Mid-City Recovery Plan
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This plan was begun by members of the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization and completed in October 2006 by the Mid-City Recovery Committees. Please don't edit it; this is a historical document.
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[edit] Housing
[edit] Preamble
This is perhaps our number one most pressing recovery issue. We can’t rebuild a city without people, and people need places to live. Blighted housing has been a problem in Mid-City for many years, and previous attempts to address this problem have been cumbersome and ineffective. This problem has been greatly exacerbated by the flooding At this time, many houses in Mid-City remain completely or partially unrehabilitated and will continue to deteriorate. We need a process that will allow those who desire to reside in Mid-City to take ownership of these homes if they are able to rehabilitate them and intend to use the property as their primary residence.
[edit] Endorsement of Road Home plan
Blighted housing has been a problem in Mid-City for many years. We endorse the Road Home plan as the best available mechanism to provide direct recovery assistance to homeowners and small landlords in the near term. However, this approach is still insufficient to address all of the problems created by hurricane and flood damage, or to leverage existing blighted properties to provide needed additional housing in the city. The follow section addresses Mid-City's approach to address those shortcomings.
We endorse the Road Home Plan's focus on placing replacement rental housing in mixed-income communities. The location, affordability matrix and minimums and maximums of affordable units should be subject to review by the Mid-City community prior to approval by any federal, state or local agency.
[edit] Endorsement of storm-damaged remediation deadline
Blighted housing has been a problem in Mid-City for many years. Previous attempts to address this problem have been cumbersome and ineffective. This problem has been greatly exacerbated by the flooding. We support the City Council’s proposed deadline to declare intention and to secure the property (gutted and boarded) by August 29th, 2006, and to adjudicate properties which do not meet this deadline, subject to reasonable exceptions for hardship cases. We support a program to aggressively return all adjudicated (pre- and post-flood) properties to the market.
[edit] Mid-City Neighborhood Recovery Corporation
A Mid-City Neighborhood Recovery Corporation (MCNRC) should be established under neighborhood control to oversee the resale of adjudicated homes to new and returning residents, and represent Mid-City's interests in all matters of planning, zoning, historical preservation and recovery planning and implementation.
The MCRNC should be governed by a board consisting of a majority of residents of Mid-City. The MCNRC would incorporate traditional Community Development Corporation activities, in particular the redevelopment and return to the market of blighted housing, with a focus on affordable, owner-occupied housing.
In addition to traditional Community Development Corporation activities such as the development of owner-occupied and rental housing, recovery funds should be allocated to this agency to monitor disposition Katrina damaged or destroyed properties and other recovery activities, consistent with the local oversight in the LRA Road Home plan.
In order to facilitate and ensure continuing and appropriate input from the citizens of Mid-City into the rebuilding process the Housing committee requests sufficient funds to hire an executive director and assistant director for the MCNRC who will attend any and all meetings public and private and to report back to the MCNRC in a timely fashion on construction, remediation, land purchase and sale, developments etc. of buildings, land use and development projects that impact and affect the character and well being of the citizens and residents of Mid-City. The staff will interact with and familiarize themselves with all aspects of planning and development Mid-City.
It is envisioned that the staff will be full time employees MCNRC. To insure transparency of function and operation, written reports from the staff are to be provided to MCNRC in advance of and during their meetings and will be made pubic either by publication in the Times Picayune or on the MCIA web page or both. Neither staff are to be in the employ of State or City government but rather responsible the MCNRC as designated and responsible to said government or private funding agency only as pertains to funding.
[edit] Expanding Home Ownership and Affordable Housing
According to the 2000 census, Mid-City had 20,000 residents and 6,728 houses. Of these, 13.3% were unoccupied, and only 27.9% were occupied by the property’s owner. A recovery plan to rehabilitate blighted properties is a great opportunity to expand home ownership. This would produce a safer and more sustainable community. The near term goal should be 50% owner-occupied housing, with a long term goal of 70% owner occupied housing.
Federal public housing policies for the working poor have reduced the quality of life both for the residents of such housing and the city in general, and should be changed. The city and federal government’s plan to distribute former housing project residents into dispersed housing will be beneficial both for former residents and the general character of the city and our neighborhood. A Mid-City Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporation should ensure that a portion of properties in recovery-funded redevelopment are affordable in price to purchase, including the use of recovery funds to provide low-interest financing for purchase and rehabilitation.
Such subsidized purchases should have clear minimum and maximum limits for subsidized units to encourage true mixed-income development. The Housing Committee will research and recommend appropriate minimums and maximums. Such housing should be widely distributed in Mid-City (and the city in general) to avoid creating concentrated pockets of povery
[edit] Conversion of blight to park space
Groups of adjacent blighted properties requiring demolition, or existing vacant space, should be considered where feasible and desirable for conversion into neighborhood park space so as to provide such facilities in convenient walking distance to every neighborhood. Sponsorship by neighborhood groups and other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs, corporate sponsors should be sought for these parks, given the city’s constrained finances at this time. We request assistance from the Lambert Group in identifying funding sources to support neighborhood parks.
[edit] Encouraging Relocation to Mid-City
An effort should be made to encourage the relocation of dislocated residents from more heavily damaged areas such as New Orleans East, the Ninth Ward, Lakeview, Gentilly and St. Bernard Parish to settle in Mid-City. Funds should be identified to develop and implement such a marketing plan.
[edit] Housing for Public Safety Workers
Preference in redeveloped, recovery-funded new or rehabilitated housing should be given to public safety workers including police, fire, emergency medical services and Sewerage & Water Board who stayed through the storm and were subsequently left homeless.
[edit] Housing Code Enforcement
Because of the threat to housing from unsafe building practices, the city should zealously enforce the housing codes (including those exceptions currently in place) to prevent unsafe reconstruction. Properties found to be manifestly unsafe due to violation of permitting or other housing codes must be immediately corrected, or should be subject to condemnation and adjudication in the same manner as properties abandoned by their owners. Non-conforming uses of property by conversion to an excessive number of units should be rolled back to conform to neighborhood zoning. Recovery funds must be allocated to restore and temporarily expand the city’s inspection department to handle the level of work currently required. Until that time neighborhood representatives should inspect all current construction sites for properly posted permits, and report any construction without clearly posted permits to the city.
The housing emergency in the city should not trump other housing-related codes. Laws and regulations against unauthorized boarding houses or subdivisions into apartments, excessive numbers of unrelated persons in the same residence and squatting should be strictly enforced. Until the city can restore proper inspection, neighborhood represenatatives must actively look out for and report volations, and insist on enforcement
[edit] Sensible and Green Building Practices
Encourage sensisble building practices [Pending]
[edit] City Services Recommendations
The City Services committee is encouraged to endorse expanded inspection of reconstruction; a program to repair damaged streets to improve the quality of life and encourage home ownership; aggressive debris removal must also be a priority to ensure public safety and a return to normalcy, and to make the area attractive to homebuyers.
[edit] Endorsement of Lafitte Rails-to-Trails Conversion
The Transportation Committee is encouraged to pursue the Lafitte Rails-to-Trails proposal, which could result in the conversion of much light industrial into residential space facing such a parkway. The Economic Development Committee is encouraged to investigate how current industrial clients could be relocated in the industrial corridor, with rail service, along the Pontchartrain Expressway to continue to provide employment and services in Mid-City.
[edit] Endorsement of Carrollton and Canal Overlay
The Housing Committee endorses and recommends to the Zoning Committee enforcement of the Carrollton Overlay, and development of a similar Canal Street Overlay, to preserve the character of the neighborhood.
[edit] Historical District
Mid City was developed in the late 1800's and early 1900's and this is reflected in its architecture which is dominated by Victorian styled single- and double-shotguns and camelbacks, Arts and Crafts style bungalows as well as Tudor and Mission style homes. The recovery plan for the city and for Mid-City specifically should aggressively protect existing structures consistent with the historic designation of the neighborhood.
In addition to preserving historic and traditional structures, future development in Mid City should include 21st century design - including energy-efficient and "green" technology - in harmony with the existing community. Specifically, new structures should be in scale with the surrounding conforming uses and should be consistent with a street-front, mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. We believe that new architectural forms reflecting 21st century culture should be a part of Mid City’s growth, however these forms should not clash with the historic motifs which give our neighborhood its distinctive architectural character
A Local Historical District should be established at the neighborhood level to review and sign-off on all proposed demolitions or major reconstruction projects in the historic districts. Until that time, neighborhood organizations should aggresively scrutinize plans for the demolition or major reconstruction of properties damaged by the storm and flood .
Although Mid-City is home to three Federal National Register Districts (see below), with regard to enforcement, it would appear that designation as a Local Historic District would provide the tools (i.e., zoning regulations and bylaws) by which we could exert local control over development and rehabilitation within Mid-City. Therefore, the MCRNP should also inform the Planner that we wish to lobby for the establishment of the `Mid-City Local Historic District' (requirements for establishment of the above to be added shortly). However, such a historic district and protection of existing structures should not prevent the addition of congruent 21st century structures.
In the very near future, FEMA will also be conducting a resurvey of the existing National Register Historic Districts, including Parkview, Esplanade Ridge, and Mid-City (see Secondary Programmatic Agreement 2006:23). This resurvey will include all structures within the present boundaries of these three districts. The MCRN should be able to access this information, which will provide an up-to-date inventory of all of the architectural resources within our neighborhood, as well as the current state of their integrity.
Background: At present, Mid-City is encompassed by three (3) National Register Districts: a) Parkview Historic District; b) Esplanade Ridge Historic District; and c) Mid-City Historic District (a map identifying the boundaries of these will be provided shortly). Pre-Katrina, approximately 9,974 structures were identified within these three districts, with the majority found in the Mid-City Historic District. Of that number, approximately 11% of the structures were considered non-contributing (i.e., of detriment) to these districts. Of the remainder, the following construction types / building stocks are represented: Shotguns (55.3 %; i.e., single, double, camelback, and two story shotguns); Creole cottages (15.%); Raised basements (9.1%); Eclectic (7.7%); Commercial / Institutional (7.5%); and Side halls (4.5%). With regard to architectural `styles', within Mid-City the most common styles are Bungalows (31.4%), Colonial and Queen Anne Revivals (17.6%), Italiante (15.7%), Eastlake (5.8%), 20th Century Eclectic (2.6%), and Greek Revival (2.3%); the remaining 18.5% of the structures were described as No Style, Other, or Non-Contributing elements
[edit] Housing Related Links
A list of Housing related internet sites and documents can be found on the Housing Information Page.
[edit] Local Control
If the recovery of New Orleans is to be successful, it is critical that every neighborhood be involved as a full partner. The traditional model of top-down governance should be decentralized in a way that gives the local community a formal and meaningful role in decisions.
Community input into the recovery plan is a start but it must be extended to include implementation decisions as well as ongoing post-recovery planning.
To this end, we recommend the formation of Neighborhood Councils, similar to those in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Missoula, Montana and many other communities. These Neighborhood Councils must have a legal basis under State law, the City Charter, and City ordinances. Each Neighborhood Council would represent one of the 100 plus neighborhoods in New Orleans.
We endorse the recommendations of the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR Report) to amend the City Charter to give the Master Plan the force of law and to include neighborhood organizations in the required approval process for land use proposals. We request the immediate adoption by the City Council of interim ordinances to implement the BGR recommendations, including a formal system of participation by Neighborhood Councils in land use decisions.
However, we believe that neighborhoods are equally affected by operational decisions that impact housing, streets, parks, police, schooling, sanitation, drainage, budgeting, regulatory review, and other issues. Therefore, we also request that the City Council establish a committee of neighborhood organization representatives supported by City staff to propose a City Charter amendment to define the role of Neighborhood Councils in reviewing strategic operational decisions by City agencies. This committee should recommend an amendment to the City Council within four months.
[edit] Green Space/Public Space
City Park, which borders Mid-City, is a wonderful amenity, but it is no substitute for smaller parks intermixed throughout our neighborhood's residential areas. Research indicates people do not use green space if it is more than three-minutes’ walk. We need open public green space within three minutes walk of any home in Mid-City. This translates to green space distributed at intervals of approximately 1500 feet.
More than half of Mid-City can achieve this goal through the creation of a linear park on the Lafitte Corridor plus enhancement of the Jeff Davis neutral ground. Key areas in need of green space are the area near Broad and above Canal and the Carrollton corridor on the Uptown side of Canal. Consequently, we endorse the Rails to Trails Project along the Lafitte Corridor (along with any added green space this project creates) and beautification of Jefferson Davis Parkway.
We recommend that Comiskey Park and the YWCA (intersection of Tulane Ave. & Jefferson Davis Parkway) become a revitalized playground, community center, and indoor sports complex. Public parking should be provided nearby open without compromising the integrity of the green space on the Jefferson Davis neutral ground.
We recommend that St. Patrick's Park (S. St. Patrick & Baudin St.) be redesigned to include both a field and a multi-use complex, similar to the Joe Brown Complex in New Orleans East.
Additional recommendations include:
- adding to Mid-City a dog park and four small community gardens;
- improving the bayou area across from the Mid-City Post Office by adding benches and trees to encourage residents and visitors to enjoy the bayou there;
- planting, throughout Mid-City (but especially along Jefferson Davis Parkway and Orleans Avenue), additional trees with an emphasis on flowering trees which are native to our area;
- adding flower gardens to the neutral grounds on Jefferson Davis Parkway and Orleans Avenue;
- hiring an arborist to care for trees on all City-owned property in New Orleans.
Although City Park is outside the official borders of Mid-City, it is an exceptional resource for all Mid-City residents and, we believe, for the entire population of New Orleans. Consequently, we support funding the implementation of City Park's master plan (developed prior to Katrina) as well as funding the maintenance of City Park's facilities, land, trees and waterways.
[edit] Zoning
The primary zoning in Mid-City is two-family residential with a mix of commercial and light industrial. The mixed uses of land in Mid-City give it its character and make it a vibrant neighborhood. To maintain the vibrant character of Mid-City, reconstruction of the neighborhood post-Katrina should:
[edit] Enforce Existing Zoning Laws
A) Enforce existing zoning laws, particularly those pertaining to two family residences and prevention of creeping intrusion of commercial use in residential neighborhoods.
B) Stop all non-conforming uses of property;
C) Stop spot zoning;
D) Stop grandfathered non-conforming use of property.
E) Coordinate permitting between neighborhood council, City, S&WB, Entergy and Fire Department to prevent non-conforming use.
F) Have city zoning enforcement personnel appointed exclusively for Mid-City
G) Have an overlay district which would require presentation of designs to neighborhood council for approval.
[edit] Add land use requirements to improve visual quality of neighborhoods
A) Require landscaping for new construction and renovation
B) Commercial and residential parking should be screened when possible with shrubs or fencing
C) Require set backs for new construction and parking
D) Limit billboards and regulate signage
E) New construction should conform to the neighborhood and should be raised to met recommended flood mitigation guidelines. Recommend the PRC’s three prototype houses for new construction.
F) Prohibit concentration of subsidized housing in any one neighborhood
G) Other quality of life zoning issues as needed.
H) Allow multi-story residential/mixed use building in appropriate areas that are in scale with the environment. Multi-story construction would not be allowed in existing residential neighborhoods.
[edit] Revise Zoning As Appropriate to Promote/Regulate Economic Development
A. Tulane Avenue Corridor
- Development of Tulane Avenue as an economic corridor would stop encroachment of businesses in residential areas, create jobs, reduce crime and make Mid-City more attractive.
- Widen neutral ground to allow for left turns to make avenue commercially viable
- Commercial development should be required to be as green as possible with aggressive tree planting and landscaping
- Allow conversion of abandoned structures (Dixie and Falstaff breweries) into mixed use buildings.
- Economic development funding should be actively pursued in order to relocate industrial companies from the Lafitte Corridor to more appropriate locations.
B. Carrollton Corridor
- Revise Carrollton Overlay to encourage pedestrian friendly development (e.g. impose requirement that street side of any development must include an entry door accessible at all times that the business is open.
C. Lafitte Corridor
- Develop new zoning regulations to encourage development of the Lafitte Corridor as a trail/green space.
- Where park intersects with major intersections allow for commercial development outside of the park which is consistent with the park, such as, restaurants, coffee sops, art galleries, bike shops and the like.
- Rezone all H1 (heavy industrial) and L1 (light industrial) into green space.
- Allow only residential construction along corridor except as noted at intersections.
- Economic development funding should be actively pursued in order to relocate industrial companies from the Lafitte Corridor to more appropriate locations.
D. Bayou St. John
- Review/revise applicable zoning regulations to ensure appropriate development of Bayou St. John recreational areas.
E. Light Industrial
- New zoning to encourage/facilitate light industrial areas as commercial/retail areas.
F. Create a Canal Street Overlay
G. Redevelop the medical district (Lindy Boggs) in conformity with the plan.
[edit] Preserve neighborhoods with zoning enforcement
A. Prevent demolition by neglect by enforcing health and safety laws and seizing property for resale.
B. Allow in limited circumstances zoning variances to preserve historic buildings
C. Restrict granting ABO licenses and enforce current ABO laws.
[edit] Educate residents and property owners of zoning laws
A. Conversion of houses from single-family or two-family into triplexes, fourplexes or more is prohibited under current zoning laws. Commercial uses are also prohibited. Property owners need to be informed of allowable property uses so neighbors have the knowledge to seek enforcement of zoning laws.
B. Create a MCNO “Zoning Response Team†that residents can report zoning violations to so that they can be reported to appropriate local official.
C. Elected and city officials should meet regularly with neighborhood representatives on land use and zoning issues and held accountable when they do not follow neighborhood plan.
[edit] Allow zoning changes for construction of small levees for inner-city flood protection
A. Construction of internal flood protection should be considered along Tulane Avenue, the old Carondelet canal, existing rail line rights of way and wide avenues. Zoning and land use laws should allow and be revised to accommodate construction of levees.
[edit] Miscellaneous Land Use Issues
A. Properties should be reappraised as required by law using the same criteria for similar structures to prevent inequities in property taxes.
B. Adopt existing land use recommendations consistent with this plan to have precedent which strengthens the overall goals of this plan. See 1999 City of New Orleans Planning Commission Land Use Plan.
Zoning Committee: Miles Trapolin (Chair), Mary Moises, Amelia Henderson, Herving Guidry, Val Dansereau, Doug and Janet Ward Pease, Beverly and Bill Mann, Cheryl Wagner, and Jamie Ramoneda.
[edit] Economic Development
Mid-City's economic re-development is an integral part of our recovery. We define this process as one that involves the growth and structuring of an economy to enhance the well-being of the Mid-City community. Our vision is to:
A. Emphasize equity, local participation, and neighborhood preservation (both of the physical buildings and of the unique character of Mid-City) within all initiatives undertaken.
B. Establish local neighborhood oversight of economic development, with planning coming from "the bottom-up."
C. Enhance the wealth of the Mid-City community by giving it access to contemporary profits and an ownership stake in future economic growth
D. Encourage diverse development that will move Mid-City towards becoming a self-sufficient neighborhood, in which all basic business needs are provided to its residents.
E. Position Mid-City as a showcase for economic recovery, due to its convenient location to CBD, Downtown and the interstate, number of available commercial properties, excellent street access, and the diversity of its residents.
F. Ensure a symbiotic relationship between residents' needs and concerns and the needs and concerns of our neighborhood businesses.
We propose the following to achieve this vision:
1) Redevelopment of the following key areas of Mid-City:
A) Carrollton Avenue from Tulane Avenue to City Park Avenue B) Canal Street from the Cemeteries to Claiborne Avenue C) Tulane Avenue from Carrollton Avenue to Claiborne Avenue D) Broad Street from Tulane Avenue to Bayou Road E) Conti Street Corridor
2) General redevelopment of the area to maintain a balance of residential, retail, commercial and light industrial in line with existing zoning, and any zoning changes that are outlined by the Zoning Committee within this plan.
3) Develop a knowledge-based business incubator for Mid-City. This business incubator will focus on small businesses, which then provide good, quality jobs with little to no commute for area residents. A business incubator can further support a smart mix of retail and non-retail businesses, and ultimately help ensure appropriate density in the commercial zones. Cities such as Atlanta, Austin, Silicon Valley, Boston, etc. have implemented business incubators with great success, and we should look to their examples for guidance.
There are two principles that characterize effective business incubators which we find essential to Mid-City. These are that the incubator aspires to have a positive impact on its community's economic health by maximizing the success of emerging companies, and that the incubator itself is a dynamic model of a sustainable, efficient business operation.
To achieve this, The best case scenario we propose is for MCNO to partner with the following to make a knowledge-based business incubator happen:
(a) Partner with the NBIA--National Business Incubator Association and members for guidance, assistance and advice. (b) Partner with a local university to assist with sponsoring the incubator, the business ideas to develop, and the start-up companies to house in the incubator. (c) Partner with a commercial real estate broker who can assist in placing commercial property in Mid-City back in circulation with the business incubator. This will assure appropriate density and the type of businesses that will work with the residential and historic aspect of Mid-City. (d) Partner with a local bank to assist in local funding and to find additional local funding through the local business community. (e) Partner with venture capital and/or angel investor organizations for regional and national investment/funding. (f) Partner with our local World Trade Center to access international funding from countries with a vested interest in New Orleans. (g) Partner with the SBA or any other government entities in obtaining additional funding and any available GRANTS that are specifically funneled to New Orleans for rebuilding.
4) Modify existing vacant commercial space as appropriate into mixed-use, combining residential and commercial use. A successful example is the American Can Company, although the commercial use does not have to be retail in nature.
5) Focus redevelopment of the Carrollton Avenue commercial corridor on walkability, with street-side storefronts, and rear parking, in line with the existing Carrolton Avenue Design Overlay. Architectural design of these businesses should be in line with the historical architecture of the neighborhood. Ultimately, the goal is to achieve a “Main Street†feeling, and to populate this area with locally-owned and operated retail businesses. An example of how we would like this area to look and feel can be seen on Magazine Street, particularly between Nashville and Jefferson Avenues, but with more available parking.
6) Encourage the Zoning Committee or City to develop a design overlay for Canal Street similar to that of Carrolton Avenue. Again, walkability is key, keeping in mind that Canal Street is our visual welcome to tourists who ride the streetcar line, and thus should be inviting and representative of our neighborhood.
7) Encourage the Zoning Committee or City also to develop design overlays for Tulane Avenue and Broad Street, which have not achieved the level of commerce that should be present for these major thoroughfares.
8) Provide tax incentives to small businesses to encourage them to develop in Mid-City. In addition, incentives to property owners to provide lower than market lease rates to businesses that the community needs to recover and become self-sustaining. Types of businesses that the community has expressed an interest in include: Restaurants, Health Care Providers, Hardware Stores, Pharmacies, Seafood Markets, Book Stores and Corner Stores; with an emphasis on these being locally owned rather than Big Box or Chain entities.
9) Provide funding to existing business owners to bridge the gap between losses suffered and insurance claims, if this is not already covered by SBA Loans, to expedite rebuilding and re-opening of businesses.
10) Initiate a Mid-City business association to get current and new business owners and commercial property owners engaged in the re-development of the neighborhood,
11) Create an online business reference center that can match available properties and current property owners with interested businesses, and provide needed reference materials to those thinking of opening new businesses in the area. This forum could also be used to facilitate business partnerships with business owners, local banks and needed professionals such as notaries, lawyers, etc.
12) Work with City Park management to support them in securing funding to restore basic services at the park (i.e. trash pickup, mowing), and to continue to re-open venues, allowing it to once again be a key cultural asset to Mid-City and New Orleans. We recognize the economic impact of the park based on the following. According to the University of New Orleans, the Park accounts for a total spending impact of over $100 million dollars. Over 1,350 jobs are directly related to City Park; the Park creates a “halo†effect and increases the value of surrounding property by a total of nearly $400 million dollars. State and local governments receive annual tax revenue of approximately $11 million dollars due to the operation of the Park. As such, we plan to work with them to achieve their long-term vision of becoming the premiere urban park in the nation, in accordance with their Master Plan.
13) The Canal streetcar line and Carrollton Avenue spur provide Mid-City with a direct connection to the tourist and conventioneer dollar. We will capitalize on this by promoting the development and marketing of cultural attractions, i.e. music venues, art galleries, an independent movie theater, and historic tours. Additionally, we will attract recreation-based business to our area, i.e. bicycle and/or canoe rental.
14) Assure the return of the Endymion parade to Mid-City, and encourage the return of Krewe of Mid-City and possibly other parades.
[edit] Education
We promote a community of life-long learners, including education beyond the classroom.
[edit] Schools
We would like to see the public school system in Mid-City be a foundation in our recovery, where people would desire to live in the neighborhood because of the excellent schools. Having first-rate public schools would aid Mid-City’s recovery and quality in many other areas, including housing and reducing crime. Opening and maintaining quality schools will be a key issue in rebuilding our neighborhood. We need to have the appropriate number of public elementary and secondary schools reopened to ensure that every student in the neighborhood has a nearby school to attend. The Mid-City Neighborhood Organization’s sponsorship of the charter of Dibert School is a positive development in this effort, and we expect the BESE board to grant the charter in September, with the school's transfer from the RSD to the charter in January 2007. We are glad to see Warren Easton High School reopening as a Charter School in the Fall of 2006. We would like to see Thurgood Marshall Middle School reopen in the Fall of 2007, as well as two other elementary schools in addition to Dibert. The presence of other educational facilities in Mid-City, such as Jesuit High School, as well as nearby schools such as Xavier University and Delgado Community College, are also positives. We would like to see collaboration between Warren Easton and both Xavier and Delgado. Mid-City should be a leader in ensuring that the public (and private) educational process works in New Orleans. We will seek ways to get the schools more involved in the community, and the communities more involved in the schools. We would like to see community centers built in or nearby some of the schools. We would like to see that Warren Easton High School obtains adequate additional space for its athletic training needs and intramural events. Early childhood development should be integrated into the main plan, focusing on a pre-K program at Dibert. Additional sites could be at neighborhood schools and projected community centers. These programs would support early prevention and work with parents and children from the earliest stages, as well as providing networks of developmental services, opportunities and information for families, and additional training and employment for youth and potential educators within our communities. In the effort to promote higher standards in the school system, the early experiences would provide the foundation for equitable preparedness among students entering at the kindergarten level. We would also like to develop quality after school programs accesible to neighborhoods throughout Mid-City.
[edit] Library/Community Center
New Orleans Public Library closed its Mid-City branch at 2940 Canal Street in 1958. We would like to see a branch of the New Orleans Public Library return to Mid-City, and this would also serve as a community center. We believe this would be a cornerstone of our neighborhood's rebuilding process. As Mid-City is easily accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and those who use public transportation and cars, the location would be much easier to use than other branches such as the main branch where the lack of parking hinders its accessibility. As a 21st-century library, the Mid-City branch would not only house collections in a variety of formats, an array of public-use computers, and a coffee shop or similar venue, but would be an active part of the community’s lifetime-learning environment. It would collaborate and partner with neighborhood schools, museums, literacy centers, etc. The library/community center would hold artistic and educational events, provide training in computer literacy and other subjects, have children's programs, and would provide a meeting place for community events. As a community center/library, it would participate in locally observed cultural and ethnic holiday celebrations throughout the year. The library might include a special focus, based on a particular element identified within our neighborhood’s population. One example of special groups identified in Mid-City is native Spanish-language speakers, who could benefit from ESL courses among other ventures. Ideally this would be centrally located near Canal St. between/near Jeff Davis and Carrollton. The property previously occupied by Physician's Hospital at 3125 Canal would be ideal for several reasons. It is currently a large lot adjacent to Warren Easton High School, and it is for sale (asking price is 3 million). We would also build into the structure ways to fund its operation, such as a community hall that people could rent out for weddings and other functions, and also a coffee shop/restaurant and bookstore. The new library that we would build would be approximately three stories in height, and it ideally would connect to one of the linear parks/bike paths to provide activities. We spoke to our assigned planner Mr. Clifton James about this, and he was very supportive of building our library/community center next to Warren Easton. It is also close to Malta Square, where they will be reopening assisted living apartments for senior citizens. However, the city's chief librarian, Geraldine Harris, recommended that the branch be in Council District A. We are working on a grant from Solinet/Gates to place a branch in a storefront such as the one previously occupied by Major Video on Carrollton, or in the American Can Company. Some alternative buildings that we have considered include the Moler Beauty College at 2940 Canal Street, McMahon Funeral Home at 4800 Canal, the large building at 4640 Carrollton Ave, and the area around the Chateaubriand Steakhouse at 310 N Carrollton. We also endorse Doug Pease's concept of a library/community center replacing the Lindy Boggs Medical facility (now works with all browsers).
[edit] Free Wifi
Ubiquitous wireless internet access would also foster easier access to information for all, and we would like the city to expand Earthlink's free wifi coverage to Mid-City as soon as possible. Many areas in Mid-City do not have phone service, and internet access would be a key aspect of communication.
[edit] Stadium/Natatorium
Part of making Mid-City more viable as a neighborhood is the creation of a multi-purpose stadium and natatorium complex. Smaller schools, the New Orleans Recreation Department, public and private groups, as well as Warren Easton and Jesuit High Schools, would all benefit. The property used by the current Comisky Playground on S. Jefferson Davis just off Tulane along with surrounding properties, including Albertson's on Tulane and Jefferson Davis would be a good location.
[edit] Healthcare
Health care resources throughout the city are stretched thin and Mid-City is no exception. A brief survey of medical practitioners in the Mid-City area revealed that the area has lost all of the doctors practicing at 3535 Bienville, as well as 2 dialysis centers, numerous internists, 3 ophthalmologists, and a pediatrician. The Lindy Boggs Medical Center (Mercy) was a thriving part of the community prior to Katrina both from a healthcare and an economic standpoint. Tenet has recently announced that they are selling the Lindy Boggs Medical Center, but no potential buyers have been identified to date. We believe that it is critical for the neighborhood’s redevelopment that we work towards bringing back some type of medical facility at or near the Mercy hospital site.
Part of this complex or another site should include a Multi-Use Community Healthcare Clinic; this clinic could be associated with a Neighborhood Community Center. The clinic should function to provide immediate medical services such as minor trauma care, primary care and basic radiological services, and could be staffed by medical students, residents and other healthcare trainees from local schools under proper supervision. Establishing relationships with these schools would help ensure the sustainability of this clinic beyond the acute reconstruction period. Incorporating the clinic into a Neighborhood Community Center would also help establish it as a community resource for Preventive Care and Health Education.
Several New Orleans schools have already established School-Based Clinics, and we believe that Mid-City should encourage such clinics in its public and charter schools. These clinics provide a valuable opportunity for health education for children and adolescents as well as providing medical access to a historically under-served population. Ideally, the school-based clinics could work with and provide complementary services with the Community Care Clinic, perhaps even housing the Community Care Clinic during after-school or evening hours. We would also like to see this school-based program and Community Care Clinics incorporate a Community Mental Health Services Program for children and their families. At present, like much of the city, Mid-City has lost functioning mental health facilities and programs. We feel it is important that residents of Mid-City are given access to mental health care services in a supportive, community-based manner. The services offered should be responsive to the post-Katrina cultural context and characteristics of our populations. Mental health service systems should be driven by the needs and preferences of the child and family, and address those needs through a strength-based approach. The focus and management of services should occur within a multi-agency collaborative environment and be grounded in a strong community base.
Our next greatest healthcare concern are our senior citizens, who are a large part of our community and contribute in many untold ways. They are often our eyes and our ears and link us to our city’s living history. It is important that their health and well being are seen to, not only in our community but in all of New Orleans. It is unclear whether Malta Square Senior Residence will be reopening in our neighborhood. The NORD Golden Age Senior Center has not reopened to date. We feel it is a top priority for Mid-City to incorporate a senior housing and medical facility, designed to include adult day care, independent living, assisted living, extended health care, respite care and a dementia/psychiatric unit. This complex could not only house seniors but provide a Geriatric Clinic, Senior Community Center, Senior daycare services and be affordable to all either through government funding or subsidized means-based programs. A complex such as this would be unique to Mid-City and assist seniors throughout the city, and would contribute vastly to our neighborhood. If the Lindy Boggs Center cannot open as a hospital, we believe this would be a good site for housing a comprehensive senior services center.
At present very few pharmacies and nutritional food stores have returned to Mid-City. We hope to work with the Economic Development Committee to attract a full service Pharmacy/Drug store to open on a public transportation route for the convenience of all residents. With the help of the Economic Development Committee, we hope to form strong relationships with companies such as Walgreens which have historically served the area and could possibly provide funding and services via their Community Outreach divisions. A number of Mid-City residents attending the neighborhood planning meeting have also expressed a strong interest in trying to attract an independently owned pharmacy such as Majoria or C & G's to set up business in the neighborhood. It was also recommended that, in order to promote healthy nutritional habits, an open air farmers market/specialty food center would be ideal, not only to service the nutritional needs of our residents, but to promote tourists to stop and visit our neighborhood via the streetcars or the proposed Lafayette bike trails.
Mid-City should also be home to some type of affordable and accessible Wellness Center. Before Mercy Hospital was sold to Tenet, the hospital built a walking track on their Bienville Street property. This track was well-used by a very diverse group of Mid-City residents. This track was closed and locked up by Tenet not longer after they purchased the complex. We hope that a similar type of free and open walking and fitness circuit will be built in the neighborhood, as well as an exercise facility similar to the one previously housed at the Lindy Boggs Center. A full-fledged fitness center similar to Elmwood or Jewish Community Center would be a real asset to the residents of the neighborhood. We envision that it could function to promote youth group involvement programs, especially if membership fees could be based on a sliding scale. This Mid-City Wellness Center could be developed to incorporate related commercial businesses, such as non-traditional health care (i.e., massage therapists, acupuncturist, reflexologist), into the overall wellness concept. The operation of these businesses could also offset maintenance and service fees for the citizens of Mid-City.
In the short term we hope to issue health bulletins on the new Community Kiosk being planned to begin to involve the community-at-large. We also plan to reach out to community service organizations such as Common Ground, Mercy Corps, and other charitable and government-supported organizations such as the Office of Public Health. We also plan to work with the Louisiana Recovery Authority within their plan to help ensure the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of these changes we envision for Mid-City.
[edit] Security & Crime Prevention
Security and crime prevention in Mid-City offers a multi-faceted opportunity to help attract a diverse blend of residents and businesses to our neighborhood. We would suggest a more holistic approach – with a special focus on youth outreach, vocational, crime prevention and judicial liaison programs - in order to involve more people in our community.
I. Youth Outreach – Designate specific places, such as parks or community centers, where youth can take advantage of a variety of activities designed to reinforce positive development. This might also include mentoring.
II. Vocational – Promote training in special trades or skills that will enable both youth and adults to consider employment options. This might also be a good way to actively involve retirees or senior citizens, who might gladly give back to the community.
III. Crime Prevention District – Based, for example, on the model established by Lakeview, we would envision creating a private patrol with the NOPD to help reduce crime in Mid-City. Additionally, we would encourage increased participation at NONPAC meetings and neighborhood watch programs.
IV. Judicial Liaison – Create a steering committee that would regularly interface with elected municipal officials (i.e., Mayor, District Attorney, Judges, Councilmen) and advocate for our community, in terms of voicing concerns about crime and its prevention.
In order to realize the objectives above, a physical location to house administrative bodies and activities associated with maintaining a Crime Prevention District will be necessary. This could take the form of a community center. Crime Prevention District administrators would largely consist of Police officers. Otherwise, youth outreach leaders, vocational trainers and individual community members could make use of classrooms, recreation facilities and conference rooms available at this complex. Sufficient parking would also be essential.
While we are still in the early development stages of our Mid-City Recovery Plan, and the need to find a space to house the Crime Prevention District might coincide, and ultimately be integrated, with objectives set forth, for example, by the Education or Housing sub-committees, St. Patrick’s Park (4700 Baudin Street) might be an ideal location. Not only does it offer green space, there are commercial buildings – such as the Electric Lighting Company, currently on the market for sale - that could be converted into such a community center.
[edit] City Services
Trash and recycling pick-up and disposal, United States Postal Service mail delivery, and Sewerage and Water Board services all fall under the scope of City Services. Assistance from city services must be available to all citizens. Phone numbers and websites need to be kept in working order in an organized manner and made available to the public.
We are in full support of the 311 service and insist that the number be usable at least Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. We insist this number remain a free service for the public indefinitely.
[edit] Trash and Recycling
Residents of Mid City would like curbside trash pick-up of bags and trash cans at least twice weekly in Mid City. City services should ensure that ALL trash is removed to maintain safety for pedestrians and residents.
Residents of Mid City would like the city to issue recycling bins and provide curbside recycling pick-up at least once a week in Mid City.
Residents of Mid City would like the city to place a sufficient number of public trash cans on main pedestrian sidewalks (such as Canal, Carrollton, Tulane, Jeff Davis, Broad, and possibly others as requested) and provide daily pick-up and disposal.
Tree removal and maintenance is imperative for those trees that are dead or threatening adjacent properties. Tree removal from the steets must occur promptly within 15 days of the tree appearing on the street.
[edit] USPS Mail Delivery
Residents of Mid City expect timely Monday through Saturday delivery of USPS mail to the doors or porches of residences. Mid City residents oppose the mandatory establishment of cluster or on-street mailboxes in Mid City.
[edit] Sewerage and Water Board Services
Residents of Mid City expect the prompt repair of all major leaks.
Residents of Mid City expect the prompt replacement of all missing drain covers, missing catch basin covers, missing manhole covers, and missing water meter covers.
Residents of Mid City expect regular scheduled maintenance and cleaning of catch basins, especially immediately prior to and during storm season.
We also insist that the sewage and water board services work in conjunction and in communication with the department of transportation concerning any work being done on teh streets. So that the streets remain clean of debris, safe, and consistent with the existing street after work has been done by the sewage and water board.
[edit] Accountability
Residents of Mid City would like the establishment of a Neighborhood Liaison to City Services to improve accountability for Mid City residents in regards to trash pick up and Sewerage and Water Board issues.
[edit] Transportation
Mid-City is fortunate to have the Canal Streetcar line. The Carrollton spur should be extended down South Carrollton to connect to the St. Charles line. More broadly speaking, the Coalition for Sustainable Transit’s Five Point Plan should be embraced and implemented. A light rail system connecting the CBD to the airport could run down Tulane. We should complete the Rails to Trails bike path converting the former rails on the Lafitte Corridor to a bike path. We should also tie this bike path in to the Jeff Davis Bike path. Bike lanes need to be designated on the existing major streets. We also need to survey and identify streets that need to be fixed. Many existing streets are substandard. The sewage and water board has done work and left streets that they tore up in bad shape. The walkable nature of the neighborhood needs to be maintained. We need sidewalks and streetlights for safety.
[edit] Cooperation
We must be good neighbors to the neighboring neighborhood organizations. These include Tulane/Gravier, Lakeview, Bayou St John, and Gert Town. As we engage with our recovery, we want it to be in concert and harmony with our neighboring neighborhood organizations.
[edit] History of This Document
First draft May 31st, 2006 by Bart Everson
Second draft June 5th, 2006 by Jim Taylor, Wendy Laker, Michael Homan and Bart Everson
Third and final draft: You're looking at it! As of October 2006 the Mid-City Recovery Committees called this plan "done" and decided to focus on action through the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization.
