The Beginnings of a Comeback For West End
Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on New Orleans and is a storm NOLA will never forget. West-End was an area that was affected by the hurricane. Known for its dining and entertainment area built over Lake Pontchartrain on pilings, New Orleans, Jefferson Parish and Louisiana are set to approve an agreement that will begin plans to redevelop the spot where Bruning’s and Fitzgerald’s once thrived.
Once approved, Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish and the state will work together to approve and choose a developer. Developers will soon be able to run development proposals by the parish, state and city councils. The West End runs along the border of Orleans and Jefferson Parish and has not seen restoration in this area in over a decade.
“This is something that is important for all of us,” New Orleans City Council member Joe Giarrusso, whose district includes the New Orleans-owned part of West End, told the Jefferson Parish Council on Wednesday.
“We are excited to get this process rolling and bring that spot back to life,” Jefferson Parish Council member Jennifer Van Vrancken said.
The redevelopment will not sit on the old pilings over Lake Pontchartrain. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says they are unusable. The old parking lot, which is close to 5-acres, will be the new site. Van Vrancken hopes the development will include retail, restaurants and residential developments. Plans also are in the works to add a walking bridge that will connect the new development to Bucktown Harbor.
Orleans, Jefferson and the state all will have a say and need to work together. According to Van Vrancken, some land lies in Jefferson, some in Orleans and some the state owns.
“Theoretically, the whole lakefront is working in synergy,” Van Vranken said.
