Louisiana Will Receive $2.7 Billion for Levee Infrastructure Projects

 South Louisiana residents know the damage flooding can cause to the levee systems around the area during a hurricane. The Lousiana levee systems are very important to the area and its residents. Last month, it was announced that the area will receive $2.7 Billion towards completing the Morganza-to-the-Gulf hurricane levee system along with several dozen levees, flood control and other infrastructure projects.

Congress recently approved the two bills that provide the $2.7 billion, the Hurricane Ida Disaster Supplemental Appropriations bill approved in September and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act approved in November.

The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has allowed $1.3 billion dollars in their annual 2023 budget which will be spent over 12 months beginning July 1. Included are 144 projects statewide, including $1 billion to be spent on the construction of 76 projects.

“After Louisiana suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Ida, I am pleased to see the Corps include over $1 billion for projects in Louisiana’s First Congressional District," Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, who originally opposed the bill, said. "As our state’s recovery continues, I am committed to pushing the Corps to ensure South Louisiana has the resources necessary to restore and improve protection for our citizens and communities.”

"The federal funding released today builds on years of work by Congressman Scalise on these flood protection projects," replied spokesman Hunter Lovell. "Congressman Scalise, along with Congressman Garret Graves, secured the language in a House bill that allowed the Morganza-to-the-Gulf project to receive federal construction funding for the first time in its history."

The Morganza levee system already has received $12.5 million in 2020 and $19 million in 2021. The $378.5 million from the infrastructure bill is the largest federal contribution towards the level system. The Morganza levee is a 92-mile levee system. Because the state requires 35% to be matched for the federal funding, Louisiana, Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes have given $1 billion towards the construction.

The money allotted by the bill will also help pay to improve several floodgates which include Minors Canal Floodgate, Humble Canal Floodgate, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway East and West floodgates. It will also help redo the Lockport to Larose levee reach and the Reach A South levee.

The Southwest Coastal Louisiana Hurricane Projection will be allotted $125 million to help raise structures in Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermilion parishes. The program's goal is aimed at reducing flooding problems and restoring wetlands in areas south of Lake Charles.

Another $783 million will be given to the Corps to allow the hurricane levels in Plaquemines Parish to be elevated to levels able to withstand overtopping from storm surges with a 2% chance of occurring in any year. The West Shore Lake Pontchartrain levee will also receive $453 million which is slated to be completed by end of 2025.

The remaining funds will go to improvements to the Atchafalaya Basin floodway, repairs to levee slides at two Atchafalaya Basin locations, and for dredging of a shoaling area in the basin near Morgan City, build the Bayou Sale East-West tie-in, design and partially build drainage projects in Algiers and repairs to Mississippi River levees and channels throughout the state.

The New Orleans area will also get some of the money to help raise the area's levees. In the Corps budget for the area, the proposed to spend $3 billion over a 50 year period. This will help keep the levees raised to the 100-year surge protection level.

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Plaquemines Parish New Oil Terminal Cancelled

 

Tallgrass Energy Partners is now going back to the drawing board to discuss different options for the property in Plaquemines Parish that was slated to become an oil export terminal and pipeline. The Midwest energy company called off the $2.5 billion project last month as they felt the world is going another way away from oil and gas.

The property which is located on 200-acres up the Mississippi River from Ironton is owned by the Plaquemines Port Harbor & Transit District. Tallgrass is leasing the property from the port and both companies are discussing "other ways to develop its Ironton property." Some of the discussions were using it for a distribution center or warehousing.

After a study conducted, the company sees that the market is changing. Many are swaying away from oil and gas and looking into other alternatives. If the project had been completed, the terminal would have been able to store around 20 million barrels of oil.

The site which was part of the St. Rosalie Plantation is part of the communities history. In fact, many residents of Ironton descended from slaves who lived at the plantation. Many residents were opposed to the project because it would be built over the plantation's cemetery.

“Integrity and respect are core Tallgrass values,” William Moler, CEO of the Leawood company said. “As part of our PLT permitting process, our cultural survey work identified a cemetery and potential artifacts consistent with what community members shared about the history of the site. Since then, we reduced our development footprint to protect those areas and engaged with the Ironton community and other local stakeholders on an appropriate path toward memorializing them.”

Ironton residences were excited by the news of Tallgrass' decision to stop the project. Residents are still struggling from Hurricane Ida's destruction to Ironton. Many residents moved away from the area after the storm surge flooded most of the community. Those who are still there feel like they have a victory.

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Algiers Point Real Estate Changes in the Last Few Years

 Algiers Point is the second oldest neighborhood in the City of New Orleans. Known as the Point by locals, this area of New Orleans offers affordable housing. It is a quiet and quaint neighborhood with the small-town charm just a ferry ride away from downtown.

Algiers Point is across the Mississippi River from downtown. The Point is known for its beautiful Victorian historic homes. Residents and visitors describe it is like stepping back in time to the 1800s. You can see Victorian double shotgun homes as well as Craftsman shotguns and bungalows.

Algiers Point has seen a drastic increase in real estate activity in the past few years. The median sales price rose from $164,318 to $348,335 between 2012 and 2018 in the U.S. In Algiers, there has been a steady price increase since 2011. In 2018 the median sales price in Algiers was $181,776 which is affordable compared to its neighboring community the Garden District which had a median sales price of $510,584 in 2018.

"For the new folks, it's really just kind of the affordability of the community that makes sense," said Kelsey Foster, head of the Algiers Economic Development Foundation. Once new subdivisions started popping up, "that raised our population, and the average median income. And that immediately changes the calculation for grocery stores, restaurants and retail."

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Home Price Boom In New Orleans' Second Oldest Neighborhood

January 2021 brought activity to empty lots in Algiers Point. Close to half a dozen two-story homes were built in Algiers Point, the second oldest neighborhood in New Orleans. Homeowners in the area noticed the home building literally overnight in the area.

Natives know Algiers Point as the Point a charming neighborhood that is affordable on the east bank. The community is close-knit and quiet and is a ferry ride to downtown. This has lured developers to the area over the past five years. Although real estate prices are rising all over the city, the Point seems to have an even higher increase.

"For the new folks, it's really just kind of the affordability of the community that makes sense," Kelsey Foster, head of the Algiers Economic Development Foundation said. Once new subdivisions started popping up, "that raised our population, and the average median income. And that immediately changes the calculation for grocery stores, restaurants and retail."

The area has several new subdivisions and development projects currently going on. One is a 40-home development on Patterson Road on land across from the Mississippi River called Patterson Point and another is upriver which is a 20-home Maritimes development. Both projects will feature homes that are replicas of 19th-century architecture. This will be unique to the historic neighborhood because the homes will look historic without the century-old home high maintenance.

Algiers will not only see new subdivisions and homes but also new businesses. Already the area has a new coffee shop and several restaurants. There are plans for a new grocery store, condo and homes that will be a live work-in play on 10 acres on Opelousas Avenue. In fact, Barracuda Taco Stand a New Orleans' favorite is opening a second location at the Point.

"This is like, pour water on seeds and watch it sprout," Barbie Rambo, an Algiers Point homeowner, said. "They did all of that in one fell swoop and just, there you have it."

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New Orleans Convention Center to Expand Its Economic Reach

With the latest addition of developed riverfront property on the Mississippi River in and around the French Quarter, many local New Orleans’ businesses have expressed an interest in developing riverfront property into usable and money-making ventures to encourage more visitors, tourists, and business to come to New Orleans.  Because of this, there are plans for the New Orleans Convention Center to expand its economic reach “upriver” on 47 acres of property.  Owners of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center are in talks with Howard Hughes Corp. and local developers Joe Jaeger and Darryl Berger to build a 1,200 room hotel which would also be surrounded with retail, entertainment, restaurants, and housing in the form of condos and apartments.

Because the current configuration of the Convention Center is “walled off” from the river, this new construction project will offer guests riverfront views, luxurious rooms in which to stay, and even a

path from the new development to the current convention center for their meetings and seminars.  This $65 million proposal would revamp Convention Boulevard, reducing it from 4 lanes to 2, and creating pedestrian-friendly walking areas for convention goers.

In addition to the hotel on which the construction is estimated at approximately $360 million to $600 million, there are also talks about creating a green space that extends all the way to the river – similar to but better than Woldenberg Park.  The infrastructure construction would also include adding on to the streets of Euterpe, Race and Orange in the Lower Garden District so that the neighborhood would be connected to the new development.

“We’ve got to reclaim the parts that are not being used for maritime commerce and make the river a gathering place for our people and our visitors — generate some commerce, generate some opportunities for visitors and locals alike to come downtown and have a unique shopping experience or unique dining experience or some other attraction that’s uniquely New Orleans,” said Bob Johnson, president and general manager of the Morial Convention Center.  “It would dwarf anything that’s been done, ever, in the city,” Johnson said.

Plans are still in the works and the new neighborhood is being designed by Eskew+Dumez+Ripple and Manning Architects.  This is just one of many riverfront projects that are in the planning stages in the Greater New Orleans area.

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