Revitalization for Metairie Business District
The Metairie business district is underway for a multi-million-dollar revitalization effort. Part of this effort includes the parish buying the abandoned apartment and hotel complex in Fat City. The Orleans Courtyard Apartments located on Division Street and the Orleans Courtyard Inn located at Hessmer Avenue are currently owned by Dr. Srinivas Kata. Jefferson Parish Council member Jennifer Van Vrancken is over the parish purchase.
The land will become known as EAT Fat City Center and will consist of an arts annex and a campus that will focus on entrepreneurship, art and technology. The project is around a $15 million development and will include co-working spaces, meeting rooms and a digital library. Across the street is a vacant piece of land that the Metairie Business Development District will use to add a new park and a festival ground.
“Our economic development partners have long told us they believe Fat City has the potential to really appeal to young entrepreneurs. We feel this will attract young entrepreneurs and give them a reason to be in Fat City,” says Van Vrancken.
There are still tenants in the Orleans Courtyard Apartments and many say they did not know about the potential sale and demolition of their home. Due to the deplorable living conditions, many residents want to move to another complex with better living conditions.
“They’ve got nothing but rats running up and down here. This building needs to be shut down,” says current resident Wendell Sutherland.
