The Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans has been undergoing some massive changes as of late. New businesses have been popping up, new residents have been moving into the neighborhood and discovering its charm, and the long-awaited demolition of the old Naval Base on Poland Avenue has finally been approved. John Guarnieri is President of the Bywater Neighborhood Association and says there are plenty of reasons for celebration moving forward.
While there have been gentrification fears from some residents who worry the character of the neighborhood may change, Guarnieri was quick to assuage those fears. "One of the things that makes the Bywater so special is the influx of artists and musicians. It's a delicate balance. We want to keep the essence of the neighborhood going, but we need some level of gentrification to maintain the beautiful houses," he notes. "Having and keeping up these old homes requires a lot of money," Guarnieri added.
As far as the long-dormant Naval Base once goes, Guarnieri says there are already plans in place for the area once it is torn down. "There are three buildings offering 1.5 million square feet of building space. So, there will be affordable housing, retail space, and a lot of the land will be reincorporated into the neighborhood," noted the Bywater Neighborhood Association President, pointing out that such a project hasn't been done for roughly 100 years.
Ultimately, Guarnieri says the coming facelift the Bywater will experience gives he and other residents of the area a renewed sense of hope. "We know that New Orleans has so many great assets that for many years have not been fully realized. We now have a feeling that the administration and the residents are working together to make the city better, and that's a great feeling," he went on to emphasize.