Shell Corporation Moving to the River District

Shell’s corporate, along with the 800 employees, will be moving to the River District. The headquarters is currently located on Poydras Street. The project should be completed by late 2024 or early 2025.

Employees are overjoyed with the decision due to the fact that many energy companies have been moving to Texas. “This is an exciting announcement that further solidifies the long-standing and successful relationship between Louisiana and Shell. This is a significant investment in the city and our state, and I’m grateful to everyone involved in turning this concept into reality,” said Governor John Bel Edwards.

“We have been an integral part of the community and the working coast….and we are committing to stay here with a new building,” said Colette Hirstius, Senior VP of Shell’s Gulf of Mexico location.

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Bucktown's Waterfront Project

 Bucktown’s waterfront will be restored to a marshland. The $15.5 million dollar project will be along a one-mile stretch of the shoreline in Jefferson Parish. Projects such as these are called living shorelines that help create bunkers with natural materials and green vegetation.

They will start with barging in rocks that will create nine segmented breakwaters in Lake Ponchartrain. The formations will be between Bonnabel Boat Launch and Bucktown Harbor and will help protect the federal levee system and keep it from eroding. There will be 20 feet of open water between the jetties and the new marshland area which will create a pathway for kayakers and canoers.

This is the first time a living shoreline will be used to protect a federal levee system and if it is successful, it will be used in other areas along Lake Pontchartrain’s shoreline.

“It’s habitat restoration that also protects the protection,” Greg Grandy, the incoming executive director of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority said. “This will reduce the wave energy that comes off of Lake Pontchartrain, particularly during winter storms.”

Funding for the project came from grants and government funding. $4.5 million in grant money came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The remaining included $2.5 million from the National Wildlife Foundation; $1 million from Louisiana’s construction budget; $4 million from proceeds the parish receives from oil and gas revenues in the Gulf of Mexico; and $3.5 million from the CPRA.

“Having this project here, where you can see a marsh, where you can get educated about our environment, where you can see a living shoreline, this is where we can educate the 99% of the population that lives behind our federal levee system,” Jefferson Parish Council member Jennifer Van Vrancken said.

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New State Cultural Districts To Be In Jefferson Parish

 The state has decided to locate two new state cultural districts in Gretna and Jean Lafitte.  One of the main reasons is that these are sites where two historic buildings are located that could possibly qualify for state historic tax credits.  Another bonus is that any qualifying art that will be sold at the two locations will be exempt from local sales tax. 

In order for any artwork to be exempt from local sales tax it must be an original, one of a kind visual piece, conceived by the artist and made by their hand or under their direction, and not intended for mass production.  Art can be reviewed by the Office of Cultural Development to see if it qualifies for tax exemption.

Jefferson Parish will now be the site of five state cultural districts in Louisiana.  The first will be the new South Gretna Cultural District that will cover parts of southern Gretna along the south of Gretna Boulevard including Gretna City Park and Timberlane Estates.  Everything north of the Westbank Expressway is already included in a separate state cultural district.  The new Jean Lafitte Cultural District will include a block on both sides of Jean Lafitte Boulevard from Camille Court south to Shipyard Street.

There are 124 state cultural districts now in Louisiana, including six new districts that were announced.  The other new districts were the City of Crowley African American Cultural Historical District in Crowley, Divine Nine Cultural District in Monroe, Franklin Cultural District in Franklin, Pointe-aux-Loups Cultural District in Iota.

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Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy Ranked No. 1 in Louisiana

The U.S. News & World Report ranked Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy number 1 in Louisiana. Benjamin Franklin High in New Orleans was the previous number one school. The principal, Sharmeika Daniels credits this accomplishment to the team effort between students, teachers, parents and administrators. Students have described the teachers as life mentors. 

“This is my first experience, ever, that I’ve seen a leadership team, as well as teachers, parents and students, all on the same page,” Daniels said. “We’re a family here, and everybody’s input is important.”

“Teachers are demanding here and the content is rigorous, but that’s what’s going to be expected of the kids when they leave us.”

“There is never going to be a student on this campus [who] goes under the radar,” Daniels said.

The school is a magnet school that has a STEM-based college preparatory curriculum. There are around eight hundred students from the east and west bank of Jefferson Parish who go to the school that is named after the founder and CEO of the Taylor Energy Company. The school starts in the sixth grade where students will start to learn computer programing. Students have to score in the 85th percentile or higher on Jefferson's Advanced Studies Academies admissions test to enroll.

“I will never take for granted how blessed I am to lead such phenomenal faculty and staff,” Daniels said. “All of our teachers are on board. That’s not an easy thing to do, to get a whole group of people to agree on one goal.

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Seven Louisiana Towns To Escape to for a Weekend

 

When Louisianans think of a weekend getaway the Gulf Coast usually comes to mind but there are some perfect getaways throughout the rest of Louisiana. These charming small towns are great places to go for rest and relaxation. Here are seven small towns located in Louisiana that are perfect for nature lovers to main street shoppers.

1. Breaux Bridge

This is a perfect town for those who want to experience some Cajun food and take in some nature. Breaux Bridge has a population of about 8,300 so it is not too small but not too big. There are several local Cajun restaurants to enjoy and the stunning Lake Martin is located here. Nature lovers can spend all weekend exploring Lake Martin.

2. Covington

Located just north of the city of New Orleans, Covington is located in St. Tammany Parish. Downtown Covington has many shops and restaurants to try. On Columbia Street or Lee Lane, you will find local boutiques, antique stores, and restaurants. One of the oldest general stores in Louisiana, H.J. Smith and Sons is located in Covington. This small city has around 10,000 residents but feels like a small town.

3. Ville Platte

Definitely a place for a nature lover who wants a quiet relaxing place to stay. Described as a place to get away from it all where you can rent a waterfront cabin at Chicot State Park. The area offers nature trails, canoeing and the Louisiana State Arboretum. This is a state preservation area which is the first state-supported arboretum in the country.

4. Natchitoches

This is one of the larger cities on the list with around 18,000 residence. The downtown area gives you a small-town feel and is loaded with history. In fact, Natchitoches is the oldest city in Louisiana. For those who love to dive into the culture, the 33-block Historic District is the place to be.

5. St. Francisville

This is known to be a sleepy little Louisiana town but the area has a lot to offer for a weekend getaway. All around the town are rolling hills and beautiful ancient oaks. It is also home to one of the country's most haunted plantations called Myrtles Plantation.

6. Grand Isle

Everyone loves the beach and Grand Isle is a perfect beach getaway. There is 10 miles of public beaches on Louisiana's only inhabited barrier island. Visitors can even spend the night on the beach at Grand Isle State Park.

7. Abbeville

Close to Breaux Bridge, Abbeville is another town that is bigger in size but still has a small-town vibe. This is perfect for nature lovers to shoppers to all the in-between. Palmetto Island State Park is located here which has cabins to rent, RV hookups and primitive campsites.

Louisiana is a great place to both live and vacation. The warm climate makes it a nature lovers' dream and the culture throughout the state is like no other.

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Algiers Point Sees Plans For A Multi-Use Development

 David Fuselier, a real estate developer, wants to put a multi-use development that will include a grocery store, single-family houses and condominiums on 10 acres in Algiers Point. The property was once home to a local steam locomotives manufacturer.

The 10-acre site, located at 1200 Opelousas Ave, is the biggest undeveloped piece of land on Algiers Point. Unfortunately, contaminants were found on the land from decades of diesel fuel spills but in December 2020 after the issue had been rectified, Louisiana issued a certificate of completion.

In January 2020 Fuselier and his partners his sister, Megan Fuselier Spiehler; Stuart Coleman; and Andrew
Coleman, purchased the land for close to $3.9 million. They plan to begin construction in the Fall of 2021 and is slated to complete in two years. The partners hired architecture firm Concordia and will hold a meeting with the architect firm and the public for input.

If approved by the New Orleans Planning Commission and the City Council, they plan to build a 22,000-square-foot grocery store with a rooftop restaurant and bar. Although they have not signed with any grocery store tenant, they feel optimistic.

“We’ll have one soon,” Fuselier said. “We’re going to be talking to every local and national grocery tenant we can think of. There’s gonna be a lot of effort put into attracting the best that we can find.”

Plans show there will be 24 lots for single-family housing, 24 units for military veterans and 204 condo units for “workforce” housing priced at 60% to 120% of area median income.

“It’s really targeting people who do not qualify for other subsidy programs … but still need housing,” Fuselier said. “A lot of people are priced out of the market, and  we’re looking to bring opportunities for homeownership at affordable price.”

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Hogs For the Cause Has A New Location This Year

Hogs for the Cause will be happening this year but at a different location and a new date. The annual event will take place this year June 4 – 5, 2021 in Belle Chasse. 

Image by Hogfest 2019

This will be the first time the event will be held outside of the city. The location will be at a Plaquemines Parish Government Facility with a 15-acre green space.

Patrons will enjoy one of New Orleans’ biggest food events but on a smaller scale. Rene Louapre and Becker Hall, co-founders, will be adding protocols for coronavirus safety this year. They are turning to health care professionals such as Children’s Hospital and LCMC Health, and state and parish officials, including the Louisiana Fire Marshal’s to oversee the event safety.

“Things could change between now and then but we want people to know that we’re taking a community-first approach with all of this,” Louapre said. “The public health considerations are where we start all of our decisions.”

The change in date and the location is due to COVID-19. The original dates in March 2020 were cancelled due to the pandemic and the new location stems from the UNO Lakefront Arena currently being used as a COVID-19 testing site. Orleans Parish also restricts outdoor events to a limit of 150 so the festival had to “think outside of the city” so to speak.

Plaquemines Parish allows 50% capacity or one person per 30 square feet at outside events. Hogs for the Cause hopes to keep their attendance lower than allowed with a capped capacity at 25% (approximately 5,000 patrons per day).

There will also be more of a separation between cook-off team areas and public areas this year. The tech-enabled wristband which has been used since 2008 will help reduce contact with vending booths and ticket lines.

Hogs for the Cause raises money to support families dealing with pediatric brain cancer. The Last event in 2019 raised around $2 million. Even with the smaller scaled event, Louapre and Hall will make sure the fundraising is a success this year.

“It’s important for us to continue doing this work,” said Louapre. “We have commitments to families and programs around the country. The pandemic hasn’t stopped the needs of these families.”

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