A plan unveiled by parish and business leaders in Louisiana envisions as a pedestrian friendly, family oriented French-Quarteresque retail area. It will encompass about 100 acres in the heart of Metairie, LA’s Fat City.
Listen to Kevin Klinkenberg talk about 180º’s involvement in redesigning communities along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.
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JEDCO wants to slowly revitalize Metairie’s Fat City
Taking its turn at solving the riddle of how to transform Metairie’s Fat City into a pleasing town center, the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission released a report Thursday outlining redevelopment strategies.
Fat City for decades has been the subject of various studies envisioning a revitalized commercial and residential district to replace the worn nightclub hub. Those studies produced few tangible results.
But the JEDCO report arrives as Jefferson Parish officials are maintaining a more sustained effort at planning, code enforcement and infrastructure improvement in the neighborhood.
The most recent study’s goal for Fat City is to create an inviting mix of shops, restaurants and residences with a more pedestrian-friendly 18th Street at the center to attract visitors, including more families.
Watch this Video on 180º’s plans proposed for “French Quarter-esque” Fat City
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Notice how they say “safe” and “family-friendly”- aka no black people. this is not sustainable design. it is a suburb pretending to be a city. everyone is leaving new orleans and heading to the suburbs. this “fat city” can pretend to be a disneyified french quarter, but ill stick with the real thing
How did you read “safe” and “family-friendly” and interpret that as “no black people?” Maybe you should re-evaluate your own definition of the two terms. Why wouldn’t you want safe and family friendly neighborhoods? CHANGE can be good.
Hi Art,
I think we have to look at things in the real world of alternatives. Fat City can remain as it is – a collection of run-down, poorly-designed buildings with no useful public space, or.. it can plan for and try to change into something better. I’d be interested to know what you think the alternative is – just let it continue to be a crummy place? The buildings themselves can certainly be designed a number of ways, but the renderings are showing a French Quarter look simply b/c that’s indicative of what works very well climactically in the region, and has an identity that people like.
I’d be interested in your constructive criticisms-
Kevin