[StBernard] LRA Distributes Pattern Books to Louisiana Residents at Home Improvement Stores Statewide

[Westley Annis]

It works for me.

Westley

-----Original Message-----
Is anyone getting that link to work?
 


 

	-----------------------------------------------------
	LRA Begins Distributing Pattern Books
	
	Rebuilding Guides will be Available to Louisiana Residents Statewide
	
	BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA)'s
Louisiana Speaks initiative has partnered with retailers across the state to
distribute the Louisiana Pattern Book, a reference guide of building designs
and materials that will enable people to rebuild using more storm-resistant
materials while maintaining the architectural character of South Louisiana. 
	
	Beginning next week, Pattern Books will be available for free at
select home improvement stores throughout Louisiana. A complete list of
distribution centers and electronic copies of the Pattern Book will be
available online at www.louisianaspeaks.org beginning tomorrow. 
	
	"Louisiana residents need the tools to rebuild their homes and their
lives," said Donna Fraiche, LRA Board Member and Long Term Community
Planning Task Force Chair. "The LRA's Louisiana Speaks Pattern Book will
guide Louisianans toward rebuilding their homes safer, stronger and
smarter." 
	
	Through technical workshops and community forums led by Ray Gindroz
of Urban Design Associates (UDA), the LRA worked with citizens,
homebuilders, architects and developers to create the Pattern Book. "The
Louisiana Speaks Pattern Book has been designed to provide tools for
building new homes and renovating those damaged by the storms," said Ray
Gindroz of UDA. "It continues the tradition of Pattern Books which our
grandfathers and grandmothers used to build our most loved communities and
neighborhoods."
	
	Donna Fraiche, Ray Gindroz and other stakeholders will be available
in select home improvement stores to answer questions about the Louisiana
Patter Book on Friday, June 7th at the following times and locations:
	
	
	Slidell 
	9 am 
	Lowe's Home Improvement 
	39184 Natchez Drive
	Slidell, LA 
	
	
	Abbeville
	2 pm
	Stine Lumber 
	2401 Veteran's Memorial Blvd 
	Abbeville, LA 
	
	
	Lake Charles
	5 pm
	Stine Lumber
	4501 Nelson Road
	Lake Charles, LA
	
	
	
	Publication of the Pattern Book was made possible by a grant from
the Fannie Mae Foundation. "The Louisiana Speaks Pattern Book is not only a
beautiful tribute to Louisiana's rich and wonderful architecture, but a
practical guide to aid in the rebuilding of those Louisiana communities that
suffered devastation," said Stacey D. Stewart, president and CEO, Fannie Mae
Foundation. "We believe it will be a valuable tool that will help
communities rebuild in a time-honored fashion that embraces Louisiana's
irreplaceable and unique architectural history." 
	
	
	"Lowe's is committed to helping residents rebuild safer, stronger
homes that can withstand storms without compromising the architectural
features unique to Louisiana, said David Vaughn, vice president of
merchandising for building materials at Lowe's. "The LRA's Pattern Book is
an informative tool that can help the many residents of Louisiana put safety
first when rebuilding." 
	
	
	"We're excited to participate in the LRA's rebuilding efforts and
serve as a distribution point where residents can pick up copies of this
valuable reference guide. What we've learned from last year's unprecedented
hurricane season is that we can probably all benefit from fortifying our
homes up to today's newly re-evaluated standards" said David Stine, Vice
President Stine Lumber.
	
	Louisiana Speaks is the long-term community planning initiative of
the LRA designed to develop a sustainable long-term vision for South
Louisiana. In late June, the LRA's Louisiana Speaks initiative launched the
long-range regional planning process with regional planner, Calthorpe
Associates. In conjunction with the launch of the regional planning process,
the first edition of the LRA's newsletter titled, "C! reating a Regional
Vision for South Louisiana" will also be available to the public in retail
stores and coffee shops across the southern region. The newsletter addresses
the results of the 2006 Recovery Survey conducted by Collective Strength and
the planning process for rebuilding the hurricane-affected region of South
Louisiana. For more information about the LRA's long-term community planning
efforts and to read the newsletter, visit www.louisianaspeaks.org. 
	
	
	
	Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, destroying
more than 200,000 homes, and damaging more than 18,000 businesses. In the
aftermath of these storms, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco established
the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) to serve as the planning and
coordinating body for Louisiana's recovery. This 33-member body is
coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and
resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for one of
the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world.
	
	
	
	The LRA is supported by the LRA Support Foundation, a private,
nonprofit organization which has raised private funds to secure the current
team of world-renowned planners and experts who are responsible for
developing plans for rebuilding South Louisiana. 
	
	
	
	###