New Orleans City Business

Razed and Confused: Lawsuit Alleges City of N.O. Illegally Ordered Demolitions

When Michael Duronslet arrived at the corner of St. Ferdinand and North Galvez streets and saw only a plot of reddish-brown dirt where before there had been a boarded-up home, his first thought was he was standing on the wrong block. "When I got there, the house was down and I was like, 'Am I at the wrong place?'" said Duronslet, a longtime friend of the house's late owner, Paul Fernandez, who had owned the house at 2138 St. Ferdinand St. before he died several years ago.

Economy Takes Bite From New Orleans-Area Menus

Restaurants are increasing prices, downsizing portions and, in some cases, removing certain items from the menu -- necessary responses, owners and chefs say, to a run-up in food, energy and insurance costs the likes of which some have never seen. "Across the board, everything is up," said Chef Andrea Apuzzo of Andrea's Restaurant in Metairie, who is dealing with what he calls the most significant price spikes of his 23 years in business.

Community Defense Links Public with Orleans Parish Justice System

When Christine Lehmann came on board as chief of the Orleans Parish Public Defender's Office in October 2006, the first thing she noticed was the phone hardly rang, a rarity for criminal defense attorneys who are used to their clients calling several times a day. Lehmann said she couldn't figure it out until someone told her the office had long ago put a block on calls originating from the Orleans Parish Prison, home to the vast majority of its clientele.

Brewing Dispute: Pair Moves Forward with Plans to Build Gourmet Hamburger Restaurant in N.O.

After getting the go-ahead from the City Planning Commission, the Historic District Landmarks Commission and the Garden District and Irish Channel neighborhood associations, Craig Walker Jr. and Blaine Prestenbach believe they will be able to move ahead with plans to build their gourmet hamburger restaurant, Charcoal, at the intersection of Magazine Street and Jackson Avenue. The pair acquired the property at 2200 Magazine St., a vacant lot overgrown with weeds, six months ago for $300,000,...

Construction Begins in N.O. On $300m Wwii Museum Expansion

National World War II Museum officials today broke ground on the theater-canteen complex, the first portion of a $300-million expansion of the museum. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, and museum officials gathered at noon for the groundbreaking of the theater-canteen complex, the first of six new pavilions that comprise the museum's expansion and capital campaign plan.

Ochsner Health System, Hornets to Hold Blood Drive in New Orleans

Ochsner Health System is partnering with the New Orleans Hornets to hold blood drive Tuesday at the "Ochsner Night at the Hornets" home game against the Utah Jazz. The Ochsner Bloodmobile will be part of Buzz Fest from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. outside the New Orleans Arena.

'American Idol' Selects Louisiana Charity for Fundraiser Episode

A Louisiana charity will be featured on "American Idol" this week for the television show's "Idol Gives Back" annual fundraiser. The Louisiana Children's Defense Fund's New Orleans Freedom School and local families will appear on the 7 p.m. show Wednesday.

U.S District Court in New Orleans Orders St. Bernard to Restore Electricity for Rentals

A federal judge has stopped the St. Bernard Parish Council from proceeding with a plan to evict a group of tenants from single- family homes that were never granted required permits for rental use by the council. The temporary restraining order was handed down Thursday by Judge Sarah Vance at U.S District Court in New Orleans. It is the first ruling in a lawsuit filed last month by a group of 25 out-of-state investors seeking to overturn a controversial post-Hurricane Katrina land use ordinan...

University of New Orleans Students Map Recovery

In a studio on the top floor of a building on the University of New Orleans' Lakefront Campus, a small group of graduate students is developing a plan for a tightknit Vietnamese community in eastern New Orleans. The students are part of UNO's Department of Planning and Urban Studies, and department chairwoman Jane Brooks said the 13 students' class project will help the Village d'Lest neighborhood receive federal funding and spur recovery in the heavily damaged area.

Where We're at -- New Orleanians Tell Citybusiness How They Think the Recovery Is Progressing.

Since taking over Pan-American Life Insurance Co. in 2004, President and CEO Jose Suquet has shot down rumors that his downsizing and streamlining of the company was a precursor for its relocation to Miami, where Suquet has business ties dating to 1985. Suquet pared the company's headquarters on Poydras Street from 500 employees when he took over the company to 285 last year. But with his Latin American and domestic business strategies bearing fruit, the company is poised for growth. Revenues...

N.O.-Based Whitney Holding Corp. Promotes John Turner to President, Succession Complete

Whitney Holding Corp., parent company of Whitney National Bank, has promoted John Turner Jr. to president of the company and the bank. Turner replaces John Hope III, who became chairman and CEO March 16 after William Marks retired. R. King Milling remains board vice chairman.

N.O. Begins Red Light Traffic Camera Enforcement

As of Tuesday, the city of New Orleans began issuing citations to red-light traffic camera violators at four intersections. The citations follow a monthlong warning and training period. "Our goal is to stop red-light violators and prevent traffic collisions," said Robert Mendoza, director of Public Works. "We've worked hard to publicize the program and encourage the public to follow the law. If a driver violates the law and puts lives at risk by running the light, a citation will be issued."

New Orleans Developer Hri, Deuce Mcallister Team to Renovate Historic Mississippi Hotel

New Orleans developer HRI Properties, Saints running back Deuce McAllister and Jackson, Miss., attorney David Watkins are teaming on an $82-million renovation of the historic King Edward Hotel in downtown Jackson. The project calls for the 145-year-old building to be redeveloped into an upscale hotel and apartment development. The 12-story, 300,000-square-foot building has sat vacant since 1967.

Nasa Transition Will Cut 1,100 Michoud Jobs

More than half of the 1,900 jobs associated with external fuel tank production at a NASA facility in eastern New Orleans will be cut by 2010 after the space shuttle program is shut down, NASA officials said last Tuesday. But employment should increase over time at the Michoud Assembly Facility through production on the next generation of space vehicles.

Developers to Open Crowne Plaza in Kenner

A group of Metairie developers plans to open a franchised Crowne Plaza hotel in Kenner sometime in the third quarter. Joe Jaeger Jr. of the MCC Group LLC confirmed he is one partner involved with converting the former Holiday Inn Select at 2929 Williams Blvd. into a 307-room Crowne Plaza.

Lauricella Land Co. Pitches $80m Plan to Save Colonial Country Club

An Elmwood company plans to redevelop Colonial Country Club into Belle Rive, an $80-million-plus project designed to save the financially challenged golf course. Lauricella Land Co. has relieved the cash-strapped course of $4.4 million in debt and proposes overhauling the course and building condos on the 90-acre site, said project spokesman James Price.

What Others Say

'Vallas: New Orleans is a breeze,' Philadelphia, March 29 Reforming the hurricane-ravaged New Orleans school system has proven an easier task than running the schools in Philadelphia, former city schools chief executive Paul Vallas said.

New Orleans City Council Toughens Code for Abandoned Buildings

Strengthening neighborhoods is behind new, aggressive code enforcement procedures to tackle abandoned properties in New Orleans, said Office of Recovery and Development Administration Director Ed Blakely. City Hall, through ORDA and the City Council, has established a new framework for attacks on owners of unoccupied, derelict properties. Pre-storm blight pooled with post-Hurricane Katrina damage has created an inventory of about 30,000 problem properties that are unoccupied.

Hospital Headache: Questions About New Facility in New Orleans

A state Senate panel convened a hearing March 25 to clarify the status of Louisiana State University's proposed $1.2-billion, 484- bed teaching hospital. But the meeting raised just as many questions as it answered. Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine expressed concerns about the cost and the size of the hospital and said he will need up to three months to study the business plan.

New Orleans Medical Briefs: April 7, 2008

Newborns given wider screenings The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is finalizing new regulations to screen for an additional 18 genetic diseases in newborn babies. Previously, only 10 genetic disorders were screened for at birth.