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Axios
09-05-2025
- General
- Axios
The joy, the grief and the grind: A day in New Orleans
Thursday was a reminder to me of what it means to live in New Orleans: the highs, the lows and the daily grind. Why it matters: It's not easy living here, but there are many reasons we call it home. The big picture: I kicked off the morning at City Hall as Councilman Freddie King III declared it Cam Jordan Day. The festivities captured the joy we know and love, with music, dancing, costumes and high-fiving. Even Saints owner Gayle Benson got in on the fun, cracking a joke about Jordan's stellar stats against the Falcons. Yes, but: Benson then rushed over in her red-soled Louboutins to Gallier Hall where the New Orleans Police Department was honoring officers who responded to the New Year's Day terrorist attack. Talk about a vibe shift. The award ceremony was solemn as Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick talked about the mental health toll on the responding officers. The a cappela version of " My Tribute (How Can I Say Thanks)" brought me and others to tears. Same for my conversation with the grandmother of one of the officers who was first on the scene. Then, it was time to pull myself together and head back to City Hall for a council meeting, where members were elevating concerns they heard from constituents. The meeting wrapped in time for me to head over to Civil Court, where they were recounting the ballots for Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office millage, which passed by two votes. My takeaway: We all have value. Whether we are leading the Saints to victory or taking down a gunman or casting a vote, we each have a role in this community. I'm glad we are able to recognize our hardships, find our joy and then get back to handling our business.
Axios
19-02-2025
- General
- Axios
Stabilization to begin on blighted Algiers nursing home
Construction crews will start stabilization work on the long-blighted Touro Shakspeare Home in New Orleans' Algiers neighborhood this summer, according to a press release from its developers. Why it matters: Once complete, the project will provide low-cost nursing home care for 52 people. The latest: Stabilization work will last through early this summer, an HRI Communities representative tells Axios New Orleans. Renovation should start in late summer and last through fall 2026, the representative says, with new residents expected to move in upon its completion. Follow the money: HRI Communities has $6 million in financing from the city to stabilize the 72,000-square-foot facility, a press release says, which sits on 42 acres near Federal City and has been left to blight since Hurricane Katrina. Funding for the full $26 million renovation has been committed, the representative says. What they're saying:"This project is a win for Algiers and for our seniors," said District C Councilman Freddie King III in the press release. "Restoring the Touro Shakspeare Home will breathe new life into this historic building while creating affordable housing for those who need it most. It's a perfect example of how we can honor our past while investing in our community's future." Flashback: When early New Orleans philanthropist Judah Touro died in 1854, he left $80,000 to establish the city's first almshouse for its poorest, elderly residents, New Orleans magazine says. The nursing home was housed elsewhere first, but eventually opened in Algiers in 1934. At the time, about 175 residents moved into the William R. Burk-designed Neoclassical- and Jacobethan Revival-style facility. By 2005, the city-owned facility was operated by Touro Shakspeare Inc., and about 120 residents were evacuated ahead of Hurricane Katrina's revival. Storm damage prevented any of the residents from ever moving back in, and the facility has sat vacant since. See photos from Abandoned Southeast and the Preservation Resource Center. What's next: All 52 one-bedroom apartments will be offered to elderly residents at rates not exceeding 30% of their income, a press release says.
