New Orleans leaders Wednesday launched an effort to bring new economic development to New Orleans East.
The plan focuses on building around NASA, and around transportation logistics, to bring new industry to the region.
"For so many years, we talked about the potential, the possibilities, the opportunity," said New Orleans City Councilmember Jason Hughes. "And now we are putting that into action."
It starts with the basics: making sure the right infrastructure is in place to begin developing two business corridors.
"Making sure that we have the drainage, the utility infrastructure," New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno told WWL's Newell Normand on Tuesday. "We went in with Entergy on a $20 million grant application to make sure the utilities are right."
The city says that the New Orleans East Investment and Job Corridors is centered on two areas:
- The Michoud Innovation Corridor, anchored by the massive NASA facility, will support aerospace, advanced manufacturing, research, technology, and innovation.
- The Port and Logistic Corridor, built along the I-510 area with the Port of New Orleans' planned Louisiana International Terminal in St. Bernard Parish in mind, offering maritime commerce, logistics, transportation, warehousing, and supply chain industries.
Hughes acknowledged that this is going to be a long-term process that won't transform the area overnight, but said it will be transformative.
"You're not going to feel the change immediately, you're not going to feel it tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or even next year," he said. "But this corridor, the 510 corridor, Michoud corridor, anchored by NASA and so many other great businesses, will be transformational for New Orleans East."
Moreno said the city has partnered with GNO Inc. to market the region and actively recruit businesses.
The mayor said bringing new industries to these corridors will promote growth in other businesses.
"As these corridors attract new employers and thousands of new jobs, they will also generate the customer base needed to support additional restaurants, grocery stores, retail, hotels, entertainment, and neighborhood services throughout New Orleans East," the mayor said.
