Home

Recovery Chief Ed Blakely Discusses Rebuilding New Orleans - Part One

14 June 2007 - 6:00am

This podcast features part one of a two-part discussion with New Orleans recovery chief Ed Blakely. Planetizen talks with Blakely about his work in the city and the process of rebuilding a devastated physical environment and a shaken economy.

Photo: Ed Blakely

Blakely was recruited by New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin in January 2007 to lead the city's recovery from the destruction caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Summer 2005. Blakely is an accomplished planning educator and practitioner, as well as an internationally-regarded recovery expert, having served as the head of recovery efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area after the 1988 earthquake and in Oakland after the 1991 fires.

This interview was conducted by Planetizen Managing Editor Christian Peralta and Planetizen Assistant Editor Nate Berg on June 3, 2007, at a coffeeshop in New Orleans.

In the second part of this two-part discussion, Blakely talks about the heavily involved and drawn-out development of plans for New Orleans, and gives his insight on what the future holds for the city.

»