NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans City Planning Commission took the first step toward giving the state and the feds the green light to build a new VA hospital.
The commission voted 6-1 to turn over the sections of streets inside the footprint to the state so that the project moves forward.
Government leaders, supporters and opponents of the project to develop a biomedical research corridor on the outskirts of downtown made their first official pitches to the City Planning Commission Tuesday.
"It's a commitment that the city has made to the VA. It is very important," said James McNamara, the leader of the New Orleans Biosciences District.
In the 16th public meeting about the project, opponents said they didn't get enough of a chance to speak about the plans at Tuesday's public hearing. Both sides were limited to 40 minutes of comments.
"We see this as a social injustice," said opponent Robert Sullivan.
The Commission considered whether to hand over all the sections of streets in the VA footprint to the state so that the building plans could move forward, including the area bordered by Rocheblave, Tulane, Galvez and Canal, but with some exceptions. The state would only be allowed to take control of a street once it acquired all of the property on both sides of the street.
"We're still not satisfied that the surveys that were conducted are sufficient," said President of the Mid City Neighborhood Association Jennifer Farwheel.
Her comments included references to a study that was done on the project's impact on drainage. She said Mid City residents were concerned that the VA site would be raised anywhere from three to five feet.
"Do you want to live next to this property? Raised 3 to 5 feet? Where does that water go? As far as I know, all water flows downhill," said Keith Hardie, president of the Louisiana Landmark Society.
But city planning staffers said they found in their report that storm water drainage would be improved from the current conditions because the plans contained better water management. They also claim in the report that the plans would actually increase the amount of green space in the area. One of the cons in the report included the impact of increased traffic and noise on the neighborhood as a result of the project.
Despite concerns from three commissioners about whether all in the community would have equal access to the opportunity the project presents, they voted in favor of "moving the city forward."
"All that I've seen in the recovery is that these job opportunities have not been parceled out fairly," said Lester Johnson, chairman of the City Planning Commission.
"I know the attitude of this business community is that this is the chance to build a middle class in the city of New Orleans," said Ron Forman, chairman of the Louisiana Sports and Entertainment District that borders the site.
Right now, the city's project manager said about half of the 184 properties in the footprint of the hospital are occupied. The project still needs several more layers of city approval before construction can begin, however, this is seen as the first step in the process.
The VA hospital is just one part of a biomedical corridor planned on the outskirts of downtown that would include a new teaching hospital. The government is already acquiring property in the footprint.
