A Piece of New Orleans History

In light of the catastrophic devastation that took place in New Orleans on Aug 29, 2005, Canal Street has once again made a comeback. With its major construction project having taken place on Canal Street, Gibbs Construction Company took the honor of doing a remarkable job at revitalizing the Krauss Dept Store into a Grade-A Apartment. Krauss was renowned as a department store that catered to the low-income minorities during a time when many other department stores only catered to the upper class in New Orleans. Krauss was also reputable for having the first air conditioning and escalator in 1925.

The deteriorated Krauss building, abandoned for over 11 years, is now recognized as 1201 Canal Street Apartments. Thankfully, much of the architectural design have been revitalized to its previous state serving, as a reminder of Krauss’s loyal service to New Orleanians for over 90 years. With its historically modified state-of-the-art building, the 1201 Canal St apartment has redefined higher living standards. Featuring an assorted set of amenities ranging from a 24-hour valet parking service to a dog-friendly rooftop, the Apartments give you your bang for the buck. Check into the 1201 Canal St Apartments today to relive the history of New Orleans in a completely different way. While living there, be sure to check out their rooftop view, as their close proximity to the nearby businesses give you a magnificent view of the New Orleans skyline.

Reconstructing the Upper Carrollton Shopping Center

Growing up in New Orleans, I frequently passed by the Upper Carrollton shopping center located along Tulane Ave. It is a focal point of the city, but the surroundings reflect poorly on the metropolitan area. As you drive across the overpass, you will eventually see an Advanced Auto Parts located to the right of the Carrollton shopping center. The old, shabby discoloration of the shopping center resembled a 1960s warehouse, which was a nerve-wrecking site to see.

Returning a year after the hurricane, I noticed a majority of the tenants had already relocated. The only tenant who stood adamant in their decision to stay was Rock n Bowl, which was open for business even though the hurricane severely damaged its ground floor. Fortunately, there was not much damage to the second floor, so the business was able to stay in operation while management continued renovations on the ground floor. Rock n Bowl served as an incentive for investors to return to the area, as their booming business proved there was still an opportunity for businesses to thrive.

Approximately three years after the hurricane, the shopping center received its much-needed face-lift based on an Ohio/Chicago styled façade. This site served as a motivation for investors to come into the area, as this was one of the first signs of improvement on Tulane Ave. I have obtained pictures from various sources reflecting the three developmental stages as the shopping center came to be what it is now. Compared to the previous design of the shopping center, additional parking has replaced the once-standing Hong Kong City Restaurant. Much of the current retailers have replaced the previous ones with newer ones, such as the Nike Factory, Rio, and Rainbow, just to name a few.

Overall, the shopping center has outgrown its old, traditional look, which was once a filthy, trashed parking lot to the futuristic look of a modern-day Dallas shopping center. Daily bus routes packed with civilians will once again complete the surrounding grounds of this newly redesigned shopping center. Rock n Bowl, a loyal tenant to the owner of this shopping center relocated to 3000 S Carrollton Ave New Orleans, LA 70118. If you or any other friends have stopped by the New Orleans area, don’t forget to revisit this site, as it proved to be a promising transformation.

* Note: Pictures were taken post-Katrina

Rebuilding New Orleans one brick at a time...

For almost five years since Katrina, people from all over the world still look at New Orleans as a place of rundown buildings and murderers who run rampant throughout the city. Although I admit New Orleans still has some places that aren’t as developed as other cities, New Orleans in general has come a long way. In an attempt to reveal to the naked eye these drastic transformations, I intend on gathering pictures from several sources and information obtained from others and myself. If you or any others have any pictures from before or after Katrina, I would greatly appreciate if you would send it to me. I'm currently on a search for pictures, which include some of the shopping centers and places all around the city such as Tulane Ave, Canal St, the mall which used to exist over by the superdome with Macy’s in it, Carrollton shopping center (both the Rock n’ Bowl one and the one closer to Xavier), Metairie, and Kenner. Let our voices echo throughout the city with pride and dignity knowing that we, as New Orleanians, actually have made it through the flood, recession, and drought. No matter what happens, we as New Orleanians stand strong, and the Saints winning the Superbowl only proves our success. Our city is coming back on its feet day by day and each change will only make it even better.