Pontchartrain Beach Could Reopen

Although Pontchartrain Beach has been closed for several decades, locals still enjoy going to the mile-long sand beach close to the Seabrook Bridge. The Lakefront Management Authority, the current management company of the beach, is seeking bids from companies that would manage the property. They want to find someone who will make the beach safer for swimmers, anglers, and other outdoor patrons.

“What we’re doing now is testing the waters to see what proposals will come in, and what ideas are out there to develop this old beach site,” authority Executive Director Louis Capo said.

Pontchartrain Beach was established by the Batt family in 1928 and was originally an amusement park. The amusement park was moved to another location in 1983 and the beach became a swimming hazard. Residents need not worry that anything will be built at the beach.

“Now, it’s not under lease anywhere. But state law requires it can only be used for a beach. You couldn’t put a business there,” LMA board member Wilma Heaton said.

The Pontchartrain Beach Foundation would like to lease the beach. The foundation, founded by Guy Williams, the CEO of Gulf Coast Bank & Trust, says his group wants sot clean the beach up and reopen it for swimming, kayaking and other water activities.

“There just aren’t many options in our area to get out on the water for free,” Williams said.

“Our focus would be on step one, which is actually getting funding and the renovation that’s needed so that the beach can be reopened,” Williams said. “If we don’t do step one, there will never be a step two.”

For whoever ends up winning the bid, the job will be quite a task. There is a lot to do to make the beach area safe for the public. There are still old amusement park structures buried in the beach sand that can cut patrons. The steep drop-off and riprap (a rock material used for shorelines) are unsafe for those swimming underwater.

“We have one responsibility of overseeing the properties within our realms on behalf of the public,” Anthony Richard, its chairman said. “We’re trying to get an appreciation on what would be the best use for that particular space that’s available that ties into our mission.”

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After Five Years the New Orleans Air Show Comes Back to Belle Chasse

The 2022 New Orleans Air Show came back to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Belle Chasse after five years. The airshow first began at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in the 1950s. The pandemic caused the show to cancel in 2020.

The show entertains every generation. One Belle Chasse resident has not been to the show in 20 years. She said that it brought back memories this year when she went to the show.

“I feel like I’m walking in the same footsteps that my dad did,” Hebert said. “It’s magical, really. This is Disneyland in my heart.”

“I can’t stop smiling,” she said. “I’m probably the biggest nerd.”

The number one favorite attraction was the Blue Angels. Local Theodore Samon said that he specifically came to see the famous Blue Angels.

“Many people only come to see the Blue Angels,” base spokesperson Andrew Thomas said of the U.S. Navy’s famed demonstration team. “They are that good.”

Everyone is ready to get out and start going to different events. In the midst of the pandemic, it was nice to get out and enjoy the show.

“It feels like something normal again,” Melisa Gunzburg said.

Patrons come to the naval base but also can see the show from local house parties and picnics on the levee. Boats sit in the canals to watch the show.

“This is all part of their heritage,” Todd Bruemer, the base’s commanding officer said.

“People are amazed, excited, and it’s nice to give that to people,” base spokesperson Andrew Thomas said. “You’re showcasing to the American taxpayer your military but you also get kids out here that say ‘I want to do that.’ It sparks an interest.”

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Plans For A Movie Studio In New Orleans East

Many actors and musicians are New Orleans-born. One of these actors is Anthony Mackie, best known for his role as the Falcon in the Marvel movies. Mackie, 43, has purchased 20-acres in New Orleans east where he will create a movie studio. The land is located at 10 Service Road at Read Boulevard.

The project is still just in the planning stages but several of those that have been involved in the negotiations confirm this is what the property is intended to be used for. The new production company will be called East Studios LLC. The company will join other New Orleans studios including Starlight Studios, The Ranch Film Studios, Second Line Stages, and Swaybox Studios.

Film and television production is booming in New Orleans. According to Chris Stelly, executive group director of entertainment and digital media at the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, there are around twenty movies and television shows that are currently in production in the state of Louisiana.

The state was one of the first states to obtain a financial incentives program for filmmakers almost twenty years ago. In fact, $291 million was put into the Louisiana film industry by AMC, Disney, OWN, Netflix, and many more big industry companies. The motion picture production tax credit gives film productions a tax credit of as much as 40% on qualifying spending in the state, up to $150 million, including payroll for both local and out-of-state labor.

“We were one of the pioneering states in terms of offering incentives to filmmakers, and we’ve done a great job in terms of building state-of-the-art stages,” he said. “A full-fledged studio where you have everything in-house, that’s the ultimate goal.”

Currently, Anthony is the executive producer for the upcoming series “Twisted Metal.” Mackie who studied at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts said the scope of the planned studio is not yet clear. But if it is an “end to end” operation, which would include the acquisition of intellectual property, development, production and marketing, it would mark a new level for Louisiana’s film and television industry.

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New Plans For the Market Street Power Plant

The Market Street Power plant has been part of the New Orleans riverfront for 120 years. Locals are familiar with the big Victorian-style smokestacks but they won’t be there for long. The new owners, local developers Louis Lauricella and Brian Gibbs, are currently devising plans to convert the property into a hotel, offices, shops, and some kind of entertainment venue.

The Market Street Power Plant, an old coal-fired plant, was built in 1902 by Entergy Corp. Entergy was responsible for supplying electricity to New Orleans.

This is not the first person to plan to convert the old plant. Developer Joe Jaeger purchased the plant in 2015 for $8.7 million and had plans to turn it into a Live Nation music venue. In 2020 he put the property up for sale along with an additional 7-acres surrounding the plant for $16.9 million.

Now the 160,000-square-foot power plant will be turned into a “new-to-market concept which will include restaurants, retail, entertainment, hotel, and office space.

“The Market Street Power Plant site is an important piece of our overall vision for the riverfront,” Lauricella said. “This site holds the potential to be a transformative project for our community.”

The project is just a small part of the new area which is called The River District. Adjacent to the plant is the 39-acres that will be the remaining part of the new entertainment-focused district. The district will include housing, retail, entertainment, and office space and will cost around $1 billion. There will be a civil rights museum as well as around 300 apartments that will be affordable for lower-income residents.

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Owning A Home Is Not Only Smarter Than Renting, It Is Also Cheaper

Copyright SNAP Real Estate Photography LLC

Even though house prices are on the rise and mortgage rates are starting to increase, buying a home is still a smart move. ATTOM Data found that owning a home in 2022 is more affordable than renting across most of the country.

“. . . Owning a median-priced home is more affordable than the average rent on a three-bedroom property in 666, or 58 percent, of the 1,154 U.S. counties analyzed for the report. That means major homeownership expenses consume a smaller portion of average local wages than renting.”

Not everyone is in agreement with ATTOM Data. CoreLogic’s Single-Family Rent Index revealed that single-family rent saw a huge growth year-over-year. Single-family rent growth hit its sixth consecutive record high. . . . Annual rent growth . . . was more than three times that of a year earlier.

Remember even if the house prices are rising along with rent prices, you benefit from owning. When you rent the increased monthly payments go directly into your landlord’s pocket. A monthly mortgage payment is a form of savings in a sense. You are building equity which you will get back once you sell your home. Homeownership also takes up a smaller portion of your paycheck.

If you are in the market to purchase a home, now is a great time. Contact a Realtor who can help you through this process. Having a trusted advisor on your side is the smart way to go.

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