My NOLA Park - A Park for Many Neighborhoods

11/07/2022

Please Join The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) For a Virtual Community Meeting on November 14th, 2022 at 6pm

NORA is working with the City of New Orleans to redevelop and revitalize the vacant parcel at 1141 Esplanade Avenue. During the meeting, NORA will provide an overview of the property and provide specifics about the development process and timeline.

Additionally, NORA will use this opportunity to gather community feedback and ideas about the future use of the site. The information gathered from the community will be used to inform the developer solicitation that NORA will release this fall.

Attendees must register in advance for the meeting. Please see below:

1141 Esplanade Ave Redevelopment Community Meeting
When: Nov 14, 2022 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Register for this meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkd-qgrjgtGtyabdZasS5AJx-BtQOolrEf

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: 1141 Esplanade Ave Development Community Meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

12/15/2021

Dear neighbors and friends,
It just came to our attention last night that an ordinance to grant a 99-year lease to NORA for 1141 Esplanade is on tomorrow's City Council agenda. Details about the CEA are in the links below.

This comes as a TOTAL SURPRISE to Dabne and I especially considering we have an active email thread trying to coordinate a meeting time with CW Palmer and Nicole Heyman, Director of Community Assets and Investment to resurrect talks about the future of this lot. The email NEVER mentioned that CW Palmer was submitting this ordinance for a vote.

The most recent consensus vision for the lot among community groups and community members after our Feb 2019 community meeting was 100% affordable housing on the part fronting Esplanade and the back half of the lot for a community park.

The CEA as it is currently written does not require community input or guarantee any community use space. NORA doesn't have a great track record of community engagement and the lot as it is currently zoned would allow for a 4 story development with streetfront retail all the way to the back corner at Henriette Delille and Kerlerec.

Please submit a public comment in the link below - MUST BE DONE by 8AM TOMORROW 12/16. Should you want something quick, I recommend:

"Councilmembers, please vote no on item #27, the proposed ordinance for the City of New Orleans to enter into a 99-year lease with New Orleans Redevelopment Authority for development of the lot at 1141 Esplanade. FOR TEN YEARS Historic Faubourg Treme Association and MyNolaPark have pursued a dialogue with the City for greenspace development on this lot. Acknowledging economic strains on the neighborhood, their most recent request was for a mixed use of 100% affordable housing units and a neighborhood park with details to be decided through community outreach, WHICH I AGREE WITH. The proposed ordinance requires no community engagement and has no limits on development scale or scope in a historic corridor and shows bad faith on the part of the City and NORA.

I want sensible, affordable housing development in Treme AND I want a space for us to gather outdoors and for our children to play. Do better next time but vote “no” on this.”

https://council.nola.gov/meetings/2021/20211216-regular-meeting/
- link to "submit a public comment"
Enter name, address, email, scroll down to "Regular 27. CAL. NO. 33,539 - BY: COUNCILMEMBER GISLESON PALMER (BY REQUEST)", enter comment, submit.

https://cityofno.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=3964&meta_id=556461

https://cityofno.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&clip_id=3916&meta_id=548571

Thank you!
Diana McDermott and Dabne Whitemore
Co-Founders MyNolaPark

09/21/2019

Dear Friends of the Park! Diana is organizing volunteers for Tremé Fest. We would appreciate if you can give a few hours for October 4 set up or October 5 fest day. Sign up sheet link below. Thank you!!

Thank you for supporting the Tremé Fall Festival! This year the fest will take place on October 5th between 11AM-7PM. Shifts are typically 3 hours short. Please complete the form below and we will contact you to confirm your volunteer date and time. Should you have any questions, please contact our...

04/11/2019

Dear park supporters:
On February 21, 2019, Councilwoman Palmer presented a resolution regarding development at 1141 Esplanade acknowledging the RFP for development on the site had been announced but requesting the any housing that be built on the site be 100% affordable and that development plans include ‘substantial greenspace’ for community use. She further requested that the community be involved in the applicant selection process. The resolution (https://cityofno.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&clip_id=3234&meta_id=439123) passed unanimously with two council members absent.

Four proposals were received by the Office of Community Development. https://nola.gov/community-development/documents/2019-1141-esplanade-avenue-rfp-log-in-sheet/

To fulfill the community involvement component, we have requested that Darryl Durham, Historic Faubourg Treme Association president and director of Anna’s Place program at St Anna’s Episcopal Church, be our representative to the Mayor’s office regarding this development. Meeting dates are yet to be set.

Though this doesn't fulfill our wishes for 100% green space, it's better than 100% majority market-rate housing. The boon to the neighborhood with well placed affordable housing and park should spur development of more empty lots.

Stay tuned!

02/06/2019

https://www.nola.com/politics/2019/02/public-park-or-housing-treme-neighbors-city-differ-over-plans.html

Residents have long proposed a park space on Esplanade near Rampart; city now seeks housing developing with affordable units.

02/05/2019

Here is another way to have your voice heard! Monday through Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Treme Center.

City Hall is coming to your neighborhood! In an effort to better connect residents with local government, City Hall is excited to announce the expansion of the Mayor’s Community Office Hours Program beginning Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Residents will now have the opportunity to engage with represe...

02/05/2019

I know we were #3 and this is from 2012, but still! We believe we are #1!!! 🔙🔛🔝

New Orleans Magazine is a monthly lifestyle magazine that features articles on dining, going out, bars and nightclubs, shopping, events and political commentary by editor Errol Laborde.

02/05/2019

OMG! For the love of our community, you all rock! We love Treme! You love Treme! We will get a park! Please see our next steps and CALL CALL CALL! But most importantly, know that people like you make our community a neighborhood. Keep imagining a park here. That is our slogan, because it means something! Thank you for sharing your voice and listening to ours!

02/03/2019

Don't forget! Treme Talk Back is tomorrow to discuss a proposed park development initiated by the community in 2011. Now the City is proposing a large-scale multi-unit development consisting of 70% market rate units. Mostly 1 bedrooms, which could even be used as STRs. Which is better? You decide! The City did zero outreach, because they were not required to. We think your opinion matters on the development of city-owned property that should serve the citizens and will significantly impact Treme and our quality of life. Come out, become informed, share your opinion! Red Beans and Rice provided, 6pm on Monday night! Bring the kids - this is about what everyone - no matter what age -wants for the Treme neighborhood.

01/29/2019

The City just published a request for proposals for a large scale housing development on this site.

https://www.nola.gov/community-development/documents/1141-esplanade-rfp-01172019-final-(002)-pdf/

City 1, Neighborhood 0

11/09/2018

Treme Fest (Oct 6) was a blast but I was really happy to see this lot get USED for the good of the community. More community discussions coming soon!

10/29/2018

Just a heads up! A dedicated group of neighbors have been meeting with Councilwoman Palmer's office and the Mayor's office on the vacant lot at Kerlerec/Henriette Delille Street/Esplanade Avenue! More information to come!