Agreement
negotiated between neighborhood leaders
and Target Corporation or another company
will secure the future of other economic
and physical development endeavors to
be undertaken in Phase 2 of the plan. Welldesigned transit stops on either side of Broad
Street at its intersection with the Lafitte
Corridor will compliment whichever type of
retail development is placed at this site.
Though much of the work to create the
recreational trail and public amenities along
the length of the Lafitte Corridor Greenway
will just be getting underway during the
first year of this plan’s implementation, the
Friends of the Lafitte Corridor can partner
with the surrounding neighborhoods to
begin taking the steps needed to make
the Greenway a reality. Initial steps will
include using the Broad Street section of the
Greenway as the focus area for articulation of
ideals set forth in a Greenway Interim Zoning
Overlay District and the implementation
of design, programming and development
proposals. The IZOD should provide general
guidelines for pavement, crosswalks, and
signage that will establish a sense of physical
and visual continuity along the length of
the Greenway. Standards should be created
through a collaborative process involving
city-wide stakeholders. The standards can
then be “tested” on this particular area and
used as a model for the rest of the Greenway.
The momentum precipitated by the Broad
Street revitalization efforts and the work of
Friends of the Lafitte Corridor can in turn
catalyze implementation of the Greenway
proposals in Phase 2 and be used to create
more detailed design and landscaping
standards to be applied for years to come
as subsequent sections of the Greenway are
activated.
Resources allocated to the Lafitte Corridor
area of Broad Street by the Office of
Recovery Management will in all likelihood
be insufficient to fund infrastructure
improvements and amenities along the
entire length of the Greenway. Focusing
initial efforts along this stretch of the
Lafitte Corridor, an area that currently has
a lot of momentum surrounding physical
and economic development, will create
an atmosphere that garners the type of
attention that futhers interest, advocacy,
and funding. A catchy name befitting the
community enthusiasm surrounding the
Lafitte Corridor Greenway and the active
nature of its proposed amenities could add
additional notoriety to these initial stages
of standard setting and implementation. A
couple of examples include, “Greenway Start
Project!” and “Go Greenway!”
Mid-Term Proposals
The second phase of implementation
will focus on the initial development
on the Lafitte Corridor Greenway and
development of the community center. A
major component of the development
strategy in this phase will be to attract
private investment that will support the
creation of medium density housing along
the Greenway. Initiatives that might attract
such investment include infrastructure
improvement on the roads parallel to the
Greenway, and brownfields cleanup at old
industrial sites in the area.
Funds from the Office of Recovery
Management allocated to “recovery zones”
will potentially provide the Lafitte Corridor
area of Broad Street with up to 19.17
million dollars of public investment. These
funds can be used to support the creation
of the recreation trail along the Lafitte
Corridor Greenway and create zones of
activity along the trail such as the pumping
station museum, community gardens,
and basketball and tennis courts. Another
proposed use for the ORM money is to help
fund a key civic anchor for the corridor, such
as the community center. The investment
of public funds should serve as a catalyst for
further development throughout the Broad
Street and Lafitte corridors., bu other sources
of funding will be necessary to complete the
development.
The Office of Recovery Management has
discussed tentative plans to offer a program
that would provide 50% of the rent for
three years of new local businesses moving
into Target Recovery Zones. This source
of funding support would encourage
entrepreneurs to open businesses that cater
to the diverse users of the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway. Such businesses might include
an ice cream parlor, a bicycle shop, and a
sporting goods store.
The clientele of the auto-related businesses
currently located within the Lafitte Corridor
relies largely upon travel in personal vehicles
to patronize these businesses and do not
need as direct a connection to the proposed
activity along the Lafitte Corridor Greenway
as would, for example, bicyclists, walkers,
and people using the basketball and tennis
courts. During initial implementation phases
of development within the Lafitte Corridor,
owners of auto-related businesses and The
community should discuss the benefits and
challenges of consolidating auto-related
businesses into a centralized auto-mall in
an area near the Lafitte Corridor that is not
directly connected to the Greenway.
Long-Term Proposals
In addition to serving as anchors which
attract daytime and evening customer
traffic to Broad Street, Target (or other
retail development) and the variety of
amenities along the Lafitte Corridor
Greenway can be seen as agents which,
over time, will help drive an increase in
the permanent residential customer base
of the area. Amenities to be added in this
phase include the amphitheater and the
pumping station exhibit. In the long-term,
the development of the Greenway, Target,
and the community center would most
likely encourage complimentary recreational
and entertainment-oriented businesses
to locate nearby and, in so doing, create a
family recreational area. Complimentary
businesses might include a movie house,
bowling alley, or rock climbing gym. As
further development ensues, it is expected
that demand for residential properties along
the corridor will increase. This demand can
be met with infill mixed-use developments
that offer ground floor business space and
07 Lafitte Corridor
57
1 The maps show the proposed phasing of
development at the intersection of Broad and
the Lafitte Corridor. Phase Zero shows the
current condition. Phase One incorporates a
Target store. Phase Two adds the community
center and amenities along the Greenway.
Phase Three envisions new higher density,
mixed-use development and the addition of
recreation-oriented businesses.
58
1
BROAD
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upper story residential space such as loft
style apartments.
Parking and Transit
While some elements of a parking strategy
are outlined above, a more detailed parking
and transit strategy is needed to serve
the Broad Street corridor and the Lafitte
Greenway. The number of on-street parking
spots available within the two square block
radius on either side of the intersection of
the Lafitte Corridor and Broad Street (a total
of eight square blocks) is estimated at 386
spots. Generally speaking, on-street parking
supports the creation of safe pedestrian and
vehicular environments by slowing traffic
and imposing a stationary barrier between
pedestrians and vehicular traffic. However,
parking on residential streets off of Broad
Street is seen as a risk by potential visitors,
due to both the perception and reality
that some areas are currently unsafe. The
rehabilitation of existing housing stock in
the neighborhoods adjoining Broad Street
and coordination among various community
organizations in facilitating the return of their
memberships to these neighborhoods will
support efforts to rebuild and maintain safe
environments.
As the neighborhoods adjoining Broad
Street continue to repopulate and the array
of shopping options and public amenities
offered within the Lafitte Corridor gain
visibility, demand for parking will outpace
the supply of parking spots available on side
streets. The creation of a well-designed,
medium sized parking lot would best
address this situation. Such a parking lot
would accommodate visitors who travel
by car to the Lafitte Corridor for daytime
and evening activities and shopping.
Additionally, it is recommended that a
provision entitling employees and clients of
the community center be allowed shared
use of Target’s parking lot be within the
Community Benefits Agreement.
Well-designed bus stops, prominently
placed at the Lafitte Corridor Greenway’s
intersection with Broad Street, will
accommodate community members
as well as tourists who utilize public
transportation and wish to take advantage
of the opportunities offered within the
Lafitte Corridor. A simple way to create
a connection between travel by public
transit to the Greenway and by bicycle in
the Greenway, is to continue outfitting the
Regional Transit Authority’s fleet of buses
with bicycle racks, starting with the Broad
Street line.
1
SUMMARY
Holding several key assets, including a
vacant “big box” lot and the Lafitte Corridor
1 This figure shows an estimate of the number of
on-street parking spots available near the intersection
of Broad and the Lafitte Corridor.
07 Lafitte Corridor
59
Greenway, Broad Street is in a unique
and exciting position to create a vibrant
zone around the Lafitte Corridor with
opportunities for residents and visitors
alike. The surrounding neighborhoods
can gain the most benefit possible from
future physical and economic development
initiatives by working strategically with
the City of New Orleans, as well as retail
and housing developers to supplement
public funding from the Office of Recovery
Management to ensure the creation and
success of future businesses and the physical
developments that connect Broad Street to
its surrounding neighborhoods.
60
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
08
BAYOU ROAD VILLAGE
NARRATIVE: Bayou Road Village,
May 2017
It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon as summer
begins in New Orleans, the kind of day
when the heat is starting to make everyone
uncomfortable, delirious, and joyful. It
is just as hot inside as out and there is a
gathering nearby with cool jazz and spicy
food. Neighbors wander over to Bayou Road
where there is always energy, people, and
excitement. The street has a new glow that
few have noticed before. Perhaps it is the
sight of pink and white flowers overflowing
from colorful planters on the street. Or
perhaps it is the light that is coming through
the green, red, and yellow shade structures.
A woman and her son are sitting outside the
Community Bookstore on one of the new
benches recently painted by students from
McDonogh High School. Sweet jasmine and
the smell of fried chicken from McHardy’s
fill the air. While selling hats outside of the
Community Market, an older woman tells
her customers about growing up in Tremé.
Children draw with chalk on the streets while
reggae serenades them from the Domino
Record Shack. Tourists visit the Bayou Road
Village Heritage Center to seek refuge from
the heat. Young couples carry bags of fresh
vegetables home from the Freedom Market
stand and talk with friends outside of the
Coco Hut.
Before long, the afternoon has passed and
new friends are inviting each other to a
recently opened restaurant on Esplanade
and Broad. On their way across Broad Street,
they can still hear the music combined
with children’s laughter on Bayou. It seems
like with dusk more people have come to
Broad Street. Men are jogging, nurses are
pushing wheelchairs, and young families
are picnicking on the Broad Street neutral
ground. The food at the new restaurant is
delicious, sweet, and juicy. While drinking
glasses of cold lemonade, visitors think about
what a satisfying and lively afternoon they
enjoyed on Bayou Road. Before heading
home, neighborhood residents stop at Broad
Street Video and rent a recently released film.
1
EXISTING CONDITIONS
At the northernmost end of the Broad Street
Corridor area lays one of New Orleans’s
oldest streets, Bayou Road. The Bayou Road
Village District (situated adjacent to the
Tremé neighborhood and across Broad from
the Bayou St. John neighborhood) covers the
area from Esplanade Avenue to Bayou Road
along Broad Street, continues east on Bayou
Street, southwest along North Dorgenois
Street back to Esplanade and then west
down to Broad Street. The Bayou Road area
has an important history as the first trading
settlement in the city.
2
1 Tiles embedded in the sidewalk provide wayfinding
and add a sense of character to the neighborhood.
2 Beauty on de Bayou is one of the four minority and
women-owned businesses that comprise “The Belles
of Bayou Road.”
08 Bayou Road Village
61
Economically, Bayou Road Village is
characterized by a mix of new enterprises
and neighborhood businesses, many of
which were operating prior to Hurricane
Katrina, whose owners have returned to the
city and reopened through sheer will and
determination. In addition to a new record
shop (Domino Sound Record Shack) on
Bayou Road are four colorful and successful
women-owned businesses – Community
Book Center, Jordan’s Learning Academy
(childcare service), Coco Hut (Jamaican
Restaurant), and Beauty on the Bayou (hair
salon). Collectively, these businesses are
known as the “Belles of Bayou.” Another
prominent location in the Village is the
Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School
at the corner of De Soto and Broad. The
success of the small businesses currently
operating in this unique niche on Broad
Street make Bayou Road Village a prime
location for infusing energy into the city, thus
paving the way for other new and returning
business owners seeking to establish
themselves. Housing, grocery alternatives,
community gathering locations, and other
leisure needs have the potential to flourish in
the Village.
1
1 This context map illustrates the extent of the Bayou
Road Village area (outlined in blue) in relation to the
surrounding neighborhoods. Although there is potential
to extend the village area, particularly west across Broad
Street into the Bayou St. John neighborhood or south
towards Gov. Nicholls Street, it is necessary to start
with a smaller focus area. The light brown represents
buildings that were judged to be in good condition,
while the darker brown represents buildings in fair
condition. Compared to the other nodes which have
greater mixes of building condition, the Bayou Road
Village is comprised almost entire of buildings in good
condition. This provides a hopeful starting point for
cohesive development in the Village.
62
Physically, the character of Bayou Road
Village is also mixed. Compared to the rest of
the Broad Street Corridor, the majority of the
buildings are in good condition. On Bayou
Road, the buildings are generally two or
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
three stories, with retail often operating on
the ground floor. The four female business
owners have painted their businesses
in shades of pink that reveal a youthful
vitality and spirit. At North Dorgenois
between Kerlerec and Bayou Road, there
is a fascinating masonry structure that was
originally built as a Chinese laundry. Several
buildings identical to this one were built
throughout the city dating from the 1920s
and represent outlets for Chinese immigrant
trade. While many have been demolished,
this building still stands as a reminder of this
unique aspect of the city’s history. There
are a few small vacant lots in this area, but,
more significantly, there are two large vacant
buildings: the St. Rose de Lima Church on
Bayou Road and the Bethany Home, a former
nursing home at 2535 Esplanade Avenue.
Street furniture is lacking throughout Bayou
Road Village and streetscape improvements
are desperately needed. The area contains
few seating locations or trees to provide
refuge from the hot New Orleans sun. Bayou
Road stands out among other roads in the
Broad Street study area in that it retains
large sections of brick pavement. Restoring
this brick surface might serve to visually
distinguish the street. Sidewalks are in
generally good condition, but unwanted
vegetation is creeping through the cracks.
There is limited green space and the little
that exists is not properly maintained. The
eclectic streetscape and small lot sizes
contribute to a true village feel throughout
the Bayou Road Village area and, with
targeted improvements, this feeling can be
enhanced to draw more members of the
community to this special corner of New
Orleans.
Crime, blighted properties, and population
loss due to Hurricane Katrina have plagued
the greater Tremé area and hindered
significant investment. However, as
local business owners are making their
commitment to revitalization efforts
increasingly evident, and the city’s
population is rebounding, funding from a
variety of sources is beginning to stream in.
The city’s Office of Recovery Management
has committed about $3 million to fund
infrastructure and civic projects in the Bayou
Road Village. In addition, NewCorp Business
Assistance Center is currently planning on
establishing an office in the Community
Book Center. This office will provide
technical assistance to business owners from
the area and throughout the city, including
bookkeeping assistance and help with
insurance and legal issues. The strong sense
of ownership among the businesses and
residents creates a unique opportunity for
this Village to thrive as a premier destination
in the Tremé neighborhood.
VISION AND GOALS
Bayou Road Village is the only area along
the Broad Street Corridor that has a
walkable, neighborhood feeling. Thus, it
provides great opportunities to strengthen
connections between Broad Street and its
surrounding neighborhoods. It is important
to focus resources on Bayou Road that will
have further impact through the Broad Street
Corridor, Tremé, Bayou St. John, and other
neighborhoods. The following goals were
developed through a process that included
numerous community meetings, interviews,
and surveys to examine the demands and
opportunities along the corridor.
1
Enhance Village Feeling and Pedestrian
Experience
The brick roads, colorful buildings, and
successful small businesses help give Bayou
Road a village feel. An important goal is
to build off of the existing strengths to
encourage pedestrian activity, a sense of
ownership, and security. Bayou Road Village
should serve as a model for the rest of the
Broad Street Corridor in regard to creating
vibrant places to live, work, and shop.
Specific visions include:
•
Streetscape improvements, including
new lighting, shade structures, benches,
and plantings
•
Artists, students, and children
collaborating in decoration of the village
1
1 The Grand Opening of the Domino Sound Record
Shack in February 2007 was a hopeful sign for growth in
the Bayou Road Village.
2
08 Bayou Road Village
2 This historic Chinese laundry building was built in
the 1920s and is reminder of a unique period in New
Orleans history.
63
•
•
•
Monthly Bayou Road street closures for
festivals and community events
Improved access to surrounding
neighborhoods and the Children’s
Defense Fund Freedom School
Expanded cultural destinations and
neighborhood service retail
•
•
•
Make Bayou Road Village a Destination
The vision for Bayou Road Village is to make
it a popular and safe destination for local
residents and tourists. Strategies include
highlighting the important cultural history,
music, and character of the area. Specific
suggestions include:
•
Transforming the St. Rose de Lima
Church into the Bayou Road Village
Heritage Center
•
Using the Children’s Defense Fund
Freedom School parking lot at North
Broad and DeSoto as a weekly Freedom
Market with live music, locally made
crafts, and prepared foods
1
Create New Business Opportunities
Building off the success of the “Belles of
Bayou,” concerted efforts should be pursued
to create new business and economic
development opportunities in Bayou Road
Village. The neighborhood should work to:
•
Attract a health food or other small
business to the key intersection of
Bayou Road, De Soto and North
Dorgenois Streets, by working with the
1 The brick street pavement is a unique feature of Bayou
Road that serves as a traffic calming measure and
enhances the village feel of the street.
2 Bayou Road already serves as a gathering place
and shopping street. Adding features to improve and
beautify the pedestrian experience will make Bayou a
more popular street for residents and visitors.
64
2
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
current owners of the property
Transform a vacant site or vacant
building into a vibrant Community
Market with small entrepreneurs
Bring Hollywood Video or another video
store back to the corner of Broad Street
and Esplanade Avenue
Encourage the development of a full
service restaurant on the vacant lot
on the northwest corner of Esplanade
Avenue and Broad Street
Provide Housing Opportunities for Diverse
Residents
The provision of housing is an important
aspect of the overall goal of creating
a vibrant, residential village. Providing
opportunities for people with diverse needs
and incomes will help make this area both
healthy and sustainable. A key concern
in Bayou Road Village is determining how
to create living opportunities for people
with diverse needs and abilities. The
following ideas offer ways that this might be
accomplished:
•
Improve the now vacant Bethany Elderly
Home by creating a vibrant mixeduse elderly housing establishment or
housing for visiting students and New
Orleans rebuilding workers (perhaps
as a transition to elderly housing in the
future)
•
Encourage second-floor housing
above first-floor retail to provide an
•
important means of cross-subsidization
and possible added income for local
business owners – A model for this
type of development is seen at the
Community Book Center, which has a
rental apartment above the store.
Work with local Community
Development Corporations and
Providence Community Housing to
create affordable, green housing in the
Village
PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS
Short-term Proposals
Bayou Road Village is in a relatively strong
position, as compared to other sections
of the Broad Street Corridor, to realize
significant short-term improvements. A
few of the concepts proposed are not
capital-intensive and do not require
real estate acquisition. These offer the
best opportunities to meet the goals for
this neighborhood and provide quick
successes for the revitalization plan.
Successful adoption of these programs will
generate excitement about the emerging
neighborhood identity in Bayou Road Village
and will catalyze future development.
The Freedom Market: Fruits, Vegetables,
Music, and Crafts in the CDF Parking Lot
The transformation of the Children’s Defense
Fund (CDF) Freedom School parking lot
into a weekly weekend market will serve
as a community destination. Inspired by
the Crescent City Farmer’s Market, which
operates Uptown at the Uptown Square
parking lot (200 Broadway) on Tuesdays
and Downtown in the Warehouse District
(700 Magazine) on Saturdays, this gathering
includes local crafts, music, and fresh
produce. The market will be located on
a prominent part of Broad Street within
walking distance of Bayou Road. The
market fills the demand for fresh produce
in a neighborhood lacking a grocery store
and provides an important opportunity to
celebrate the community with live music,
locally made crafts, and cooked goods.
1
Streetscaping
Although some streetscaping measures
are proposed for the length of the Broad
Street Corridor, it is suggested that a special
program of streetscape improvements and
furniture be implemented in Bayou Road
Village. The extent of these measures would
be along Bayou Road (between Broad Street
and Dorgenois) and along Broad Street (from
Esplanade Avenue to Bayou Road). These
improvements serve practical functions,
but the design and placement will serve
to enhance the unique identity of Bayou
Road Village. Furthermore, by extending
streetscaping along Broad Street, these
interventions will serve as a gateway, alerting
2
1 The Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School, at the
corner of Broad Street and DeSoto Street, provides a
valuable service and their parking lot is used by staff
and parents during the week. On weekends, the
parking lot could be the site of the Freedom Market.
2 The Crescent City Farmers’ Market operates in several
venues, including this parking lot at Tulane University
Square. Similar farmers and vendors might come to the
Freedom Market.
08 Bayou Road Village
65
1 This concept map for the Bayou Road Village
illustrates the physical and economic development
interventions planned for this area. Light orange
represents new retail uses--the video rental store and
restaurant at the corners of Broad and Esplanade. Bright
orange, representing mixed use, identifies the four
buildings that are suggested for first-floor retail and
second-floor residential uses. Yellow is used for the
Bethany Home, which is suggested for residential use.
Blue is used for the civic use that is suggested for the St.
Rose Church. Finally, the triangular symbols represent
the shade sails, which are a key piece of the streetscape
treatment recommended for Bayou and Broad in the
Village.
66
1
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
pedestrians and motorists coming from both
directions that they are entering an area that
is a vibrant and unique place.
The streetscaping program includes the
following elements:
•
Benches – Local children and artists will
paint the benches, which will be placed
in front of key businesses. This project
with which to involve art students
from the John McDonogh High School
nearby.
•
Shade Structures – To improve the
comfort of a shopping street in New
Orleans, it is necessary to provide refuge
from the sun. To complement existing
trees and awnings, and to enhance
the sense of Bayou Road Village as an
a unique, artsy place, shade structures
are proposed. These brightly colored,
triangular and rectangular-shaped
pieces of polyester fabric are modeled
on those that are sometimes used to
shade private swimming pools and
porches. The fabric sails would be
tethered to the front of buildings and
to light or utility polls so that they cover
the sidewalk and provide shade. Shade
structures serve as important markers
and might be placed in front of specific
sites or businesses that seek to attract
weekend crowds.
•
Flower boxes – To add color and
greenery to the village, flower boxes
1
2
1 The Bench in front of Domino Sound Recond Shack is
an exmaple of the type of street furniture that should be
encouraged in Bayou Road Villlage.
3
4
2 Benches designed and painted by local artists, high
schoold students, and children would beautify the street
and provide a sense of ownership.
3+4 Fabric shade sails provide refuge from the sun and
add character to the street.
08 Bayou Road Village
67
•
1
•
•
1 View to Bayou Road from Broad Street, as it currently
exists.
2 With the addition of streetscape treatments, including
flower pots, benches, pedestrian-scale lighting, and
shade sails, this is a view of how Bayou Road could look
in the future.
68
2
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
will be placed and planted along the
sidewalk near the curb. Pink and white
flowers will be planted in barrels or old
bathtubs to create an interesting look.
Color scheme – The color scheme
was inspired by the “Belles of Bayou”
and will differentiate the village from
the surrounding streets. Homes and
businesses along Bayou and Broad
should be painted pink, yellow, or
turquoise blue. These colors can
be used for the entire structure or
perhaps for trim and doorways. It
may be possible to get paint donated
from a local building supply retailer
as an incentive to businesses and
homeowners to use pre-approved
shades of color.
Pedestrian-scale lighting – This
design will continue historic lighting
proposed for the length of the Broad
Street Corridor. Additionally, individual
businesses are encouraged to light shop
windows or storefront plantings with
strings of small white lights to create a
festive and evening-friendly atmosphere
in the Village.
Street Café zone on Bayou Road – Use
large flower planters to cordon off one
of the parking lanes on the northern
side of Bayou Road to enable outdoor
seating and tables for the Coco Hut and
other businesses. This will enhance the
vibrancy and street culture and would
•
allow customers to sit outside other
shops, including the Community Book
Center, encouraging visitors to expand
their horizons by venturing into new
stores.
Free wireless internet – This program
would enable people to work at outdoor
tables and benches in front of Domino
Records, Bayou Road Village Heritage
Center, Community Book Center, and
Coco Hut. In addition to providing a
free service to business owners, the
program will help attract new customers
and encourage them to stay longer,
enhancing the perceived safety of the
area.
Bayou Road Street Closure and Community
Festivals
Closing Bayou Road from Broad Street to
North Dorgenois to traffic once a month for
a community festival or simply as a play/
walk/relaxation zone would encourage local
businesses, restaurants, and local artists to
open tables on the street. This will create an
exciting environment with live music and
food to celebrate the neighborhood and
increase the perception of safety.
Mid-Term Proposals
Some proposals for Bayou Road Village
will require a slightly longer time frame for
implementation, including property rights
transfers. The projects in this category
might be completed in two to five years.
These proposals all involve working with
properties that are vacant or underutilized
and encouraging uses that will be
complimentary to the overall vision of the
Bayou Road Village.
First-Floor Retail and Second-Floor
Residential Development
Bayou Road Village will be the pilot area for
a new focus on mixed-use development.
Housing above retail will provide an
important means of cross-subsidization.
Business owners can live above their store
or rent the space out. Not only is this an
important strategy for business owners but
this will also bring more people and energy
to Bayou Road Village. In all of these cases,
redevelopment of an existing site should
be encouraged where buildings are in poor
condition and where an increase in density
will provide additional housing and vitality
to the area. It is believed that this area can
easily accommodate three story buildings
– ground floor retail with two floors of
residential above. There are four key vacant
sites that are candidates for this type of
development in the medium-term:
•
Positive Vibrations site (corner of Bayou
and Broad) – this property occupies
an important, high-visibility corner. Its
anchor location and small footprint
make it ideal for a small business with
an apartment on the second floor
1
2
1 On this location map, the light gray parcels represent
parking lots and the dark gray parcels represent vacant
buildings. Some of these sites are opportunities for
temporary or permanent development. The red stars
indicate the four properties that would be especially
good candidates for first-floor retail and second-floor
residential buildings.
2 This image of the tip of the triangle formed by Broad
Street and DeSoto Street, looking east into the Tremé
neighborhood, shows the brick pavement and the
historic market building on the right.
08 Bayou Road Village
69
•
1
•
2
•
1 This tiny apartment building on Bayou Road near the
corner of Broad Street is one example of the small lots
and building footprints that are found throughout the
Bayou Road Village.
2 Plans for Bayou Road Village should build upon the
colorful vernacular architecture that already exists in the
area, as evidenced by this home on North Dorgenois.
70
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
and possibly third floor. Because the
current structure is in poor condition, it
is likely that this building would need
to be replaced. Efforts should be made
to reach out to the owners of Positive
Vibrations to see whether this retail use
would like to return and to determine
interest in redevelopment of the site.
Site next to Positive Vibrations (Bayou
Road) – there is a vacant lot and parking
lot on Bayou Road between Positive
Vibrations and a small apartment
building. This is another important
location in terms of its potential to serve
as both a gateway to the Village, and as
a prime location for a retail store with
apartments above.
Blue building next to the “Belles of
Bayou” (Bayou Road) – with a frontage
on Bayou Road next to the line of
storefronts of the “Belles of Bayou,” this
building is an important part of the
village atmosphere. The building is also
across the street from the proposed
Community Market, making it an ideal
location for retail with second-floor
apartment use.
Vacant lot across from McHardy’s
Chicken (Broad Street) – this is a long,
narrow property with frontage on
Broad Street. This site would also be a
good candidate for infill development
including new first-floor retail with
residential uses above.
Video Rental Store at Broad and Esplanade
The creation of new shopping opportunities
in the village includes the revival of the
former Hollywood Video site into another
video rental store. This site has been the
location of a neighborhood drug store and,
until it closed after Hurricane Katrina, it was
a video store. The video store was extremely
popular and met an important demand in
the neighborhood. It was noted by local
residents for serving a broad cross-section of
the diverse population of the surrounding
neighborhoods. Additionally, Broad and
Esplanade is a key intersection and an
appealing location for a major retailer.
Restaurant on Esplanade and Broad
The vacant lot on Esplanade and Broad is
an ideal location for a sit-down, full service
restaurant. It will be a destination for people
from surrounding neighborhoods. In
addition, it will entice people traveling on
Esplanade and Broad to stop and further
explore the corridor.
Improved Parking
As new development occurs on Bayou Road,
it is expected that there will be increased
demand for parking. In addition to the large
lot adjacent to Bayou Road, currently vacant
lots can be used for infill parking Village
Heritage Center. It should also be noted that
on-street parking should be encouraged
wherever possible. Parallel parking on the
street provides a buffer between pedestrians
and traffic and offers convenience to
customers.
Long-Term Proposals
Some proposals for Bayou Road Village will
require a longer-term vision. The projects
in this category might be completed in five
to ten years. These proposals all involve
earmarking properties that are vacant or
underutilized for development and uses that
will be complimentary to the overall vision of
Bayou Road Village.
Community Market in Bayou Road Village
In keeping with the success of the
businesses along Bayou Road, this is a key
location for a business incubator. The Idea
Village, a local non-profit technical assistance
provider, has expressed interest in building
an incubator in the neighborhood. This
organization offers services such as grant
and loan support to spur growth among
small and early-stage businesses. The vision
for the project is an incubator in which
new businesses can form and build the
capacity they need to eventually transition
to independent sites. It is hoped that
the incubator would help grow business
enterprises that could transition to some of
the available sites along Broad Street. The
initial proposal for the incubator sight was
the historic Market Building at the corner
of Bayou Road and North Dorgenois Street,
which is currently occupied by Signs by
Ralph. The current owner of the property
is operating his signs business on one side,
and his church, the “I Am That I Am” church,
on the other. The property owner recently
began constructing an apartment to live in.
Because of the historic significance of the
site, one long-term goal is to locate the
Community Market on this property when
the Village gains more prominence. In the
short-term, the school behind the St. Rose
de Lima Church, the second story of the
Bayou Road Village Heritage Center, or the
Presbyterian Church on Esplanade could
be considered as initial starting points for
the Community Market. In the long term,
however, the Market should occupy the
Signs by Ralph Building. This is a key anchor
location for the Bayou Road Village. The
Market will honor the history of the first
trading settlement on Bayou Road as well as
the historic use of the site as a market. The
market will also meet an important demand
for specialty goods. First-time business
owners working with Idea Village and other
businesses that have been displaced by
Katrina will be given priority to be located
in the market building. There will be an
outdoor spill-over area on the weekend for
barbeque and other foods.
1
2
1 The historic significance and prominent location of
the white market building would make it a promising
location for a community market.
2 Local artisans and entrepreneurs could sell their wares
in a community market.
Bethany House Site
A key concern in Bayou Road Village is how
3
08 Bayou Road Village
3 The vacant Bethany Home on N. Dorgenois could be
renovated and used to help meet the housing needs
of the area.
71
to create living opportunities for people
with diverse needs and abilities. The
improvement of the now vacant Bethany
House into a vibrant mixed-use elderly
housing establishment with a full range of
services and classes is a key component
of the plan. This is an excellent location
for elderly housing because of its former
use and the building’s convenience to
local services including hospitals, public
transportation, and shopping. In addition,
the pedestrian-oriented Bayou Road Village
offers an exciting area for the elderly to
inhabit. As an alternative, shorter-term
use, this building might be used to house
transient volunteer workers and students.
This interim use would draw an active,
young population with expendable income
available to support the area.
1
Bayou Road Village Heritage Center
The redevelopment of the St. Rose Church
into a living history museum of stories
and people will put Bayou Road Village on
the map. The Bayou Road Village Heritage
Center (BRVHC) is part of a strategy to build
community around shared history and
culture. The Center will provide programs on
history, culture, art, and music heritage for
school children, residents, and tourists. It will
meet an important desire for New Orleanians
to learn about the history of the Tremé,
Bayou St. John, Tulane/Gravier, and Mid-City
neighborhoods and encourage them to take
1 This view of Broad Street into the Bayou Road Village
shows the imposing St. Rose de Lima Church and the
Tastee restaurant at the corner of Broad and Esplanade.
2 The vacant St. Rose de Lima Church has been closed
by the Roman Catholic Diocese. The brick English Gothic
church was built in 1914 and should be adapted into a
civic use for the surrounding neighborhoods.
72
2
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
part in its future. Community groups will be
encouraged to meet at the BRVHC in multipurpose rooms. As a method for funding the
BRVHC, space will be available for weddings
and receptions. There will be multi-use
space with flexible seating and scheduling.
longer-term projects such as the Community
Market and the Bayou Road Village Heritage
Center, the Bayou Road Village will truly
enhance its village character and become
a prime destination for neighborhood
residents and visitors alike.
To ensure the continued viability and
sustainability of the Heritage Center over
time, non-profits will be encouraged to
utilize the second-story space of the Center.
The funds garnered from their rents will be
used for Center maintenance, staff salaries,
and will go towards other general needs of
the Center such as programming activities
and developing educational and marketing
materials. In the first years of operation, the
Center can be funded through grants from
a number of foundations that invest in civic
projects. In addition, the funding from the
Office of Recovery Management has been
specifically designated for civic projects, for
which this project would qualify.
1
The faces of Bayou Road:
SUMMARY
In summary, through an initial focus on the
Freedom Market, coordinated streetscaping
improvements, and community festivals,
the Bayou Road Village can build off existing
strengths to enhance its livability and appeal.
These efforts will provide a base for largerscale developments and reuses of existing
vacant buildings that will further add to
the character of the area. Combined with
1 Vera Warren-Williams has been one of the catalysts
for Bayou Road’s transformation since Katrina. She is
standing in front of her Community Book Center.
2 Pam Thompson is one of the four entrepreneurs that
comprise the ‘Belles of Bayou’, seen here in her Coco Hut
Caribbean Restaurant. The Coco Hut began as a food
cart on Bayou Road.
3 The faces of the future of New Orleans get a bright
start at Jordan’s Learning Academy.
3
2
08 Bayou Road Village
All images © Sam Eaton, Marketplace
73
74
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
09
DISTRICT
VISION AND GOALS
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Broad Street will become one of the
great avenues of the Crescent City. While
the corridor will continue to be a major
automobile route, it will no longer act merely
as a throughway. Instead, Broad will assert
its own identity, fusing the vibrant street life,
small businesses, and residences of Bayou
Road; the active Greenway and cultural
institutions on the Lafitte Corridor; and the
regional entertainment and amenities of
Tulane Avenue into an identity of its own.
Most importantly, Broad will reflect the four
neighborhoods adjacent to the street from
Tulane Avenue to Bayou Road: Tulane-Gravier,
Mid City, Treme, and Faubourg St. John.
While Broad Street assumes many of the
qualities of its adjacent neighborhoods and
intersecting thoroughfares, the corridor has
several latent attributes that, once activated,
will make Broad Street a place, not simply a
street. From a history that spans that of New
Orleans, the presence of large institutional
assets, and proximity to vibrant surrounding
neighborhoods, Broad Street has a laundry
list of envious attributes on which to base a
revitalization strategy.
Broad Street will be known as a corridor of
tremendous cultural resonance, beginning
with pre-European roots and touching each
of the historical epochs written across the face
of the Broad Street Corridor. Broad Street will
be a place to linger, and an interface amongst
its neighborhoods. Instead of turning their
backs on Broad Street, the neighboring
communities will see the corridor as a
place to make connections, not just at the
important intersections, but in the more
quotidian spaces as well. Most generally, this
revitalization plan conceives of Broad Street
as a bridge builder—to the area’s history, its
culture, and to its neighbors.
BROAD DISTRICTWIDE
PROPOSALS
•
•
•
1
•
•
The following section enumerates proposals
for creating linkages throughout Broad
Street. These are proposals designed to
enliven and improve the corridor, and which
do not depend on projects or conditions
at particular intersections to be successful:
the following district-wide projects are the
connections that will permeate the corridor,
and cement its changes into a more holistic
unit.
Historic + Cultural
Signage
Mural + Painting Program
Streetscape, Physical
Improvements, + Design
Guidelines
Transportation + Infrastructure Improvements
Greening + ‘Ownership’
2
2
Broad Street possesses a number of
currently dormant but sizable assets on
which to capitalize. Broad will thrive as the
surrounding communities encourage these
connections, both within the corridor and to
the neighboring communities.
1 The surroudning neighborhoods are some of the
most culturally vibrant in the city. Treme, the first free
neighborhood of color in this country, has a history as
storied as the more famous French Quarter, and has
produced some of the world’s greatest musicians.
2 Backstreet Cultural Museum in Treme educates
about the traditions and cultures of New Orleans’
streets that don’t often make it to the national media.
It also preserves New Orleans’ unique street culture for
generations to come.
3
09 District
3 The Faubourg St. John neighboorhood is one of lush
landscaping and walkable streets, and is filled with
coffee shops and restaurants.
75
PROPOSALS
KEY STEPS FOR THE
CREATION OF BROAD
VOICES
•
Broad Street stakeholders should work with an
organization that possesses
the capacity to record community members’stories,
such as the Neighborhood
Story Project, Alive In Truth,
National Public Radio, the
I-10 Witness Porject, local
radio such as WWOZ, or local
universities.
Bayou Road oral histories
will be digitally recorded first,
then expanded to the rest of
the corridor.
Oral histories will be uploaded to a messaging service.
Create temporary signs (adhesive or vinyl) that contain
title and phone number to
be used to access specific
oral histories.
As the project grows, replace
temporary signs with permanent ones. In the long-term,
Broad Voices will become an
oral history museum.
•
•
•
•
HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SIGNAGE
While historic and cultural signage appears
throughout various neighborhoods of New
Orleans, there are currently no historical
markers along the Broad Street Corridor,
despite the rich historical and cultural
significance of the street. This situation can
be addressed by using the two signage
programs outlined below, with the first
intended as a first phase project to begin
immediately, and the second project to
follow shortly after the implementation of
the first.
Phase one consists of signage that links
physical locations on Broad Street to digital
recordings of community members speaking
about the corridor’s history. This project,
dubbed Broad Voices, will begin with the
recording of the four adjacent neighborhood
members’ monologues. These recordings
will then be uploaded to a server, which
one may access by calling a phone number
listed on the sign. These signs could be
created as simple disposable adhesive signs
for light posts, or as vinyl signs. Once the
project grows, these disposable signs should
be replaced with permanent freestanding
signs. Broad Voices has the best chance of
influencing the pedestrian experience in
Bayou Road Village, and therefore should first
be implemented at that location before it is
1
1 Broad’s cultural history is an asset upon which Broad
Street stakeholders can immediately capitalize.
2 Broad Voices signs will become a districtwide oral
history museum that will celebrate the vibrancy of the
four surrounding neighborhoods.
76
2
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
expanded to the Lafitte Corridor, and finally
throughout the entire Broad Street Corridor.
This project has great potential to engage
community members, highlight the
historical significance as well as current
relevance of Broad Street, and to involve
neighborhood youth in the voice-recording
phase of the project. The final product
would then be a sign that links observers
to audio explanations of the history of
Broad Street from the original settlement
of New Orleans through memories of the
corridor prior to Hurricane Katrina, creating
a multi-layered audio experience. New
Orleans-based organizations that work
with oral history and storytelling should be
included in the creation of Broad Voices. The
Neighborhood Story Project, a collaborative
partnership between the Literacy Alliance
of Greater New Orleans, and the University
of New Orleans, creates books based on
neighborhood stories, and this partnership
might be interested in collaborating on this
project.
As a second phase of signage, traditional
historical signage should be added to the
corridor. Specific locations for signs include
the intersection of Broad and Tulane to mark
the beginning of Highway 61; the old French
Market building at Bayou Road and DeSoto
Street; at the corner of Broad Street and
Bayou Road to mark the old Native American
portage of Bayou Road; and at a midpoint
along the corridor to mark the Old Spanish
Trail. These signs should be based on
existing New Orleans historical signage.
MURAL PROGRAM
Numerous storefronts along Broad Street
are currently boarded with plywood, while
others are missing doors and windows, and
have been filled with garbage and debris.
Although the plywood serves the purpose
of hiding the damaged interiors of buildings,
it projects a negative and blighted image of
Broad Street and inhibits development and
pedestrian activity along the corridor. As the
redevelopment of many of these buildings
may take months or years to complete, a
temporary solution is needed to remedy the
deleterious effects of the ad hoc usage of
plywood.
The Broad Street Mural Program is
recommended as a method to conceal
interior damage, disguise the plywood, rebrand the corridor, and to build connections
between Broad Street and the adjacent
neighborhoods. The murals should contain
imagery that celebrates the rich cultural
heritage of each of the four neighborhoods
adjacent to the corridor. Several events
will be organized during which community
artists will organize the painting of plywood
by community youth and adults. These
events will attract media attention, help
to change the image of the Broad Street
Corridor, and announce to the city that
Broad Street is back. The presence of
people on Broad Street for these events,
and the resulting pedestrian activity to view
the completed murals will also increase
the perception of activity and safety and
help to deter crime. When it comes time
to redevelop a building on which murals
have been painted, the plywood should be
removed and permanently placed on the
neutral ground of Broad Street as a reminder
to future residents of the recovery and
revitalization process along the Broad Street
Corridor.
KEY STEPS FOR BROAD
MURAL PROGRAM
•
1
•
STREETSCAPE, DESIGN GUIDELINES,
AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS
Currently, Broad Street is fragmented
and lacks a cohesive image due to the
discontinuity in the façades, the low ratio of
building height to street width, the lack of
any discernible unifying visual elements, the
lack of contiguous commercial storefronts
and other uses, and the poor pedestrian
experience. Simply put, Broad Street is more
Highway 90 than it is a pedestrian shopping
district or regional leisure and entertainment
attraction. New Orleanians move through
Broad rather than stay on it.
•
2
•
•
The Broad Partnership
should partner with an arts
organization, such as Young
Aspirations/Young Artists
(YA/YA) to organize community members to design and
paint murals along the corridor. YA/YA members should
serve as artistic directors for
this process, while community members should
provide ideas of imagery to
use in each mural.
Request donations of paint
from home improvement
centers, local hardware
stores, and paint manufacturers.
Bring artists and community
members to Broad Street for
painting sessions, ensuring
that community members
from all parts of Broad join in.
Host an “opening” for the
murals when completed.
Remove murals from buildings as they are redeveloped. Use murals to create
a collage.
1 New historic signage highlights Broad’s History
Streetscape
2 The Mural Program will beautify vacant buildings
as they are being renovated, and will create a sense of
‘ownership’ for neighbors
Broad lacks continuity and legibility. Where
09 District
77
STREETSCAPE
•
Problem: Façade
Continuity
Solution: Streetwall
(zoning changes,
incentives); design
guidelines, mural
program
•
Problem: Low building
height/low density
development
Solution: Zoning
changes (increased
allowances), incentives,
design guidelines
•
Problem: Poor
pedestrian experience
Solution: Sidewalks,
storefront continuity,
curb cuts and
crosswalks, parking (not
quantity, but quality),
trees/greening, awnings,
traffic calming, benches
•
Problem: Unifying
elements
Solution: Façade
improvements, lighting
changes, design
guidelines, greening
78
it has storefronts, it lacks shade or parking,
where it has parking it lacks storefronts
or even buildings at all. Entire blocks of
Broad suffer from a combination of vacant
buildings, empty lots, and surface parking;
these conditions effectively eliminate
any chances of a quality pedestrian
experience that can draw customers to
shop or neighbors to linger. Such a void
in the streetscape diminishes any sense of
‘ownership’ by the businesses or residents
along the corridor, resulting in a generally
unpleasant experience along much of Broad.
When at all possible, businesses should
create a continuous street facade that
provides for an unbroken Broad Street
experience. When there are breaks in the
buildings, greening should be utilized not
only for beautification, but to continue
the streetwall. The aforementioned mural
program will impart a sense of ownership on
buildings as they are being renovated, and a
free building exterior painting program can
provide continuity on Broad by consistently
attracting a visitors’ eye. Such a program can
help foster pride and engagement along
the street. Broad Street stakeholders can
work with local paint or home improvement
stores to receive free painting supplies
and organize one weekend a month for
community members and business owners
to paint the exteriors of buildings Such
a painting program is one of the most
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
inexpensive, efficient, and visible means to
achieve immediate improvements along the
length of Broad Street.
possible.
•
Transparency: The storefronts along
the corridor should be as transparent
as possible. Solid steel gates should
be eliminated, both for physical design
reasons and because, contrary to their
intent, they do not prohibit break-ins—
they just make burglary more difficult
to see from the street. If security gates
are necessary, open mesh gates should
be utilized and installed on the exterior
of the shop, behind the window display
area.
•
Density: The building height to street
width ratio on Broad is far too low
for a street of its stature and capacity.
Generally, building heights should get
higher at the intersections with lower
buildings mid-block. Between main
intersections, building heights should
increase to at least two stories and
preferably three stories. Building heights
near corners should rise to at least three
or four stories—major intersections
should be marked by buildings of
substantial density and massing of four
or five stories or more, especially at
Canal and Tulane.
•
Parking Lots: Few new parking lots
are required on Broad, but for those
lots that will remain or which are
Design Guidelines
These guidelines are intended to manage
changes in the overall physical environment
throughout the Broad Street Corridor and
to support those elements that make
a great street. These guidelines can be
incorporated into zoning along Broad by
the City Planning Commission, and should
also be implemented into an Interim Zoning
Overlay District along the corridor (see
below), which will be necessary to enact
some of the plan’s recommendations.
Lastly, If Broad’s stakeholders create an
organization to achieve the goals of this
plan (as we advocate in the next chapter),
these guidelines should be integrated into
such an entity’s decision-making process as
a design review for all projects approved by
the community.
•
Streetwall: Property owners on Broad
Street should be encouraged to build a
consistent streetwall. Buildings should
extend to the property line at the Broad
Street sidewalk whenever possible, the
spaces between buildings should be
minimized and cornice, and rooflines
should be aligned. If an arcade or
awnings are utilized, they should be
approximately the same height, and
should extend the length of the block if
GREAT STREETS
1
• Places for people to walk
with some leisure
• Physical comfort
• Definition (vertical and
horizontal boundaries)
• Qualities that are engaging
to the eyes
• Transparency (at edges)
• Complementarity
• Maintenance
• Quality of construction
and design
from Alan Jacobs’ Great Streets
1 Street definition and density can be created by
infill development that is built to the sidewalk and
that emphasizes similar cornice lines, awnings, and
transparency.
2 Solid metal grates should be removed in favor of
more transparent grates, or nothing at all. Doing so
opens up the facade, and is actually safer than windows
which do not permit passersby to view inside a store.
3 Broad’s building height-to-street width ratio needs
to be dramatically lowered by reducing the number of
traffic lanes, increasing the building height and density,
and widening the sidewalk and neutral ground.
2
3
09 District
79
created on Broad as the corridor is
revitalized, landscaping and lighting
measures should be employed in order
to maintain the continuity of the street
façade. For example, shrubs or fences
with trellis, vines, or flowers can function
as a continuation of the streetwall
and offer a buffer landscape between
parking and pedestrians. Avoid chain
link fences (‘chicken wire’ or ‘cyclone
fencing’) whenever possible.
1
New parking spaces should be located,
whenever possible, in locations that
encourage people to walk and explore
the district. On-street parking is a
preferable alternative to new surface lots
wherever feasible; at selected locations
along the corridor, angle-parking spaces
in the neutral ground may be desirable
(see transportation section below).
Parking spaces and lots located towards
the center of the district will promote
more activity and add to the perception
of safety in the district.
2
1 Historic Broad Street, showing the historic lamp posts
that should be reinstalled.
•
2 Broad still possesses some of its older, more
pedestrian-friendly traffic lights, and should work to
maintain these lights instead of the newer, automobileoriented boom-mounted traffic lights.
3 Good streetwall definition provides a comfortable,
pedestrian scale along which to walk, peruse
commercial goods, and linger. Trees and parked cars
provide a buffer between the sidewalk and street, and
the stores are very transparent.
80
Utilities: Cable and utility poles should
be repaired as soon as possible. As part
of the long-term planning for Broad,
all utilities should be buried when
infrastructure upgrades take place.
Lighting
Lighting on Broad currently caters exclusively
3
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
to automobiles. It is suggested that historic
lighting, such as the lighting that previously
existed on Broad, should be re-introduced,
especially on the sidewalk sides of the
street. Additionally, uplighting should be
encouraged on buildings of prominence and
historic significance, and businesses should
be encouraged to light their store windows
from the inside during nighttime hours.
In addition to beautifying the street and
creating nighttime interest, this strategy can
be a deterrent to crime.
PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS
The pedestrian experience along Broad is
extremely poor. To foster a burgeoning
street life along Broad Street the following
physical improvements are recommended:
Sidewalks
•
•
•
Sidewalks should be expanded and
should include ‘bump-outs’, ‘neckdowns’, and other traffic-calming
measures, facilitated by the removal of
one lane of automobile traffic between
Orleans Avenue and Tulane Avenue
(see Transportation recommendations
below, and Appendix 4).
Install curb cuts for both Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and
for general pedestrian friendliness.
Important intersections should be
demarcated by pavement treatments
•
•
and other changes in materials. Painted
patterns are a relatively quick and
low-cost way to signify important
intersections and pedestrian-prioritized
territories.
Shading should be an essential
consideration for all sidewalks. Tree
canopies, fabric shades, removable
street umbrellas, awnings, and arcades
all provide high quality shade. While
trees offer the best alternative for beauty
and shade in the long-term, shorterterm interventions, such as awnings and
umbrellas, should be explored for more
immediate impact.
New Orleans street names were formerly
paved into street corners using blue and
white ceramic tiles. This practice could
be reintroduced along the Broad Street
Corridor.
Landscaping
Planters, flower pots, and street furniture can
create a buffer zone between pedestrians
and cars and help pedestrians feel safe while
enhancing the physical surroundings.
•
Maintaining landscaping should be a
community effort (see ‘Adopt-a-Block’
below).
•
Planters should be placed at existing
sidewalk planting strips. With
future infrastructure improvements,
sprinklers should be installed to reduce
maintenance costs.
•
•
•
Flower pots and flower baskets should
be located throughout the corridor.
Flower pots don’t need to be distributed
evenly along the length of the corridor
but can be concentrated at denser
areas such as residential strips or store
clusters. Flower pots are harder to
maintain because the soil dries quickly.
Bushes, trellises and vines should be
placed by and on wood fences at vacant
lots or parking lots. These will create a
more intimate feel, absorb some heat
in the summer, and provide continuity
along the corridor.
Layering should be a consideration.
Different shapes, heights, and colors of
the trees, bushes and flowers add layers
and help pedestrians as well as drivers
relate to the street. Sidewalks, too, can
be layered with patterns, signage, lamps,
flower pots, street furniture, and shade.
1
2
Street furniture
•
•
Permanent chess, checkers, and
backgammon tables should be installed
on sidewalks along the entirety of Broad.
Where there is room to do so safely,
such as at the intersection of Broad and
the Lafitte Corridor or Broad and Bayou
Road, these tables can be placed in the
neutral ground. Most other neutral
ground locations would be too exposed
to automobile traffic to be feasible.
Outside of the major intersection
3
1 New Orleans streets still contain vestiges of a more
peddestrian-friendly past. Broad should have street
tiles embedded in the sidewalk such as those which still
exist in some areas of the city.
2 Textured or bricked crosswalks grab drivers’ attention
and provide an added element of safety and interest
to the streetscape. Huntington Avenue crosswalk in
Boston is shown.
3 Color can be brought to Broad by painting crosswalks,
which also provides a community-oriented approach to
taking ownership of the corridor.
4
09 District
4 Planters, green strips, hanging baskets, and
other greening and beautification measures can be
inexpensively implemented while adding tremendously
to the overall pedestrian and street experience.
81
BUS SHELTER
IMPROVEMENTS
•
Signage with route maps
•
Arts-related shelters
•
Protection from elements
•
Bus shelters at:
•
Tulane
•
Canal
•
Lafitte Corridor
•
Esplanade
•
Orleans
•
Bienville
•
St. Phillips
1 New Orleans has a renowned chess community that
should be encouraged by placing fixed chess tables
throughout the Broad Street corridor. Street furniture
dramatically improves street life by providing places
to linger.
•
•
1
•
•
2
TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT
2 People-watching is a favorite pasttime in New
Orleans, and street benches are an obvious way to get
more people on the street. Quality benches, such as
those found elsewhere in the city, can be beautiful.
3 Typical New Orleans bus stops are just signs, without
adequate shelter or information. Broad bus and
streetcar shelters should be places that invite lingering
and interaction, and should convey information. They
can also be fora for art displays.
82
discussed previously in this document,
benches should be placed along all
of Broad, and business owners should
provide benches outside of their
businesses.
Awnings and arcades should be
encouraged, and, if possible, should
continue for entire blocks.
Signs and other announcement boards
should spill over onto the sidewalk, so
long as right-of-way is maintained. Such
signs encourage interaction and create
a sense of vibrancy on the street (see
Interim Zoning Overlay District below).
Trash receptacles should be placed
at every intersection along Broad.
Additionally, the receptacles could be
incorporated into an artist program or as
a part of a youth arts program, either at
a school in the Broad Street Corridor, in
the surrounding neighborhoods, or as a
part of a citywide program such as the
above-mentioned YA/YA.
Bus stops should be upgraded (see
sidebar).
The suggestions related to transportation
and transit are derived directly from class
work focused on Broad Street revitalization
and the work of a comparative land use
and transportation planning class at MIT
during the spring 2007 semester. Several
3
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
memoranda on transportation on Broad,
generated for that class, can be found in
Appendix 4.
Even prior to Hurricane Katrina, Broad Street’s
traffic capacity far exceeded actual travel
volumes, and the thoroughfare catered to
the automobile at the expense of other
uses. All of the traffic-calming interventions
undertaken on Broad Street should be
designed to increase the share of pedestrian
and other non-automobile uses. Though
many of the interventions suggested in this
section are mid- to long-term, some are less
capital and infrastructure-intensive, and all
are integral to increasing the commercial
potential of Broad, improving the pedestrian
experience, and creating a sense of place.
Infrastructure Improvements
Broad Street, from Tulane Avenue to Orleans
Avenue, should be reduced from three
lanes of traffic to two, such that the entire
corridor from Interstate 10 to Bayou Road
(and beyond) is continuously two lanes.
According to calculations performed by
MIT’s transportation analysis class, Broad’s
capacity exceeded even the heaviest preKatrina volumes of traffic by almost double,
and diminishing the number of lanes of
traffic to two in either direction will reduce
traffic speeds on Broad without significantly
reducing traffic flow. The speed limit could
also then be reduced from thirty-five miles
1
09 District
1 Broad is currently oriented towards the automobile,
and there are a number of transporation and
infrastructure improvements that will help to revitalize
the commercial and cultural vibrancy of the street, in
addition to making it a place to linger. Some of the
interventions include:
•
Reduce traffic lanes from 3 to 2.
•
Bicycle lanes.
•
Raised crosswalks and bike paths at the Lafitte
Corridor.
•
Crosswalks and curb cuts at all intersections,
especially those going across Broad, not just
along it.
•
Curb extensions, bumpouts, and neckdowns.
•
Parallel and angled parking.
83
per hour to thirty.
TRANSIT PROPOSALS
•
Reduce lanes of traffic
from three to two on
Broad between Tulane
Avenue and Orleans
Avenue
•
Expand sidewalks and
neutral ground
•
Create a parking lane
(either angled or
parallel) with ‘bumpouts’ and ‘neck-downs’
•
Additionally, reducing the width of
Broad Street’s right-of-way dedicated to
automobile traffic increases the amount
dedicated to other uses, and will increase
the commercial potential on the corridor as
it becomes less of a throughway and more a
place to linger and explore. A parking lane
should be created that will provide a buffer
for pedestrians on sidewalks and enable
more people to walk along Broad. Sidewalks
throughout the corridor could be widened,
enabling pedestrian uses throughout
the entire district, including café seating.
Similarly, curb cuts should be created to
facilitate foot-traffic (not to mention ADAcompliance) across Broad, not just along it.
1
Create curb cuts and
paint crosswalks for
pedestrian crossings
•
Add bicycle lane
•
Create site-specific
interventions, such as
raised crosswalks at
the Lafitte Corridor or
brick paving and ‘naked
streets’ at Bayou Road
At the Lafitte Corridor and perhaps in
other locations on Broad, angle-parking
spaces in the neutral ground will further
calm traffic and create spaces for visitors.
‘Bump-outs’ and ‘neck-downs’ at the ends
of blocks provide for a parking lane while
simultaneously reducing the distance that
pedestrians walk in a crosswalk. Some leftturn and other turning lanes should also
be considered for important intersections
such as Canal, Orleans, Esplanade, and Bayou
Road.
2
1 Bumpouts calm traffic, create parking lanes, and
enhance pedestrian safety. They are also pleasing to the
eye and provide additional space for greening.
2 Raised intersections are commonly used throughout
Europe. Here, an intersection in Groningen, Holland
provides for bicycle and pedestrian safety by calming
intersecting automobile traffic.
84
Other site-specific interventions include
raising crosswalks at the Lafitte Corridor
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Greenway, which will both calm traffic and
subordinate Broad’s automobile traffic to the
uses on the Greenway. Similarly, the brick
paving on Bayou Road is a tremendous asset,
both signaling that the area is differentiated,
and reducing the speeds at which
automobiles can travel. ‘Neck-downs’ could
also be appropriate at Bayou, forcing only
one lane of traffic for both directions of travel
and thereby modulating speed.
Bicycle Lanes
Bicycle lanes should be integrated into the
portion of the street reclaimed from the
automobile, further buffering pedestrians
from automobile traffic, creating new modes
of transit, and improving bicycle safety.
Other Traffic Calming Measures
The perception of horizontal and vertical
distance dramatically affects automobile
speeds, and many of the interventions
already discussed throughout this chapter
will have the added benefit of decreasing
drivers’ sense of openness on the corridor,
thereby voluntarily reducing automobile
speeds even further. Trees, artwork, and
awnings obscure drivers’ fields of vision
and provide spaces for their eyes to linger,
requiring them to self-regulate their
speed. Similarly, increased density along
the entire corridor to a minimum of three
stories will further curb drivers’ notions of
openness, simultaneously reducing speed
and encouraging them to park their cars and
walk.
Signage, too, can play an important role
in increasing the non-automobile uses on
Broad. Posted speed limits might demand
lower speed, but banners, signs, and flags
from businesses on Broad will attract
attention. Conversely, Bayou Road might be
a prime candidate for a ‘naked street,’ where
all traffic signs–not the cultural and historical
signage proposed elsewhere in this plan—is
removed, encouraging interaction amongst
different modes of travel and eye contact
between users of Bayou Road’s right-of-way.
Closing Bayou Road to automobile traffic
for several hours on the weekend would
demarcate a farmers’ or art market at Bayou
as a special place.
Lastly, appropriately painting and taping
Broad Street will heighten the pedestrian
experience and improve pedestrian safety.
Currently, there are almost no crosswalks
taped on Broad, and lane markers are badly
faded and in disrepair.
GREENING AND OWNERSHIP
Greening Broad Street with trees, shrubs, and
planting is one of the most direct and dramatic
interventions that can be accomplished; the
greening of Broad will beautify the corridor
and create a sense of place. These proposals
will also help improve public safety on
Broad Street by strengthening community
ownership of public space and reducing
opportunities for crime that may result from
the area being viewed as poorly supervised.
Adopt-a-Block
An early intervention should be an Adopta-Block program that creates a sense of
‘ownership’ and that provides for landscaping
and maintenance along the Broad Street
Corridor. Trash and litter are two of the
most common concerns of business owners
and community residents along Broad.
Because no single business or neighborhood
organization is responsible for the entire
corridor, Adopt-a-Block will provide the
means by which community members, local
businesses, neighborhood organizations, and
other volunteers maintain the public spaces
of Broad. When neighbors of Broad clean
their respective areas, they will assume a
sense of responsibility and claim it as part of
their space; in other words, they will develop
a sense of ‘ownership’ of Broad that currently
does not exist. An Adopt-a-Block program
is also a tremendous community building
activity, promoting interaction amongst
community members, neighborhood
associations, and small businesses.
1
1 Separate and marked bike lanes increase bicycle
safety, and elevated intersections prioritize streets away
from automobiles and towards pedestrians and cyclists.
Also, note how the vertical and horizontal streetwall,
as well as street density, decrease automobile speed
without any direct intervention.
Greening and Planting
2
Greening the Broad Street Corridor was one
of the most common suggestions provided
09 District
2 Adopt-a-Block programs are an inexpensive way to
create ‘ownership’ amongst members of the Broad Street
neighborhoods. The Katrina Krewe was founded after
Katrina to help New Orleanians take pride in their public
spaces, and have cleaned innumerable streets, parks,
and neutral ground.
85
by community members during the
project community meetings. In fact, some
individuals urged the ‘over-planting’ of Broad
Street--suggesting that the corridor could
never suffer from too much greenery, either
in the form of trees, shrubs, flower pots, or
other type of greening. Landscaping—from
tree canopies to rows of shrubbery to flower
pots—provides a sense of continuity along
the corridor.
Sidewalks
1 The current tree canopy in the Broad Street corridor is
fragmented at best, and more frequently nonexistent.
Tree canopy proves shade and security, and helpls
encourage pedestrians to walk along the corridor. One
of the most salient aspects of Broad, especially when
traveling along an intersecting avenue, is its lack of
trees.
All of New Orleans’ great avenues are
demarcated by exceptional canopies
of live oaks and Broad should be no
different. While Broad should differentiate
itself by incorporating other greenery
underemployed elsewhere in the city, live
oaks should be planted on both sidewalk
sides of the corridor, from Bayou Road
to Tulane Avenue. The Louisiana State
Department of Transportation suggests
five trees as appropriately significant for
roadsides:
•
Live oak
•
Red Oak
•
White Oak
•
Magnolia
•
Cypress
2 Broad and intersecting avenues should be heavily
planted to provide a canopy on par with avenues of
comparable stature elsewhere in the city. Large trees
lend an air of importance and will encourage pedestrian
activity, socializing, and a sense of pride and ‘ownership.’
Additionally, introducing other tree species,
such as elms, could further distinguish Broad
Street by accentuating the tree canopy,
providing quick-growing shade (elms grow
1
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up to six feet per year), and diversify the tree
stock.
Sunflowers and other phytoremediating
plants and trees should be considered
wherever possible to reduce any residual
contaminants from Hurricane Katrina.
Because sunflowers grow so quickly and
so tall, they can be used to rapidly create
streetwalls and greenery within a short time
of planting.
See ‘Landscaping’ above for other
recommendations on sidewalk greening.
Neutral Ground
St. Augustine and other grasses should
be minimized throughout the corridor,
especially on the neutral ground, and
replaced by ivies or Confederate & Night
Jasmine wherever possible. This will instantly
differentiate Broad from other places in New
Orleans and cut down on maintenance and
lawn care costs. Wildflowers could also be
considered as an attractive alternative to
grass and it has added bonuses of being
lower maintenance and more distinctive.
While oaks will almost always be appropriate
in New Orleans, Broad Street stakeholders
should consider incorporating the verticality
of the bald cypress (especially at important
intersections and in rows on the Lafitte
Corridor), the waxy shade of magnolias, and
the subtlety of Crape Myrtles on the neutral
ground.
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
Business Organization and Website
The creation of a Broad Street Business
Association is an imperative step in the
economic revitalization of the Broad Street
Corridor. As old businesses continue to
reopen and new businesses move into the
corridor, the business association will be
useful for spreading the word about the
number and types of businesses currently
located on Broad Street. Just as malls and
shopping centers have websites that list
stores, hours, and directions, the Broad
Street Business Association should create a
website to promote Broad Street Businesses.
The Business Association provides a way
to facilitate communication with business
owners, organize joint marketing and
promotion activities, and strengthen the
voice of business on future issues facing the
corridor.
1
Working with Stay Local, a non-profit
advocate for promoting and patronizing
local businesses, the Broad Street Business
Association could create a simple website
that allows business owners to upload their
address, hours, and a brief description of their
business to the website. This site should be
modeled on the New Orleans Food Map
website
(http://www.nolafoodmap.com),
1 Oaks, such as those on Canal Street, lend an air of
importance to the premier streets of New Orleans, and
Broad should be no different.
2
09 District
2 Similarly, the neutral ground on Broad should not be
planted with St. Augustine or other grasses. Instead, as
with Poydras Street, the neutral ground on Broad should
be heavily plantedd with ivies, jasmine, shrubs, and
vertical trees, such as palm, cypress, and elm.
87
which shows the location of every business
selling food in the city. This website will reach
a large audience and help to brand Broad
Street as an up and coming commercial
corridor.
The Broad Partnership
3
1
A critical component of the overall corridor
plan is the creation of a new organization
to coordinate implementation of the
revitalization plan, undertake key projects
and programs, and develop funding and
other resources. Specific recommendations
for this organization are detailed in the
implementation chapter.
IMPLEMENTATION
Prioritization
The Broad Partnership should prioritize
corridor projects according to three metrics:
immediacy of impact, size of impact,
and resources required for a particular
intervention.
1. The Riverwalk website lists business contacts,
parking information, hours, and organizational contacts.
2. Broad Street businesses should have a similar
website of their own. A website is one of the faces of
a community, and the Broad Street website should be
constructed with care. A partnering organization, such
as StayLocal, should be utilized whenever possible.
3. Broad businesses should collaborate with StayLocal
in order to make use of their business services,
marketing capacity, and design abilities.
Phasing
4
2
4. Similarly, the NOLA FoodMap is a potential partner
for Broad businesses, and they have created a website to
be emulated by Broad Street businesses.
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According to a project’s particular
prioritization, the spectrum of interventions
should be phased, moving from those
projects that are of immediate impact
and that also require the least amount of
resources to accomplish to those projects
that will require more resources and
coordination, but which will also have
more dramatic impact on Broad Street. For
example, the mural program and the Adopta-Block programs are instantly apparent and
require few resources beyond coordination.
Conversely, developing large infrastructure
or landing national retailers on the corridor
are multi-year projects with massive
impacts and require a corresponding
amount of time and energy to implement.
The corridor implementation chart and
timeline each describe the prioritization and
implementation of corridor projects.
Physical Improvements, + Design
Guidelines; Transportation Changes; and
Greening + ‘Ownership’, and ended on
the recommendation that Broad Street’s
stakeholders create a new organization
to implement the suggestions in this
plan. We now turn to the Implementation
and Financing strategies for The Broad
Partnership.
SUMMARY
The district-wide approach presented
above describes those interventions that
will animate the entire corridor without
relying on the success of larger projects at
major intersections. These initiatives will
also serve to unify the currently disparate
parts of Broad, and create a corridor that is
both a regional draw as well as an asset to
surrounding communities. In all, the goal
of the district-wide intervention is a Broad
that is reclaimed for the pedestrian and
known once again as a vibrant, walk-able
commercial district with an unmistakable
identity.
Suggestions for implementing a districtwide strategy included Historic + Cultural
Signage; a Mural Program; Streetscape,
09 District
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10
IMPLEMENTATION
This chapter outlines the critical tasks
and resources needed for successful
plan implementation. Implementation is
challenging for all commercial districts
given the many stakeholders involved
in shaping the character of a business
districts. It is especially challenging on
Broad Street due to the large size of the
corridor, conditions, and the absence of
any existing organization that focuses on its
improvement and management. Without
a unified organization, it is also difficult to
access the required capital for implementing
revitalization projects. Nonetheless, now is
the right time to tackle these challenges,
given the momentum generated from the
UNOP process and work to prepare this plan,
the designation of two priority development
areas on Broad, and the strong interest in
Broad among many local organizations. This
chapter thus provides an implementation
framework for the Steering Committee that
includes:
•
•
•
Recommending the formation of a new
organization, The Broad Partnership, to
coordinate and lead the revitalization
effort
Identifying potential funding tools and
resources
Providing a broad phasing plan for
implementation
ORGANIZING IMPLEMENTATION
A new organization should be established as
soon as possible in order to apply for several
public programs benefiting this project and
the Broad Street Corridor. Particularly, for the
preparation of the upcoming application
round of the State Main Street Program, a
single, unified organization is advantageous
in that it demonstrates a strong local
commitment, provides a single contact, and
makes this project eligible for these public
programs and funds.
The Project Team therefore recommends
that the Broad Street area neighborhoods,
businesses, and other community
stakeholders create a 501(c)3, non-profit
organization called “The Broad Partnership”
that will be responsible for implementing
this revitalization plan and other efforts
of the four neighborhoods adjacent to
Broad Street (Tulane-Gravier, Mid City,
Treme, and Faubourg St. John). Though
the organization’s mandate will continually
evolve in order to meet the changing
needs of its constituent communities,
this plan can serve to jumpstart The
Broad Partnership’s activities. The Broad
Partnership consists of three organizational
aspects: (1) Staff, (2) Committees, and (3) a
Board of Directors. The Staff (the office) is
responsible for operational activities that
are formulated and directed by the Director
and the Board of Director (the Board). The
Board of Directors, which consists of the
committee chairs, the executive director, and
representatives from local organizations and
stakeholder groups, discusses, decides, and
prioritizes the key agendas and plans. The
committees are organized around the key
development elements and agenda items
for revitalization. This committee structure
allows The Broad Partnership to implement
comprehensive activities and accommodate
new issues flexibly, which will change as the
environment and Broad Street evolve.
Staff Office
Under the direct supervision of the Executive
Director (the Director), The Broad Partnership
staff will operate two general functional
areas, support the Board to shape their
agenda and make decisions, and implement
individual projects proposed in this report.
The Office should be located on the first
floor in a building on Broad Street to ensure
visibility for the organization on the corridor.
Programming and Coordination
The most important staff function is
to coordinate and update the overall
revitalization plan (i.e., master plan)
by working closely with other related
organizations and participants. Based on this
plan, the Office develops individual plans
and links them with available resources,
under the supervision of the Director and the
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91
1
A dedicated and unifed organization consisting of
the representatives from major interest groups is key
to access available public programs and ensure the
successful implementation for this redevelopment
project
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Board. In planning and implementing these
programs, the office plays a significant role in
coordinating the activities of different parties
and ensuring smooth implementation with
minimum conflicts. For example, the Office
of Recovery Management has committed
resources to both the Lafitte Corridor and
Bayou Road. The Broad Partnership will be
the vehicle through which the use of those
resources is coordinated.
Specifically, staff expertise is needed in two
areas to manage this function: economic
development and urban design. Ideally, one
staff person with expertise in each of these
areas would be hired. If sufficient operating
funds are not secured for two professional
staff, this balanced expertise can be provided
by board members.
Resource Development and External
Relationship Building
The Office will also work to secure resources
and build external relationships necessary
to implement revitalization initiatives. Since
this revitalization project requires extensive
organizational and financial resources, the
Office will need to negotiate partnerships
with supporting organizations to provide the
required organizational capacity and funds.
To obtain these external supports, the Office
must build strong relationships and promote
its plans aggressively, in a manner similar to
the Investor Relations (IR) activities of private
corporations. Therefore, this function requires
staff expertise in fund-raising and financial
management. Temporarily and pragmatically,
the director may play this role.
Although staff members in charge of
marketing or other functions are part of
the ideal staffing situation, these roles may
need to be assumed by the Director due
to limited resources. Over time, The Broad
Partnership may be able to expand and add
dedicated staff with marketing expertise and
responsibilities.
Committees
It is recommended that the Board of
Directors adopt a Main Streets-type
committee structure. Although The Broad
Partnership can increase the number of
committees gradually and as conditions
warrant, it should begin with the following
three committees to avoid complicated
coordination among the committees: (a)
Design, (b) Economic Restructuring, and
(c) Resource Development and External
Relationship.
Design Committee will be responsible for:
•
Urban Design: Streetscape renovation,
physical design
•
Greening
•
Signage and IZOD formation
•
Other design elements
Economic Restructuring Committee will
responsible for:
•
Small Business Assistance and
Development (e.g., provision of
technical assistance)
•
New business attraction (e.g., attracting
Target to the Laffite Corridor)
•
Community Benefits Agreement
•
Other business and economic elements
(e.g., Housing)
Resource Development and External
Relationship Committee will responsible for:
•
Resource Planning and Management
•
Partnership/alliance building
•
Promotion of this project and the Broad
Street Corridor
•
Other external relationship elements
(e.g., Investor Relation, Public Relation)
The agendas and activities of each
committee should be shared with other
committees through the Board and the
Director, in order to avoid the overlaps and
conflicts among the three committees. The
head of each committee should attend
the Board Meeting and share necessary
information with other members of the
Board. The staff in charge of a specific
function should attend the meetings of the
committee responsible for that function.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors represents and
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93
governs The Broad Partnership. Therefore,
the Board should discuss all the major
issues of the corridor, shape development
agendas, coordinate programs, and
make final policy decisions related to
programs and projects. Given such critical
roles, the Board should represent all key
corridor stakeholders and have expertise
in all major key revitalization areas (urban
design, real estate development, economic
development marketing, fund-raising, etc.).
Therefore, members should be nominated or
appointed by their respective organization.
More specifically, the Board should include
representatives from the following types of
organizations or stakeholders.
•
Executive Director of The Broad
Partnership: 1
•
Head of Each Committee: 3
•
Representatives from the four
surrounding neighborhoods: 4
•
Representatives of Local business
owners: 2 -3 (To be determined)
•
Representatives of Property Owners: 2-3
(To be determined)
•
Representatives from the City (and
public authorities): 1 regular member
plus non-voting observers for key
agencies
•
Representatives form other major
institutions: 2-3 (To be determined)
•
Professionals: 1 Urban Designer/
Architect + 1 management consultant+
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1 economic development professional
FINANCING IMPLEMENTATION
This section introduces funding sources
and organizes them according to their uses
in this revitalization project: (1) operations
for The Broad Partnership, (2) real estate
development, (3) small business support
and development, (4) infrastructure and
streetscape renovation, and (5) other specific
programs. This section goes on to discuss
other related tools that will allow this project
to attract capital or other benefits from
related organization and stakeholders and
facilitate implementation of the project.
Sources of Funds
In implementing this project, The Broad
Partnership should pursue three sources of
capital: (a) Public and Private Sector Grants,
(b) Public and Private Debt, and (c) Equity. In
some cases, TBP will raise funds for its own
activities and projects; in other cases, it will
help raise funds needed for investment by
others, such as real estate developments,
new or expanding small businesses or
public infrastructure. Unlike a typical private
development project, projects pursued
by The Broad Partnership can and should
aim to access and leverage public funding
programs whenever possible. Doing so
will provide no-risk or low risk capital for a
revitalization projects on Broad.
Public and Private Sector Grants
Grants from the Office of Recovery
Management (ORM)
The ORM has selected the Lafitte Corridor
and Bayou Road as “Redevelopment” and
“Renewal” areas, respectively, and publicly
committed to make approximately $20M
in grants to projects on the Lafitte Corridor,
and $2M to $3M in grants to projects on
and around Bayou Road. Although these
grants are limited for “civic” uses, the ORM
has not stipulated what such a use entails.
The Broad Partnership should encourage the
ORM to make creative use of their resources
by crafting plans that will leverage the most
public good for the ORM’s investment. Using
the above proposals, The Broad Partnership
is expected to initiate dialogue with the
ORM to discuss how to program the funding
allocated to the Lafitte Corridor and Bayou
Road.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
New Orleans receives an annual allocation
of Community Development Block Grants
(CDBGs) from Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) with the
express purpose of financing housing
and community economic development
programs and projects. The CDBG program
is one of the most flexible sources of federal
funding available to cities to undertake
activities benefiting low and mid-income
residents (e.g., real estate acquisition,
relocation, demolition or rehabilitation of
commercial and residential buildings). New
Orleans will be receiving additional CDBG
funds through the State of Louisiana that
were appropriated by Congress for recovery
from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Small Business Grant Program (SBGP)
The SBGP is funded by Louisiana Economic
Development (with federal government
funds) via local intermediaries to fund local
small business activities. The SBGPs typically
flow through technical assistance providers,
such as Newcorp and Seedco. Many
business owners in the Broad Street Corridor
faced obstacles to accessing this program
due to a lack of information about the
SBGP and knowledge about its application
procedure. Although the first round of small
business grant distribution is over, a second
round of funding has been announced.
The Broad Partnership can work with local
intermediaries to ensure that businesses
on or near Broad Street gain access to and
maximize use of these funds.
Private Grants
In addition to public grants, this project (i.e.,
The Broad Partnership) might be able to
access private funds, which do not demand
interests or returns, unlike other private
capital sources. The typical sources of public
grants are the donation or grants provided
by corporations, foundations, and individuals
whose goals and aspirations match those
of this project. For example, The Broad
Partnership may seek the financial assistance
of companies located in and around its
corridor (e.g., Dixie Brewery). Major national/
global financial institutions such as JP
Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Citicorp and
Deutsche Bank typically have foundations
or other means to make grants to non-profit
organizations. Many other foundations also
provide grants for community revitalization
programs, public art, cultural programs and
the other types of initiatives proposed in this
plan. Several national foundations, such as
the Ford and Gates Foundations, have been
funding rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. .
Public and Private Debt
Small Business Loan Program (SBLP)
SBLP is a publicly funded zero-interest
loan program for small business owners.
As with the SBGP, Louisiana Economic
Development funds the SBLP via local
intermediaries. As with the grant program,
The Broad Partnership can be a bridge
between local businesses and designated
loan intermediaries to expand access to this
low-cost debt source.
Section 108 Loan Program (Section 108 Loan)
The Section108 Loan Program provides a
source of long-term debt to businesses and
real estate project by using local CDBG funds
to guarantee loan repayment. The Section
108 Loan can be used for any economic and
physical revitalization and all other activities
that are CDGB-eligible. Interest rates on
loans financed by Section 108 guarantees
are below-market—typically close to US
Treasury rates.
Private Debt and Loans
Banks and other financial institutions provide
several types of debt and loans such as
senior and mezzanine loans and mortgage
programs. Large-scale commercial and real
estate developments on Broad would require
access to these private loan programs. The
Broad Partnership should look to the two
local banks on the corridor, United Bank &
Trust and Chase Bank, as well as the area’s
other institutions (such as Seedco) to play a
significant role in providing sufficient private
debt and loans for revitalization projects
throughout the Broad Street Corridor.
New Market Tax Credits (NMTC)
New Market Tax Credits provide a source of
low-interest, flexible and higher risk debt
for businesses and real estate projects. A
special allocation of NMTC was established
under the GO Zone legislation and there
are several local and national organizations
seeking to invest these funds in New
Orleans. The Broad Partnership may be able
to utilize NMTC to help attract developers to
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95
Broad Street and/or help finance proposed
projects.
Equity
Community Equity Pool
The Broad Partnership should also establish
a community equity fund in order to help
finance smaller projects in the corridor. The
fund could provide equity for individual
businesses, a small revolving loan fund with
matching grants, or a home equity fund. A
community equity pool could be leveraged
with private or public debt, and those
community members that invest in such
a pool will feel a sense of ownership and
responsibility for the corridor. Furthermore,
the commitment from local stakeholders will
be very persuasive in luring private investors
to projects on the corridor. Note also that
the equity participation can be eligible for
the New Tax Market Credits (NTMC), which
provides the tax credits for participants if the
corporatized organization could be certified
as a Community Development Entity (CDE).
Other Private Equity
This project may expect capital participations
from, for example, real estate developers,
private equity funds, other Community
Development Corporations, and national
companies that are attracted to Broad (e.g.,
Target). Together with these participants,
the community equity pool described above
could become a limited partnership-type
A variety of funding sources is available for specific
development needs.
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corporation that draws not only capital but
also expertise from participating professional
entities.
New Market Tax Credits (NMTC)
NMTC can also function as a source of grantlike equity for real estate projects when it
is invested through the “leveraged” model.
The Broad Partnership may be able to utilize
NMTC to help attract developers to Broad
Street and/or to help finance proposed
projects.
Uses of Funds
Operation of The Broad Partnership
An important funding need is operating
funds for The Broad Partnership itself. The
successful management and operation of
this organization requires sufficient funds;
The Broad Partnership needs funds for, for
instance, hiring the dedicated staff including
the executive director, arranging office
facilities, acquiring and maintaining office
machines, and paying rent and utility costs.
To meet these capital requirements, The
Broad Partnership can access the following
sources. First, the operation of The Broad
Partnership should be eligible for State Main
Street Program Grants (SMSP) under the
upcoming application rounds. State Main
Street grants cover a significant portion
of funding to hire a full-time manager or
Executive Director. In addition, the ORM
funds might be available for organization
costs if a compelling case can be made that
this will leverage new private development
and investment. Furthermore, The Broad
Partnership should seek funds from the
private sources (private grants/donations) as
described above.
Real Estate Development
Among the sources described above, the
following funding sources are particularly
suitable for the real estate development
projects:
a. Public Grants/Capital: CDBG
b. Debts/Loans: Sec. 108 Loan, Mortgage,
NMTC
c. Private Equity, particularly from Real estate
developers/investors and NMTC
In addition, the ORM grants may be available
if the ORM deems a certain project civic in
nature. For example, the Laffite Corridor
community center should be eligible for
the ORM grants. Similarly, a mortgage rate
buy-down fund or subsidization of a large
employer such as Target could potentially fall
within the parameters of ‘civic.’
Small Business Development
The Broad Partnership Board and Staff should
pursue pertinent sources such as SBGP and
SBLP to finance small businesses which often
have financial difficulty due to their limited
access to funding sources. Additionally, The
Broad Partnership could coordinate technical
assistance and potentially underwrite some
private loan programs.
Infrastructure & Streetscape Renovations
Most of the street and other infrastructure
improvements should be financed by the
New Orleans Regional Planning Commission,
the Louisiana State Department of
Transportation Development (DOTD), or
the Department of Public Works at the City
of New Orleans. The Broad Partnership
should pursue public grants and public loan
programs such as DOTD grants, ORM grants,
and CDBG funds for streetscape and façade
improvements through the district. The
Broad Partnership should also work closely
with corridor participants such as private
developers in the major developments to
ensure the enhancement of streetscape and
urban design. More specifically, The Broad
Partnership may demand these private
participants to assist the public projects
financially. For example, private developers
for a new development at Broad Street’s
intersection with Tulane can assist in the
greening of the neutral grounds and provide
additional streetscape elements by sharing
financial risks.
Other Programs
The Broad Partnership should always
consider the availability and eligibility of
public financing sources (such as ORM
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97
grants, CDBG, and other federal and state
categorical grants) when considering
financing individual projects such as Music
Based Youth Rehabilitation Program at the
Tulane Node and Street Painting Program.
Based on objectives of different grant
programs many proposed programs may be
eligible.
Other Related Tools
Community Benefits Agreement (CBA)
The Broad Partnership should play a
large role in coordinating CBAs with large
development or businesses located on or
near Broad Street. Such agreements can
include minimum wage and employment
standards, creation of public facilities such
as basketball courts in the Lafitte Corridor,
and community inputs in a development
(e.g., the selection of tenants). For more
information on how The Broad Partnership
can utilize Community Benefits Agreements,
see Chapter 7—Lafitte.
Transferable Development Rights (TDR)
TDR are building and development rights
that are separable from land ownership and
can be sold or donated to another party.
This scheme allows a local government
to preserve, for example, strategic open
space or environmentally sensitive area
by providing financial incentives for the
landowner of these spaces or areas. Similarly,
an overlay district that permits TDR can
98
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
spur both the redevelopment of the former
Robert’s site as well as ensure that the
remainder of the Lafitte Corridor is converted
into a publicly owned active Greenway. A
portion of TDR payments can be used to
fund programs or community activities. For
example, a portion of TDR payments in New
York’s theater district is used to fund youth
theater programs.
PHASING PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION
In this section, each program proposed
in this report is phased, prioritized, and
linked with key leading organizations, and
funding options (see the Program Tables
below). Implementation of each project
should be phased for the short-term, midterm, and long-term, moving forward from
those projects which can be implemented
immediately and whose impact is expected
to be observable in the relatively short time
frame. The short-term, mid-term, and longterm are defined as 1-2 years, 2-5 years, and
more than 5 yeas, respectively.
Given the limited organizational and
financial capacity, proposed projects within
each phase should be prioritized. Priority is
given to each project based on its impact
on (or centrality to) the suggested plan.
For example, a lower priority is given to
the office building development than the
construction of an entertainment-office
complex at the Tulane Node because the
entertainment-office complex will not only
meet the demand for office space but will
spur new entertainment activities with
broader impacts and is linked with other
key projects such as the music based Youth
Rehabilitation Program.
Each project should also be linked with
specific organizations and funding options
to ensure the successful implementation;
any proposal without organizational and
financial capacity is only a paper plan. In this
sense, identifying appropriate participants
and funding sources for each program
proposed in this report is critical for success.
The following tables include organizations
that appear particularly well suited to play a
significant role in each program. Therefore,
The Broad Partnership should first seek their
cooperation. These tables also list potential
funding options that appear appropriate and
available to a specific program.
A. Tulane
Timing
Proposal/Project
Short-term
(1) Music Based Youth Rehabilitation Program
High
LFS Foundation, Providence Community Housing, Tipitina’s
Foundation
ORM
(2) Physical Reuse of Israel Augustine School
High
Recovery School District, a private developer
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108
(3) Green Gateway
High
City(CPC2, P&P3, DoPW4),Bluestar Highway, Parkway
Partners,NORPC5
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108
(1) Entertainment/Office Complex Development
High
Private developers
PE, Mortgage, other private loan programs
(2) Diner Development
High
Private developers
SBGP, SBLP, PE
(3) Monumental Gateway
High
City (CPC, etc)
ORM, Other public funds
(4) Tulane Ave. Lane Reduction Project
Medium
City (CPC, etc)
ORM, Other public funds
(5) Broad St. Lane Reduction Project
Medium
City (CPC, etc)
ORM, Other public funds
Mid-term
Long-term
Preliminary Priority Key Leading Organization1
Funding Options
(6) Office Building Development
Low
Private developers
PE, Mortgage, other private loan programs
(7) Extension/Expand Greening
Low
City (P&P, DoPW),Bluestar Highway, Parkway Partners,NORPC
ORM, Other public funds
Medium
Recovery School District
ORM, Other public funds
Low
City, Private developers
ORM, CDBG, Sec. 108, SBGP, SBLP, PE, Private loan programs
(1) Reopen Israel Augstine School Project
(2) Development of surrounding neighborhoods
1.Assuming the leadership of The Broad Partnership(BP) and its member
organizations for all projects
2. City Planning Commission
3.Parks & Parkways
4. Department of Transportation
5. New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
10 Implementation
99
B. Laffite Corridor
Timing
Proposal/Project
Short-term
(1) “Targeting Target” Project
High
BP
PE, Private Loans
(2) Community Center Construction
High
Private Developers (e.g. Target)
Private Funds (via CBA)
(1) Laffite Corridor Gateway Development
High
City(CPC2, P&P3, DoPW4),Bluestar Highway, Parkway
Partners,NORPC5
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108
Mid-term
Long-term
Funding Options
(2) Recreation Trail Development
Medium
Private Developers, City (CPC, etc.)
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, PE, Private Loans
(3) Construction of parking lots
Medium
Private Developers, City (CPC, DoPW,etc.)
PE, Mortgage, other private loan programs, ORM, CDBG, Sec.108
(4) Auto Mall Development
Low
BP, Private Developers, Auto-related Business Owners PE, Mortgage, other private loan programs
(1) Reinforcement of local amenities
Low
Private Developers, City (CPC, etc.)
1.Assuming the leadership of The Broad Partnership(BP) and its member
organizations for all projects
2. City Planning Commission
3.Parks & Parkways
4. Department of Transportation
5. New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
100
Preliminary Priority Key Leading Organization1
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, PE, Private Loans
C. Bayou
Timing
Proposal/Project
Short-term
(1) Freedom Market Project
High
BP*, local farmers
ORM, State grants, equity capital
(2) Pedestrian Streetscape Improvements
High
City(CPC2, P&P3, DoPW4),Bluestar Highway, Parkway
Partners,NORPC5, Business owners, area schools, local artists
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, donations, competition entry fees
(3) Business Incubator Project
High
Newcorp, Idea Village
SBGP, SBLP, PE, Private loan programs
Mid-term
Long-term
Preliminary Priority Key Leading Organization1
Funding Options
(1) Property Renovation Program: Mixed Retail and Residential Use
Medium
Private Developers, Business owners
SBGP, SBLP, PE, Private loan programs
(2) Video Store Reopening Project
Medium
Major Chain (i.e., Hollywood Video)
SBGP, SBLP, PE, Private loan programs
(3) Restaurant attraction and development
Low
Tenant (operator)
SBGP, SBLP, PE, Private loan programs
(4) Construction of parking lots
Low
Private Developers, City (CPC, DoPW,etc.)
PE, Mortgage, other private loan programs, ORM, CDBG,
Sec.108
(1) Community Market Project
High
City, business owners, Idea Village
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, SBGP, SBLP
(2) Bayou Road Village Heritage Center Development
High
business owners, historical society, residents
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
Private Operator
PE, Private Loans, Private funds, Other Public funds
(3) Bethany House Project
Medium
1.Assuming the leadership of The Broad Partnership(BP) and its member
organizations for all projects
2. City Planning Commission
3.Parks & Parkways
4. Department of Transportation
5. New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
10 Implementation
101
D. District-Wide
Timing
Proposal/Project
Short-term
(1) Broad Voices
High
(2) Mural Program
Mid-term
ORM
High
(3) Zoning Overlay
High
Friends of Lafitte Corridor, CPC2, Victory, etc.
ORM, other public-private
(4) Greening
High
City (P&P3, DoPW4),Bluestar Highway, Parkway Partners,NORPC5 ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
(5) Adopt-a-block
(6) Tree Planting
(7) Bioremediation
High
High
Low
Friends of Laffitte, Katrina Krewe
Replant NO, Katreena
Katreena, Replant NO, LSU AgCenter
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108
(8) Website
High
BP
ORM
(1) Signage
High
State Historical Society
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
Medium
Medium
ORM
CPC
SBGP, SBLP
(1) Pedesrian Improvements
High
NORPC
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
(2) Curb Cuts
High
NORPC
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
(3) Lightining/Lamps
Medium
DoTD
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
(4) Widening of Broad Neutral Gounds
Medium
NORPC
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
(5) Reducing Traffic Lane
Medium
NORPC
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
(6) Bicycle Lane
Medium
NORPC, CPC, Friends of Lafitte
ORM, CDBG, Sec.108, Private Funds
1.Assuming the leadership of The Broad Partnership(BP) and its
member organizations for all projects
2. City Planning Commission
3.Parks & Parkways
4. Department of Transportation
5. New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
102
Funding Options
Neighborhood Story Project, I-10 Witness Project, Alive in Truth,
NPR
YA/YA, Art Council of New Orleans, etc.
(2) Design Guidelines
(3) Business Association
Long-term
Preliminary Priority Key Leading Organization1
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
APPENDIX 1
MARKET SUPPLY AND DEMAND ANALYSIS
METHODOLOGY
Data Sources
To begin a market analysis, a number of data
sources were consulted; a summary of these
data sources is provided in Table 1.
•
•
•
•
The Louisiana Department of Health
and Hospitals breaks down population
and income data by zip codes in
Orleans Parish. It is accepted as the
most methodologically complete
population estimates in New Orleans
since Hurricane Katrina.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks U.S.
spending by different income ranges in
different categories for different regions
of the country. South regional data
from 2005 was used this analysis.
The Urban Land Institute retail data
is an industry-standard data set that
estimates average sales per square feet
for different spending categories across
the United States. This data is from
2004.
Euromonitor International uses U.S.
market spending data and breaks down
spending categories into percentages
spent at various types of stores
(department, convenience, etc.) This
data is from 2003-2006.
Data Type
Source
Title
Date
Population/household income
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Louisiana Public Health Survey Report
2006
Consumer Spending
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics
Consumer Expenditure Survey
2005
Retail Data
Urban Land Institute
Dollars & Cents of Shopping Centers
2004
Retail Distribution
Euromonitor International
Retail Channel Distribution- US
Nationwide
2003-2006
1
Appendixes
1 Data Sources
Methodology and Results
Combining the data sources described in
the previous section with a set of input
assumptions, a model can be developed that
will predict supportable retail square footage
for the Broad Street corridor. Included in
this model are demand estimates for three
different market segments – the base retail
area, regular traffic and employees, and
passing through traffic. Input assumptions
in the model for each segment are described
below.
Base Retail Area
•
What zip codes to include as the base
retail area for the Broad Street corridor
– Given that the LPHI population data is
compiled by zip codes, what portion of
zip codes near the Broad Street Corridor
to include in the demand model needed
to be determined. Since the average
household income for each zip code
varies, the aggregate spending patterns
for each zip code will be different.
Figure 1 illustrates the Broad Street base
retail area in the context of zip code
boundaries. In our base scenario, 80%
of zip code 70119 was included as our
base retail area.
•
Population adjustment – Given that the
LHPI population estimate is from the
summer of 2006, the estimate needs
to be adjusted to reflect the current
population. In our model, population
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
data was increased by 20 percent.
Regular Visitors
•
Number of employees and other
regular visitors to Broad Street – This
was conservatively estimated 300 as
the number of regular visitors and
employees along the Broad Street
corridor.
Occasional Visitors
•
Number of visitors who occasionally
stop on Broad Street – This was
conservatively estimated as 10,000 on
an annual basis.
For All Segments
•
Market share factors – For each
expenditure category for each market
segment included in our analysis, the
share of expenditures that would occur
along the Broad Street corridor was
estimated, assuming that there is a
reasonable level of supply. These market
share factors are different for each
market segment to reflect expected
spatial shopping patterns.
•
See Excel file in course locker for original
tables
Combining the assumptions above with the
LHPI data, the BLS consumer expenditure
data, the Euromonitor spending analysis,
and the ULI real estate data, a retail demand
model can be constructed. The following
steps outline this process:
•
Using the BLS consumer expenditure
data, the amount spent on various
expenditure categories at the household
level can be estimated. As the average
household income for zip code 70119 is
$29,559 and the BLS has spending data
for the $20,000 to $29,999 and $30,000
to $39,999 income ranges, the average
spending data of these two income
categories was used in the model.
Results are shown in Table 2.
•
The next step was to translate consumer
expenditure data into physical
supportable square footage. Three
intermediate steps are needed:
1. The expenditure categories must be
matched with the categories in the
Euromonitor and ULI data.
2. Using the Euromonitor data,
where people buy certain goods
(e.g., spending on food at home
occurs not only in supermarkets
but also in convenience stores,
independent food markets, etc.) can
be estimated.
3. Using the ULI data, the supportable
square footage can be determined
by taking the spending by type
of store calculated in the previous
step.
As described in the previous section,
Euromonitor provides data on where people
buy certain products and services. Table 3 is
a compilation of their findings.
ULI provides data on sales per square feet for
various commercial establishments:
After completing each of the three steps
described above, the supportable square
footage for several types of commercial
establishments for the Broad Street corridor
can be calculated. Combined with supply
information from the business inventory
process, a sales gap analysis can be
completed.
Base Retail Area
Broad Street Traffic (BST)
Food at Home
55%
Food at Home
10%
Food away from Home
55%
Food away from Home
10%
Alcohol
80%
Alcohol
5%
Housekeeping Supplies
70%
Housekeeping Supplies
5%
HH Furnishings and Equipment
30%
HH Furnishings and Equipment
5%
Clothing and Related Products/Services
30%
Clothing and Related Products/Services
5%
Footwear
20%
Footwear
5%
Drugs
70%
Drugs
5%
Pets and Toys
50%
Pets and Toys
5%
Personal Care Products
70%
Personal Care Products
5%
Vehicle Purchases
20%
Vehicle Purchases
10%
Gasoline and Motor Oil
70%
Gasoline and Motor Oil
40%
Other Vehicle Expenses
70%
Other Vehicle Expenses
40%
1
3
Broad Street Emplolyment (BSE)
Food at Home
20%
Food away from Home
30%
Alcohol
20%
Housekeeping Supplies
20%
HH Furnishings and Equipment
5%
Clothing and Related Products/Services
5%
Footwear
Drugs
Pets and Toys
5%
30%
5%
Personal Care Products
30%
Vehicle Purchases
20%
Gasoline and Motor Oil
60%
Other Vehicle Expenses
60%
4
2
Appendixes
1,2,3 Market Shares
4 Zip Code Map
Expenditure Category
Average annual income before taxes
$29,559
Average annual expenditures
103%
$30,567
Food
14.1%
$4,299
Food at home
8.8%
Food away from home
Housing
Shelter
Broad Street Employees (BSE)
Amount Spent per Household Total Household Spending
100%
Alcoholic beverages
% of Income
Broad Street Passing Traffic (BST)
Amount Spent per Household Total Household Spending
100.0%
$32,076
$204,152,963
103.4%
$33,170
$28,709,544
14.1%
$4,665
$2,688
$17,950,927
8.8%
5.3%
$1,611
$10,758,618
0.8%
$252
32.5%
% of Income
Amount Spent per Household
Total Household Spending
100.0%
$32,076
$9,951,080
103.4%
$33,170
$165,851,342
$1,399,397
14.1%
$4,665
$23,323,279
$2,917
$874,987
8.8%
$2,917
$14,583,111
5.3%
$1,748
$524,410
5.3%
$1,748
$8,740,168
$1,680,109
0.8%
$273
$81,894
0.8%
$273
$1,364,899
$9,932
$66,335,881
32.5%
$10,778
$3,233,427
32.5%
$10,778
$53,890,449
17.2%
$5,245
$35,032,556
17.2%
$5,692
$1,707,601
17.2%
$5,692
$28,460,015
Utilities, fuels, and public services
9.2%
$2,811
$18,771,857
9.2%
$3,050
$915,001
9.2%
$3,050
$15,250,025
Household operations
1.5%
$460
$3,071,875
1.5%
$499
$149,733
1.5%
$499
$2,495,553
Housekeeping supplies
1.4%
$433
$2,890,663
1.4%
$470
$140,900
1.4%
$470
$2,348,339
Household furnishings and equipment
3.2%
$984
$6,568,929
3.2%
$1,067
$320,191
3.2%
$1,067
$5,336,517
Apparel and services
4.0%
$1,219
$8,138,844
4.0%
$1,322
$396,714
4.0%
$1,322
$6,611,896
Men and boys
0.9%
$262
$1,752,426
0.9%
$285
$85,419
0.9%
$285
$1,423,649
Women and girls
1.6%
$495
$3,303,217
1.6%
$537
$161,010
1.6%
$537
$2,683,493
Children under 2
0.2%
$71
$473,546
0.2%
$77
$23,082
0.2%
$77
$384,703
Footwear
0.9%
$263
$1,755,211
0.9%
$285
$85,555
0.9%
$285
$1,425,912
Other apparel products and services
0.4%
$128
$854,444
0.4%
$139
$41,648
0.4%
$139
$694,139
20.5%
$6,269
$41,870,147
20.5%
$6,803
$2,040,887
20.5%
$6,803
$34,014,789
Vehicle purchases (net outlay)
9.1%
$2,777
$18,549,427
9.1%
$3,014
$904,160
9.1%
$3,014
$15,069,325
Gasoline and motor oil
5.3%
$1,631
$10,893,412
5.3%
$1,770
$530,980
5.3%
$1,770
$8,849,673
Other vehicle expenses
5.6%
$1,716
$11,463,598
5.6%
$1,863
$558,773
5.6%
$1,863
$9,312,886
Public transportation
0.5%
$144
$960,646
0.5%
$156
$46,825
0.5%
$156
$780,417
7.5%
$2,307
$15,410,619
7.5%
$2,504
$751,164
7.5%
$2,504
$12,519,396
Health insurance
3.9%
$1,179
$7,875,010
3.9%
$1,280
$383,854
3.9%
$1,280
$6,397,561
Medical services
1.6%
$483
$3,223,937
1.6%
$524
$157,145
1.6%
$524
$2,619,086
Drugs
1.8%
$557
$3,716,792
1.8%
$604
$181,169
1.8%
$604
$3,019,476
Medical supplies
0.3%
$89
$595,530
0.3%
$97
$29,028
0.3%
$97
$483,801
5.3%
$1,629
$10,878,930
5.3%
$1,768
$530,275
5.3%
$1,768
$8,837,908
Fees and admissions
0.7%
$211
$1,411,726
0.7%
$229
$68,812
0.7%
$229
$1,146,868
Audio and visual equipment and services
2.1%
$656
$4,382,876
2.1%
$712
$213,636
2.1%
$712
$3,560,594
Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment
1.0%
$315
$2,105,752
1.0%
$342
$102,641
1.0%
$342
$1,710,687
Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services
1.5%
$445
$2,974,863
1.5%
$483
$145,005
1.5%
$483
$2,416,742
Personal care products and services
1.3%
$403
$2,691,998
1.3%
$437
$131,217
1.3%
$437
$2,186,946
Reading
0.2%
$68
$450,987
0.2%
$73
$21,983
0.2%
$73
$366,376
Education
0.8%
$237
$1,581,705
0.8%
$257
$77,097
0.8%
$257
$1,284,957
Tobacco products and smoking supplies
1.1%
$351
$2,345,821
1.1%
$381
$114,343
1.1%
$381
$1,905,716
Miscellaneous
1.5%
$457
$3,050,152
1.5%
$496
$148,674
1.5%
$496
$2,477,906
Cash contributions
3.1%
$958
$6,396,165
3.1%
$1,039
$311,770
3.1%
$1,039
$5,196,166
Personal insurance and pensions
7.2%
$2,187
$14,605,285
7.2%
$2,373
$711,909
7.2%
$2,373
$11,865,152
Transportation
Healthcare
Entertainment
1 Broad Expenditures
Base Retail Area (BRA)
% of Income
1
Life and other personal insurance
0.8%
$249
$1,663,027
0.8%
$270
$81,061
0.8%
$270
$1,351,023
Pensions and Social Security
6.3%
$1,938
$12,942,257
6.3%
$2,103
$630,848
6.3%
$2,103
$10,514,130
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Food at Home
Food away
from Home
Alcohol
Department Store
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.2%
12.3%
25.6%
20.6%
Discount Department Store (e.g. Target)
10.0%
0.0%
4.0%
34.1%
17.9%
17.6%
16.7%
Supermarket
60.1%
0.0%
31.2%
44.3%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Independent Food Market (a)
11.7%
0.0%
2.6%
2.4%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Convenience Store (Variety Store)
5.1%
0.0%
25.4%
0.6%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.2%
Internet/ Direct and Other
13.1%
0.0%
11.1%
14.1%
8.2%
6.9%
15.8%
17.0%
34.6%
18.6%
Restaurant/ Carry Out
0.0%
100.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Liquor/ Wine Shop
0.0%
0.0%
25.7%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Drugstore/ Pharmacy
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
4.4%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
25.9%
0.0%
15.3%
Furniture Store
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
61.6%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Clothing Stores
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
49.9%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Shoe Store
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
46.9%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Pet Store
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
10.1%
0.0%
Cosmetics/ Beauty Supply
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
8.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
TOTAL
Housekeeping
Supplies
HH Furnishings Clothing and Related
and Equipment Products/Services
Footwear
Pets and Toys
Personal Care
Products
0.0%
1.9%
16.7%
39.8%
31.6%
26.1%
17.3%
18.8%
14.5%
0.0%
2.9%
0.6%
Drugs
Retail Category
Average Sales PSF
Department Store
$103
Discount Department Store
$103
Supermarket
$354
Convenience Store
$109
Restaurant/ Carry Out
$231
Drugstore/ Pharmacy
$408
Furniture Store
$161
Clothing Stores
$165
Cosmetics/ Beauty Supply
$214
Liquor/ Wine Shop
$254
Shoe Store
$123
Pet Store
$156
Independent Food Market
Automotive Related Businesses (non-gas)
1
$354
$1,916
2
Appendixes
1 Euromonitor Data
2 ULI Data
1
Estimated Annual
Retail Expenditure
Average
Sales PSF
Supportable Square
Footage (Demand)
Discount Department Store
$4,808,128
$103
46,717
1,500
45,217
Supermarket
$9,316,278
$354
26,344
0
26,344
Department Store
$1,208,661
$103
11,744
0
11,744
Restaurant/ Carry Out
$6,948,579
$231
30,135
23,912
6,223
Furniture Store
$1,388,165
$161
8,600
4,012
4,588
Independent Food Market
$1,484,329
$354
4,197
0
4,197
Convenience Store
$966,249
$109
8,835
6,580
2,255
Shoe Store
$200,083
$123
1,627
0
1,627
Liquor/ Wine Shop
$367,179
$254
1,445
0
1,445
Pet Store
$158,767
$156
1,015
0
1,015
Clothing Stores
$1,092,784
$165
6,631
6,995
(364)
Drugstore/ Pharmacy
$1,051,163
$408
2,574
9,900
(7,326)
Retail Category
1 Broad Demand Graph
2 Broad Demand
Cosmetics/ Beauty Supply
2
Automotive Related Businesses (non-gas)
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Existing Square Demand – Supply
Footage (Supply) Square Footage
$119,577
$214
558
13,069
(12,511)
$17,482,587
$1,916
9,125
50,896
(41,771)
APPENDIX 2
EXISTING BUSINESSES ON BROAD STREET AS OF MARCH, 2007
Appendixes
APPENDIX 3
LOUISIANA BUSINESS RECOVERY GRANT
AND LOAN PROGRAMS OFFICES
Orleans Parish
NewCorp, Inc.
Phone: 504-613-5893
ASI Federal Credit Union
Contact: Sarah Taylor
4626 Alcee Fortier
New Orleans, LA 70129
Phone: 504-254-2340
Regional Loan Corporation
Phone: 504-524-6172
www.rlcsbidco.com
Mary Queen of Viet Nam Community
Development Corporation
Operated by ASI Federal Credit Union
Contact: Sarah Taylor
4626 Alcee Fortier
New Orleans, LA 70129
Phone: 504-255-9170
www.mqvncdc.org
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Seedco Financial Services
Phone: 504-520-5729
APPENDIX 4
COMPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS
MIT, Department of Urban Studies and
Planning
Transportation Memos from 11.526
Comparative Land Use and Transportation
Planning, Spring 2006
•
•
•
Interventions Centered on the Tulane
Avenue-Broad Street Intersection, Ben
Solomon-Schwartz
Suggestions for Creating Integrated
Improvements in Transportation and
Land Use Along the Broad Street
Corridor, Pippa Brashear
Traffic Interventions on Broad Street and
Bayou, Frank Hebbert
LSU, Landscape Architecture
Lafitte Corridor Plan, American Society of
Landscape Architects 2006 Student Award
Appendixes
DUSP Main Streets Practicum
Benjamin Solomon-Schwartz
Interventions Centered on the Tulane Avenue-Broad Street Intersection
(11.526 Assignment IV)
1
conduit from Tulane to the nearby neighborhoods. Between Tulane Avenue and the Lafitte
Tulane and 15,600 for the rest of the corridor. This suggests that many vehicles use Broad Street as a
metrics. In 2005, daily total traffic volume along Broad Street was 35,000 for the segment near
The current importance of the Tulane-Broad intersection is confirmed by local traffic
to Texas; Tulane Avenue forms part of US61, which continues from New Orleans to Minnesota.
an additional identity as a US Highway. Broad Street forms part of US90, which runs from Florida
downtown New Orleans to other areas of the city, including many residential areas. Each road has
connecting disparate areas of the city. Tulane Avenue is an important conduit for traffic from
Broad Street and Tulane Avenue are both significant arterials within New Orleans,
Assessing the Existing Rights of Way
corridor.
bolster the identity of the area, gradually stimulating positive change throughout the Broad Street
particular, transforming that intersection into a roundabout will slow traffic on both roads and
important to reduce the capacity along Tulane Avenue around the intersection with Broad Street. In
can increase the level of activity in the area. In order to maximize the impact of improvements, it is
Transferring road space from car usage to pedestrian usage throughout the Broad Street corridor
residential area that will serve neighborhood residents and visitors from other areas of New Orleans.
for achieving the primary goal of the Main Streets Practicum: creating a vibrant commercial and
Interventions in the local street network of the Broad Street corridor are an important tool
Key Recommendations
TO:
FROM:
RE:
May 1, 2007
1
2
In order to compare the hourly capacities and daily volumes provided for Broad Street, a simple calculation was used:
Peak Hour Vehicles (PHV) = ADT x K x D. ADT is the average daily traffic count, K is the peak hour factor (the
fraction of vehicle traveling during the peak hour), and D is the directional split (the proportion of vehicles traveling in
the peak direction during the peak hour). Because data on directional splits and peak factors is not available, K is
assumed to be 0.10 and D is assumed to be 0.55. (The National Transportation Library of the Bureau of Transportation
Standards, The Bicycle Compatibility Index, http://ntl.bts.gov/DOCS/98095/data/data.html.)
2 See GoogleEarth and photographs taken by practicum participants.
3 “Overview of Neighborhood Traffic Management” (Chapter 2), State of the Art: Residential Traffic Management, FHWA,
1980. See http://www.ite.org/traffic/tcstate.htm#sartm.
of these tools are most often used in residential neighborhoods to increase safety for local residents.3
States, including the manipulation of road capacity and the installation of physical obstacles. Some
A wide variety of traffic calming techniques are currently in use throughout the United
Intervention Strategy
Tulane Avenue, it appears to have excess capacity as well and should be treated in a similar fashion.
corridor without impacting traffic flow. Although similar calculations could not be performed for
usage of the road.2 This analysis reveals that significant capacity could be removed from the
devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Daytime aerial and street-level photographs also confirm low
volume of 2,362; the capacity appears to have exceeded the demand by 93% even before the
higher traffic counts seen in 2004—42,951 daily vehicles near Tulane—only imply a peak hour
current hourly capacity of those six lanes is 4,559, exceeding the current usage by 136%.1 Even the
volume of 35,000 vehicles on Broad Street near Tulane implies a peak hour volume of 1,925; the
There is currently excess capacity on the roadways in this area. The current average daily
than around people. (See appendix below for a depiction of these exiting conditions.)
feet wide, with twelve feet devoted to sidewalks in each direction; it is designed around cars rather
travel lanes and one parking lane in each direction. Lacking a neutral ground, Tulane’s roadway is 80
ground) is approximately 95 feet. In the vicinity of Broad Street, Tulane Avenue itself has three
travel lanes and a parking lane. Near Tulane, the total width of Broad Street (including the neutral
corridor, Broad Street has three travel lanes in each direction. East of Lafitte, each direction has two
3
critical to implement changes to Tulane Avenue. The reduction of speeds and capacity along that
use and programmatic changes, it may not be sufficient to foster change in the area. In addition, it is
However, even when the reduction of capacity along Broad Street is paired with other land
roadway would produce an improved pedestrian environment throughout the zone.
feet wide; further narrowing of the lanes would not be appropriate.) These basic changes to the
the need for U-turns in order to turn left. (The current lanes on Broad Street are approximately nine
left-turn lane; the addition of the left-turn lane at select locations would prevent backups and obviate
roadway.) It would be reasonable to reduce the road to a single travel lane combined with a new
(The current capacity of 3,039 exceeds the estimated hourly throughput of 858 cars on the entire
can be extended to the eastern end of the road, which currently has two lanes in each direction.
road to two lanes as suggested by the practicum without causing increased congestion. Similar logic
of 4,559, while the estimated peak hour volume is only 1,952. It would be possible to reduce the
throughout the corridor. At the Tulane end of Broad Street, the current six lanes provide a capacity
Reductions in capacity would be easy to achieve because of current excess capacity
could be converted into wider sidewalks that could foster increased street life.
neighborhood and taking advantage of the existing green infrastructure. Alternatively, road space
would be to expand and improve the neutral ground, providing more usable green space in the
usage could be transferred to pedestrian use to create a more vibrant neighborhood. One option
experience of pedestrians walking along the street and crossing it. The capacity removed from car
lanes to four lanes. By removing excess capacity, car speeds could be lowered, improving the
The practicum has suggested reducing the capacity of Broad Street, near Tulane, from six
reduction in capacity throughout the corridor could achieve the stated goals.
thoroughfares like Broad Street and Tulane Avenue with regional significance. Rather, a general
Many of these interventions, like speed bumps and rumble strips, are not appropriate for significant
5
4
4
Because data about traffic flows became available at a late date, it was impossible to integrate it into the paper.
Because the lanes are currently nine feet wide, further reductions in lane width are not appropriate.
Beyond the reduction of road capacity, transforming the Tulane-Broad intersection into a
transformation of this corridor.
engender speed reductions that would improve the local pedestrian experience, stimulating the
capacity, but maintain significant flow by avoiding left-turn backups.5 Either alternative would
with left-turning lanes at selected points throughout the area. This would reduce the overall
six-lane road into a four-lane road. Alternatively, a full travel lane could be removed and replaced
affecting the corridor. An entire lane of capacity in each direction could be removed—converting a
along Tulane Avenue as well.4 Several alternatives could reduce the capacity without detrimentally
analysis, the significant excess of capacity along Broad Street suggests that a similar surplus may exist
Street itself. Although data regarding traffic flows along this corridor was not available for this
The reduction of capacity along Tulane Avenue would complement any changes to Broad
gradually change the character and activity of the entire Broad Street corridor.
bond brokers. This hub of activity is an appropriate location to begin interventions that can
the most intense activity. Related activities have grown in the vicinity, include a number of bail
county courthouse. The courthouse is the dominant physical form in the area and is the center of
Broad Street corridor. This node also contains the most notable landmark of the corridor: the
The intersection of Tulane Avenue and Broad Street is one of the primary gateways to the
Where Tulane Meets Broad: An Opening for Change
greatly increase the likelihood of a successful revitalization of the Broad Street corridor.
the area to visit an improved Broad Street. The changes to Tulane Avenue detailed below would
thoroughfare would slow vehicles as they pass through the area and encourages travelers through
6
5
Project for Public Spaces, http://www.pps.org/info/placemakingtools/casesforplaces/livememtraffic.
vitality of the Broad Street corridor as desired.
creation of a landmark roundabout at the intersection of Tulane and Broad—have increased the
determining whether the interventions proposed here—a general reduction of road capacity and the
ultimate success of the traffic calming measures proposed here, these measures are important in
to distill from other attempts to revitalize the neighborhood. Despite the difficulty in measuring the
economic activity would also respond to the proposed traffic calming efforts, but would be difficult
fostered increased pedestrian activity beyond changes to the road network. Other measures of
of the pedestrian environment; however, this measure could also reflect other interventions that
indirect measure, an increase in the number of pedestrians would indicate the successful activation
successful, the traffic will be slowed but the overall flow will not be significantly reduced. As an
and vehicular speeds through both Tulane Avenue and Broad Street. If the interventions are
observed changes to specific interventions. Direct measures should include the total vehicular flow
other interventions, it is important to develop criteria to evaluate this proposal that can trace
Given that the proposed interventions in the road network would likely be combined with
Evaluation and Conclusion
and bring people into the Broad Street corridor; it is depicted graphically in the appendix.
corridor. This intervention will reduce speeds along Tulane and Broad, expand the pedestrian realm
that drivers deviate from Tulane Avenue—accidentally or purposefully—to explore the Broad Street
presence of the adjacent courthouse. The creation of a roundabout would increase the likelihood
bolstering its identity. A small open space in the midst of the roundabout would also mirror the
Beyond traffic calming, a roundabout would be a visible marker of the Broad Street corridor,
forcing drivers to deviate from the straight-line path and to drive carefully through the circle.
roundabout (traffic circle) could best fulfill the project goals.6 A roundabout reduces speeds by
PROPOSED INTERVENTION
EXISTING CONDITIONS
6
APPENDIX: TULANE AVENUE-BROAD STREET INTERSECTION
Suggestions for creating integrated improvements in transportation and land use along the Broad Street corridor
Pippa Brashear
MIT 11.526: Comparative Land Use and Transportation Planning
Assignment IV: Context Sensitive Interventions in New Orleans
Due: 11:00am Tuesday, May 1, 2007
A brief assessment of the existing right of way on Broad Street:
Fig. 1: Broad Street in Context:
When taken in its context, Broad Street presents a difficult condition
for analysis. The impact of Katrina on New Orleans as a whole still
makes it difficult to predict how the number and distribution of
residents and visitors in the city will change in the coming years. It is
important to keep in mind that such city-wide changes and even the
changes at a neighborhood scale to those locations adjacent to Broad
Street will have a large impact on not only the land use, but also the
traffic volumes and patterns on Broad Street.
Given the data provided, Broad Street has significantly more capacity
than the volume that currently travels on it. Aside from the Tulane
area, neither the two and three lane segments of North Broad Street
would exceed capacity if the entire daily traffic flow occurred within
an extended rush hour period (7-10am and 4-7pm). There also appears
to be significantly more traffic at the Tulane Ave. end of North Broad
Street. This is likely due to the proximity to highway 10 and perhaps
the intersection with Canal Street, which appears to be a more active
corridor than Broad Street itself. The current land use is listed primarily
as commercial, but the plan provided, as well of the photographs of
existing transit routes that cross Broad Street
Lafitte corridor, a strong potential greenspace and pedestrain connection
Fig. 2: Transit & Greenspace Corridors on Broad Street
the corridor, indicate that much of the street-front property is vacant
or in disrepair. This state of disrepair includes the transportation
infrastructure; photos show lots of cracked pavement on roads and
sidewalks. If there is a desire for traffic to return to pre-Katrina levels,
much will have to be done in order to create land uses and spaces
that are destinations. And, if this level of traffic is to be supported,
then there will clearly be a need for investment in transportation
1
infrastructure and streetscape improvements.
encourage them to drive in a manner that better accommodated other
modes.
What interventions undertaken and where they are used will depend
on the plans for the corridor. A clear explication of the goals and
A first step in deciding which traffic interventions to pursue is
objectives for the overall plan for the Broad Street corridor will drive
clarifying the character and activities desired for each segment. A
the transportation interventions selected.
hierarchy of modes will need to be established along the corridor.
For instance, the Tulane intersection will likely be more auto oriented
Proposed traffic calming/context sensitive interventions.
to facilitate smooth transfer from busy street to busy street and to
Given the stated goals of the practicum, and the current state
capitalize on the potential service to this more auto-accessible section
of North Broad Street, any design for the corridor needs to
of the street. On the other hand, the Lafitte intersection, especially
accommodate the coexistence of various modes of travel. There
with the establishment of the greenway will need to be much more
is a desire to create a pedestrian friendly environment in order to
pedestrian and bike oriented. Interventions should reinforce the
encourage lively street life. Thus, we want to decrease driving speeds
desired modal hierarchy for any given stretch of street. This is also
and cut back on through traffic. However, as stimulating economic
likely to increase driver attentiveness on the corridor as a whole by
development and increasing visitors and residents in the area is a
primary goal, we are not trying to cut back auto trips to the area.
Traffic calming measures should not discourage motorists, but rather
Fig. 3: Proposed “traffic zoning” on Broad Street
2
creating a varied streetscape rather than a uniform corridor along
physical environment, such as lane narrowing, diagonal parking, shifts
North Broad Street. The diagram below indicates a possible division
in paving materials, planted medians and roadsides, can do a much
of zones along the corridor into three categories: an auto-oriented
better job of changing drivers speed and behavior. The decrease
zone (highlighted in red) where the primary aim is the efficient
in design speed and road width should occur right at Tulane Ave.
and safe movement of autos and attracting drivers to activities on
People entering from Tulane Ave. or from Highway 10 are already
Broad Street; a middle zone (highlighted in yellow) where autos are
going through a transition by exiting one road and entering another.
balanced with pedestrians and an emphasis is placed on facilitating
They are likely to be more alert to signs indicating changes in speed
the visibility and access to the transit stops, particularly on the cross
or road width and thus more apt to follow them. The viability of this
streets. Visible on street parking, a variety of land uses and varied
suggestion is bolstered by the fact that Broad street south of Tulane
street facades should be used to encourage increased pedestrian use
Ave. (at least south of Highway 10 is only 2 lanes in each direction.
and raise driver attentiveness. Cost effective calming measures can
be emphasized on this area. Finally, the largest investment in traffic
Scale is an important thing to keep in mind in selecting traffic
calming measures should be used to enforce a pedestrian core where
calming interventions for Broad Street. While wide boulevards are
access to the area by alternative modes is emphasized (pedestrian
nice, without the bustle of activity, they are perceived much like the
and bike). It is also an opportunity to develop the streetscape as
open road; drivers tend to speed and pedestrians are reluctant to
a destination, through linking transportation improvements with
cross the roadway. A number of interventions can be undertaken to
the development of public open space. Encouraging the use and
reduce the width of the traveled roadway. The first is lane closure;
increasing the visibility of alternative transit modes could help
there is no reason for any of the street to need three through travel
encourage visits to the area, but shift the mode share away from
lanes in each direction. There are only two lanes in each direction to
autos.
the north and to the south, and traffic volumes do not appear to be
anywhere near high enough to require this extra lane. Even beyond
The current 35mph design speed gives definite priority to motorists.
this particular segment, much of the street right of way is wide
In order to shift this to situation where priority is shared between
enough to accommodate two lanes of through traffic a bike lane, and
pedestrians and motorist, design speeds between 20 and 30 mph
parking which can be swapped for a turn lane in a number of places.
should be selected, and lowered to 20mph or below where distinct
The turn lane is an addition not to be under-estimated; turning lanes
priority is meant to be given to the pedestrian over the driver.1 Shifts
encourage drivers to take turns more slowly and can actually yield
in speed and transitions in modal priority should be signaled with
shorter pedestrian crossing distances in some cases by reducing
visible indicators. While signs can be helpful, often changes in the
the necessary curb radius at the corner. While we tend to focus on
1 SeeTraffic Calming: State of the Practice. Chapter 9: beyond residential Traffic Calming, Table
9.1.
3
the horizontal width of the road, the vertical dimension is important
investment and interest in the area. Integrating the physical design of
as well. Drivers’ and pedestrians’ perception of horizontal distance
a “destination place” such as a park, with traffic calming measures
is influenced by the height to width ratio of objects adjacent to
can yield a successful project. From a designer’s perspective, I often
the roadway. Thus, land use incentives that encourage street-front
look to the work of the landscape architect Walter Hood, who has
development, higher FAR, or smaller setbacks may actually help
dealt with a combination of traffic-calming and revitalization issues
reduce traffic speeds.
in many of the projects he takes on. In discussion his work, Hood
has said, “It’s time for us to take it back, to allow the automobile to
Taking the Lafitte corridor crossing as an example some of these
function but also allow people to meet on the street … I want to see
broader recommendations have been translated into specific
a more equitable distribution of people and cars. Streets are not one-
interventions. With the proposed conversion of Lafitte corridor to a
dimensional; they are not just about cars.”2 This is essentially what is
greenway, this intersection has potential for becoming pedestrian
trying to be achieved on Broad Street. In order for this to happen, how
core for the street. The corridor could connect the downtown and
traffic (by all modes) is managed will be key.
French Quarter, to the south, with City Park, to the northeast (see
maps on p.1). There is also a large amount of vacant land, parking
A diagrammatic plan of this segment of the street corridor with
lots, and a number of underutilized lots within one to two blocks
suggested interventions is shown on the next page. Key interventions
of the Broad Street—Lafitte intersection. It is possible that the
are:
improvement of streetscape and recreation amenities could generate
raised crossings: in addition keeping a smooth grade along the
greenway for cyclists, etc. this gives the greenway corridor and
its users priority at the intersection, signaling to drivers that they
need yield to the non-motorized users.3
Combination of on street and median parking: serving almost
as a “perceptual chicane” the combination of curbside parallel
parking and angled median parking forces drivers to be attentive
to both sides of the roadway; creating a lateral shif in attention
rather than a physical shift.
“neckdowns”: extending the sidewalk at intersection reduces
2 Owens-viani, Lisa, “Building on Street Energy,” Landscape Architecture, April, 2002. p. 93.
3 See SeeTraffic Calming: State of the Practice. Chapter 3: Traffic Calming Measures, p. 33 & 44
Fig. 4: Poplar St, Macon, GA. Project by Hood Designs
Image from: http://www.wjhooddesign.com/project-macon-f.swf
4
crossing distance for pedestrians and can also be used to slow
Because to project will seek to balance modes and use traffic
down turning drivers by decreasing the turning radius of the
calming to acheive other benefits (economic development, increase
corner.4
occupancy, etc.) it needs to be evaluated along those lines. Traffic
It is important that the physical design and placement of interventions
calming is not done for the sake of traffic calming itself; it is a means
be made a noticeable to drivers. The treatment of intersections should
to an end. Evaluation of the project should include such measures as:
be used to mark transitions between a less to more pedestrianized
increases in trips to the area by both car and transit, pedestrain
zone. This can be done through the use of the measures above, but
counts, change in vacancy rates, and private investment in new
should also include aspects of design (plantings, sculpture, use of
development.
color) that call attention to the intersection as a gateway between
traffic zones.
4
Ibid. p. 39-40, 51.
active median space
parallel parking
articulated bus stops
angled median parking
B
B
B
B
neckdowns
bike lanes
turn lanes
raised crosswalks
5
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II. Use flexible and cheap methods of road configuration, such as planter tubs
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3FEVDJOHQBWFNFOUDBQBDJUZGSFFTVQTQBDFGPSBWBSJFUZPGPUIFSVTFT5IFGPMMPXJOH
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I. Reallocate capacity to non-movement uses
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I. Limit traffic speeds
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5IFFYJTUJOHCSJDLSPBETVSGBDFJTBIVHFBTTFUUPBRVBMJUZTUSFFUTDBQFJODPNQBSJTPOUPUIF
III. Take advantage of the brick surface’s lower speed potential
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… $SFBUFDIJDBOFTVTJOHQBSLJOHPSQMBOUFSTQSFWFOUJOHESJWFSTGSPNSBDJOHCFUXFFO
JOUFSTFDUJPOT
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"MMSPBENBSLJOHTTIPVMECFSFNPWFEDSFBUJOHB²OBLFETUSFFU³XIFSFSJHIUTPGXBZBOE
II. Use ‘naked street’ interventions to encourage use by drivers and pedestrians alike
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RVBOUJUBUJWFEBUBUPJOGPSNUIFEFTJHOTXJMMBMMPXDPNQBSJTPOPGTIPSUUFSNFWBMVBUJPOTDIFNFT
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:ej^[i[_dj[hl[dj_edicWa[WZ_\\[h[dY[5
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5IFOFVUSBMHSPVOEQSPWJEFTPQQPSUVOJUJFTBMPOHUIFTFDUJPOPG#SPBE4USFFUJOUIF#BZPV
IV. Connect with the neutral ground
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6SCBOBOE3FHJPOBM%FWFMPQNFOUFWJEFODFPGUIFSBOHFPGQSBDUJDFTJOEJGGFSFOU
TUBUFT
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USBG¾DWPMVNFBOETQFFET
APPENDIX 5
NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT
New Orleans Allocatees
N M T C Awardees Targeting New Orleans
Applicant
Advantage Capital
Community
Development Fund, LLC
Merrill Lynch
Community
Development Company
MK La Charitable
Healthcare Facilities
Fund, LLC
Empowerment
Reinvestment Fund,
LLC
Enhanced Delta
Community
Development, LLC $
Hqs
N.O.
Award
Focus
Assistance
Svc. Area
Provide incentives for businesses to locate (or in some
cases relocate) to these devastated communities. To attract
Equity and debt investments in
businesses to the region and to help those already there,
entrepreneurial businesses that are
$70 M
loans will be priced with interest rates that are 200-400 basis
not adequately served by traditional
points lower than typical market rates, and equity
capital providers
investments will be priced with lower than market hurdle
rates
AL, LA,
MS, TX
Contact
Michael T Johnson, (504)
522-4850,
mjohnson@advantagecap
.com
New York, NY
1) Provide equity investments and
senior and subordinated loan
$93 M products; 2) Purchase loan
portfolios; and 3) Offer technical
expertise and financial structuring
Long-term risk capital in the form of equity
or debt with equity features, make loans at interest rates
significantly below market rates and with reduced up-front
fees, and develop products with relaxed underwriting
standards
NY, LA, Jill H. Edwards, (212) 449CA, MS, 1034,
NJ, PA, UT [email protected]
New York, NY
1) large scale job creation; 2) small
business development; and 3)
$40 M
institutions serving minority
customers.
Offer a broad array of flexible/nontraditional products,
including: equity, equity-equivalents, debt with equity
features, subordinated debt, below market interest rates,
reduced or eliminated origination fees, higher
loan-to-value ratios, lower debt service coverage ratios,
longer interest-only periods, and longer amortizations
AL, NY,
Kenneth S Brezenoff,
TN, LA,
(212) 473-0255,
OH, CA,
[email protected]
MS
N.O.
More flexible and non-traditional
forms of equity and debt
$25 M financing and provide technical
assistance to entrepreneurs and
businesses
Jefferson,
Orleans,
Offer loans of up to 25% below current market rates, and
Plaquemin
equity investments with returns up to 25% lower than EDCD
es, St.
current standards
Bernard
parish
Appendices
Michael A.G. Korengold,
(504) 569-7900,
mkorengold@enhancedca
p.com
Applicant
National Tribal
Development
Association
CCG Community
Partners, LLC
Enterprise Corporation
of the Delta ESIC New
Markets Partners, LP
Greystone CDE, LLC
Hibernia Community
Renewal Fund, LLC
Capital Link, Inc.
Hqs
Award
Focus
Box Elder, MT
Provides credit outreach services,
capital attraction and economic
development support for the
residents of 258 different Tribal
$30 M
entities to attract needed capital for
business development in L.A.'s
Houma Nation and M.S.'s Choctaw
communities
Princeton, NJ
Equity investments and mezzanine
loans for commercial real estate
$43 M
developments in urban core and
industrial areas
Jackson, MS
$15 M,
$105 M
Warrenton, VA
$35 M,
$100 M
Boston, MA
Financing for permanent commercial
mortgages to facilitate construction
lending, fixed assets and working
capital; targeting specific sectors
redeveloping infrastructure,
healthcare,
childcare, and residential housing
construction
Provides working capital,
construction and permanent
financing for developers and end
users of high-impact projects,
including HOPE VI and brownfield
projects
Financing to Community Health
centers. NMTCs will finance capital
projects, (i.e.new construction,
$15 M
expansion, rehab of existing health
center facilities and major equipment
purchases
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Assistance
Svc. Area
Contact
Provide equity investments and flexible debt products that
will create tribal ownership opportunities, jobs and wealth
creation for low-income Native American
communities
BillieAnne Rainingbird
AL, LA, MS Morsette, (406) 395-4095,
[email protected]
Offer more flexible and/or non-traditional terms and
conditions, including subordinated and senior debt with
interest rates 25% below market, lower than
standard origination fees, and longer interest-only payment
periods
Paul M Hoffman, (310)
335-2040,
Al, LA, MS
[email protected]
m
Allow for reduced interest rates and longer term financing
Loans with interest rates up to 400 basis points below
market) virtually unavailable in the marketplace for
borrowers and investees without access to sufficient
financing from conventional sources
LA, MS
Reed L. Branson, (601)
944-4172,
[email protected]
Matthew N James, (212)
AL, LA, MS 649-9700,
[email protected]
Offer senior and subordinated debt products with flexible
and non-traditional terms and conditions, which in turn will
Allison R. Coleman, (617)
lower the cost of capital for health center projects and
Al, LA, MS 422-0350,
accelerate the expansion of medical capacity in low-income
[email protected]
communities
Applicant
American Community
Renewable Energy
Fund, LLC
Chevron NMTC Fund,
LLC
Assistance
Svc. Area
Award
N.O.
Flexible financing to help businesses
rebuild and restart; focusing on
Clifford M Kenwood, (225)
Offer flexible underwriting standards and significantly lower$42 M renewable energy, agricultural biz
Al, LA, MS 278-6388,
cost financing to its borrowers
which will help to diversify Gulf
[email protected]
Coast economy
Equity investments in real estate
developments that qualify for both
the historic rehabilitation tax credit
(HTC) and new markets tax credit Terms offered by the CNF will be significantly better than
San Francisco, CA $50 M (NMTC). These projects will
standard debt financing and non-tax advantaged equity
encompass a varied mix of building investments
types (i.e. hotels, office space, retail,
light industrial and mixed-use
buildings
National Cities Fund,
LLC
New Orleans, LA
Chase New Markets
Corporation
New York, NY
Liberty Bank and Trust
Company Local
Initiatives Support
Corporation
Focus
Hqs
Baton Rouge, LA
Contact
John H Medinger, (415)
733-4584,
AL, LA, MS
[email protected]
om
Provide equity and subordinate debt financing at
significantly reduced rates, allowing for projects to support
Selim Berkol, (504) 669AL, LA, MS
larger loans and reducing the equity requirement to projects
2637, [email protected]
(including for-sale housing)
Offer products with a variety of more flexible and nontraditional terms and conditions, including: subordinated
Provide subordinated and senior
debt and senior debt with interest rates up to 250 bps below
debt products to small and middle
Matthew Reilein, (312)
standard for businesses and real estate
market businesses, commercial real
336-5054,
$50 M
development and up to 500 bps below standard for CDFIs AL, LA, MS
estate ventures, community-based
matthew.r.reilein@jpmcha
and CDEs; lower origination fees; longer interest only
facilities, and
se.com
periods and amortizations; higher loan to value ratios; lower
CDFIs/CDEs
debt service coverage ratios, and more flexible credit
standards
Create the Greater New Orleans
Rates and terms customized to meet individual business
Julius E. Kimbrough,
Jefferson,
$60 M, Renewal Fund, which will provide
needs, and include: interest rates significantly below market,
(225) 775-8914,
Orleans
$140 M capital to real estate and non-real
higher than standard loan-to-value, longer amortization, and
[email protected]
parish
estate business
equity products
m
Finance new construction or
$75 M
adaptive reuse of historic buildings
Appendices
Applicant
MBS Urban Initiatives
CDE, LLC
National New Markets
Fund, LLC
National Trust
Community Investment
Corporation
Hqs
Award
St. Louis, MO
Focus
Assistance
Svc. Area
Contact
Provide gap financing to real estate Combines tax credits with local government and/or
AZ, LA, Jonathan Goldstein, (314)
projects, such as mixed use
philanthropic sources to provide a combination of debt and
D.C., TN, 335-2740,
$60 M commercial and housing projects, for- equity products. Its mini-perm debt financing will carry a rate
CA, PA, jonathan.goldstein@mcco
sale housing and community
of up to 500 basis points below market, 7-year interest only
PN
rmackbaron.com
facilities.
and up to 100% loan-to-value.
Los Angeles, CA
Catalytic real estate development
investments in severely
economically distressed and
Offer a number of below-market financing options that
Deborah J La Franchi,
chronically underserved areas. Will its past funds have not been able to provide – including
$25 M
AL, LA, MS (310) 914-5333,
focus on mixed-use
equity financing in the low-teens and mezzanine financing at
[email protected]
developments, commercial/industrial, least 25% below prevailing market rates
community facilities and servicerelated properties
Washington, D.C.
Provide equity and equity-like loans
to rehabilitate strategic vacant
properties for
$53 M reuse as office, retail, mixed-use,
community and cultural facilities
space in local economic
development districts
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
Combines the subsidy value of the federal rehabilitation tax
credits (RTCs) with the NMTC by investing in older and
AL, LA,
designated landmark properties. The NMTC allocation will
MS, TX,
enable NTCIC to provide 30-50% more capital to real estate
NC, CA, MI
projects in economic development areas than it offers
through the rehabilitation tax credits alone
Jennifer Westerbeck,
(202) 588-6374,
jennifer_westerbeck@nth
p.or
Appendices
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
ADDENDUM
Since completing the final draft of the
Broad Connections plan in June of 2007,
several development proposals have
been proposed, many of which will have a
dramatic effect on the Broad Street Corridor.
This Appendix is an attempt to compile and
briefly assess the potential impacts of these
projects as the neighborhood stakeholders
move forward with their plans to create a
vibrant commercial corridor on Broad. Not
here included in this Addendum are the
several small businesses which have also
opened or reopened on Broad Street since
June.
The updates accounted for in this Appendix
are divided into the following sections:
•
Significant Projects
•
Office of Recovery Management
identified projects
•
NMTC 2007 GOZone CDFI Allocatees
1
SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS
The following projects have been announced
or are moving forward in the intervening
months since the spring of 2007:
•
Joint VA-Charity hospital
•
Self-storage on the former Robert’s site
•
Justice and Courts complex
•
Revised LIFT movie studio
•
Laffite housing development
•
Friends of Lafitte Greenway
•
Victory development
1 The currently-defunct Robert’s site has been
purchased by a developer who intends to create a
self-storage facility. Neighborhood advocates secured
a commitment by the developer to build out space for
a business incubator on-site, as well as the right to use
the site to hold a monthly green market.
Addendum | Fall 2007
a
Large Projects Moving Forward
The two proposed projects with the greatest
potential impact on the Broad Street Corridor
are the joint VA-Charity hospital complex
and the redevelopment of the former
Robert’s site into a Self-Storage facility. The
joint VA-Charity hospital began moving
forward in earnest when the Veterans
Administration announced its preferred site
to be downtown New Orleans on 21 August
2007. The VA hospital will sit on a 34-acre
parcel bounded by S Rocheblave, Tulane,
Canal, and S Galvez, directly across Galvez
from the new Charity hospital site, which
will be situated on the 37 acres between
S Galvez, Tulane, Canal, and Claiborne. In
addition to potentially creating tens of
thousands of jobs in the area, the hospitals
will also be a significant physical presence
within two blocks of the Broad Street
Corridor, thereby heightening the potential
for complementary and ancillary services to
locate on Broad.
1
1 The proposed site for a new, $2B joint Veterans
Administration-Charity hospital will bring the
biomedical complex to the Broad Street Corridor. The
borders of the hospital site are S Rocheblave, Tulane,
Canal, and Claiborne.
2 This is a preliminary rendering of the joint VA-Charity
hospital. Note that the actual site of the hospitals
is going to be much larger than in this image; the
Charity/LSU hospital is going to be on this site, bordered
by Galvez, Tulane, Canal, and Claiborne, while the
VA hospital will be across Galvez, extending up to
S Rocheblave between Tulane and Canal. The two
hospitals will still reap economies of scale by sharing
laundry, laboratory, and other facilities.
b
On a smaller scale--but perhaps no less
significant for the vibrancy of the Broad
Street Corridor--a developer has purchased
the former Robert’s site with the intention
of creating a self-storage complex. While
returning such a large parcel back to
commerce is important in its own right,
neighborhood stakeholders have increased
the value of the project by securing space
2
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
for both a small business incubator as well
as a monthly green market on the site’s
parking lot. Following on the footsteps of
the Freret Street neighborhood’s successful
creation of their own monthly green market,
the Broad Street Corridor stakeholders have
an opportunity to pursue funding for such
a market through the Office of Recovery
Management and other sources. The Project
Team expects that both the green market as
well as the incubator will have lasting value
for the community.
Other Projects
Lastly, several other projects have been
tentatively announced or have continued
to develop which, because of their potential
impact on the Broad Street Corridor, deserve
to be here mentioned. Most controversially,
the Office of Recovery Management has
announced that it is exploring the potential
of combining the Civil and Criminal Courts,
as well as the prison, forensics and other
labs, and evidence rooms into a state-ofthe-art complex modeled after Orlando’s
justice complex. Such a plan has proven
to be immediately controversial with New
Orleans’ legal community; the New Orleans
Bar Association strongly disapproves of the
prospect of moving the Civil Courts out of the
Central Businesses district, both because the
proximity of the courts to legal offices is of
paramount concern to the legal community,
and because of the potentially depressing
1
1 This is a preliminary rendering of the Office of
Recovery Management’s proposed Justice Complex,
located at the corner of Broad and Tulane. The new
buildings are designed to to replace many of the
structures at the current Criminal Courthouse. The
proposal seeks to combine the Civil and Municipal
Courthouses into a single site that also would include
state-of-the-art forensics labs, evidence rooms, prisons,
and other justice-oriented facilities. The New Orleans
Bar Association has been very vocal in speaking out
against moving the Civil Courthouse out of the Central
Business District.
2
Addendum | Fall 2007
2 This graphic appeared in the Times-Picayune on
6 November 2007, depicting the proposed Justice
Complex Master Plan. The accompanying article
outlined the steep financial and legal community
opposition to the project, despite the Mayor’s Office of
Recovery Management support.
c
effect on Class A office space in the CBD.
Broad Street stakeholders should think of
the larger, citywide context before taking a
position on the proposed justice complex.
Both the LIFT movie studio project as well
as the Lafitte housing development projects
have apparently survived the various legal
impediments laid at their feet, and are both
moving forward for the time being. LIFT will
probably be a smaller project as a result of
its trouble, but the two developments have
the potential to catalyze the socioeconomic
development of Broad.
1 This Times-Picayune article (continues to next page)
was published on 13 September 2007, and outlines
the preliminary Office of Recovery Management list of
projects to be funded in the Target Areas. Here, Broad
Street projects are identified, including the Lafitte
Greenway.
d
Lastly, the Friends of the Lafitte Corridor
have rebranded themselves as the Friends
of the Lafitte Greenway, and continue to
actively pursue the creation of a premier
urban greenway connecting the French
Quarter and City Park. Similarly, Victory Real
Estate Investments continues to pursue
its large development between Jefferson
Davis Parkway and Carrollton. Each of these
can have significant positive externalities
for Broad Street, but Victory especially has
the potential to draw commercial activity
away from Broad. Broad Street stakeholders
should continue to work closely with both
projects in order to make the Broad Street
vision a reality.
1
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
OFFICE OF RECOVERY MANAGEMENT
TARGET AREA PROJECTS
On 13 September 2007, the Mayor’s Office of
Recovery Managemt released a preliminary
matrix identifying those projects in which it
expected to invest in the already-identified
Target Areas. While the project list is neither
written-in-stone nor fully-funded, the Broad
Street partners should use the list as the
beginning of a conversation with the ORM.
Broad stakeholders should be proactive
about promoting those projects on the list
that they support, and they should let the
ORM know what projects are either missing
or which they do not support.
List of Projects
The ORM’s list of projects includes the
following for Broad Street. Dollar figures are
the expected public and private financial
commitments to complete each project.
Broad Street and Lafitte Greenway Target Area
•
Design and construct Lafitte Greenway
($2.5M)
•
Restore or relocate Broad Street fuel
station
•
Option A: Restore ($12,000)
•
Option B: Relocate ($1M)
•
Screen or relocate public facilities within
greenway
•
Option A: Screen ($25,000)
•
Option B: Relocate ($500,000)
1
Addendum | Fall 2007
1 Continuation of the ORM’s preliminary project list,
with the Bayou Road projects enumerated.
e
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1
•
•
•
•
1+2 The General Laundry Building is a rare example of
Aztec Art Deco architecture from the early part of the
20th century. The Project Team agrees with the ORM
that the building is a prime candidate for renovation
into artist live-work spaces. The site backs up to the
Lafitte Greenway, thereby providing a venue for public
art, and it is lcoated one block off both Broad Street and
Orleans Avenue. The site is also adjacent to the historic
Carver Theater as well as the soon-to-be redeveloped
Lafitte housing development. Because it is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places, it is eligible for
Historic Tax Credits, amongst other financial incentives.
3 ArtSpace, a non-profit real estate developer for the
arts based out of Minneapolis, has expressed interest
in working with the city and with local stakeholders
to explore the possibility of redeveloping the General
Laundry Building into artist live-work spaces. Broad
Street stakeholders should look to entities such as
ArtSpace in order to fulfill their vision of the Broad
Street Corridor.
f
Bank vacant and unoccupied properties
($1.4M)
New supermarket at former Robert’s
($10M)
Lafitte housing redevelopment ($422M)
Minor street repairs ($600,000)
Major street repairs ($750,000)
Streetscape improvements ($600,000)
Small business assistance ($500,000)
Facade improvements ($300,000)
LIFT ($185M)
Landbanking in 2500 block of Orleans
and St. Peter ($650,000)
Acquire Phillis J Wheatley school ($7.7M)
Build recreation on greenway ($1M)
Restore historic Carver Theater ($12.5M)
Convert General Laundry Building into
artist live-work space ($1.5M)
Bayou Road--Broad Street Cultural Corridor
•
Bayou Road streetscape enhancement
($1M)
•
Small business assistance ($200,000)
•
Facade improvement grants ($100,000)
•
Historic market building ($750,000)
•
Community center at Covenant
Presbyterian Church on Esplanade ($1M)
2
NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT
GOZone legislation dictated that $600M
in New Markets Tax Credits be available for
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, on top
of what has already been allocated since the
3
BROAD
CONNECTIONS
program began. New Orleans has one of
the largest NMTC allocations of any major
city in the United States, and Broad Street
stakeholders should be proactive about
meeting with the local CDFIs responsible for
securing equity investments in NMTC-eligible
projects in order to fund priority projects in
the Broad Street Corridor.
See the following page for a listing of the
NMTC CDFI Allocatees and their contact
information.
Name of Allocatee
Headquarters
Service Area/
Markets
Allocated Amount (for 2007)
Predominant Financing Activity Contact
Advantage Capital Community
Development Fund
New Orleans, LA
Multistate (MS,
LA, AL)
$28,000,000
Business Financing
Michael T Johnson
(504) 522-4850
[email protected]
American Community Renewable
Energy Fund
New Orleans, LA
Multistate (MS,
LA, AL)
$30,000,000
Business Financing
Clifford M Kenwood
(504) 891-3118
[email protected]
Capital One Community Renewal
Fund
New Orleans, LA
LA
$60,000,000
Real Estate Financing: Retail
Sabrina Ciccarello
(703) 720-3243
[email protected]
CCG Community Partners, LLC
Princeton, NJ
Multistate (MS,
LA, AL)
$40,000,000
Real Estate Financing: Mixed Use
(Housing + Commercial)
Paul M Hoffman
(310) 335-2040
[email protected]
Community Development Funding,
LLC
Columbia, MD
Multistate (MS,
LA, AL)
$12,000,000
Real Estate Financing: Community Craig W Stanley
Facilities
(410) 730-0490
[email protected]
HFHI-SA NTMC I, LLC
[Habitat for Humanity]
St. Louis, MO
Multistate (MS,
LA, AL)
$25,000,000
Real Estate Financing: For-sale
Housing
Donna A Smith
(314) 432-7858
[email protected]
Home Depot New Markets Corp.
Washington, DC
Multistate (MS,
LA, AL)
$25,000,000
Business Financing
Sarah Price
(202) 742-4464
[email protected]
National Trust Community Develop- Washington, DC
ment Corporation
Multistate (MS,
LA, AL)
$60,000,000
Real Estate Financing: Community Corinne J Ingrassia
Facilities
(202) 588-6279
[email protected]
Whitney New Markets Fund, LLC
Multistate (MS,
LA, AL)
$50,000,000
Real Estate Financing: For-sale
Housing
New Orleans, LA
M Cleland Powell
(504) 586-7207
[email protected]
1
Addendum | Fall 2007
1 2007 New Markets Tax Credit Allocatees. New
Orleans-based Community Development Financial
Institutions received a large share of the total 2007
NMTC allocations as a result of GOZone legislation.
Broad Street and other local stakeholders should be
proactive about pursuing NMTC equity in Broad Street
projects.
g
h
BROAD
CONNECTIONS