Downtown Development District : Newsletter

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What's Up Downtown 14 May 2010

Click the image above to visit the construction blog and follow the progress.		Construction is Ahead of Schedule on Louisiana Cancer Research Center; LCRC Seeking NCI Designation Construction of the new, state-of-the-art, ten-story Louisiana Cancer Research Center is ahead of schedule, according to the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium (LCRC). Structural beams making up the building's shell are now visible at the site located in the heart of New Orleans' biosciences district on the corner of Tulane and South Claiborne avenues. When completed, the facility will boast 172,000 square feet and ten floors of state-of-the-art research equipment, laboratories, advanced information technology systems, and a theater-style meeting space that will seat up to 250. Together with the VA Medical Center, the University Medical Center, the BioInnovation Center, and local universities, the Louisiana Cancer Research Center will play an integral role in the biomedical district and will contribute to the largest economic development project in New Orleans' recent history. LCRC's goal is for the facility to become a National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center. NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are the gold standard in cancer research and care and provide significant federal dollars to sustain major progress in cancer research program development. Click here to visit the construction blog and follow the progress. For more information, visit www.lcrc.info.

Couture gowns by Harold Clarke 102 St. Charles Avenue at Canal Street		High-End Retail Making a Comeback on Canal Street Canal Street is making a comeback! Building on its popularity as a tourist destination, the historic shopping corridor is once again becoming a hub for high-end retailers. Retail offerings like Jack Sutton Fine Jewelry, Rubenstein's, Harold Clarke Couturier Atelie r, Saks Fifth Avenue, Adler's, Fischer's Jewelry, the newly announced Anthropologie and renovated Canal Place Theatre in The Shops at Canal Place are helping to create a convenient luxury retail experience. Dressmaker Harold Clarke moved to New Orleans from New York in 1994 after a client brought him to the city to fit a bridal party. "I took a ride on the St. Charles street car and I was hooked," Clarke said. He moved his business from the French Quarter to Canal Street in 2009 after a chance meeting with Rubenstein's owner David Rubenstein. Today, his specialty store is located on the second floor of 102 St. Charles Avenue at the corner of Canal Street, above Rubenstein's. "The growing interest in Canal Street from high-end retailers is thrilling," said DDD Retail Attraction Specialist Ryan Bordenave. "We are showing properties to developers and retailers from around the country. These people are decision makers, and they are helping us to return Canal Street to a luxury shopping destination." Interested parties can use the DDD's Property Locator tool to search for more information on available properties and retail spaces on Canal Street and throughout Downtown, or contact Ryan Bordenave at (504) 561-8927 or rbordenave[at]neworleansdowntown.com.

		DDD Invited to Present at 5th Annual World Congress 2010 Preparing for & Recovering from Disaster: How Downtown Is Redesigning, Rebuilding, and Rebranding Smarter Post-Katrina The Downtown Development District of New Orleans has been invited to present to a world audience of downtown organizations, urban planners and city leaders at the 5th annual World Congress, presented by the International Downtown Association and the Association of Town Centre Management. The 90-minute presentation will include lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, how Downtown organizations can prepare for disaster. The DDD will showcase industry-leading programs that are currently being implemented to stimulate growth and transform Downtown New Orleans into a hub for Industries of the Mind--bioscience, digital media, and arts-based businesses. The economic damage of Hurricane Katrina presented New Orleans with an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild, redesign, and rebrand smarter. For more information, contact Zoey Devall, DDD Director of Marketing & Special Projects at (504) 561-8927 or zdevall[at]neworleansdowntown.com. For more information on the International Downtown Association or World Congress 2010, visit www.ida-downtown.org or www.worldcongress2010.org.

Click on the image to watch the story.		Local Entrepreneurs Featured on MSNBC MSNBC recently featured a group of entrepreneurs who are helping Greater New Orleans reinvent itself as a creative economy. While other regions are on their heels recovering from the recession, the Greater New Orleans region shines as a hub of innovation that has proven it is the most resilient place in America. Click here to watch the video.

		Submerged Roads Update: Paving on Loyola, LaSalle, Poydras to Wrap Up by Month's End The South Louisiana Submerged Roads Program, a project of the City of New Orleans, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Federal Highway Administration and the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission, is scheduled to completed a major phase of work by the end of May, according to representatives from Boh Bros. Construction. The phase includes portions of Loyola, LaSalle and Poydras streets in the Central Business District Downtown. The next phases of the program will take place over the summer months and will include milling and overlay on Girod, Gravier, and Common streets, followed by St. Charles Avenue, Carondelet and Camp streets. The Submerged Roads Program began in 2008 to repair roads that were damaged during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. For more information, including traffic condition updates, visit www.pavinglaroads.com. Downtown stakeholders with questions about construction in their neighborhood should call Stephen Alexander at Boh Bros. Construction at (504) 821-2400.

		Good News Bites! The Downtown Development District hosted its second Leading Minds Breakfast on April 27 at the Intercontinental Hotel. Guest speaker Kevin Stolarick, dubbed "The Official Statistician of the Creative Class," presented on how to create a competitive environment for the creative class. DDD President & CEO Kurt Weigle presented the findings of the DDD's Industries of the Mind Creative Class Market Research. To request an electronic copy of the report, click here. Idea Village is recruiting highly motivated individuals to support entrepreneurs and develop innovative programs in New Orleans for IDEAcorps Fellowships, a two-year long program. Studio-E Salon, a luxury Kerastase salon located at 819 Canal Street, will be donating $10 from every styling service and 10% of all products sold on Wednesday, May 26 to Locks of Love as part of Kerastase's 2nd annual "Our Treat" event. IHOP Canal Street has completed a facade improvement project that includes new signage, new outdoor lighting, and new awnings that are similar in style to the historic building's early design. The BECA Foundation is accepting applications from artists, architects and designers to participate in "Curate This," a global exhibition of new art and new design. Launch Pad has announced that it will expand again to the 3rd floor of the IP, or Intellectual Property, located at 643 Magazine Street. Launch Pad is a co-working and startup collaborative workspace in Downtown New Orleans. For information on how you can join the space, click on the above link.

		Here's a Little Bit More of What's Up Downtown... Wednesday at the Square The popular spring concert series continues next week with performances by Irma Thomas and the Treadhead Artists: Paul Sanchez, Glen David Andrews and Margie Perez. The concerts are held each week in Downtown's Lafayette Square from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. The last concert of 2010 will be on June 9. Sippin' in Seersucker This popular event is back in sartorial style! It's an evening of Southern art, cocktails, food, music and shopping - to benefit the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Don your best seersucker ensemble - or summer chic - for this party that kicks off the summer social season. Partygoers will enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants and luscious libations; and amazing raffles. And don't forget the seersucker contest! Gulf Aid Benefit Concert Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Allen Toussaint, Mos Def, Ani DiFranco and the Voice of the Wetlands Allstars featuring Dr. John, Cyril Neville and Tab Benoit are among the performers scheduled for a Gulf Aid benefit concert for South Louisiana fishermen and wetlands restoration on Sunday, May 16. The rain-or-shine event is along the Mississippi River outside Mardi Gras World River City, just past the Uptown end of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The show is from noon to 10:00 p.m. Other confirmed local performers include Kermit Ruffins, Zachary Richard, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Soul Rebels Brass Band, MyNameIsJohnMichael, Jeremy Davenport, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Big Sam's Funky Nation, the Rebirth Brass Band, Marcia Ball, Shamarr Allen and Irvin Mayfield. 2nd Annual Bicycle Second Line DDD Public Safety Rangers will be providing information on bicycle safety throughout the month of May as part of National Bicycle Safety Month. Doing their part to raise awareness, the New Orleans Metro Bicycle Coalition will host the second annual Bicycle Second Line on Saturday, May 22. Riders will get into formation at 10:00 a.m. and depart at 10:30 a.m. from Audubon Park. The event is designed to show cycling enthusiasm for New Orleans and to learn about cycling improvements in the city. The 13.5 mile route will take riders through several of Downtown's historic neighborhoods. Preservation Resource Center Ladies in Red Event Sponsored by the Downtown Development District The 10th annual Ladies in Red gala will honor New Orleans Jazz legends and supports the Preservation Resource Center's cultural heritage preservation and community education efforts. Honorees include Gregory Davis, Lars Edegran, George French, Albinas Prizgintas, Dr. Michael White and Clive Wilson. Entertainment will be provided by Some Like it Hot! and the Batiste Brothers with Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony. The event will be held on Friday, June 11 from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Generations Hall. For more information, including how to purchase tickets, click the above link.

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.