What's Up Downtown November 13, 2009
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Photo by Ted Jackson/The Times-Picayune
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| National WWII Museum Expansion a Source of National, Local Pride
Hundreds of Veterans, New Orleanians, visitors from around the country, and even a few celebrities gathered Downtown on Friday, November 6 to "Experience the Victory" by celebrating the grand opening of the first phase of The National WWII Museum's capital expansion. Once all phases are completed, the $300 million project will include the addition of four prominent exhibit pavilions and will quadruple the size of the original facilities. The ceremonies on Friday included a dedication and the grand opening of the Solomon Victory Theater, Stage Door Canteen, and a new restaurant, the American Sector by Chef John Besh. On hand to lead the ceremony were former NBC Nightly News Anchor Tom Brokaw and Oscar-Award-Winning actor Tom Hanks, who co-produced "Beyond All Boundaries," which now plays every hour on the hour in the Victory Theater. Also part of the experience was a grand procession that included hundreds of WWII Veterans and Active Duty Military and a special preview performance of the musical revue from the Stage Door Canteen. "The National WWII Museum's expansion project is not only a source of pride for Downtown and New Orleans, but it is one of the best national museums in our country and something that every American can be proud of," says Kurt Weigle, President & CEO of the Downtown Development District. "This project is yet another example of major investment in Downtown New Orleans and The National WWII Museum is a prominent sign of our success and recovery at work." Click here to view the NOLA.com photo gallery from the grand opening. For more information, visit www.nationalww2museum.org.
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| | Upper Floor Residential Redevelopment at 619 Canal Street Utilizes
DDD Facade Grant Matching Program for "Impressive" Renovation
Canal Street property owner Tommy Coleman's renovation of the upper floors at 619 Canal Street is a model for future redevelopment along Canal Street, according to Henry Charlot, Director of Economic Development for the Downtown Development District. The DDD assisted in financing the project through a grant from the Facade Improvement Program which helps to restore the facades of historic buildings and return them to their original grandeur.
"The DDD has been working with the Louisiana State Legislature and other partner organizations on legislation that would allow for more and better development of vacant upper floor square footage along Canal Street," says Charlot. "Mr. Coleman's renovation is an impressive example of upper floor redevelopment and of the potential for development at other under-utilized properties along our grand avenue." Coleman's renovation of the second and third floors at the 172-year-old Canal Street property includes four luxury, market-rate apartments, with two 2-bedroom and 2-bathroom units on each floor. Each apartment opens to an open-air gallery with cast-iron grates and offer sweeping views of Canal Street. The property also boasts a state-of-the-art ventilation system, appliances and double-insulated walls to eliminate street noise. For more information on the property, including pictures of the building's interior, click here.
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| Canal Street: Your Home for the Holidays Kicks-off With
Lighting of Canal Street on Nov. 24, Krewe of Kringle Parade Dec. 5!
There’s no place like home for the holidays, and the Downtown Development District is welcoming visitors and locals alike back to Canal Street this year where it will feel like home during the 2nd annual Canal Street: Your Home for the Holidays celebration. A month of activities has been designed to bring people back to the famous corridor for shopping, dining and sight-seeing. The holiday season will kick-off on Tuesday, November 24 with the Lighting of Canal Street from the balcony at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel. We will "flip the switch" at 5:30 with the help of Santa Claus himself, who will arrive on a rosy-red streetcar! The real fun begins on Saturday, December 5, at 11:00 a.m. when the Canal Street Krewe of Kringle parade, presented by the DDD and The Roosevelt Hotel, rolls Downtown! Mr. Bingle, a secret Celebrity Santa and a whole host of holiday characters will once again parade down Canal Street for New Orleans' most magical day of the holiday season! Directly following the parade, Downtown jazz musicians Jeremy Davenport and Tim Laughlin, along with gospel choir Shades of Praise, will perform at an outdoor holiday concert in the park at Canal Street and Elk Place. Several prominent New Orleans vocalists will join them, and Kermit Ruffins is scheduled to make a special appearance! For more information, including a map of the parade route, details on merchant promotions and Kids on Canal Street activities, visit www.neworleansdowntown.com/holidays!
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| | Downtown to Host Renowned Architecture Installations
During DesCours Public Art and Architecture Exhibit
On December 7 through the 13, a special art exhibit will highlight some of Downtown's incredible venues as thousands of visitors and art-enthusiasts find their way to 'hidden' creative locations. DesCours, the public art and architecture exhibit now in its third year, will feature architectural installations that challenge the standards on new materials, methods, technology and interactivity.
"The DDD is once again proud to join the American Institute of Architects in presenting DesCours. This is a great opportunity for people to experience Downtown and its venues like they never have before," says Kurt Weigle, President & CEO of the DDD. "It is projects like DesCours that continue to make Downtown New Orleans a destination for creative people and Industries of the Mind."
DesCours will include the works of 14 internationally renowned architects and artists. The locations for the installations are as unique as the works themselves; they include private courtyards, rooftops, warehouses & walkways--all normally unseen, inaccessible or unused by the public. The exhibition will also feature live musical performances by local musicians, a recorded podcast and live docent-led tours that enhance the visitor experience. For more information, visit www.descours.us.
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| | | Good News Bites! Planning for Prospect.2 , the second international contemporary art biennial planned for New Orleans, has begun, according to founder Dan Cameron and Executive Director and DDD Commissioner Barbara Motley. Opening November 13, 2010, P.2 will feature 62 artists from 20 countries, include 20 different sites in seven different neighborhoods and will run for 13 weeks.
South Louisiana Submerged Roads Program has begun work repairing streets damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Downtown New Orleans. Residents, business owners and visitors are encouraged to adhere to all parking and traffic signs as work progresses.
a Mano, an Italian restaurant by Chefs Adolfo Garcia and Joshua Smith has opened in the Warehouse District at 870 Tchoupitoulas. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. |
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| Here's a Little Bit More of What's Up Downtown This Week... Lafayette Square Conservancy Hosts Planting/Cleanup Day
On Saturday, November 14 from 9:00 a.m. to noon, the Lafayette Square Conservancy will host a planting and cleanup day in Downtown's most frequently enjoyed park. Tools, water and snacks will be provided to volunteers. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the Second Harvest Food Bank's fight against hunger. For more information, call (504) 881-9861.
Louisiana Children's Museum Offers Free Admission Sundays
Thanks to the generosity of Target, the Louisiana Children's Museum will be open to the public free of charge one Sunday per month for the next ten months! The Free Admission Sundays begin November 15 and continue on the third Sunday of every month until August 2010. Chef Donald Link's 1st Annual Can-Can
Chef Donald Link of Downtown restaurants Cochon, Butcher, Herbsaint and Calcasieu, will host the inaugural "Can-Can" event in celebration of the arrival of the Georges Deboeuf 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau and to support the Second Harvest Food Bank. The event will be held on Wednesday, November 18 from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. at Calcasieu at 930 Tchoupitoulas Street. Tickets are $30 and are available by phone at (504) 588-2189 ext. 4.
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| 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 lhotard[at]neworleansdowntown.com.
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