The Urban Conservancy News Roundup

GOOD idea: Most Americans Want More Walkable Communities

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:09:19 -0600

As our finances, families, and futures shift, so do our attitudes toward our communities. Based on a 2011 survey of over 2,000 Americans conducted by Belden Russonello and Stewart LLC, more Americans agree that their ideal community would include mixed use neighborhoods that have amenities like shops, groceries, and parks within walking distance or a short drive, as opposed to the sprawling kind of development witnessed in the past.

Pop Up Restaurant, Pop Up Art Market, Pop Up Neighborhood?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:52:01 -0600

Every city has them: struggling neighborhoods whose main boulevards and avenues have more “Closed for Business” signs than open doors. How can one combat this sort of storied and unfortunate blight? The answer is, possibly, that ONE cannot, but that together, MANY can. Such is the idea behind Oakland-based experiment Popuphood, where a group of like-minded or complementary businesses simultaneously move into a few blocks of space (rent-free for six months) to increase a boom in talk, traffic, awareness, and fresh faces to areas that need them most.

Louisiana Coastal Restoration: The Future is Now

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:34:45 -0600

On January 12, 2012 Louisiana state officials released a $50 billion, 50-year master plan to rebuild land lost due to erosion and protect coastal communities from future storm surges. The 50-year strategy is outlined in the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s plan update. Ambitious in scope, the plan takes into account funds that “the state is reasonably sure it will receive.” Although a monumental undertaking, restoring lost coastal wetlands and marshes is integral to maintaining a healthy coastline and community.

New Streetcar Line Only to Run Along N. Rampart to Elysian Fields... For Now

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:25:24 -0600

Plans to bring the iconic New Orleans streetcar to neighborhoods surrounding the St. Claude Corridor have been scaled back due to lack of finances. The previously proposed line was initially slated to reach Press Street, with the hope that it would someday extend to Poland Avenue. As it stands, the streetcar to be installed presently will connect with the existing Canal Street line, run along N. Rampart Street to St. Claude Avenue, and terminate at Elysian Fields Avenue. RTA and city officials are hopeful that the project will receive additional funding from various state and national grants, which will be used to extend the line further along the St. Claude Corridor. The extension of streetcar lines throughout the city will benefit local businesses and communities as their visibility and accessibility increase.

One Path to Better Jobs: More Density in Cities

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:54:14 -0600

Density isn’t a magic elixir. Density simply facilitates interaction. Interactions translate into wealth when a population is educated and local institutions support private enterprise and entrepreneurship.

The Inside Track on New York City's High Line

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 15:35:40 -0600

Today, the High Line is one of Manhattan’s most popular public spaces: a mile-long, modern, high-concept park built on the old railroad track. In the 10 months after it opened in 2009, it drew 2 million visitors and — in a rare ratio for a public space in New York — about half were tourists. Half were native New Yorkers.

Whole Foods Requests Don't Suit Tastes of New Orleans Planning Commission

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:23:12 -0600

More than a dozen neighbors spoke in opposition to the requests, citing noise from deliveries and other store activities, alleged damage to streets and buildings from the large trucks, a shortage of neighborhood parking and other problems.

LSU, Tulane receive federal grant money to study oil spill health effects

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:00:37 -0600

Louisiana State University and Tulane University are among four Gulf Coast universities to share a $25.2 million, five-year federal grant to study various health effects from the 2010 oil spill and subsequent cleanup, with a focus on women and children.

Greater New Orleans Region to Develop Sustainable Integrated Water Management Strategy

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:09:22 -0600

“It is critical that the Greater New Orleans region has a comprehensive water management plan that can mitigate risk while enhancing economic opportunities and improving the quality of life for our citizens,” said Senator Mary Landrieu. “We are fortunate to have a dream team in place to do this important work. Waggonner & Ball has extensive expertise in water management gleaned from projects that span the globe, and GNO, Inc. is uniquely positioned to manage the process efficiently.”

The End of the Road: Saying Goodbye to Freeways

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:37:31 -0600

Now, taking down freeways has gone mainstream. Cities as diverse as New Haven, New Orleans and Seattle are either doing it or talking about it. The chief motivation seems to be money. “Listen to the story here.”:Download file

Design Questions Dominate Town Hall with Developers of Possible Walgreens on Magazine

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:44:29 -0600

Walgreens executives have yet to commit to the Magazine Street project (which would include closing their location on Tchoupitoulas), said developer Louis Stirling Properties, but appear to be the tenant most likely to be able to pay the building’s $600,000 lease. Stirling’s plan for the building includes removing its brick front completely and replacing it with a glass wall with steel columns — not unlike nearby Whole Foods — and many residents asked why such a modern design was chosen.

Controversy Surrounding New Romney Pilates Studio on Magazine Street May Pave the Way for Reforms in City Planning, Permitting

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:33:27 -0600

One major area of questions that emerged with the debate over the Romney Pilates building is the veracity of information presented to public bodies as they make decisions and how to ensure that applicants’ plans stay within the spirit of what was permitted.

Construction of Huge Romney Pilates Center on Magazine Street Has Neighbors in an Uproar

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:50:21 -0600

Those in the neighborhood say such statements are blatant misrepresentation, and the board was duped. The class schedule and list of teachers on the Romney website prove that more than four people at a time will be in the building, elevating the need for more parking, they say. And the picture that was shown to the board depicts a much lower-profile two-story building than what has sprouted on Magazine Street.

New Orleans Gets Table Scrap in GO Zone Lending Feast

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:05:56 -0600

Though the program was intended to generate recovery and jobs in the areas most affected by the storm, analysis of Louisiana lending shows that the prime beneficiaries are far from the primary disaster areas.

The Promise of a Streetcar Has Energized Commercial Projects Along Loyola Avenue

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 19:57:49 -0600

Although streetcar development is nothing new, the phenomenon was rediscovered in the early 1990s and earned its own terms of art: transit-oriented development and development-oriented transit.