20,000 Home Subdivision Coming to New Orleans

[Ixolib]

Wouldn't mind being in Joseph Marcello's shoes. Don't 'ya know he's gonna make a bundle on that deal!!

[Zackiedawg]

You know what you're talkin' about! It's nice to see people who understand our problem.

As for the river diversions that you were asking about... Yes, there are comprehensive plans to restore the coast using these diversions. In fact, there are already several in operation right now. They have been successful, however, many more are needed. Also, there are many other aspects of the coastal restoration plan. Closing gaps, rebuilding barrier islands, etc...

I think LSU scientist Ivor Van Heerden put it best... "The coast IS a renewable resource, much like a forest. It just needs to be replenished. It can be done."

I'd suggest Googling "America's Wetland"... a campaign to save coastal Louisiana. Also, read the Times Picayune story "Washing Away". Solutions and projections are described in detail.

I'm glad to hear that there are some efforts to address the wetlands, and not just build more walls. I know what a mess it is down there...having driven down to some of the small towns in the area, and talking to folks who reminisced about acres of land where now there is only sea...and this within their lifetimes. Not only the levees diverting the replenishing silts, but the many channels, detours, bypasses, and shipping routes cut through the remaining marshes would need to be repaired.

I did read the Times Picayune article...I hope the right people in positions of influence take that seriously too. Just comparing some of the first satellite photos of the wetlands area with recent ones show drastic loss of coastline...and this is only within a 15-20 year period. It is amazing that there are residents in near-island towns who can remember their towns being miles away from the gulf coast.

I had taken a few courses at Tulane about Louisiana history that touched on the wetlands losses too, which is what first taught me about it and made me aware of it. I will look into the America's Wetland campaign as well...we have similar campaigns here in Florida to try to preserve and even restore parts of the Everglades which were encroached on by west and east coast residential expansion, dyked for flood protection, and diverted for farming use...reducing the natural flow of water to Florida Bay and shrinking the unique ecosphere of this area.

[stormie_skies]

Wow! So KB is ahead of the curve, eh? Don't worry...I am quite sure that we will see many, many more of these projects coming to light in the very near future. There are so many massive production homebuilders and developers who can easily take on such big projects (especially here in the south- builders are a dime a dozen here in Houston), and with the supposed "housing bubble collapse" they are just dying for new revenue-makers. The New Orleans metro is gonna be their Disneyworld, for better or worse. Here's hoping that they pour their best into New Orleans, take the history and culture of the area into consideration and strongly consider period architechure and mixed use developments - not ugly massive tract McMansion neighborhoods.

Honestly, I was looking forward to hearing news of this sort coming in ... not only because its a sign of rebirth.....but also because I work for a developer and hope that my current company will invest in New Orleans. Its a place that has really found a spot in my heart, and if I could find a job helping to nurse her back to health, I'd take it in a second.

Matt, what you have to understand is that preparing the city for a Cat 5 will take years - but people need homes and jobs NOW. You can't freeze all growth in the city until it is some kind of hurricane-proof fortress - if you did that, the people who were locked out of the city during that long process would never return. Besides, 100% preparation for a Cat 5 is an awful high standard - I don't know that any of our major coastal cities could safely take on a Cat 5, and I know of many that wouldn't stand a chance. Should all of these places be abandoned, too??

That said, though.... there does need to be a real plan, and a guarantee from the federal government that they really will do everything necessary to keep the city of New Orleans safe in the future. It makes me mad how national attention has shifted.... all those big promises from politicians, all that concern and now what....is anyone even listening anymore?? I agree with the person who says we gotta write our representatives. Everyone who knows and loves the Gulf coast has a responsibility to stand up and make them listen.

[TSmith274]

You Texans have a great attitude. I love it. You gave us help, and you still haven't forgotten. Good stuff.

The major crisis emerging now, in light of Rep. Baker's house bill getting shot down is that many houses will go into foreclosure... many people will have to declair bankruptcy by the 1st of the year. 250,000 homes are in play in the N.O. area alone. Rep. Baker's bill would have created a federal corporation to sell bonds to buy properties from homeowners nearing foreclosure, redevelop neighborhoods, and resell the homes. This is coming back up in January, but unfortunately for so many, it will be too late. We now need the feds to step in and mandate these mortgage companies to hold off for a couple months until this bill can get the rightful attention that it needs and deserves. One point that Richard Baker made was that we need people from all over the country to write their own representatives to support this bill. House bill 404, I believe.... not sure about that though.

Here's an article about the bill...

http://www.wdsu.com/news/5576785/detail.html

[KatDaddy]

New Orleans must be rebuilt however the levees must be strengthened first to a level that businesses and insurance companies feel safe to rebuild. A CAT 5 levee will betough to come by any time soon. The problem stems from insurance companies not willing to pay or insure companies in NOLA becuase the deem the levees are not designated CAT 5 levees.