broad

Let’s Not Meet by Accident

March 31, 2017 by Charlie London

photo sent in by Robert Thompson

Click on the photo for a larger view

Robert Thompson reported that at 7:30 a.m. this morning two folks met by accident at the corner of Broad and Esplanade.

Please slow down, the life you save may be your own.

***

info below gathered by Charlie London

Learn more about ways to reduce speeding in Faubourg St. John in the link below

http://peds.org/?s=speeding

Much of the threat to pedestrians comes from speeding cars. Fortunately, you’ve got plenty of ways to encourage drivers to slow down. Take action!

Spread the word. Neighborhood websites, e-newsletters, Facebook Pages and twitter are all great ways to reach out.
Use yard signs to remind drivers to slow down. Pick up signs at DRIVE LIKE YOUR KIDS LIVE HERE — or use plywood or laminated poster-board to create your own. Keep it simple. Short messages and big letters work best.
Set the pace. Driving at or below the speed limit forces others to do the same.
Park your car in the street, and ask your neighbors to do the same. Narrow travel lanes prompt drivers to slow down.
Install radar signs that show drivers how fast they’re going.
Reduce speed limits. If the speed limit where you live is over 30 mph, ask transportation agencies to change it.
Take back your street. Walk, ride a bicycle, sit on the front porch — and put some toys in your front yard. Reminding motorists that streets are for people encourages them to slow down.

Bump outs like this one make crossing the street safer for pedestrians. And, in the middle of the street is a brick section with a gradual rise on either side. This helps slow traffic.

How a Dutch neighborhood pioneered an innovation now sweeping the globe

TRAFFIC CALMING HAS SWEPT THE WORLD over the past 20 years. It’s based on the rather simple idea that cars and trucks don’t have exclusive ownership of our streets. Streets are shared public space also belonging to people on foot and bicycles, in baby strollers and wheelchairs. Reminding motorists of this fact, traffic calming uses design features such as narrowing roads or elevating crosswalks to slow traffic and assert pedestrian’s right to cross the street.

This idea has altered the literal landscape of urban life in the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany and Australia as people move about their cities with more ease and pleasure—and it’s now taking off in other parts of the world.

THE ORIGINS OF THIS INGENIOUS IDEA CAN BE TRACED TO DELFT, NETHERLANDS, where residents of one neighborhood were fed up with cars racing along their streets, endangering children, pets and peace of mind. One evening they decided to do something about it by dragging old couches, planters and other objects out into the roadway and positioning them in such a way that cars could pass but would have to slow down. Police soon arrived on the scene and had to admit that this project, although clearly illegal, was a really good idea. Soon, the city itself was installing similar measures called woonerfs (Dutch for “living yards”) on streets plagued by unruly motorists.

One can only imagine the response of city officials if these neighbors had meekly come to city hall to propose the idea of partially blocking the streets; they would have been hooted right out of the building. But by taking direct action, they saved their neighborhood and changed the face of cities around the world.
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A little garden in which to walk and immensity in which to dream

November 7, 2016 by Charlie London

by Robert Thompson

On Saturday, November 19, 2016, neighbors turned out in numbers to make the City Beautiful Club’s Capdevielle Green and Clean Day a real success. Litter pickup, leaf raking, weeding and trimming, and gutter clean outs were just some things done.

An impressive project managed and executed by neighbor Pushpa has also resulted in planting the next installment of the Esplanade liriope border. Another great achievement was the conversion of the center bed “crater” into a presentable mound ready for a spring planting. 10 yards of soil, bales of pine straw, and 20-30 garbage bags were among things used that were purchased with donated funds from neighbors. Beverages and snacks were in part provided by our new neighborhood restaurant on Gentilly Blvd, TOAST. It was the people power that made the real magic.

About 25-30 people came by and helped or supported the action in some way. My joy was that the collection of individuals included folks from all walks of life, all age groups, and all economic classes. It is important to note participation by staff and residents of our neighbors at Odyssey House. Sharing a love of the public space as a commonality was especially uplifting. NOLA Parks for All had a couple of board members down in the dirt with us as part of their support and encouragement of our grass root efforts.

I wish I could enumerate all and thank them here but I would miss some simply because I wasn’t organized enough to document who came and went. I have a few photos which tell the story better and urge you to check them out in the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/CityBeautifulClubs/photos/?tab=album&album_id=934998696632213

On the horizon – can we reach a consensus on what the important center circle bed should be?
Can we convince Park and Parkways to let us do it?

Stay tuned…

Robert Thompson
2653 DeSoto

Here’s a shot of the flurry of activity from young and old as Pushpa harnesses the raw power of our volunteers!

Rickie Lee Jones was working with other Faubourg St. John neighbors to help beautify the neighborhood on Saturday, November 19, 2016. In the video above, learn why she lives in New Orleans.
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On October 18, 2016, Capdevielle Park received attention from the crews at Parks & Parkways. Diseased trees were removed, others trimmed and thanks to a large backhoe, a large step toward rehabbing the center mound for new plantings took place.

All this support from the City means we need to double down on our commitment to restore the central circular bed in Capdevielle Park. On Saturday, November 19th, please bring shovels and rakes, gloves, and muscles so that we can clean up the soil and prepare this bed for greater things to come.

Friends,

Headed toward our second Capdevielle Place (or Park) improvement action. Your help in the past has qualified you to receive more begging appeals from me!

Lucky!

Seriously, I and others have appreciated the commitments you have made to improve our little neglected park at Crete and Esplanade. I think we are slowly making a difference and are on the way to a much improved public space, one we can proudly claim for our special community.

At the moment we only have a couple of hundred dollars collected. I would like to continue plantings on the periphery begun by Pushpa last meet. Additionally, we have a special gift from Tammany Baumgarten (http://www.baumgardens.com/) of a garden plan for the bed closest to N Broad. More dollars will mean more plants to execute these goals. Large donors seeking tax deduction should contact NOLA Parks For All (a 501c3 http://www.nolaparksforall.org/contact-us.html) who is partnering with us at this time to support citizen actions related to park improvements.

The bulk of the work however is good ole fashioned labor. Litter removal, gutter cleaning, trimming and weeding, bed preparations – all driven by personpower. I have stockpiled pine straw for bed dressing. So please distribute this information in the notice below to interested parties, and respond if you can think auxiliary activities, provide refreshments or have appropriate plant material to donate.

Hope to see you that Saturday, Nov 19 (10a-2p).

Thanks

Robert Thompson

2653 DeSoto

504 292-1065

***

Paul Capdevielle (1842-1922)

Paul Capdevielle, the forty-second Mayor was of French descent. He was born in New Orleans, January 15, 1842. His father, Augustin Capdevielle, was born in France, but settled in New Orleans in 1825, becoming a prominent merchant in the commission business and active in politics. It was from his father’s interest in politics that young Paul inherited his interest in governmental affairs. His mother, Virginia Bertrand, was born in New Orleans in 1816.Paul Capdevielle was educated at the Jesuit’s College in New Orleans from which he was graduated in 1861. He served with credit in the War between the States, enlisting in the New Orleans Guard Regiment of Infantry, but in 1862 joined Boone’s Louisiana Artillery, and was wounded at Port Hudson.

After the close of the war he returned to civil life, taking up the first employment that offered itself, studied law in April 1868 was graduated from Louisiana State University. In 1892, he gave up law to accept the presidency of the Merchant’s Insurance Company. He served as its President for sixteen years, until it was liquidated and sold.

His political history began in 1877 when he was appointed to the School Board. Later he was a member of the Orleans Levee Board, a Commissioner of Prisons and Asylums and Chairman of the Finance Committee of the drainage commission. Mr. Capdevielle was an outstanding figure in Louisiana politics from the time of his election as Mayor of New Orleans in 1899. He was appointed auditor of Public Accounts in 1904, and re-elected three times, and held this office up to the time of his death. He survived the political storms attending the fall of the state administrations, the last in 1920, when Governor Parker was swept into office.

The Flower administration was a turning point in the history of New Orleans. It closed one epoch and opened another. With it began the period of commercial prosperity which extends into the present time.

Mayor Capdevielle’s administration was noted for two events, both inseparably connected with the beginning of New Orleans’ industrial development; the installation of the modern sewerage system and the organization of the Public Belt Railroad. The Board of Port Commissioners also began to function actively during this period.

City Park stands as a monument to his energy and civic spirit. The upbuilding of the park was his constant care, and he served continuously as President of the City Park Improvement Association for more than two decades, holding the office at the time of his death.

The new administration went into office May 9, 1900, at the beginning of the twentieth century when a wave of prosperity passed over the country and was felt in New Orleans. Mayor Capdevielle in his inaugural address spoke of the drainage system about to be constructed and stated if the city desired to have its own electric light plant it could do so without great additional cost by using the power house of the drainage system.

The contract to erect a modern jail, to be called the House of Detention, was awarded for $112,800 and the site of the old Marine Hospital, on Tulane Avenue and Broad Street, was selected.

The Clay statue, being in the way of safe operations of the street cars, was removed from Canal Street to the Lafayette Square on January 12, 1901. The consolidation of various street railways into one corporation under the name of the New Orleans Railways Company was an important factor of the years 1901-1902.

On May 1, 1901, New Orleans was honored by the visit of the President of the United States, William McKinley, accompanied by Mrs. McKinley and Secretaries John Hay, Charles Emory Smith, and E. A. Hitchcock. He was received in the Cabildo by the Governor of Louisiana, attended by his staff in full uniform. The bells of the Cathedral of St. Louis announced the arrival of the President and his cabinet, escorted by Mayor Paul Capdevielle, and a committee of distinguished citizens. As the cortege entered the Supreme Court Hall, Chairman Zacharie announced in a loud voice “The President,” and the assembly arose and remained standing while the Chief Justice conducted the President to a seat of honor at his right on the Supreme Court Bench. The Governor of Louisiana took a seat on the left of the Chief Justice, and the Mayor of New Orleans the one on the right of the President, the Justices occupying seats immediately in the rear of the bench. Chairman Zacharie then conducted the members of the cabinet and their wives to places on the left of the dais, where a seat, filled with roses, had been reserved for Mrs. William McKinley, who, at the last moment, was too ill to attend.

In 1873, Paul Capdevielle married in New Orleans, Miss Emma Larue, who died several years ago. Three sons and two daughters blessed this union; the sons are Christian, Auguste and Paul, Jr., and the daughters are the Misses Edith and Yvonne Capdevielle.

Paul Capdevielle was found dead at his home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, August 13, 1922.

Robert Thompson Proposes Plan for Capdeville Park

September 21, 2016 by Charlie London

by Robert Thompson

It’s been a long hot summer since our last get together at Capdeville Park. The progress begun at that Clean-up day has begun to give the park that “cared for” look which in turn lifts our neighborhood, discourages further littering and vandalism, and may even make our area safer.

During the summer, I sought some help from professionals who can guide us in our next phase of park uplifting – no sense spending our small resources of time and money on anything that doesn’t have the best long term success rates. A good plants person can steer us toward appropriate choices in selecting items for our park beds.

I approached Greater New Orleans Master Gardeners program looking for assistance. Their group consists of persons who completed training from a LSU Agcenter outreach program and who give some of their time in community service. I haven’t yet found a Master from the area willing to take this project on, but a very valuable contact was made through this connection. Tammany Baumgarten, a professional horticulturist from BaumGardens Landscape & Design, is a major resource for Master Gardeners, and in response to my begging she graciously provided me with a plan and a strategy for the planted beds in the park.

Below is her drawing, which I am also sending to our friend Tica H. at Parkways, for your comments (and Parkways approval). The price tag for the venture, if fully planted straight away would be about $1700 in materials. Labor was assessed at $1400. Of course we are a volunteer effort, and some plant materials and supplies may be scrounged, and much of the labor should be our own sweat equity.

A November time frame is being targeted for our next volunteer effort. Bed clean-up and prep, some planting and landscaping – this will be determined by our practical limitations and what we can raise in funds. I am also working to find us an organization to be a part of where fundraising can include business solicitations and grants. But for the moment the burden is on us.

Please review the plan below. If you are able to commit to a donation toward its achievement, please contact me at the info below.

Thanks neighbor for caring about our community and beautifying New Orleans!

Robert Thompson
2653 DeSoto
(504) 292-1065

*******************************************************************************

Neighbors got together in 2012 to help make some improvements in Capdeville Park.
Robert Thompson would like to once again add some plant life in Capdeville Park.

Thanks to 8 neighbors that spent time in 2012 to divide and plant 48 gallon sized Monkey Grass, yellow lantana and purple duranta (to bring in butterflies), and ardesia crenata (Christmas berry, a shade lover).

photo below by David Armond

photos below by Brenda London
We mulched, amended soil, divided Paper Whites to replant this fall, and trimmed 5 Natchez Crape Mytles that we planted maybe a dozen years ago. $500 went quickly from 5 trips to 3 Home Depots!

Unfortunately 10 bags of soil and 6 bags of mulch disappeared into a white pickup. I had too many loads of stuff to manage in a Subaru and left it out at the park the nite before, gone at 6:30 am. I vented my disgust by hoeing weeds vigorously! Neighbors report frequent plant thefts near Broad. We replaced what we really needed, and will wait to augment soil in another phase.

So thanks to people from all over our neighborhood who worked, found their garden Zen, and had a good time:

Steve Mardon
Brenda London (Grand Rte St John)
Deena Bedigan (Delgado-she did a perfect job separating monkey grass)
Danny Akers (worked and treated us to fresh squeezed lemonade) also involved with Café Amelie on Royal, (Crete St)
Helen Ball (rode her bike from St John’s Court)
David Armond- N Lopez
Katy Smith (new young neighbor from Jackson) Bell St

The soaking rain this weekend insures that this project is off to a great start. We have promises from Andy Romero, David Lapene and Danny Akers to keep the new plantings watered thru the summer. We can always use extras…

Future needs include a streetlight (way to dark here),repair some crumbling interior sidewalk, sprinkler system, a creative welcome to FSJ sign, sculpture. These are LONG term dreams. Very open to input and help make the connections. I do better with my hands in the dirt!!

I will be asking Parks and Parkways to remove a phoenix palm growing at the base of an oak.

Love this neighborhood!
Bobby

PERFORMING ARTS SPACE PROPOSED FOR BAYOU ROAD

February 20, 2016 by Charlie London

press release from Southern Rep, photos by Lisa Amoss

Southern Rep Theatre, Rose CDC and Alembic Community Development Announce Plans for Performing Arts Space to Revitalize Historic Church Building on Bayou Treme Center campus on Bayou Road

New Orleans, La. (February 18th, 2016) – Today, Southern Rep Theatre, Rose Community Development Corporation and Alembic Community Development announced plans for launching the Bayou Tremé Center campus development project, which will renovate the long-vacant former St Rose de Lima Church into a hub for the performing arts in the city and a cultural anchor on the Bayou Road corridor. The ceremony was followed by guided tours through the historic building and around the site of the upcoming campus development.

“This historic building is the perfect home for Southern Rep Theatre,” said Aimée Hayes, Producing Artistic Director for Southern Rep Theatre. “It offers everything we have envisioned in our search for a permanent space. The prospect of making theatre at this historic crossroads of New Orleans is inspiring and humbling for us. A permanent home of our own affords us the opportunity to build on the expansive arts education programs we already have in place, continue to produce artistically innovative new plays, and reach out to both the Tremé and neighboring communities in a comprehensive and vital way.”

Originally constructed in 1915 to replace a 19th century structure that was lost to a fire, the iconic Gothic Tudor church operated for 90 years before being closed by the Archdiocese of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Rose CDC and Alembic will jointly own the 47,000 square foot campus, which includes the church building and two former Catholic schoolhouses directly across Columbus Street, and will work to redevelop the properties into an arts and education campus that supports the ongoing revitalization of Bayou Road and serves as a hub for the performing arts industry throughout the city. The project partners anticipate that construction will begin in 2017, with a projected opening date in 2018.

“Alembic is thrilled to be partnered with Southern Rep and Rose CDC, as well as a great team in MetroStudio, Ryan Gootee General Contractors and Spackman Mossop Michaels landscape architects, on this high impact project,” said Jonathan Leit, director of Alembic’s New Orleans office. “Southern Rep is such an important institution for the arts and creative economy in New Orleans, and we look forward to seeing it flourish in the re-purposed St Rose church building towards supporting the continued revitalization of Bayou Road.”

The centerpiece of the Bayou Tremé Center campus will be a 13,400 square foot theater complex operated by Southern Rep Theatre, New Orleans’ premiere theatre company. The theater complex includes a 125-seat Mainstage proscenium, a 65-seat Lagniappe Stage convertible to a cabaret or black box configuration, an Outdoor Stage for pre-performance activities, administrative offices, rehearsal room, and a bar/café.

In addition, the Bayou Tremé Center campus will include the renovation of the 23,000 square-foot schoolhouse at 2539 Columbus Street into a new space for a school operator, while the 11,000 square-foot schoolhouse at 2533 Columbus Street is planned as office space.

“When Rose CDC first began this project several years ago, it was with a community-driven vision to bring an arts and education campus to Bayou Road,” said Shawn Kennedy, board member of Rose CDC. “On behalf of the board of Rose CDC, I could not be more excited to share the announcement of our agreement with Southern Rep Theatre to occupy the repurposed St Rose church building. We look forward to seeing the impact that the pairing of this beautiful historic building and Southern Rep will bring to Bayou Road and the city.”

For more information about the project, please contact Jenny Windstrup by phone: 504-523-9857 or by email: [email protected], or Jonathan Leit by phone: 504-569-0014 or by email: [email protected].

Founded in 1986, Southern Rep Theatre’s mission is to develop and produce new plays that reflect the diversity of New Orleans, to provide its audience with professional theatre of the highest artistic quality and achievement, and to establish a creative working environment that nurtures theatre professionals. As the city’s premiere nonprofit professional theatre, Southern Rep strives to use the artistry of theatre to enlighten, educate, and entertain audiences, and to further extend that service through educational and outreach programs.

Rose Community Development Corporation is a nonprofit community development corporation founded to rejuvenate the Bayou Road neighborhood, with an initial focus to realize the vision for the Bayou Tremé Center.

Alembic Community Development invests in long-term partnerships in underserved neighborhoods through real estate development and organizational capacity building. Through its offices in New Orleans and New York City, Alembic has developed a range of mixed-use properties in collaboration with mission-driven partners, including affordable and supportive housing and commercial and community spaces.

Book Signing January 16th

January 6, 2016 by Charlie London

by Robert Thompson

Neighborhood businesses offering special programming enrich our community by creating diverse and interesting activities within walking distance. For instance, Kitchen Witch at 1452 Broad hosts booksignings where new books and their authors are showcased, a great opportunity for those of us who appreciate the New Orleans literary scene!

On Saturday Jan 16 from 2-4 pm, food and travel writer Beth D’Addono will be signing her new book, “The Hunt – New Orleans”.

Kitchen Witch | 1452 North Broad | New Orleans

If your interest is in this city and its lifestyle experiences then you may want to check out “The Hunt”, a travel guide in the series from Gatehouse Publishing that focuses on an eclectic mix of independently owned dining and shopping destinations. D’Addono, who fell in love with New Orleans and started writing about the city in 1991, is now based in the Marigny and writes regularly about New Orleans for outlets including USAToday.com/10Best, Southbound, Country Roads, and AAA World.

“Kitchen Witch is one of the more than 40 independently owned businesses I feature in my book,” she said. “New Orleans isn’t about chain stores, and this wonderfully funky cook and book shop is one of my favorite spots. Its expanded new location has room for all kinds of treasures and there’s plenty of parking,” I hope she didn’t miss the fact its located next to the best neighborhood in the city in which to live!

***

Japanese travelogue features cats in New Orleans.
The first 8 1/2 minutes is on Bayou Rd near Broad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1089&v=fS08F_jbSnY

***

Faubourg St. John neighbors Debbie Lindsey and Philipe LaMancusa opened their store at 1452 N. Broad, suite C, today (November 1, 2015). “Kitchen WItch Cookbooks” will undoubtedly become an asset to our area, as a unique and quirky bookshop run by two lovely people. Debbie is planning to be open 7 days a week, 10ish to 4ish and will feature book signings and related events.

It is in the little strip mall like building with the Boost Store and the Beauty Supply. Plenty of parking, but heck I can just walk there. We haven’t had a neighborhood hangout with the feel of special books since Maple Street left, and cooks will obviously find a wide selection of cookbooks. I love the esoteric treasures hanging around, and there’s also vinyl records for music lovers. The place is still settling in, creative chaos I’d call it, but I was so excited to visit I couldn’t wait longer. Hope this appeals to our membership and we can support still another great Faubourg St. John business.

***
from their website at http://kwcookbooks.com/aboutus.html

Kitchen Witch Cookbooks is a small book shop at 1452 North Broad in New Orleans. They specialize in rare, hard to find, out of print and pre-owned books on food and cooking. This is a fully functional independent book store and not just a website location. You will always find Debbie or Philipe at the shop ready to answer questions, share secrets, relay gossip, political opinions and give you directions to the hottest spots to eat. The shop’s phone number is 504-528-8382 and they’ll gladly take and execute telephone purchases.

They will happily ship your purchases, and all out of state shippings save the 9% taxes that we must extract from in-shop clients. They do ship ‘Media Mail’ and that takes seven to ten days from time of departure.

Debbie Lindsey and Philipe LaMancusa (the two person operating team) look forward to your visit, either in person or by phone/email/spirit/carrier pigeon. They are full of advice on dining and other visitor concerns and are very friendly. In fact, let them know when your birthday is and they will send you a card!

Visit Kitchen Witch Cookbooks on Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/Kitchen-Witch-Cookboo

Bayou Road Buildings Get Facade Improvements

December 27, 2015 by Charlie London

article by Danielle Del Sol | Photographs by Liz Jurey
excerpt from the December, 2015 issue of Preservation in Print with permission from author

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority has awarded nearly $1 million in the past year to property and small business owners on Bayou Road to improve the facade of their building in a historically appropriate way.

The Bayou Road businesses received grants up to $37,000 each and up to 30 hours of technical assistance to renovate their buildings with NORA’s Facade Renew program.

The technical assistance portion of the grant, administered by NORA project partner Tulane City Center, gives owners information on what their building originally looked like, and the context in which it was developed.

The $1 million came from the Louisiana Office of Community development, using post-Katrina Community Development Block Grant funds. The program has inspired business owners who may not have previously realized the value of restoring historic features.

On Bayou Road, one of the oldest commercial corridors in the city — the ridge was a Native American center of trade for many years before European settlers arrived — New Orleans Tribune publisher Beverly McKenna and her family are continuing to improve properties they started buying 35 years ago.

The area is like a small slice of the Caribbean, with vibrantly colored buildings, feral chickens and businesses like the Coco Hut, known for its jerk chicken, and Club Caribbean, the top reggae club in town. McKenna and her husband, landlords to these beloved businesses, are receiving Facade Renew grants to revitalize four of their properties.

Club Caribbean will receive a fresh coat of paint and a new patio area. The other buildings will receive tropical paint jobs and other improvements, as well, at the able hands of contractor Sidney Barthelemy, Jr. of B-Squared LLC.

McKenna, who lives and works within blocks of Bayou Road, said that she and her husband were keen to offer the properties as opportunities for local residents to realize their dream of being small business owners. As such, they didn’t overdevelop the investment properties they acquired. NORA’s grants allow the couple to expedite needed work to the buildings while helping them keep rents affordable.

http://prcno.org/programs/preservationinprint/piparchives/2015%20PIP/December%202015/0.html

Pirogues on Broad

December 19, 2015 by Charlie London

by Todd Price, NOLA.com

Bayou Road might be the most curious stretch in New Orleans. It has a record store, a reggae club, a Jamaican restaurant, an art center and a coffee shop shaped like a Pagoda. Now that Pirogues is open on the corner of Bayou Road and Broad Street, the strip also has another place to eat.

Here are five things to know about the new bar and restaurant:

The no-frills decor has a vaguely swamp theme, with netting and a cottonmouth pirogue hanging behind the bar. “I wanted to fit right in with the corner,” said owner Albert Silvera.

The kitchen stays open late with options like a bacon and cheddar panini ($6.50), pork tacos ($6) and vegetarian chili ($5.95). See menu below.

Silvera, who’s also the chef, has cooked at Doris Metropolitan and the now-closed Rambla. He used to have a tapas restaurant in Los Angeles. But at Pirogues, he tried to keep his fine dining instincts in check.

Pirogues has a full bar with a small selection of bottled and canned beers.
The house drink, a combination of Espolón tequila, ginger beer and orange juice is called the Cottonmouth ($7) in honor of the boat behind the bar.

Pirogues is open daily from noon to midnight. The kitchen stays open all night.

Pirogues: 2565 Bayou Rd., New Orleans, 504.948.6349

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

November 28, 2015 by Charlie London

photos by Charlie London

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Broad Community Connections, WWOZ 90.7 FM, and the Stay Local krewe along with Soul NOLA Brass Band danced their way to four trailblazing businesses on historic Bayou Road. Plus, Brandan “BMike” Odums, the artist behind Exhibit Be, unveiled his latest piece honoring community roots and local businesses.

Shop Small Santa handed out swag including gift certificates to some of our favorite local shops and NOLA ChristmasFest tickets!

The NOLA Cherry Bombs know that small businesses on Bayou Road are where it’s at.

Ujamaa (‘family hood’ in Swahili)

Bayou Road is a great place to get local flavor through local businesses.

Lots of folks enjoyed a fun second line parade on Bayou Road.

Once again, Small Business Saturday was a day to remember.
Thank you for coming out to Shop Small® and showing your love for the
small businesses in our community.

***

StayLocal is Greater New Orleans’ Independent Business Alliance that connects locally-owned, independent business to customers, resources and each other. StayLocal is devoted to raising the visibility and viability of the locally owned, independent New Orleans businesses because StayLocal believes that New Orleans’ independent businesses are the backbone of the city’s culture, economy and character.

What StayLocal Does

STAYLOCAL CONNECTS NEW ORLEANS RESIDENTS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES

STAYLOCAL aims to both educate consumers on the importance of supporting locally-owned businesses and connect them with local businesses. StayLocal certified every business listed on their site as “certified locally owned and independent” so if you spot a business displaying our decal, you can be sure they’re local.

Are you looking for a local business that sells or provides ____? Shoot them an email, and they’ll provide you with a list of locally owned options.

Thousands of local businesses are featured on the StayLocal website, in their annual Guide to Being Local, and in their neighborhood guides. StayLocal also promotes what’s going on with local New Orleans businesses online through their social media network (Facebook, Instagram & Twitter).

STAYLOCAL OFFERS SPECIALS AND DISCOUNTS

StayLocal helps local businesses by securing all sorts of special offers, such as discounted advertising rates, co-op ads and more.

This includes advertising discounts in some of New Orleans’ most popular publications, member-to-member discounts, and “low-bono” legal services from Loyola University Law School’s Incubator Program.

STAYLOCAL DESIGNS WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS

StayLocal helps local businesses run a better business and connect with fellow entrepreneurs through workshops and networking events.

STAYLOCAL CONNECTS BUSINESSES WITH RESOURCES

Consider StayLocal your very own Corporate HQ, the organization that’s in your corner. StayLocal regularly distributes pertinent resources and opportunities to the businesses in our network. If you need a hand finding the right service provider for your business, or you’re running issues that require help with City Hall, or anything else, StayLocal is here to do whatever they can to help.
STAYLOCAL ADVOCATES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES

They’re policy advocates for local New Orleans businesses at all levels of government. Click here , here and here for a few of our most recent examples. If you’re a local business running into an issue (either policy or non-policy), their door is open.

There’s no time like the present to STAYLOCAL in New Orleans!

Next time you shop, use their searchable local business directory to connect with locally-owned and independent businesses.

Independent business? You’re not alone.

JOIN OUR KREWE!

Taco Bell Proposed at Broad and Bienville

August 5, 2015 by Charlie London

letter from Jeff Schwartz

You have until January 18, 2016 to send in your comments to [email protected] about the Taco Bell proposed at 223 North Broad.
Include the link to this post if you like… https://fsjna.org/2015/08/taco-bell-proposed-at-broad-and-bienville/

Dear Neighbors,
A proposal is being developed to put a drive-through Taco Bell on the corner of Broad and Bienville Streets, diagonally across from the ReFresh Project (with Whole Foods and Liberty’s Kitchen, among others). This is not in keeping with the new Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance or Master Plan, nor is it anything close to realizing the potential of this major Broad Street property.

The developer has already attempted to conduct a Neigbhorhood Participation Plan meeting with minimal notice in a very inconvenient location. We encourage everyone who thinks this property and our neighborhood would benefit from a better development proposal to voice their opinions to the City Planning Commission (email [email protected]) and to Councilmember Latoya Cantrell, in whose district this proposal resides, as well as Councilmembers Susan Guidry and Jared Brossett, whose districts are near this site. Their emails are:
LaToya Cantrell: [email protected]
Susan Guidry: [email protected]
Jared Brossett: [email protected]

More information can be found below, to help you prepare to contact the Planning Commission and Council members. This is a cornerstone of the future of Broad Street, and our hope is that, with your participation, we can ensure that the owners develop a high-quality project that contributes to the health and vibrancy of the communities along Broad Street.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments!

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BACKGROUND
The property at 219-223 N Broad Street, catercorner to the ReFresh Project at Broad and Bienville, is currently five vacant lots, covering 20,000 square feet in an HU-MU district. The site also is zoned with various overlays that provide for an urban, pedestrian-friendly design, encourages vibrant mixtures of land uses, and renders fast food, gas stations, and auto-oriented proposals conditional uses. Despite the fact that Broad Community Connections has worked over the last 15 months to encourage a high-quality use for the site, the current owners are now proposing a Taco Bell at the corner, which Broad Community Connections has serious concerns about from a land use, design, and community development perspective.

Below is Broad Community Connections‘ summary

Land Use:
The proposal is not in alignment with either the former CZO, under which they bought the property, or particularly the new CZO. We worked hard with many partner and community organizations to create opportunities to have small businesses, restaurants, music clubs, and quality design on Broad, as evidenced by not only the HU-MU base zoning, but the Arts and Culture and Enhancement Corridor overlays. From the design of the building, to the drive-through, to the siting of the building and parking, very little in the proposal complies with the letter or the spirit of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.

More importantly, it is actively undermining the work that Broad Community Connections has been leading with its public and community partners to create a safer, more walkable and pedestrian-friendly corridor. Working with the City and the RPC, we have been gradually implementing a ‘road diet’ and bicycle lane from Gentilly Blvd. to Tulane Avenue. This section of Broad is undergoing a city-led streetscape improvement, and the Lafitte Greenway is a block and a half away. Just as the HU-MU zoning stipulates, we are looking to create a more mixed-use, urban corridor, and this proposal is instead moving in the opposite direction towards suburban, auto-oriented uses.

Community Development:
The proposal is not filling a need. There are already three fast food restaurants within one block of the proposed location–McDonald’s, Burger King, and Rally’s–as well as a Subway a few blocks away, and another McDonald’s at St. Bernard Avenue. There are also numerous other takeout and corner stores such as Eat Well, Broad and Banks Seafood, Orchid Seafood, Broadview Seafood, McHardy’s, and others, all within blocks of this site.

The communities along Broad Street suffer from some of the highest rates of chronic and diet-related diseases in the country, and some of the worst health disparities in the country. BCC, MCNO, Friends of Lafitte Greenway, and many other partners having been working tirelessly to create opportunities for community members to have healthier options, and this location would be ideal to take a first step towards that, but is instead taking a step backwards.

Economic Development:
Taco Bell pays low wages and offers few opportunities for promotion and training. In addition, the proposed hours of the drive-through–4AM on weeknights and 5AM on weekends–present some safety and quality of life concerns in a community that still has issues with crime (there have been two murders within two blocks of this site in the last month).

More importantly, this site could be put to a much higher and better use! The owners could make more money, the city could grow its tax base, and the neighborhood could benefit from new commercial and residential spaces and amenities.
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jeffrey schwartz | m.c.p.
executive director | broad community connections

Click here to view the letter concerning the meeting about the Taco Bell on Broad held December 14, 2015

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At the August 4th, 2015 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association meeting, Jeff Schwartz of Broad Community Connections talked about the need for healthy food options along Broad.

Information below from Jeff Schwartz

The property diagonally across from the ReFresh Project— at Broad and Bienville, on the far/Lake side of the intersection–is currently five vacant lots, covering 20,000 square feet in a C-1A district with an Inner City Urban Corridor overlay that provides for design review and renders fast food and gas stations conditional uses. The current owner has proposed a Taco Bell at the site.

The proposed hours of operation are shown below.

Sunday through Thursday
Lobby: 7 am – 11 pm
Drive-up: 7 am – 4 am

Friday & Saturday
Lobby: 7 am – 11 pm
Drive-up: 7 am – 5 am

Future Land Use: This site is slated to become an AC/EC MU-1 district, with the intent of creating mixtures of uses with arts and cultural uses and pedestrian-friendly amenities.

View the proposed plans here.
Proposed-Taco-Bell-at-Broad-Bienville

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Alicia Serrano of the Mid City Messenger attended Faubourg St. John’s August 4th, 2015 meeting and reported the following:

City Councilwoman Susan Guidry said she will begin studying ways for the city to make the growing Fourth of July festivities on Bayou St. John go more smoothly for attendees, and also announced that the City Council has formed a new committee on bicycle safety following the latest death of a bicyclist.

Bicycle safety
“We have now put together a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Advisory Committee,” Council member Susan Guidry said at the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association meeting on Tuesday.

Guidry said that as serving on the Transportation Committee for City Council, she held a meeting about laws pertaining to the roads and bicyclists.

“I did an entire transportation committee meeting about a year ago on the rules of the roads, bicyclists and motorists and it was pretty thorough, we went through all the state laws, all the ordinances,” Guidry said.

According to Guidry the Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Advisory Committee will be compromised of members from organizations such as Bike Easy, an organization dedicated to bicycling and transportation access issues, and the Advocacy Center, focused on offering services to seniors and citizens with disabilities. Guidry also mentioned that members from the University of New Orleans will also be on the committee for collecting data.

“We thought about everyone that should be on that committee and we’re going to be looking at safety for bicycles, pedestrians, and of course motorists,” Guidry said.

Guidry said that the growth of bicycle lanes around the city has happened at a fast pace, but there are still areas that need improvement.

“Our bicycle lanes, the number of miles have grown so quickly, and yet there are places like the Broad Street overpass where it’s really not safe,” Guidry said.

“There are good bike lanes leading up to places that then poof. All of a sudden there’s nothing and so as fast as we are putting in bike lanes we have all these issues still.”

Gudiry said she thinks it is exciting that many people are biking around the city, but many still need to be educated on the biking rules as she mentioned that there are bikers who bike on the wrong side of the road.

Guidry urged both bikers and drivers to be aware of each other on the road.

“I just would ask that the people in their cars, start thinking in terms of, it’s not just about cars out there on the road, it’s not just cars and start being more careful,” Guidry said. “And then people on bicycles, not to think it’s okay just to shoot through red lights.”

“It’s your red light as well as motorists’ red light,” Guidry said.

The Bayou on the Fourth of July
Guidry also mentioned that she will be talking with city officials about Bayou St. John being a “destination spot” for the 4th of July and the Krewe of Kolososs boat parade.

“The Krewe of Kolossos, I know that there were a lot of people who enjoyed it, but also there were a lot of issues as a result of it,” Guidry said.

Guidry said that many people have picnicked along the Bayou this year and in previous years while waiting to see the parade in the evening.

“That is something that the Krewe doesn’t feel like they can be responsible for and understandably, it is just a general public coming out,” she said.

Guidry said that she is meeting with city officials next week to discuss plans to make the area a better spot for the festivities.

“I don’t think there is any going back from there, you can’t shoo people off and do what you want to and we need to determine how we’re going to deal with it because there needs to be port-a-lets out there and there needs to be sanitation and pick up,” Guidry said.

“I am bringing that to the administration’s attention so that we can work on it and determine how we are going to deal with it in the future.”

Confederate statues
Guidry also announced that the Historic District Landmarks Commission and the Human Relations Commission will hold two public meetings this month to discuss the removal of the four Confederate statues (Robert E. Lee statue, Jefferson Davis statue, PGT Beauregard Equestrian statue and the Battle of Liberty Place Monument Confederate statue).

According to Guidry the HDLC meeting will take place at 1 p.m. and the Human Relations Commission meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on August 13th in the City Council Chambers.

Once the meetings take place, each organization will make a recommendation to the Council and then the Council will made a final decision.

“I really think that it was meant to be a conversation to lead to reconciliation,” Guidry said.

“I think that it was kind of dropped on everybody in a way that made everyone scatter to one corner or another and I think that is unfortunate because I do think it’s a conversation that could bring us all closer to understanding each other.”

http://midcitymessenger.com/2015/08/05/guidry-city-to-study-fourth-of-july-issues-on-the-bayou-bicycle-safety-committee-formed-after-latest-fatality/

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Draft Agenda for the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association Meeting
Tuesday, September 1st at 7 p.m.
Fair Grounds Black Gold room

I. Call to Order

II. Roll Call

III. Explanation of Meeting Rules

IV. Guests/Topics (order subject to change)
• Quality of Life update – Officer Lavigne
• Fairgrounds Patrol update – Capt. Scott

V. Committee Reports/Updates/Actions (if any)
• Landscape Committee
• Membership Committee – Update
• Events Committee – Update
• Rebridge – Update
• Treasurer’s Report
• Public Safety – Update
• Zoning Committee – Update

VI. Old Business — Approval of minutes from August 4th meeting
From Floor

VIII. New Business
IX. Adjournment

Car Rolls Over at Esplanade and Broad

July 31, 2015 by Charlie London

About 8 a.m. on July 30, 2015, a car flipped over at the intersection of Broad and Esplanade Avenue. The car appears to have ended up on its roof after an accident with another vehicle.

Please drive safely.

The life you save may be your own!

Common sense and routine maintenance can greatly increase your odds of avoiding a rollover and walking away from one if it happens. Here are some survival tips:

Newer is better. The improvement might be because more people are buckling up, or because vehicles have better build quality and safety systems, but it’s probably a result of both. Either way, it makes sense to choose a vehicle with the most up-to-date safety systems. Especially important are electronic stability control and side-curtain air bags.

Wear safety belts. Belts help keep you in the seat so you are not tossed around in a rollover crash. About half of rollover fatalities occur when people are partly or completely ejected from the vehicle. Don’t think it’s good to be “thrown clear.” In all kinds of crashes, nearly three-quarters of people ejected from a vehicle are killed.

Check the tires. Make sure all the tires are in good shape and properly inflated to the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Check the inflation pressure at least once a month. Replacement tires should be similar to the vehicle’s original set.

Watch the load. Overloading any vehicle, particularly SUVs and pickups, decreases its stability. The worst practice is to place heavy loads on the roof. Try to stay well within the load ratings specified by the manufacturer. (They should be noted in your owner’s manual.) Try to place the heaviest cargo low on the floor and as far from the tailgate and as close to the center of the vehicle as possible.

Watch your speed. Speed makes a vehicle’s tendencies to roll over more severe, and it also makes more demands on a driver’s attention and skill. About 40 percent of fatal rollovers involve excessive speed, the government reports.

Beware on country roads. Almost three-quarters of fatal rollovers occur in rural areas on roads where the speed limit is 55 mph or more. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, those roads tended to be undivided highways without barriers.

The information above was obtained from Consumer Reports. The original article is in the link: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/02/rollover-101/index.htm

Broaden Your Horizons

May 2, 2015 by Charlie London

by jeffrey schwartz | m.c.p.
executive director | broad community connections

No one would mistake Broad Street for Magazine Street. We’re OK with that! While we love Magazine and all of our fellow retail corridors–after all, commercial corridors make up the backbones of our great neighborhoods–we are head over heals for Broad Street.

Broad is a big, buzzing urban commercial district. Broad is broad!

But while the neighborhoods along Broad Street are among the most vibrant, beautiful, and culturally resonant communities in the city, Broad Street doesn’t always live up to the beauty and pedestrian-friendliness of the Tremé, Faubourg St. John, and Mid-City.

All of which is to say: Broad Community Connections has been working tirelessly for over six years to help Broad look the part of one of the great avenues in our fair city. We’ve been beautifying Broad and making it more of a pleasant corridor to which to drive, walk, bike, or take transit.

Like the bicycle lanes on Broad above Orleans? We advocated for those, and are working to connect them to Tulane Avenue, and over the overpass to Washington and Napoleon.

How about streetscape enhancement projects that bring landscaping, trees, and improvements to the pedestrian infrastructure along Broad? We’ve been advocating for the recently-completed project on Bayou Road for over five years, and are continuing to work with the city and surrounding property owners for the enhancement project at the Lafitte Greenway and on St. Louis Street. Did you notice that we planted over 40 trees on Bayou Road last year?

We are currently working with the Regional Planning Commission to create an overall streetscape enhancement strategy for Broad that will bring improved pedestrian, cycling, transit, water management, and landscaping infrastructure and amenities to Broad Street.

And who can forget about the Lafitte Greenway? Since we began, we’ve been working tirelessly with our partners at the Friends of Lafitte Corridor and the City of New Orleans to make sure the Greenway not only happens, but that it becomes the amenity for the surrounding communities, residents, and business owners that it should. As if that wasn’t enough, we are partnering with the Arts Council of New Orleans on a National Endowment for the Arts-funded project called BROAD+WATER to bring a water-based art installation to the Greenway at Broad Street.

If you would like to continue to see a more beautiful Broad, please support BCC on GiveNOLA Day on Tuesday, May 5th!

How Can the Refresh Project Serve You?

January 6, 2015 by Charlie London

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13th at 6 pm in Liberty’s Kitchen at 300 North Broad in New Orleans.