Concept plan unveiled, but challenge is still funding, implementation
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – Ideas, ideas, ideas.
There were plenty of them with lots of detail when the concept plan was introduced to residents on Monday night in the ongoing work to create an Olde Towne Slidell Master Plan.
The Walker Collaborative, headed by consultant Phil Walker, was hired months ago by the city to begin creating the master plan and they have held several public hearings to gather information and ideas. The week before the concept plan was unveiled on Monday was preceded by a week-long charette, a gathering of locals who spent the days discussing different portions of the overall plan. They offered ideas, made suggestions, and gave the Walker group their findings.
On Monday night those key points, recommendations and problems were presented to the public again, covering topics such as the Fremaux corridor, the Front Street corridor, arts and antiques district, an entertainment district, the bayou district, and an eco-heritage district.
Now, the Walker group will head back to Tennessee to put it all together and bring back a consolidated master plan that Mayor Greg Cromer hopes to receive by the end of the year.
Then, the real work begins.
“There are lots of great ideas we will have,” said Cromer at the end of the night. “But then the question comes up about funding, and implementation. That’s the real challenge to see what we can really do with all these ideas.”
That will also include the question of how you entice existing Olde Towne property owners to either sell their property to others who may want to do something with it or get them to do something themselves.
One key point made at the concept plan meeting was about the gaps found in Slidell’s Olde Towne, which makes it difficult to connect the entire region. The main antique stores have a large gap of mostly vacant space before you reach the main bar and restaurant region, while another longtime problem that has been discussed is how you can connect Heritage Park to Olde Towne, considering the busy traffic on Front Street, which was reported as approximately 15,000 vehicles a day.
The La. Dept. of Transportation approved and funded a crosswalk at the corner of Front Street and Fremaux Avenue, but that was done many years ago and is still several years from being constructed. It was reported at the meeting that the design phase is 95 percent finished, but Walker said he was told it will be at least “2024 or 2025” before the crosswalk construction begins.
While some residents weren’t happy to hear that, it might not be that big a problem in the overall plan since much of what was being suggested for the O.T. Master Plan could take years to implement.
Two main areas of challenge facing the city in making a real change for Olde Towne includes “slowing the traffic on Front Street” and bringing in key new businesses that will attract more tourists, and then attract other businesses.
The consultants on the team made several recommendations about narrowing Fremaux and Front in ways that would allow for more trees and landscaping, as well as reducing lanes in some areas—all in an effort to slow traffic, “which would not only allow people to cross Front Street more easily, but actually let more people see what is in Olde Towne,” said Walker.
There was a suggestion about finding a business to open a boutique hotel that would have between 40 to 80 rooms, similar to the Southern Hotel that was renovated and opened in downtown Covington. From that west parish business, it has added many visitors to their historic downtown area, and brought in other businesses due to the added tourists.
Additionally, the idea of a small grocery store, even suggested for the corner of Robert Street and Front Street, would be a big plus.
Other suggested additions to Olde Towne included more art galleries, coffee shops, water events, museums, and more live entertainment.
Parking, while not seen as a major problem now, would be enhanced by utilizing some of the vacant lots or spaces from one side of Olde Towne to the other, as well as creating employee parking lots so they would not use all the on-street parking.
“One thing we need to do for Olde Towne is to make it more of a destination. Right now, the majority of customers in Olde Towne are local people,” said Walker. “You are near New Orleans which is a major tourist area, so we want to create something that would draw more of those visitors across the lake. That’s why there are a lot of new and different businesses we need to bring here.”
That goes back to the issue of how you convince existing property owners to join the push for improvement, which could occur with tax incentives or by growing the area in a way that would show the profitability of turning more of the vacant buildings or lots into new commerce.
“When we create an area that a business owner wants to be it will bring them here,” added Walker. “That’s why an entertainment area, or more new businesses are needed to entice entrepreneurs to become part of Olde Towne.
“What we do not want are national chains. It’s the local businesses that are different and interesting to tourists and that’s what we want more of,” he stated.
Jeremy Reilly, owner of Restaurant Cote and The Maple Room on Carey Street, said that a key to draw more new businesses would be to get state zoning support to allow first floor business owners to live on the second floor of their buildings.
“Right now, that is not allowed except to a very few grandfathered in buildings,” he said. “If we get that changed it would bring new businesses here since owners could save a lot of money if they lived on the top floor of their business.”
Cromer, who recommended the city using $100,000 to seek the Olde Towne Master Plan, said the final product will be important to make a lot of the ideas become reality.
“When we have an actual Master Plan it qualifies us for more state or federal grants to help make changes,” he said. “Without one it’s much harder to get grants, and that’s why we need to have this.”