Green Apple Day of Service @ the Center

USGBC's Green Apple Day of Service volunteers perform work on the CENTER over the weekend.  Volunteers from LA insulated the back of the CENTER with polyiso insulation, caulked ceiling boards, painted and installed insulation around the perimeter - under the house.  Thank you USGBC, & thank you volunteers for all of the hard work!  We hope to see you again soon!

Community Meeting Saturday 8/2/2014 Re Rezoning of Florida Ave Properties

The CSED owns the vacant lots at 2639 Caffin Avenue, 5620 Florida Avenue, 2636 and 2640 Lamanche Streets. The site is currently zoned as residential. In order for CSED to use the property as a visitor and learning center along with office space, its zoning must be changed to B-1 to accommodate a non-residential use.  We are required to apply for approval to change the site’s zoning designation. Our application must be heard by the City Planning Commission and the City Council. We anticipate this approval process will take several months. 

If you own property in the area, or are otherwise interested in the neighborhood, I am inviting you to a meeting where you can learn more about what we propose and have an opportunity to present your questions or concerns.  We are required to do this before we submit our application to the City Planning Commission. 

This meeting will take place:    Saturday, August 2, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.

                                                              2636 Lamanche Street, New Orleans, LA 70117 

At the meeting, a sign-in sheet will be provided to obtain phone numbers and/or email addresses so that we can keep you updated if there are any changes to the plans.

We see the site as a great opportunity to develop environmental education and connect the community and visitors with their natural surroundings.  The CSED initially plans to install a modular classroom building on the vacant lot at 2636 Lamanche Street in late 2014 or early 2015.  Future plans include building a Lower 9 Environmental Learning and Research Center. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or comments.  I hope to see you at the meeting on Saturday, August 2, 2014, 10a.m., at 2636 Lamanche Street.

Arthur Johnson, Executive Director                                   Phone: (504)324-9955  

       

Community Meeting 7/12/14 Re: Rezoning 5227 Chartres Street

July 7, 2014 

Dear Neighbor: 

I am contacting you on behalf of the Lower 9^th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement & Development (CSED).  The CSED owns the building and property at 5227 Chartres Street between Lizardi and Egania Streets. The site is currently zoned as residential. In order for CSED to use the property as a visitor and learning center along with office space, its zoning must be changed to B-1 to accommodate a non-residential use.  We are required to apply for approval to change the site’s zoning designation. Our application must be heard by the City Planning Commission and the City Council. We anticipate this approval process will take several months. 

Because you own property in the area, or are otherwise interested in the neighborhood, I am inviting you to a meeting where you can learn more about what we propose and have an opportunity to present your questions or concerns.  We are required to do this before we submit our application to the City Planning Commission. 

This meeting will take place:            Saturday, July 12, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

                                                                      5227 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70117 

At the meeting, a sign-in sheet will be provided to obtain email addresses so that we can keep you updated if there are any changes to the plans. 

We see the site as a great opportunity to reduce blight in the neighborhood. The CSED is renovating this historic, 100 year old barge board house into a learning center.  The center will showcase energy efficiency upgrades and primarily serve as an educational center for the Lower 9^th Ward community. We estimate work will be complete in late 2014. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or comments.  I hope to see you at the meeting on Saturday, July 12, 2014, 11a.m., at 5227 Chartres Street. 

Sincerely, 

Arthur Johnson, Executive Director

Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement & Development (CSED) 

5130 Chartres Street - Post Office Box 770407 - New Orleans LA 70177-0407

Phone: (504)324-9955         Fax: (504)267-5583

www.sustainthenine.org     

 

Connect the 9 Community Rides On

Connect The 9

SECOND ANNUAL COMMUNITY BIKE RIDE

SATURDAY, APRIL 5th

Ride to connect the Upper and Lower 9th Ward and advocate for safe transportation options for bikers and walkers on the St. Claude Bridge!

This FREE ride starts at The Green Project, crosses the St. Claude Avenue Bridge to the Lower 9th Ward, stops on the levee at Deslonde, and wraps up at Bayou Bienvenue. 

 Join us at any of these stops!

9:30am      Ride from the Lower 9^th Ward - meetup at Sam Bonart Park at 1200 Forstall Street

10:30am    Ride Starts at the Green Project, 2831 Marais Street

11:00am     River to Bayou ride, meet at the Levee and Deslonde Street

12:00pm    Ride ends at the Bayou Bienvenue Wetland Platform with Snoballs!

Visitwww.bikeeasy.orgfor more information 

http://bikeeasy.org/events/archives/1417/ 

Read more about the dangers and use of the St. Claude Bridge as a pedestrian & bike crossing.

Download Bridging St. Claude_Final Report

 

Hail to Historic Green 2014 Spring Greening !!!

A hearty thank you to all the Historic Green 2014 Spring Greening volunteers who spent a week in the Lower 9th Ward working on community projects. 

Their energy and enthusiasm produced a rain garden in the back yard of our Chartres Street property and a Bayou Pavillion designed by Anne McTernan with rain catchment and a small rain garden on our Florida Avenue property. 

But they accomplished much more at our Chartres Street house and at the Delery Street Playground.  They topped it all off by hosting a crawfish boil for the community!

Thank you, Historic Green, for your seven years of support through Spring Greening Events in March of each year since 2008!

Learn more about Historic Green and see their extensive photos of the 2014 Spring Greening event on their facebook page http://historicgreen.org/2014-spring-green-event/

 

USGBC Green Apple Day of Service

Green Apple Day of Service was a success!  Over the weekend volunteers helped CSED with light carpentry work at The Center on Chartres (5227 Chartres Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development Energy Efficiency Educational Center).

Food Security for All! Hundreds Come Shop at Grocery Store For-A-Day.

A little snapshot of the good times we had on Saturday. Thanks to all who came out, and we hope to continue to have your support as we move forward. The vision of the Lower Ninth Ward Food Access Coalition is availability of fresh, quality food that is convenient and affordable to everyone in the Lower Ninth Ward.

- -Number of people who attended = approximately 300

- Number of community organizations participating = 20

- Number of volunteers = 50+

- Amount of food distributed = A LOT

- Funds raised = over $2700

- Pulling off the first grocery store in the Lower 9th Ward in DECADES (and the first pop-up grocery store EVER), inspiring hope and motivation in our community, and getting the media and our elected officials on board = PRICELESS

Submitted by Jenga Mwendo, CSED Food Security Coordinator

http://www.abc26.com/news/newswithatwist/wgno-pop-up-grocery-store-provides-temporary-relief-to-residents-of-the-lower-9th-ward-20121017,0,3438773.story

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/lower_9th_ward_residents_annou.html#cmpid=nwsltrhead

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2012/10/12/lower-ninth-ward-to-get-grocery-store-for-a-day

http://wwno.org/post/grocery-store-day

http://www.nola.com/nolavie/index.ssf/2012/10/makin_groceries_in_the_lower_n.html#incart_flyout_living

Anticipation Builds for Tomorrow's Grocery Store For-A-Day!

Some great advance coverage of the much-anticipated Grocery Store For-A-Day event tomorrow at All Souls Church, 5500 St. Claude, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Will we see you there?

Community Conversations on Coastal Restoration

Join the National Wildlife Federation on Tuesday June, 19th at the New Orleans Healing Center at 2372 St. Claude Avenue. Free food will be provided and it is sure to be a laid back atmosphere with lively conversation! Join us!