$10 Million Dollar FEMA Grant Awarded to Gretna

Ever since Katrina, the New Orleans area is on top of addressing flooding issues. Gretna is one of the areas that sees a lot of flooding. FEMA has announced that they will give Gretna a $10 million grant to address the flooding issues.

The canal drainage will be addressed along with repairing 25th Street. Both the Jonestown and Bellevue area will get much needed flood relief as well as beautification to the community.

“Right now, if you ride through, it’s unbelievable how bad that is,” said City Councilman Mark Miller, whose district includes the project area, “but there is nothing you can do until the canal is shored up to be able to stabilize the banks and support any road work.”

Gretna will add the grant to the grants already allotted to problems that are occurring in City Park making a total of $18.7 million for the project. The City Park drainage project and the new project, which Gretna will seek public input on, will work hand in hand to fix the flooding and draining issues. Gretna announced they will begin the design phase for the new project in the next 6 months.

The total project, which includes the City Park drainage project and the new project, will take three to five years to complete. The FEMA grant will cover the cost of repairing and rebuilding the canal. It will improve the connectivity to the drainage network. The LA Safe Program grant and the $3 million funded by the Department of Transportation and Developments Flood Control Program will improve on drainage and beautification in City Park. Retention capacity will be added to the park’s pond along with replenishing vegetation along the pond’s banks. Pavilions, restrooms and walking paths will also be added to the amenities at the park.

The projects fall under the Gretna Resilience District which was created by the city to help raise grant money for the Jonestown and Bellevue areas. The projects coming together will bring the area much-needed flooding relief.

“It all couldn’t have come together at a better time,” Miller said.

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Federal City’s Face-lift

Federal City, the former Naval Support Activity site, that is located on the West Bank will hopefully soon see life again. This 200-acre complex along the Mississippi River was once part of the Navy. In 2005, the Navy pulled out and leased the property to the Algiers Development District. Algiers Development District turned the site into Federal City, but only the Marine Corps Support Facility, a Subway shop, health club, credit union and small hotel have been successful. The remainder of the land has stood dormant.

The former military base is back in discussion with two separate developers. The Finch Group, from Boca Raton, Florida, and B-T+MSG, a joint venture of Bossier City’s Brown Builders; Fairfield Property Management of Shreveport; and New Orleans’ Metro Services Group all Louisiana-based companies, are in discussion with The Algiers Development District to either purchase or long-term lease a portion of the property. The new proposal will cover just 10% of the property but will include housing and new businesses. In discussion are single-family housing, condominiums and commercial development.

Each developer will submit their proposals to the Algiers Development District to be approved. The Finch Group developments will encompass 8.2 acres of Federal City and will include commercial development and housing. B-T+MSG will include 12.5 acres and will focus on residential development only.

Senator Troy Carter chairs the Algiers Development District board and is excited about the new proposals. He believes this venture will succeed because they will “avoid problems of the past.” The previous proposals involved all 200-acres but the current proposals only include smaller sections of the property. The proposals that are on the table now have been carefully reviewed by the Algiers Development District committees for their financial soundness, development track record and architectural integrity.”

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Gretna’s Big EZ Seafood Restaurant Item On Menu Goes National

The first restaurant in the New Orleans area to introduce Viet-Cajun crawfish was the Big EZ Seafood in Gretna. When the restaurant first opened in 2015 it was not the most favorite item on the menu for local West Bank patrons but now it is so popular you can find Viet-Cajun crawfish throughout the U.S.

How the recipe all began. In 1975, after the Vietnam War, there was an influx of Vietnamese who moved to the United States and New Orleans was one of the many areas these immigrants chose. Vietnamese Americans are the creators of the delicious delicacy because crawfish are not native to Vietnam.

The secret to the Viet-Cajun-style crawfish is a mix of Louisiana style meets Vietnamese sauces. The crawfish are first boiled in the traditional South Louisiana way, drained and then tossed in custom-made Vietnamese sauces.

South Louisiana is the “root of this, of crawfish,” Thien Nguyen, the co-owner of Big EZ Seafood in Gretna, said.

First cousins Thien and Nhu Nguyen, who own Big EZ Seafood, started the craze for Viet-Cajun-style crawfish when they opened their restaurant in Gretna. The two were first introduced to Viet-Crawfish 20 years ago by their Uncle. They would go out and collect crawfish with him, come home and the family members would cook it.

“As kids, we knew about crawfish, but we didn’t know the techniques for cooking crawfish, the seasoning, making sure it pops right out of the shell,” Thien said.

Before starting Big EZ Seafood in Gretna, they would perfect their boil through trial and error.

“We probably use the same seasoning that 90 percent of people do, we just add a little extra love on our end,” he said. “We add a lot more garlic into it. A lot of people add ginger into it. Lemon. Orange. Chinese pepper. Lemon pepper.”

“We’re not taking any shortcuts,” Thien said of their boiling method. “You’re getting the traditional flavor in the inside, you’re just going to get a finger-licking good additional flavor right on top.”

The cousins witnessed their crawfish preparation spread throughout New Orleans restaurants such as Marjie’s Grill, Mopho, Vietnamese Crawfish Palm & Pine, The Boil House, C & A Seafood, TD Seafood and The Mr. CrabHouse. Now they say it is finding its way through restaurants nationally.

Big EZ Seafood in Gretna offers many other items and different sauce options for their crawfish such as Cali and Cajun Citrus. Other items include, raw and boiled crawfish, crabs and shrimp, and a great selection of steamed snow crab, king crab and dungeness crab tossed in special sauces.

Nhu’s famous gumbo is also a local favorite. “It took us a long time to perfect that gumbo,” Nhu said, adding that regulars pair it with grilled cheese sandwiches that they dip into the broth.

To enjoy their famous Viet-Cajun-style crawfish or any other various menu options visit Big EZ Seafood at 1632 Lafayette St. in Gretna, La.

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Living Close to New Orleans Central Business District

New Orleans Central Business District (CBD) is not only the hub for Fortune 500 businesses but also the place to be in the evenings and weekends. Graced with tons of restaurants, bars and theaters, this area is booming after dark. To add to the area’s portfolio, Ernst & Young, an international accounting and business services firm, is moving an administrative support center to CBD. Locals and those moving from out of state to work in New Orleans Central Business District want to have a desirable commute.

The Parks of Plaquemines is just a short 10 mile commute to New Orleans Central Business District in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. Located just off Woodlands Highway (State Route 406), you are just minutes from the Intracoastal Bridge. Surrounded by heavily treed area, the community gives residents country charm with a convenient location to all the action. Residents enjoy a slower pace of life in a rustic style atmosphere.

This green development community offers great amenities that enhance not only your investement but your lifestyle. Living at The Parks of Plaquemines you will enjoy a beautifully landscaped gated entrance, private streets, Trail Blazer Park, trail system, swimming pool, tennis courts, tot lot and playground. You will also benefit from low Parish property taxes, low sewer & water rents, low risk of hurricane flooding, a convenient & safe location and excellent Plaquemines Parish schools.

The Parks of Plaquemines offer both lots and homes for sale. If interested in a homesite, potential home owners will have a choice between traditional lots from mid $80’s – $140’s and estate lots from mid $80’s – $150’s . Lots offered range from low-maintenance 1/4-acre lots to lots over 1/2-acre. Those that are in the market for a newly built home have many to choose from in the Parks of Plaquemines. There are a wide variety of custom built homes to choose from priced from $500’s to $1 million plus.

For more information contact Kelly Waltemath at 504-236-8587 or E-mail [email protected].

New Orleans Residents Vote Yes For New Tax Plan

New Orleans is known for its beautiful parks and outside living. The city takes pride in its parks and recreation. This month voters approved a tax plan which redirects money to fund parks and recreation in Orleans Parish. The tax money will come from property tax money collected.

“The people of New Orleans made the right call,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell in a statement. “This millage vote is huge win for our City and for our people. The voters put their voice behind a more sustainable distribution of park funding. This is what it looks like when our people get their fair share – when we do more with the funds that are already available, and we find ways to make them work equitably for all of our people”

City Park officials are excited about the vote turnout. For the first time in the city’s history, City Park will be included in the funding.

“Public funding for City Park was a long overdue idea,” said Bob Becker, City Park’s executive director, in a statement. “This increased funding will allow us to improve the park’s aging infrastructure, which will improve our stormwater management, and to increase our park security. This also will allow us to create an equipment replacement program and a programming department.”

Here is how the funding will be allocated. The new plan will redirect the money collected which is currently used to fund the Audubon Commission (Audubon Zoo and Aquarium) the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission and the Department of Parks and Parkways. City Park will be given $2 million per year, Audubon will take $6.4 million annually and NORDC and the Department of Parks and Parkways will be given an extra $1 million each year.

“Audubon is proud to partner with our fellow park agencies, and we look forward to collaborating to ensure that our community’s tax dollars are put to their greatest use, improving the public spaces in our care and providing more educational opportunities for all of New Orleans,” said Audubon Commission president Kelly Duncan.

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