What's Up Downtown March 20, 2009
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|  | | The Future of Health Care is Now: Construction to Begin in April on
Downtown State-of-the-Art Cancer Research Center
Construction on the new state-of-the-art Cancer Research Center will begin in April, according to the president of the Greater New Orleans BioSciences Economic Development District and DDD Commissioner, Jim McNamara. The facility will feature cutting edge cancer research equipment and programs. It will pioneer breakthrough advances in the early detection, treatment, and prevention of cancer. "The Cancer Research Consortium is the first step, and the BioInnovation Center will follow shortly with a new building on Canal Street. Both of these facilities are within the BioSciences Development District, which is beginning to take shape this year," said McNamara. "With the final approval of funding for the Downtown teaching hospital located next to the VA hospital, New Orleanians will begin to see the realization of a health care, research, education, and economic development dream for the most important industry in our area in the first quarter of the 21st century." For more information on the project, visit www.lcrc.info.
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|  | | YLC Announces 2009 Wednesday at the Square Official Lineup Spring is here again and so are the Young Leadership Council's Wednesday at the Square concerts! Headliners for this year's series include the Bucktown All-Stars, Letters to Cleo, Trombone Shorty, and Galactic. Click here for a complete listing of dates and performers.
Concerts are held every Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. from April 1 to June 17, rain or shine. Now in its tenth year, the concert series draws thousands to Lafayette Square in the heart of Downtown. The DDD launched the successful Wednesday at the Square event, which has been coordinated by the YLC since 2006 with sponsorship from the DDD. |
| | | Participate in Market Research Phone Surveys;
Your Comments and Concerns are Essential for Improvement
Downtown residents and business owners are being contacted to participate in a brief phone survey and are urged to participate. Creative Consumer Research needs 200 responses in order to find out what can make Downtown a better place to live, work, and visit.
Downtown residents and business owners who have been contacted are urged to participate. Creative Consumer Research needs your help to find out what can make Downtown a better place to live, work, and visit. For more information or to request to participate in a phone survey, call the DDD office at (504) 561-8927.
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|  | | Poydras Street Planting Adds Spring Green A young Louisiana live oak tree has been planted on the Poydras Street corridor, thanks to a partnership between the Downtown Development District, Parkway Partners, and the City of New Orleans' Parks and Parkways department that is responsible for planting and maintaining all neutral grounds. Parkway Partners still needs your help! Corporate or individual sponsors help enliven this major city corridor with new trees that provide color and shade for years to come. To sponsor a tree planting or to volunteer, please contact Jean Fahr at Parkway Partners at jfahr[at]parkwaypartnersnola.org. |
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 | | Superdome Club Lounges Receive a Facelift Changes are taking place in at the New Orleans Superdome, and it's not just the Saints' 2009 roster. Installation of windows in the Club Lounges has been underway since December 2008. The first of four lounges to receive the upgrade is scheduled to be completed within three weeks. Construction in each of the other three lounges will follow. Each lounge will have a 12 feet high by 96 feet long window consisting of 16 glass units, each 12 feet high by 6 feet wide. The windows will be heat strengthened laminated safety glass, resistant to hurricane force winds and large missile impact. The new windows will allow for natural light to be incorporated into the Superdome's lighting programs, further reducing energy consumption. This renovation is the final project in Phase II of the repairs and upgrades to the Superdome since August 2005. For more information on the project, contact Bill Curl at bill.curl[at]superdome.com. |
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| | March/April 2009 Apartment of the Month:
Gravier Place Apartments The intersection of Gravier and Baronne Streets has never looked better, and the transformation is still underway! HRI Properties, with the help of local firm Art-vertising, has installed larger-than-life graphic window panels on the ground floor of Gravier Place Apartments, formerly the Fidelity Bank building. The panel installation project began in February and when completed, will feature 31 full-color beauty shots of one of Downtown's best residential properties. The windows will be back-lit to bring light and life to the once dark and impersonal intersection. Plans to convert the ground floor retail space to a public fitness center are currently in progress. The second-story mezzanine level will also undergo a renovation, and passers-by can expect to see activity soon.
The 14-story building located at 837 Gravier Street was built in the 1920s and served as a bank and office space for nearly a century. In 1996, construction to convert the property to apartments was completed, resulting in 132 unique luxury apartments as well as 38,500 square feet of commercial space. No floor plan is the same, and one-, two-, and three-bedroom spaces are available. The building features the original front desk, mail slot, hardwood floors, and gold ceiling. For more information on Gravier Place Apartments, call Ashley Kyle at HRI Properties at (225) 229-5563.
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| | Annual Spring Gallery Hop & Block Party Changes Dates The New Orleans Arts District presents the Renaissance Arts Hotel's Jammin' on Julia, Saturday, April 4, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Downtown's Warehouse Arts District. The event features art gallery openings and a block party along the 300-600 blocks of Julia Street, with live music, food, specialty cocktails, and beverages for sale. Admission is free and the event is open to the public, with all ages welcome. This year marks the first time that Jammin' on Julia will be held in April. The event has previously been held in May during the Jazz Fest weekend. As a sponsor of this annual event, the DDD's cleaning contractor Block-by-Block will be on hand before and after to ensure that sidewalks are clean for party-goers and residents.
For more information, visit www.cacno.org.
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| | Calling All Artists: Louisiana ArtWorks Announces
2009-2010 Studio Residency Program Louisiana ArtWorks, a 93,000 square foot studio visual arts facility, has announced the 2009-2010 Studio Residency Program and is calling for applications. The program provides serious artists from Louisiana and across the United States the vital creative resource of studio space, as well as a community environment that encourages communication and networking. The mission of Louisiana Artworks is to inspire artistic growth, enhance technical skills, and provide marketing and economic development for Louisiana artists in a unique arts environment, while offering the public opportunities to see, enjoy, and explore the processes involved in the creation of the visual and applied arts. For more information, or to apply for the program, visit www.louisianaartworks.org.
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| | DOWNTOWN CALENDAR PRC 32ND ANNUAL JULIA JUMP
WHAT: Preservation Resource Center Fundraiser
WHERE: Superdome
WHEN: Friday, March 20, 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
COST: Visit www.prcno.org for ticket prices SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD
WHAT: Musical performance
WHERE: Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Avenue
WHEN: March 20 through 29
COST: $30 includes ticket and $5 drink credit. Visit www.cabaretlechatnoir.com
ESTATES AUCTION
WHAT: Auction featuring fine European & American antiques
WHERE: Crescent City Auction Gallery, 1015 Julia Street
WHEN: Saturday, March 21, 10:00 a.m.
COST: Free NEW ORLEANS HOME AND GARDEN SHOW
WHAT: Largest consumer home show in the southeastern U.S.
WHERE: Superdome
WHEN: March 26 through 29
COST: $10 for adults, children are free
STREET ART II
WHAT: Part II of panel discussion on contemporary role of street art
WHERE: Louisiana ArtWorks, 725 Howard Avenue
WHEN: Tuesday, March 31, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
COST: Suggested donation of $3 FINANCING FOR HOMEBUYERS WORKSHOP
WHAT: Preservation Resource Center's monthly workshop
WHERE: 923 Tchoupitoulas Street
WHEN: Tuesday, April 4, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
COST: Free
ZOE LOUNGE 4:59 HAPPY HOUR
WHAT: Arrive no later than 4:59 p.m. and receive a free signature cocktail and specially priced tapas
WHERE: Zoe Lounge, W Hotel, 333 Poydras Street
WHEN: Ongoing, Monday through Friday
COST: Free cocktail for those arriving no later than 4:59 |
| For more information on any of the articles featured in What's Up Downtown, or to submit an item for consideration,
contact Lauren Hotard at mailto:lhotard@neworleansdowntown.com?subject=What%27s%20Up%20Downtown%20Query. |
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