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UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Lakeview Neighborhood New Orleans, Louisiana Caitlyn Verret 12/6/2014
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Page 1: Verret - Lakeview Neighborhood -7Dec2014FINAL

University of New Orleans

Lakeview Neighborhood

New Orleans, Louisiana

Caitlyn Verret

12/6/2014

Figure 1: Old Lighthouse, circa 1950. Retrieved from http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_NewBasinCanalLighthouse.html

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Table of ContentsIntroduction................................................................................................................1

History........................................................................................................................ 2

Geography and the Environment................................................................................4

Demographics............................................................................................................5

Population...............................................................................................................5

Economy.................................................................................................................5

Neighborhood Plan.....................................................................................................6

Current Projects........................................................................................................11

Conclusion................................................................................................................12

References................................................................................................................14

List of Figures...........................................................................................................16

List of Tables.............................................................................................................17

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IntroductionOnce swampland, Lakeview has now

become a beautiful suburban

neighborhood in New Orleans. With the

easy access to the interstate, it's easy to

take a trip downtown for a fun night out on

Bourbon or to see the New Orleans Saints

play a home football game. But like the

rest of New Orleans, Lakeview was not

spared. For many residents of this

neighborhood, this was a nightmare - they

came home to nothing. Their options were

to start over again, or to rebuild away from

their home. Many chose to start over and

rebuild their neighborhood. The residents

struggled to go back to what they once

had, but also struggled to continue to redevelop. To understand the struggle

the residents faced, one must know the history and location of Lakeview; this

will provide a foundation for demographics about the residents of this

neighborhood before finally discussing the neighborhood plan published by

the city of New Orleans.

Figure 2: Map of Lakeview Area [map]. 1 April 1923. Lakeview, LA: The Historic New Orleans Collection. Retrieved from http://cdm16313.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15140coll28/id/60/rec/1

Caitlyn Verret, 11/20/14,
Add Map. Add details. Rewrite.
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HistoryThis area was originally owned by

an order of priests known as Capuchins

in the 1700s and was nothing but

swamp land. In nearby Bayou St. John,

French explorers had set up a trappers’

outpost and had no other real value.

The priests sold it to a Spanish civil

servant by the name of Don Andrés Almonester y Rojas, who is known for the

rebuilding of the St. Louis Cathedral. Alexander Milne acquired most of the

land after the Almonesters. It was during this time that the New Basin Canal

construction was to be built (New Orleans Official Guide, 2014). Over 8,000

Irish immigrants died from malaria, yellow fever, and cholera while digging

out the canal. In memory of the immigrants that died, a Celtic cross was built

on the Lakefront (Lagasse, 2013).

The district developed because of its prime location on the waterfront,

where leisure-time activities became popular during the late 1800s and early

1900s. Several yacht and country clubs rose to fame because of this, such

as the Southern Yacht Club, which still currently operates. A development of

New Lake End Resort, later named West End Resort, contributed to name the

sub-neighborhood in 1880. The land, previously swamp-land, was soon

drained and the construction of housing soon started up in the early 1900s

(NOLA Plans, 2006). The first house was built in 1905 on Julia Street -- now

Figure 3: West End Resort at New Basin Canal on Lake Pontchartrain. Retrieved from http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_West_End

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called West End Boulevard. The land was drained in 1909 and the New

Orleans Land Company began dividing the land off to sell. However, land did

not sell as quickly as the developers had hoped and remained mostly rural in

the early 1900s. It wasn't until 1926 that Lakeview began to truly blossom.

After World War II, the area underwent renovations to be modernized. The

streetcar that was on West End Boulevard was paved over, being replaced by

buses. The New Basin Canal was filled in by 1949 and decreased industrial

use to this area. This did not stop any commercial growth within the area:

commercial districts boomed on Harrison Avenue and Robert E. Lee

Boulevard (New Orleans Official Guide, 2014).

Before Hurricane Katrina, there were many older residents due to the

high cost of homes in the area, but now a resurgence of younger residents is

prominent because of the location; being close to the city without being in

the city and the availability of

traveling around by I-10 (NOLA

Plans, 2006). Lakeview district was

damaged significantly because of

the flooding from Hurricane Katrina

after a breach from the Seventeenth

Street Canal floodwall and both

businesses and residents are

continuing to rebuild the area (New

Orleans Official Guide, 2014).

Figure 4: Charles L Franck (Photographer). 16 December, 1951. House under construction, Lakeview [Photograph]. Retrieved November 13, 2014 from http://cdm16313.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/CLF/id/1768/rec/328

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There is a mix of housing

architecture due to the rebuilding of the

neighborhood that is still currently

happening, and because of the flooding

from Katrina, the houses that survived

have been raised or elevated to help against future flooding in the area

(NOLA Plans, 2010). Lakeview has numerous landmarks: the New Basin Canal

Lighthouse and the City Park Carousel are only two. This report will be

focusing on the Lakeview sub-neighborhood instead of the entire joined

neighborhoods of all the sub-neighborhoods as a whole (NOLA Plans, 2010).

Geography and the EnvironmentLakeview District is located on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain

and is on the northwest border of Orleans, touching the Jefferson Parish

border. Along the waterfront are many popular restaurants and parks, which

offers a wonderful afternoon of dinner or enjoyment by sailing or fishing. The

District of Lakeview contains multiple neighborhoods: Lakeshore/Lake Vista

to the North, City Park to the East, West End to the middle and upper-West,

Lakewood to the Southwest, Navarre to the South, and Lakeview in the

center. However, we will focus on the Lakeview neighborhood, rather than

the Lakeview district, for most of this document. The New Basin Canal serves

to divide the Lakeview neighborhood into east and west (NOLA Plans, 2006).

Figure 5: (Above, both) Houses in Lakeview Neighborhood. 2 October, 2014. Lakeview neighborhood. Caitlyn Verret.

Caitlyn Verret, 11/12/14,
Photograph?
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Demographics

PopulationIn 2000, there were a total of 9,875 people living in the Lakeview

neighborhood. There was a decline in population because of Katrina, which is

shown in the 2010 Census with a population count of 6,394. There are more

females than males living in Lakeview: 51.6% to 48.4% based off the 2010

Census. The majority of residents in Lakeview are 18-34 years old and 35-49

years old, 29.5% and 20.7% respectively. At a high rate of 88.2%, residents

are mostly white (The Data Center, 2014).

EconomyThere are 3,399 total housing units in

2010, down from 4,805 in 2000. As of 2010,

78.6% of the housing units were occupied,

significantly lower than in 2000 – 94.2%.

General household income is wage or salary

income. Average household income (in 2012 dollars) averaged in 2008-2012

was $97,926. About 95% of people are living at or above poverty while 5%

are living in poverty based on a 2008-2012 American Community Survey. In

Lakeview, 70.4% of people have two or more vehicles available and 91.2% of

workers 16 years and older use a personal vehicle as a means of

transportation and the average travel time to work was 19 minutes. At least

39.7% of residents have a bachelor's degree. A large majority of residents

speak English very well at 99.6% (The Data Center).

Table 1: Housing Statistics for Lakeview, New Orleans for 2000 and 2010. (Source: The Data Center)

Years 2000 2010

Housing Units 4,805 3,399

Percent

Occupied

94.2% 78.6%

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Most houses are single-family or

duplex in either Louisiana Victorian,

Louisiana Classical, or shotgun style

(Architectural Patterns). Much of the

commercial areas are located on

Harrison Avenue and Robert E. Lee

Boulevard. Buses are available for

residents of the neighborhood. The construction industry is booming in this

neighborhood because of the influx of new residents and upgrades to current

houses. The restaurant and bar sector of the hospitality industry is also very

popular. There are mostly private religious schools in this neighborhood such

as Mount Carmel Academy and St. Paul's Episcopal School.

Neighborhood PlanAfter Hurricane Katrina, the City of New Orleans instituted a recovery

plan with aid of the City Council to help the 49 flooded neighborhoods

throughout the city. The neighborhoods were then divided into 13 Planning

Districts. The plans were initiated city wide, but assigned on a more localized

level to help individualize the needs for each targeted area. The purpose of

this neighborhood plan is to address the planning issues of both pre-Katrina

and post-Katrina to improve on past and current issues.

Figure 6: J. R. St. Julien (Photographer). March 1961. Harrison Avenue from West End Boulevard [Photograph]. Retrieved November 13, 2014 from http://www.neworleanspubliclibrary.org/~nopl/photos/streets/harrison.htm

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The goal of the neighborhood

plan is to rebuild the Lakeview

neighborhood to pre-Katrina levels,

expand on open spaces and parks, and

to redevelop commercial areas.

District 5 made the planning process a

multi-neighborhood initiative, and thus,

the District 5 Neighborhood Recovery

Steering Committee was formed. Their methodology to this planning process

was creating seven working groups that stemmed from and reported back to

the District 5 Recovery Steering Committee: Communications and

Community Engagement; Greenspace Recovery and Beautification;

Neighborhood Planning; Finances and Resources; Crime Prevention;

Neighborhood Associations; Infrastructures. The Steering Committee was

made up of then-current and/or past presidents of the Lakeview Civic

Improvement Association and other prominent figures of other neighborhood

associations from the district. Once the basic groups were established,

action-oriented committees and sub-committees were assigned to further

the District 5 recovery efforts by category. For instance, the Greenspace

Recovery and Beautification group had three subcommittees: neutral

grounds, playgrounds, and parks.

Both the University of New Orleans and professional planners under

contract with City Council provided support for this planning process. With

Figure 7: Charles L Franck (Photographer). 29 October, 1941. View down Harrison Avenue along the 800 block. [Photograph]. Retrieved November 23, 2014 from http://cdm16313.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/CLF/id/8643/rec/382

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the development of a planning committee that provided a wide view of the

area as a whole, it was easier for the public to be involved with the planning

of their neighborhood.

The district used pre-Katrina plans to address both district-wide and

neighborhood specific issues to find pre-existing areas of concern that

absolutely needed to be addressed for the new district plan. The Parks

Master Plan of 2002 found park deficiencies within the Lakeview

neighborhood, while the 2004 Transportation Master Plan also brought

concern about the pedestrian/bicycle safety on the intersection of Robert E.

Lee Boulevard at West End Boulevard and Pontchartrain Boulevard. Pre-

Katrina plans were evaluated and areas of concern were included within the

current planning efforts. This was to ensure that previous efforts were not

gone to waste and so that there was a continuous planning process for the

city.

They did not include large areas of land within this recovery plan such

as the cemeteries, the New Orleans Country Club, and the New Orleans City

Park. The New Orleans City Park received its own plan, the City Park Master

Plan 2005, which was set to be completed or underway by 2018.

Statistics of the Lakeview neighborhood were researched from the

2000 Census. There were a number of differences when Lakeview was

compared to the City of New Orleans, such as income, land ownership, and

age distribution. Lakeview reported an income 1.5 times greater than New

Orleans, a very high rate of owner occupied homes at about 70%, and a

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higher rate of elderly residents. Each provided a different aspect of

redevelopment issues or opportunities.

Land Use and Zoning was reviewed, providing information about

residential and commercial areas. Multiple maps were created with this

information and even more were created to provide potential changes to

certain zoning areas.

Surveys of the neighborhood were conducted to provide insight on how

much damage was done by Hurricane Katrina. Both a map of flood depth and

a map of damage percentage to property were created with the data

gathered. Other damage assessments that were conducted were

commercial, infrastructure, street and sidewalk, signage, and drainage,

among others.

The descriptions of existing conditions were provided in two ways: Pre-

Katrina Neighborhood Existing Conditions and Hurricane Katrina

Neighborhood Impacts. Topics covered within these two sections were:

existing land use, zoning, utilities, housing, community facilities and

services, urban design features, general physical conditions, history, and

demography. Both provide plenty of information by forms of graphs, pictures,

maps, and narrative.

The District 5 Lakeview Neighborhood Plan includes seven points for

recovery from Hurricane Katrina:

Manage and improve the overall safety and appearance of neighbor-

hood

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Maintain communication, dialogue, and monitoring with city and state

agencies for continued improvements to utilities and streets and

cleanup

Promote and monitor the reconstruction of community facilities

Continue participation in district wide recovery efforts

Implement housing recovery initiatives

Identify and promote early action projects

Promote and monitor the implementation of key recovery/redevelop-

ment parcels and projects

The plans include abundant amount of data to compare pre- to post-

Katrina, such as existing conditions and flood damage from the storm. They

created building scenarios on how to rebuild the community and repopulate

the neighborhood. It also includes a recovery plan to continue development

and improvement once the initial rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina’s damage

is almost or fully completed. Overall, the planning document flows together

very well from beginning to end and clearly defines the ideas that are

planned to be put into action. The District 5 Lakeview Neighborhood plan is

easily provided online and easy to access along with other city plans and

documents. The importance of the information covered in the neighborhood

plan is based off of Bernie Jones' Neighborhood Planning: A Guide for Citizens

and Planners, located in chapter 4.

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Current ProjectsThere are a few current

projects going on in the Lakeview

neighborhood. One of the most

seemingly well known projects

throughout the city is the "Fix My

Streets" initiative, which was started

by a local Lakeview resident, Robert Lupo. He began the project in May 2014

by printing out 100 bright red yard signs that stated, "Fix My Streets, I Pay

My Taxes." It did not take long for the project to become a big hit. Within

months, the signs were all over Orleans Parish. While this campaign was not

truly in the official neighborhood plan, it stemmed from when the city

officially began to continuously pushing off improvements to the city streets

that were damaged from Hurricane Katrina (Fix My Streets NOLA.com). In the

Lakeview Civic Improvement Association meeting on November 15, 2014, a

speaker mentioned that this initiative was not a "sprint," but rather a

"marathon." The program was not meant to achieve a quick fix, but rather it

was suppose to be a long term program to continuously fight for

improvements throughout the parish.

The reconstruction of the West End

Boulevard Neutral Grounds, commonly

known as West End Park, has been a

proposed idea for redevelopment in the

Figure 8: "Fix My Streets" sign [image]. Retrieved from http://www.fixmystreetsnola.com/

Figure 9: Charles L Franck (Photographer). 29 October, 1941. Polk Avenue towards Catina at 5939 West End Boulevard [Photograph]. Retrieved November 23, 2014 from http://cdm16313.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/CLF/id/9168/rec/359

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official neighborhood plan for Lakeview. While many of the original ideas for

improvements have been either slightly changed or completely scrapped

out, there is still current development for West End Park as of November

2014. The Friends of Lakeview have been fundraising for lights on the neutral

ground on West End Park -- running from Veterans and Robert E. Lee. The

estimate cost of the project is $2 million, and the Friends of Lakeview have

managed to secure a grant that covers 80% of the project. To cover the final

costs of the project, the organization hosted a fundraising Gala at two houses

in the neighborhood and is very close to reaching their goal as of November

2014.

ConclusionWith this look into the Lakeview neighborhood, it's easy to see that the

residents want their community to become bigger than they ever hope to be.

Both government officials at the city, state, and federal level, and the

residents of the neighborhood have had to work together since the landing of

Hurricane Katrina and they continue to work together to improve the parish

as a whole. With multiple projects in the works, and more projects that have

yet to be started, it is easy to see that Lakeview will continue to stay a

thriving neighborhood for many more years to come.

Caitlyn Verret, 11/20/14,
Rewrite.
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ReferencesCrescent City Living.com. (n/d). Lakeview Neighborhood. Retrieved

September 3, 2014 from http://crescentcityliving.com/lakeview

Fix My Streets NOLA.com. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2014, from

http://www.fixmystreetsnola.com/

Johnston, Patti (Editor). (2014, November/December.) Lakeviews. Lakeview

Civic Improvement Association Newsletter. 26 (6).

Jones, B. (1990). Chapter 4. In Neighborhood Planning: A Guide for Citizens

and Planners. Chicago, Ill.: Planners Press.

Lagasse, Mary. Irish Central. (2013, November 7). A Call To Remember 8,000

Irish Who Died While Building the New Orleans Canal. Retrieved

November 12, 2014 from http://www.irishcentral.com/news/8000-irish-

died-while-building-the-new-basin-canal-in-new-orleans-231020191-

237786681.html

New Orleans Official Guide. (2014). Lakeview. Retrieved November 12, 2014

from http://www.neworleansonline.com/tools/neighborhood

guide/lakeview.html

NOLA Plans. (2010, April 6). District 5 Final Report. Retrieved September 3,

2014 from

http://www.nolaplans.com/plans/Lambert%20Intermediate/District_5_Pl

an_FINAL%20PLAN%20Report%20Lakeview%2010-04-06.pdf

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The Data Center. (2014, March 28). Lakeview. Retrieved September 3, 2014,

from http://www.datacenterresearch.org/data-resources/neighborhood-

data/district-5/Lakeview/

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Old Lighthouse, circa 1950. Retrieved from

http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_NewBasinCanalLighthouse.html.....................i

Figure 2: Map of Lakeview Area [map]. 1 April 1923. Lakeview, LA: The Historic

New Orleans Collection. Retrieved from

http://cdm16313.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15140coll28

/id/60/rec/1......................................................................................................1

Figure 3: West End Resort at New Basin Canal on Lake Pontchartrain. Retrieved

from http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_West_End...............................................2

Figure 4: Charles L Franck (Photographer). 16 December, 1951. House under

construction, Lakeview [Photograph]. Retrieved November 13, 2014 from

http://cdm16313.

contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/CLF/id/1768/rec/328...............3

Figure 5: (Above, both) Houses in Lakeview Neighborhood. 2 October, 2014.

Lakeview neighborhood. Caitlyn Verret...........................................................4

Figure 6: J. R. St. Julien (Photographer). March 1961. Harrison Avenue from West

End Boulevard [Photograph]. Retrieved November 13, 2014 from

http://www.neworleanspubliclibrary.org/~nopl/photos/streets/harrison.htm.. .6

Figure 7: Charles L Franck (Photographer). 29 October, 1941. View down Harrison

Avenue along the 800 block. [Photograph]. Retrieved November 23, 2014

from http://cdm16313.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/CLF/id/

8643/rec/382...................................................................................................7

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Figure 8: "Fix My Streets" sign [image]. Retrieved from

http://www.fixmystreetsnola.com/.................................................................11

Figure 9: Charles L Franck (Photographer). 29 October, 1941. Polk Avenue towards

Catina at 5939 West End Boulevard [Photograph]. Retrieved November 23,

2014 from

http://cdm16313.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/CLF/id/9168/

rec/359...........................................................................................................12

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List of Tables

Table 1: Percentage of Race in Lakeview District in 2012 (The Data Center, 2014)....5