A proposed New Orleans hospital will have to be built on top of an historic neighborhood that some residents feel that they have just regained. Those in favor of the project insist that the selection of that site was necessary.
"'In selecting these sites, the VA and LSU have made a serious error,' Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said in a statement after the announcement here. 'They chose the alternatives that will not only be the most time-consuming, costly and complex to implement, but will needlessly destroy a historic neighborhood where residents are struggling to rebuild their community in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.'
The National Trust for Historic Preservation estimates that there are about 165 historic structures that will go down if the hospitals are built - a compendium of New Orleans architecture, with shotgun houses predominating. Although the government report says the 'majority' of the area is vacant, or parking lots, the trust's New Orleans field director, Walter Gallas, said at a hearing in June: 'To deny the significance of such a massive level of neighborhood destruction would be inconceivable.'
Officials at the news conference said steps would be taken to mitigate the loss, including moving some houses in the way of the proposed development. But they suggested that the city's higher priority was to begin rebuilding the economy with a high-impact project."
FULL STORY: New Orleans' hospital complex: Spectacular or a disaster?

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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