The City of New of New Orleans was granted $141M via the HUD National Disaster Resilience Competition to design and implement a Gentilly Resilience District (GRD) that could be replicated in other areas of the City.

Green infrastructure is rethinking how we as a City are ‘Living with Water’ by creating new and enhancing existing green spaces to detain/retain/store stormwater.  These interventions will slow down the release of stormwater – which will lessen the burden on our drainage system / gray infrastructure and improve the integrity of our sponge-like soil; which minimize subsidence (sinking).

The projects included in the GRD are currently in various advanced stages of design. Community input has and continues to be a fundamental part of the design process. Once implemented, these projects will store and divert millions of gallons of stormwater thereby lessening the burden on our drainage system, as well as create recreational and social spaces that aim to improve the overall quality of life.  For more information on projects and how to stay engaged, click here.

The Resilience Design Review Committee (RDRC) was established to review publicly funded resilience projects and programs throughout the design and development process to ensure consistency with the City’s resilience strategy.  These meetings are open to the public and now held in Gentilly to make them more accessible to the community.

On November 19, the RDRC reviewed the 60% design submittals for the St. Anthony Green Streets and St. Bernard Neighborhood Campus projects at Dillard University.

The city is working in partnership with the Arts Council of New Orleans on a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the London Avenue Canal Placemaking project.  Seleted artists will create public art installations at various locations throughout the GRD. This month, a series of public workshops will be held to provide artists with an overview of the GRD and the placemaking project.