Friends of Lafitte Corridor

Many thanks to all of you who came and supported FOLC at the fundraiser last Sunday. We raised approximately $2000! Special thank you’s go out to the many friends to donated time, space, music, food and other gifts. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Bud’s Broiler
Charlie Doerr and Bayou Bicycles
Hilairie Schackai and Longue Vue House and Gardens
Grant Ligon and the High Ground Drifters
Jay and Eileen Nix and Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Jimmy Robinson and Twangorama
Laurie Miester
Mark Quirk
Massey’s Professional Outfitters
Michael Domingue
Pete Winkler
Skip Henderson

Sunday November 1^st
2:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Parkway Bakery & Tavern
538 Hagan Avenue

Tickets are now available at the venue for $30.  Cash or check only please!

Come out and support the Lafitte Corridor greenway and
revitalization project at FOLC’s first annual fundraiser.

Enjoy delicious refreshments courtesy of Parkway Bakery & Tavern.

Listen to live local music by Twangorama and the High Ground Drifters.

Friends of Lafitte Corridor recently wrote letters of support for two local endeavors which would bring existing structures in the Lafitte Corridor back into productive use. St. Margaret’s is working to convert the defunct Lindy Boggs Medical Center (formerly Mercy) into senior living and medical facilities. Broad Community Connections hopes to convert the dormant grocery at Broad and Bienville into a grocery, urban farm, and commercial food service kitchen. FOLC enthusiastically supports both these projects. For more information, download PDF files of the letters (St. Margarets, BCC).

Friends of Lafitte Corridor has submitted comments on New Orleans’ Draft Master Plan to the City Planning Commission. Download the PDF or read on.

Continue reading Master Plan Comments

From Tracks to Paths: Alternative Transportation & Community Development

On Tuesday, October 13 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Preservation Resource Center at 923 Tchoupitoulas, James Amdal, Director of the Merritt C. Becker Maritime and Intermodal Transportation Center at UNO will discuss the history and future of streetcars in New Orleans. Bart Everson, President of Friends of Lafitte Corridor, will share his experience of initiating Lafitte Corridor’s greenway project and creating a bike path from the Lakefront to Downtown. The event is free and open to the public. More info.

What: Friends of Lafitte Corridor First Annual Fundraiser
When: Sunday November 1st, 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Where: Parkway Bakery & Tavern, 538 Hagan Avenue

Come out and support the Lafitte Corridor greenway and revitalization project at FOLC’s first annual fundraiser.  Attendees will enjoy a night of delicious refreshments courtesy of Parkway Tavern, a raffle with fabulous prizes, and live local music by Twangorama and the High Ground Drifters.

We’ll be meeting at 6:30 PM on Thursday, September 24th, in one of the meeting rooms at Grace Episcopal Church (3700 Canal Street). This meeting is open to the general public. You don’t have to be a FOLC member, but you can register at the meeting if you like. A tentative agenda is listed below. There are a lot of exciting new developments to discuss!

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AGENDA

Thursday, September 24, 2009

I. Call to order

II. Discussion re: Planning and Design Team: Design Workshop

a. Scope of work

b. Public input opportunities

III. Summary of recent grants received by FOLC

a. Greater New Orleans Foundation

b. Recreational Trails

c. Urban Forestry

IV. Rails to Trails Urban Pathways Initiative

a. Introduce Ethan Ellestad

V. Announcements

a. Save the date for November 1st Fundraiser at Parkway Tavern

Master Plan Calls For Green Space, Smart Building Use
300-Page Report Released Tuesday By City Planning Commission
POSTED: 4:06 pm CDT September 15, 2009

NEW ORLEANS — A 300-page report released Tuesday is the city’s latest version
of the Master Plan for growth and development across New Orleans.

After hundreds of public meetings, countless bits of input and intense design,
residents’ and leaders’ ideas have taken shape.

“A lot of neighbors wanted to maintain character of their neighborhoods and not
have commercial encroachment happening,” said Yolanda Rodriguez of the City
Planning Commission. “We’re trying to make it easy for the every day person and
not too technical.”

For example, in Lakeview, plans are laid out for green space for parks and
businesses. In New Orleans East, the biggest issue has been what happens along
Interstate 10. The newest ideas allow a corridor for a variety of businesses.

“It’s zoned commercial, but also allows for multi-family,” Rodriguez said.

In the Central Business District near Lafayette Square, the focus was looking at
how tall buildings are and finding a way to make sure all structures are built
consistently. Also in the CBD, the plan encourages creative uses for empty
warehouses.

Along the Riverfront, the Master Plan calls for giving more access to the river.
This version of the plan supports the Riverfront Development Project.

The new draft also shows plans for the Linear Park Project along the Lafitte
corridor. It calls for walking and bike trails that connect City Park to
Armstrong Park.

“This is an integration about what you said about your city and the way it
functions,” Rodriguez said. “We hope we put it in one comprehensive plan.”

Emphasis added. Thanks to Charlie London for spotting this news item.

Part of the greenway planned for the Lafitte Corridor will run alongside an active rail spur, starting in upper Mid-City and running behind Bud’s Broiler and on into Lakeview.

Some may wonder, “How will that work?”

Well, here are some inspirational photos:

This gallery includes photos from a trail in Victoria (British Columbia) as well as examples from other places where trails run next to active railroads.

Certainly it will be a challenge, but this project entails many challenges. Examples of successes elsewhere can help us focus on solutions.

Thanks to Luton for sharing these great photos.

Public parkway through Treme and Mid-City on the drawing board

The City of New Orleans has partnered with The Trust for Public Land (TPL) to acquire an 18 acre segment of the Lafitte Corridor.  You can also check out the Press Release from TPL.