[StBernard] Duany meeting and the rebuilding of St.Bernard

[Westley Annis]

Deborah,
I stayed til the end, and the rest was mostly about rebuilding the historic
Arabi area along the river and making that an incredible shopping/town
meeting place. Also about changing the look of Judge Perez, no more high
signs, and getting back to code regulations. He said everyone just does
everything any-which-way. No more parking lots in FRONT of buildings, make
the shopping more inviting by the building being in the front, and parking
in the back.
The curve on Judge Perez would become the new "TOWN CENTER" with a town hall
located there.
And canals, all the proposals were full of canals (even right through the
center of Judge Perez). He said we need to start utilizing our canals
instead of making them look like some engineering project.
(MY QUESTION HERE IS WITH ALL THE NEW WATERWAYS - - - WHAT ABOUT THE
MOSQUITOES????  WOULDN'T THAT CREATE A BREEDING GROUNDS FOR MORE??)

As far as housing goes, I came away feeling that he feels as though the
architecture should go back to how it was before, because our fore-fathers
understood that we were surrounded by water, and the elevation is BELOW all
that water. And that means BUILDING OR REBUILDING UP!
Whether your home was built after 1975, or before, that you should raise.
Slab or no slab, it seemed to me all housing types were recommended to be
raised.
The point that was made is this: even if you are not REQUIRED to elevate,
and you CHOOSE NOT TO elevate, you may not be able to purchase insurance, or
afford what insurance is offered, and you won't be able to sell your home.
Also if your neighbors elevate, than you would now own the "funk" house(s)
on the block, which would be the least likely to sell, bringing down your
property value.

He recommended repopulating the parish by density, and only in certain
areas. Like start out stronger on the south of Judge Perez, and gradually
begin rebuilding on the north side. There were 3 separate plans for green
space on the north side.......1 plan called for beginning the green space
just 1 block to the north of Judge Perez, another plan called for beginning
the green space on the north side of Patricia Street, and I just completely
forgot the 3rd plan??? (katrina brain!)

A lot of the buildings in the new "town square" consisited of 2 story
buildings, with business being located at the ground floor, and
apartment/condos on the second story.  There were many trees in all of the
diagrams, and he insisted on having the refineries pay to have the NEW
St.Bernard Hwy lined with oak trees! He said St.Bernard Hwy needs to be used
more as a state highway, and Judge Perez utilized as the center for business
(except the industrials which would remain along the highway, but now hidden
among the trees) He even unveiled plans for Jackson Barracks.
So now the waiting game begins, and I don't know what to think, but I did
like the presentation that I saw.
Now it is up to the council to decide, and present this to the higher-ups as
a plan. There is only so much money to go around, and the clock is
ticking..........

Tracie Brown