Downtown Development District of New Orleans

DDD Seeking Participation in Downtown Mobility and Parking Survey

The Downtown Development District of New Orleans is conducting an online survey to gather information on the mobility and parking needs in and around Downtown New Orleans. Residents, business owners, visitors, employees, and tourists are all encouraged to log on and complete the short survey.

The survey is part of the DDD's Mobility and Parking Study, which is currently underway. Information gathered from the survey will supplement information gained through a series of focus groups held throughout the summer. The study area includes all of Downtown, including the Warehouse Arts District, the Central Business District, Lafayette Square, and the Medical District. The study area also includes the French Quarter and the Marigny Triangle.

The DDD has undertaken this study as part of its effort to assist Planning District 1 in implementation of the Unified New Orleans Plan. Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates is leading the study team. The team's work consists of an inventory of currently available parking, utilization of parking, an analysis of pedestrian and bicycle accessibility and conditions, and a series of focus groups with stakeholders. The study is scheduled to be completed in November 2008.

Click here or the link above to take the short survey.

For more information, contact Ted Featherstone at (504) 561-8927.

Downtown Claims Giant Victory In Securing Medical Center of Louisiana-
New Orleans Academic Teaching Hospital

In a monumental announcement made June 18, the Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine said he will recommend that the state build a 424-bed, $1.2 billion academic teaching hospital in Downtown New Orleans that will serve as the hub of a rebuilt medical corridor.

Referring to the DHH proposal, the head of Louisiana State University's health care division, Dr. Fred Cerise, said, "They revised the business plan a bit based on population and some shift in the makeup of the population, but overall (they) agreed that if we're going to change the model to more of an academic medical center then we're going to need the capacity to not only fulfill the charitable mission but also have space for our faculty to see their private pay patients there as well."

The new hospital will be instrumental in the revitalization of not only the health care industry, but also the entire medical district and Downtown New Orleans. It will serve as the main teaching hub for medical students, nurses, post-graduate residents and other allied health students from LSU and Tulane University. The new facility will be instrumental in developing the DDD's "industries of the mind" initiative. Attracting members of the creative class, such as leading medical researchers, technicians, and practitioners, is critical for shaping Downtown's economic future.

"I honestly believe that this day may prove to be one of the most momentous in Louisiana's history. The Governor has laid the groundwork for leading edge patient care, research, and medical education that can compete with the best in the world. In doing so, he has breathed life into the budding biomedical industry Downtown -- an industry that has the potential to transform the economic and social fabric of New Orleans," says DDD President & CEO Kurt Weigle.

Mayor C. Ray Nagin, along with New Orleans City Councilmembers Arnie Fielkow and Jackie Clarkson and Recovery Czar Dr. Ed Blakely, were among those present at the announcement.