Opposing the Perez development in Holy Cross

From: NorthWest Carrollton [mailto:nwcarrollton@mindspring.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 11:15 PM
To: Stacy Head; jawilliams@nola.gov; Susan G. Guidry; LaToya Cantrell; nramsey@nola.gov; jbrossett@nola.gov; James A. Gray
Subject: Perez Development in the Lower 9th Ward

Council members;

NorthWest Carrollton stands in solidarity with the Lower 9 Vision Coalition in its strong opposition to the Perez development.

Too many of us sat through far too many PostKatrina Planning Meetings, Master Plan Meetings and CZO Meetings to have the work that has been outlined ignored.

The proposed development does NOT align with the Master Plan, current zoning or the proposed CZO.

Seeing the work the recovering New Orleans community collectively accomplished during all these meetings ignored by the Mayor and newly elected Council is disrespectful of the citizenry.

C1A does NOT belong in a restricted corner of the Lower 9th Ward neighborhood

Just over the bridge, St. Claude Ave is a Main Street. 

Any development in the Lower 9 should respect the history of the main thoroughfare, St. Claude, and align with the rest of the St. Claude Main Street Program.

If you want to look at what happens when the kind of development Perez is proposing is tried in what is essentially a residential neighborhood, look to the history of the development at what was "Uptown Square".  It didn't work.  

Sure there is some success here but redevelopment has occurred and reoccured because it was never really the right thing in the right place.  IF New Orleans can't make this kind of development work in the more monied and developed areas of Uptown we really need to think long and hard about what will work for the people of the Lower 9.

The concept of "Density" should not be used to push a "Developers know best" mentality.  

"Density" only has a hope of working when the surrounding infrastructure and transportation options (Bus routes, street size, traffic flow options...) support it.

Before New Orleans starts pushing "Density" we need to be able to provide basic and consistent services.

Why should a Carrollton Area Neighborhood care?  Because we know that the  Lower 9th Ward is only the 1st in a long string "Developers know best" density battles to come.

The people who live in the Lower 9 KNOW what they want.  The City Council should listen.