What's Up Downtown January 9, 2009
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| | DDD Sidewalk Cleaning to Continue
While the City Council and Mayor Nagin work out the details of enhanced cleaning services in the French Quarter, Downtown will continue to receive sidewalk cleaning services without interruption. “The sidewalks within the boundaries of the DDD – Iberville Street to the Pontchartrain Expressway, and Claiborne Avenue to the River – will continue to be cleaned by the DDD’s contractor, Block by Block, just as it has for many years now. DDD property owners pay a special property tax to the DDD, which allows us to provide this service, among others, without relying on City funding,” says DDD President & CEO Kurt Weigle. Downtown has not received the baseline city service of mechanical street sweeping of gutters (along the curb) since March of 2008, when this service was discontinued by the City. “Restoration of weekly street sweeping is an important issue for us as we represent the interests of Downtown businesses, property owners, and residents,” says Weigle.
Sidewalk cleaning services provided by the DDD include litter removal, sidewalk pressure washing, graffiti removal, weed prevention & removal, and cleaning and painting of street furnishings such as trash receptacles, light poles, and utility boxes. |
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| | Master Plan District Meetings to be Held in March and April The second round of district planning meetings originally scheduled for next week will now be held in the months of March and April, according to the City Planning Commission. Residents are encouraged to come to all planning meetings, as participation will help ensure that City's Master Plan and Comprehensive Zoning Ordinances will reflect the community’s vision and goals for the future, the policies that are followed, and the strategies that are used to pursue and achieve the vision. For more information, visit www.nolamasterplan.com. |
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| | Reopening of Mahalia Jackson Theater
Signals a Rededication to the Performing Arts
As part of the ten day celebration of the reopening of the Mahalia Jackson Theater and the continued recovery of the City of New Orleans, "An Evening of Music and Dance" will take place Saturday, January 10, in the renovated theater. The event will take place 35 years and one day following the original opening of the theatre, and will feature the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as internationally renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman and dancers from the San Francisco and New York City ballet companies. The theater's reopening is significant for the city's performing arts organizations and audiences, as there have been no Downtown venues since Hurricane Katrina. For more information on the theater and the upcoming grand opening events, visit www.mahaliajacksontheater.com. |
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| | DDD Cleaning Contractor Block-by-Block Picks Up
After New Years, Sugar Bowl The Downtown Development District's cleaning contractor Block-by-Block worked around the clock on Christmas, New Year's Eve, and during the Sugar Bowl to ensure the same level of cleanliness on those days as is enjoyed year-round. For the All-State Sugar Bowl, roughly 150 DDD cardboard trashcans were placed along Canal Street and in the area surrounding the Superdome. Heavily traveled streets and trash "hot spots" were also patrolled by Block-by-Block cleaning ambassadors, many of them temps hired to assist for the weekend. Overall, 300 can liners were used and approximately 13,500 pounds of trash were collected on January 2 alone. For more information on the DDD's sanitation services, visit www.neworleansdowntown.com or www.block-by-block.com. |
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| | Opening Soon: Cochon Butcher Chef Donald Link, of Downtown hot spots Herbsaint and Cochon Restaurants, with partners Stephen Stryjewski & Warren Stephens are opening Cochon Butcher, their own butcher shop in New Orleans. The store in the Warehouse District will specialize in house made artisan meats such as salami, pastrami, mortadella, and fresh hams. The butcher shop will also offer Cajun specialties from Donald Link’s heritage like boudin, andouille, and tasso, as well as very select high grade cuts of beef, lamb, and pork. The Butcher sandwich menu will feature items like the Butcher Muffaletta, pastrami on rye or a classic Cuban. All sandwiches are made with house made meats. “Ready to cook” items such as stuffed chicken, duck confit, and pork roasts are also available. Highly anticipated to be the next hot spot for a quick lunch, an afternoon snack or an after work treat, locals have already nicknamed it the 'swine bar'. For more information, visit www.cochonrestaurant.com.
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| | Transportation Revolution Announces Grand Opening of
Ducati New Orleans Showroom After months of construction, the new Ducati motorcycle showroom is complete at The Transportation Revolution. Downtown now boasts one of only three completed Ducati Retail Design Showrooms in North America. The official unveiling of the showroom will take place Friday, January 9 with an event from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 901 Julia Street (at Baronne). For more information, visit www.thetransportationrevolution.com.
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| | Downtown Calendar DUCATI SHOWROOM GRAND OPENING
Where: The Transportation Revolution, 901 Julia Street
When: Friday, Jan. 9, 6 to 10 p.m.
What: Unveiling of one of only three Ducati motorcycle showrooms in North America ELIZABETH CATLETT EXHIBITION
Where: Stella Jones Gallery
When: Jan. 10 to Feb. 28. Artist's reception Sat., Jan. 10, 6 to 9 p.m.
What: Rare exhibitions of drawings by iconic African American artist HUNGRY? THIRSTY? NEW ORLEANS!
Where: Zoe in the W New Orleans Hotel
When: Mon., Jan. 12, 6 to 10 p.m.
What: Celebrate the release of the newest guide to eating and drinking in New Orleans. First 50 guests receive a free copy. DISH
Where: Southern Food and Beverage Museum (Riverwalk Marketplace)
When: Sat., Jan. 17
What: SoFAB book club to read and discuss culinary topics and literature
BIENNIAL IN REVIEW
Where: Louisiana ArtWorks, 725 Howard Ave.
When: Sun., Jan. 18, 11 a.m.
What: Panel discussion of impact and implications of largest art biennial of international contemporary art in the U.S.
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| For more information on any of the articles featured in What's Up Downtown, or to submit an item for consideration,
contact Lauren Hotard at lhotard@neworleansdowntown.com. |
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