Federal City Redevelopment Team Engages Community to Discuss Master Plan

by Julia Ballard • July 1, 2015 • Development, News, Retail • Comments (0) • 7001

Federal City is a public-private mixed-use 130-acre development located on the former Naval Support Activity (NSA) New Orleans West Bank property in the Algiers historic district of New Orleans.

$150 million of state funds has been committed to date to site redevelopment, representing one of the largest redevelopment investments by the State of Louisiana.

In January of this year, Vista Louisiana, LLC was selected as the new Master Developer of the project. Steven Oubre, principal, architect and town planner with ASW, was since engaged with the redevelopment as well.

The teams are working together to develop a mixed-use space that will accommodate retail, residential housing, hotel accommodations, dining venues, a recreational community and more.

The project boasts capabilities of providing tenants with the best in green energy efficiency, security, operational effectiveness, and quality of life amenities. Businesses, including Ochsner Fitness Center, are already operating and open to the public.

All teams involved in this project have the same goal in mind: to create a community that current and future Greater New Orleans’ residents will enjoy and benefit from.

At the end of May, businesses and community leaders gathered for the Integrated Design Workshop to discuss ideas and help formulate a master plan for the development. This was one of five design workshops.

Algiers Development District (ADD) and Joint Development Committee (JDC), which was created to oversee the project, meetings are open to the public, and the organizations encourage and promote attendance and comment. Input received from residents and community leaders remain a focal point for both boards as they move forward in the planning process.

Not only did attendees make tenant requests ranging from specific, local retailers and grocers to more commercialized chains, but also on the look and feel of the redevelopment, including layout.

Some of the existing structures on site do not meet the criteria and cannot be salvaged safely, but all of the historic properties have been audited and will be preserved. Phase 1 of the Master Plan will make sure the historic properties will be well attended to.

Another focus of the ADD and JDC boards since taking possession of the land in March 2014 has been to ensure that the necessary infrastructure (electric, gas, sewerage and water) is in place underground before moving forward on any above ground construction.

Moving forward, “Most importantly above all, we must show the community that we continue to make progress,” said a representative.