Royal Cosmo Condo-Tel is BACK!
The Controversial, Cosmopolitan Condo-tel
proposed for 121 Royal Street…
“THE TOWER
THAT ATE ROYAL STREET”
See for yourself. Click on pictures below…
Don’t laugh -- Something is seriously wrong when developers need a 26-story building -- to restore a single five-story building!
In the first picture below (all from developers’ architect), see the proposed skyscraper towering over original five-story Royal St. building…
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Royal-front.jpg
The view from historic Canal Street -- See how much higher it is than anything else on the block!...
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Canal.jpg
Next, notice the grey box in rear. That’s a hotel that was sued because it was 159.5 feet. The rules allow 85 feet. The height of this project busts through at 268 feet!
…And, don’t forget to compare the height of neighboring buildings on this Royal Street block!
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Royal.jpg
Please take a moment to e-mail or phone your New Orleans City Councilpersons… click below for contact information, and for more details on this important issue!
Dear friends, neighbors and supporters,
We have a rare opportunity on Thursday, January 21, 2010. Please read below, then send a quick e-mail or make a phone call.
Our current City Council has done an overall very good job in its votes to protect our landmark French Quarter over the past 4 years – but in early 2007, the French Quarter watchdog organizations lost an important, potentially precedent-setting vote to build a whopping 26-tower “condo-tel” in the first block of Royal Street.
It’s not too often you can re-do past votes, but we will get a chance on Thursday. And, with your help, we have reason to be optimistic.
The project never was built. The developers now ask for yet another vote to extend the variances. And, there has been more history destroyed since the last vote. Don’t miss the copy of the Dennis Woltering 2009 news report reprinted at the bottom of this e-mail, involving developer Angelo Farrell ignoring multiple VCC stop-work orders and damaging a very architecturally significant building at 711 Bourbon. Mr. Farrell is one of the same developers for the controversial Condo-tel.
The developers had their opportunity. Now it’s time to please urge the City Council to Vote No on the Extension for the Too-Tall Royal Street Variance! Thank you!!
Nathan Chapman, former president, VCPORA
IT’S BAAACCK….
The Controversial, Cosmopolitan Condo-tel
proposed for 121 Royal Street…
“THE TOWER
THAT ATE ROYAL STREET”
See for yourself. Click on pictures below…
Don’t laugh -- Something is seriously wrong when developers need a 26-story building -- to restore a single five-story building!
In the first picture below (all from developers’ architect), see the proposed skyscraper towering over original five-story Royal St. building…
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Royal-front.jpg
The view from historic Canal Street -- See how much higher it is than anything else on the block!...
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Canal.jpg
Next, notice the grey box in rear. That’s a hotel that was sued because it was 159.5 feet. The rules allow 85 feet. The height of this project busts through at 268 feet!
…And, don’t forget to compare the height of neighboring buildings on this Royal Street block!
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Royal.jpg
Please take a moment to e-mail or phone your New Orleans City Councilpersons…
Ask them to PLEASE OPPOSE AN EXTENSION FOR THE “COSMOPOLITAN CONDO-TEL.
BE RESPECTFUL IN YOUR TONE, PLEASE!
Use the contact information below to contact your District Councilperson, plus the two At Large representatives…
Or contact them all!
New Orleans City Council Contact Information:
At-Large (2): Arnie Fielkow Ph: 658-1060 Fax: 658-1068 Email: AFielkow@cityofno.com
Jackie Clarkson Ph: 658-1070 Fax: 658-1077 Email: jbclarkson@cityofno.com
District A: Shelley Midura Ph: 658-1010 Fax: 658-1016 Email: SMidura@cityofno.com
District B: Stacy Head Ph: 658 -1020 Fax: 658-1025 Email: SHead@cityofno.com
District C: James Carter Ph: 658-1030 Fax: 658-1037 Email: JCarter@cityofno.com
District D: Cynthia Hedge-Morrell Ph: 658-1040 Fax: 658-1048 Email: CHMorrell@cityofno.com
District E: Cynthia Willard-Lewis Ph: 658-1050 Fax: 658-1058 Email: CWLewis@cityofno.com
Or if you'd prefer to email all the councilmembers at once, just cut and paste the addresses below into your "to" box: "James Carter" <jcarter@cityofno.com>, "Jackie B. Clarkson" <jbclarkson@cityofno.com>, "Arnie Fielkow" <afielkow@cityofno.com>, "Stacy Head" <shead@cityofno.com>, "Shelley Midura" <smidura@cityofno.com>, "Cynthia Hedge-Morrell" <chmorrell@cityofno.com>, "Cynthia Williard-Lewis" <cwlewis@cityofno.com>,
by Dennis Woltering / Eyewitness News
Posted on September 25, 2009. Updated Thursday, Oct 22.
******
NEW ORLEANS - The owner of a Bourbon St. bar is doing business without proper permits and has caused serious damage to a significant piece of the French Quarter's historical architecture, according to a city agency and members of the neighborhood's leading property owner/resident association.
The Vieux Carre Commission says 711 Bourbon, the old Tricou House, was built in the 1830s by renowned architects. According to the VCC and other specialists, it is an important piece of history and architecture.
"It's just one step below the Cabildo and the Presbytere," said Meg Lousteau, executive direct of the group Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates. "So the architecture is historically significant."
That's why Lousteau said "the severe modifications" the new property owners are making to the building could be so damaging.
"According to the Vieux Carre Commission, there was a wall in front of the open carriageway that was just removed and replaced with some steel supports," Lousteau said.
Lary Hesdorffer, the Vieux Carre Commission director, said "None of that (work) was supported by any permits by the Vieux Carre Commission or the department of Safety and Permits." He adds that work "has brutally damaged or altered a very fine structure."
This is the third set of "stop work" orders posted on the doors at 711 Bourbon as well as on the owner's adjoining property around the corner at 814 Orleans Ave.
The work has allegedly taken place despite those previous "stop work" orders from both the Vieux Carre Commission and the city department of Safety and Permits.
VCPORA says the operators of 711 Bourbon have ripped down several stop work orders and continued making renovations without city permission.
Neighbors behind the 711 Bourbon property say they have heard the work going on.
"They've been told to stop and they just sneak in there to do it," said Kimberly Ray.
"And they just keep doing what they want to do," added Chuck Singleton.
Lousteau calls the situation a flagrant disregard for the law. Her group and the VCC are also concerned that the owner of 711 Bourbon plans to use his property at 814 Orleans for his business, spreading commercialism into an area zoned residential.
According to Lousteau and the Vieux Carre Commission, 711 Bourbon has been operating a bar in apparent violation of the law.
The department of Safety and Permits says the property does "not have a certificate of use and occupancy," which is required to open for business.
A woman inside the door at 711 Bourbon refused comment Friday and refused to give WWL a way to contact the business owner. He is identified on the stop work order as Angelo Farrell.
On Friday, the state Fire Marshal's office said it told the bar operators it could not have more than 49 people in the place, and only in the front bar area. But without the city "use and occupancy" certificate, a city spokesman says the place is not allowed to open for business.