New Project Set To Be Constructed on Al Copeland's Lakefront Property

Years ago Al Copeland Sr., founder of Popeyes Fried Chicken, purchased a big piece of lakefront property in Mandeville. His plans for the property, a 30,000 sq. ft. home, horse stables and a helipad never happened. Today, the Copeland family has given the 29-acre property that is worth $7 million to the LSU Health Foundation.

The LSU Health Foundation, a nonprofit, plans to use the land to house a $150 million LSU-affiliated retirement community. The proceeds earned from the land lease will go to benefit cancer research in honor of Al Copeland Sr. who died from rare cancer. The complex will include an age-restricted apartment complex, restaurants, retail stores and a boutique hotel.

Mandeville residents and leaders support the project and believe that it is something the community needs. The project will bring jobs to the community as well as a place for medical students to learn and have hands-on experience.

"To me, it makes great use of that 20- plus acres that's been neglected," City Council member Rick Danielson said.

The first phase of the project will be an apartment complex that sits on the waterfront section along with restaurants, stores and a hotel. The 5-acre parcel that is not waterfront has plans to become an assisted living and memory care center. The center would give LSU Health Sciences Center students an opportunity to work and train in geriatrics.

The age restriction will be set at 55 and older and the number of housing units will follow Mandeville's zoning requirements. The project is in the first stages of land surveys, test pilings and permitting which will take a little over a year.

"None of this would have happened without the
generosity of Al Copeland Jr., " Altier said. Al Copeland Sr. died of a rare cancer, and it was LSU Health Sciences Center doctors who developed a treatment for it. "He has a passion to cure cancer," Altier said of the late
millionaire's son.

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New Orleans’ Housing Market Is Booming Making It Hard for First-Time Homebuyers

 

Across the United States, home prices are on the rise still and inventory is still behind. In New Orleans, this is no different as the lack of inventory and high home prices still remain.

Late spring of 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic changed the home market. Sellers were scared to put their homes on the market because of the economic threat the pandemic had put on the nation. Still 16 months into the pandemic and sellers are still wary about listing their homes on the market.

Although the inventory is down, buyers are still out there. Many want to purchase a larger home because of the need for space. Labor shortages have brought on sign-on bonuses and incentives meaning there are more people that can afford a new home.

Around the New Orleans area, the median house price was up 17% in June 2021 compared to the first of 2021. As for the inventory in the Big Easy, there was a 45% decline in listings compared to that of June 2020. Home sales reflected a 12% jump in June 2021. Bidding wars have become the norm and buyers are being very competitive with their offers.

First-time homebuyers in the New Orleans area are having a much harder time finding a home to purchase. The rising home prices and the bidding wars make it nearly impossible. Areas such as St. John the Baptist Parish saw a median home price of $150,000 before the pandemic but in June 2021 the median home price had risen to $205,000.

According to a report by Reinvestment Fund, a public policy consultant, the home prices in New Orleans rose 12% from 2018 to 2020. The average home price across New Orleans rose the same time to $224,600. In some areas such as New Orleans East, the Lower 9th Ward and Algiers the prices close to tripled over the same time period.

"In the greater metro area, new-build houses are going to start in the $250,000-to-$275,000 range, and that is going to be supercompetitive," he said. "So, people in the affordable categories don’t get a shot at those properties, even if they can get together the financing with the help of government said Michael Merideth, CEO of VPG Construction. programs, because market-rate builders are going to go with regular buyers who can close in under 45 days."

"There is a lack of supply of affordable housing, and it is decades from being met if states and communities don't start building" houses that can be afforded by people of lower and moderate incomes, Deborah La Franchi, managing principal of American South Fund Management said.

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U.S. Regions Sees April Single-Family Permit on the Rise

 

The housing market is still booming, the first four months of 2021 the total number of single-family permits that were issued year-to-date among the country rose to 384,196. This makes a 35.6% increase over April 2020's number.

Year-to-date ending April 2021 there was an increase in all U.S. regions in single-family permits. The Midwest had the highest at 49.8%, the Northeast 48.6%, the West 37.7% and the South 30.9%. Multifamily permits were also very healthy. The highest in the Northeast with 45.8%, South 27.7%, West 34.4% and the Midwest 18.4%.

Within the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the increase from April 2020 YTD and April 2021 YTD in single-family permits were seen across the board. The highest rate came in at 332.1% in the District of Columbia. The jump was from 28 single-family permits in April 2020 to 121 single-family permits in April 2021. The ten highest states combined made up 62% of the total single-family permits issued were Alaska, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, Maine, New York, Wyoming and Utah.

The top 10 local metro areas in both single-family permits and multifamily permits were different. Single-family permits were the highest in Houston, Tx, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Tx, Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Az, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga, Austin-Round Rock, Tx, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fl, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, Nc-Sc, Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tn, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fl and Jacksonville, Fl. Multifamily permits were the highest in New York-Newark-Jersey City, Ny-Nj-Pa, Austin-Round Rock, Tx, Dallas-Forth Work-Arlington, Tx, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Ca, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wa, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Dc-Va-Md-Wv, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa-Nj-De-Md, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Mn-Wi, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Tx and Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Co.

Now is a great time to purchase a home. If you are in the market for a new home, contact a local Realtor today.

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formation.

Riverfront Hotel Planned for New Orleans Convention Center Will Still Happen

The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has chosen AECOM-Broadmoor to oversee their $557 million project to upgrade the complex. This is the first upgrade project since the convention center was constructed in 1984. The center has already tapped into the budget and spent $115 million on updates through the linear park which runs along the 11 blocks in front of the complex.

"We’re looking forward to digging into this project, collaborating with the entire community of trades and professionals involved to create a highly functional, beautiful, 21st century Morial Convention Center for everyone who visits it," said AECOM-Broadmoor's spokesperson Amy Ferguson.

Now the once cancelled hotel that was part of the project has been restored. Texas-based Matthews Southwest will take on the 500-room hotel. The hotel is just part of the new additions at the upriver end of the Convention Center. The multi-acre area will include retail, residential and an entertainment district.

The new hotel will include 13-stories along with a 28,000 square-foot festival deck that looks out onto the river. The hotel will sit on the South Front Street side and be connected to the Convention Center. The elevated pedestrian walkway that connects the hotel to the center will include restaurants and retailers.

This is great news for the city of New Orleans as its convention center is the only one in the country that does not have an attached hotel. The new project will definitely help New Orleans compete for event business with other convention centers throughout the country.

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