Rob here - just heard (second-hand) from a salvage guy that almost all of the Brown's Velvet truck fleet was jacked and abandoned all over town. Many were flooded. I'm assuming this is the delivery trucks, not the big rigs.
Not many silver linings today (the 9th ward is flooding again), but maybe Suiza will shut down that ammonia-spewing hellhole once and for all.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Escape Into New Orleans
It looks like the new evacuation is going to prevent me from traveling into the city this week and I am going up to NYC the following week so I think that I am just going to FEDEX keys to Radcliffe to start work on my roof while I am away, if he can get in.
Thought people might also be interested in reading a piece I wrote about escaping into New Orleans a week ago Sunday. It has a great picture of my house and the story of the two dogs we found on Carondelet. It is at http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/09/19/homeagain/index_np.html . You have to watch a little ad to see the whole thing but it is pretty painless.
-Billy
Thought people might also be interested in reading a piece I wrote about escaping into New Orleans a week ago Sunday. It has a great picture of my house and the story of the two dogs we found on Carondelet. It is at http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/09/19/homeagain/index_np.html . You have to watch a little ad to see the whole thing but it is pretty painless.
-Billy
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Returning to the neighborhood next week
When are folks planning to return?
Given the fact that we are allowed to return and that I have damage to my house that will only worsen the longer I am away, I am going to return early next week. I am going to get up on my roof with my insurance adjuster and try to get the Army Corp to put a temporary roof on my house. Is anyone else planning on coming back for any extended period next week. Radcliffe will be back on Weds. and is going to start work on various houses. It would be good if there were others on the block. Anyone?
The sooner we get back, the sooner things will change for the better. The sooner you get back and clean out your fridge, the less funky it will be.
-Billy
Given the fact that we are allowed to return and that I have damage to my house that will only worsen the longer I am away, I am going to return early next week. I am going to get up on my roof with my insurance adjuster and try to get the Army Corp to put a temporary roof on my house. Is anyone else planning on coming back for any extended period next week. Radcliffe will be back on Weds. and is going to start work on various houses. It would be good if there were others on the block. Anyone?
The sooner we get back, the sooner things will change for the better. The sooner you get back and clean out your fridge, the less funky it will be.
-Billy
Hello everyone,
Sean and I went into the city yesterday. It was creepy, but not irreparable. Most of us did very well considering. I posted the pictures we had time to take, we were sort of rushing…it’s pretty stinky. Our experience was very similar to Billy’s. We got there early, we were expeditious, and then we left.
I hope you can find what you are looking for here. Good luck.
Jacqui and Sean
Sean and I went into the city yesterday. It was creepy, but not irreparable. Most of us did very well considering. I posted the pictures we had time to take, we were sort of rushing…it’s pretty stinky. Our experience was very similar to Billy’s. We got there early, we were expeditious, and then we left.
I hope you can find what you are looking for here. Good luck.
Jacqui and Sean
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
pictures
All of the renovated houses on the 1200 block of Carondelet Street looked good from my roof, which looks terrible. All of the other roofs looked good, the only exception being 1230-32 Carondelet, which lost some of its roof tiles but looked otherwise in decent shape.
Jacqui and Sean's house looked good though Liza's house's front windows have come out. It looked pretty bad.
The newly erected moved house on the 1200 block of Baronne is in shambles. The red house opposite it is also no longer standing.
The house next to FSRP on the 1100 block of Baronne is a mess. The first floor collapsed leaving only the intact roof sitting on the ground. I do not believe it fell into the FSRP building. The other buildings on the 1100 and 1200 block of Baronne appeared to be in decent shape.
I have tried to attach some photos including photos of the block, and the interiour of my house (1234 Carondelet).
If you have specific queries, please send them to me at billys@thejusticecenter.org.
B
Jacqui and Sean's house looked good though Liza's house's front windows have come out. It looked pretty bad.
The newly erected moved house on the 1200 block of Baronne is in shambles. The red house opposite it is also no longer standing.
The house next to FSRP on the 1100 block of Baronne is a mess. The first floor collapsed leaving only the intact roof sitting on the ground. I do not believe it fell into the FSRP building. The other buildings on the 1100 and 1200 block of Baronne appeared to be in decent shape.
I have tried to attach some photos including photos of the block, and the interiour of my house (1234 Carondelet).
If you have specific queries, please send them to me at billys@thejusticecenter.org.
B
Monday, September 12, 2005
Mini-update
This is Nikki from 1234 Carondelet (blue house with gas lamps, riverside). Billy went in yesterday and assessed the damage to our property. Friends who drove by our house said that it looked as though it was in great shape, so we were optimistic. Sadly, the news was not so good. When Billy went upstairs, there was brilliant sunshine streaming through our roof into our rooms. The ceiling had fallen in most rooms, both sides. He slipped around on our roof, putting whatever plastic and tarping he had taken into the city with him. Of course, we are very lucky and well, we fixed it once, we'll do it again. B thinks that our house got the worst of it. More good news: the tree behind our home fell away from our house. Yea.
Another unfortunate discovery -or rather, lack of discovery: our jeep was stolen from the Canal Place Parking lot. Well, I hope someone got out safely...that's ok with me. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a little news story about the person who returned the jeep they had to hotwire out of the city in order to survive? The owners glad it was put to good use, but so glad to have it back? We took our stalling, coughing Volvo because it has AC, while the jeep does not and we figured we'd be stuck in traffic with our friend Mikey, two dogs and a cat SO....
Enough of that. Billy cruised the neighborhood and indeed, the Lisa house looks rough, windows have sort of fallen out (it looks like someone went in, though I cannot tell from the pictures, really. The house still stands straight. Pictures: Billy took a few, though not many as he was with someone who needed to get to the Bywater. We have to get a chord that will allow us to upload pictures from the camera, so it will be awhile before we can post these, sorry. The facade of FSRP is standing perfectly, Billy does not remember if the teal house (sure was a nice paint job, though, wasn't it) fell on it.
The army has taken over 1205 St. Charles as headquarters. B said that as the sun rose over the city, he watched from our roof as they all streamed from the place, looking into mirrors, shaving, etc. in the morning light.
Billy said that Bob and Nancy's roof looked to be in good shape, he made no comment about others on the block...he will post additional detaild when he has taken care of missed business.
Ms. Betty's family appears to have left.
So there you have it, another experience. For those of you who want to go in, Billy and the Bywater man snuck in before dawn. He talked to a few reserve people. They were very nice. Though the evacuation is mandatory, it is not forced, so if you are in the city, they cannot make you leave. B told checkpoints that he was on official business (law things). My other friend who went in said she was there to rescue pets. If you are not joy riding, they leave you be.
Thanks for the continued posting and I agree with J -we are woefully unaquainted. We will open our yard (it's pretty open, now) and have a big ol' party when we return.
By the way, one of the things that the guardsmen are doing is weeping up the mess on the streets, so we have neat little piles of branches and leaves on our block. Surreal, really.
Another unfortunate discovery -or rather, lack of discovery: our jeep was stolen from the Canal Place Parking lot. Well, I hope someone got out safely...that's ok with me. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a little news story about the person who returned the jeep they had to hotwire out of the city in order to survive? The owners glad it was put to good use, but so glad to have it back? We took our stalling, coughing Volvo because it has AC, while the jeep does not and we figured we'd be stuck in traffic with our friend Mikey, two dogs and a cat SO....
Enough of that. Billy cruised the neighborhood and indeed, the Lisa house looks rough, windows have sort of fallen out (it looks like someone went in, though I cannot tell from the pictures, really. The house still stands straight. Pictures: Billy took a few, though not many as he was with someone who needed to get to the Bywater. We have to get a chord that will allow us to upload pictures from the camera, so it will be awhile before we can post these, sorry. The facade of FSRP is standing perfectly, Billy does not remember if the teal house (sure was a nice paint job, though, wasn't it) fell on it.
The army has taken over 1205 St. Charles as headquarters. B said that as the sun rose over the city, he watched from our roof as they all streamed from the place, looking into mirrors, shaving, etc. in the morning light.
Billy said that Bob and Nancy's roof looked to be in good shape, he made no comment about others on the block...he will post additional detaild when he has taken care of missed business.
Ms. Betty's family appears to have left.
So there you have it, another experience. For those of you who want to go in, Billy and the Bywater man snuck in before dawn. He talked to a few reserve people. They were very nice. Though the evacuation is mandatory, it is not forced, so if you are in the city, they cannot make you leave. B told checkpoints that he was on official business (law things). My other friend who went in said she was there to rescue pets. If you are not joy riding, they leave you be.
Thanks for the continued posting and I agree with J -we are woefully unaquainted. We will open our yard (it's pretty open, now) and have a big ol' party when we return.
By the way, one of the things that the guardsmen are doing is weeping up the mess on the streets, so we have neat little piles of branches and leaves on our block. Surreal, really.
Techie help
If anyone of you is more proficient than me, please feel free to remove these stupid advertisements or add links to this blog.
Catching up
I hope I am not creating redundancies by pasting theses emails in my post, but I just want to make everyone heard.
I am suddenly ashamed and embarrassed that I don’t know any of you. This is a problem that will surely be remedied at the forthcoming block party.
Unfortunately I have no knowledge of Mr. Harper. I also am sad to report to bobby and nanci, that it is unlikely that I have any more news than you do.
Radcliff’s post was great. It validated my intuition about our neighborhood. It looks as though we have been spared the water and muck, but will have some cleaning up to do. It looks like the teal house next to the Felicity Street RD building collapsed on top of the Felicity building. It also seems that the atrocity at 1731 Clio St. is still standing. Damn.
Billy, are the trees lying on your roof?
I have heard that some people have been allowed in to retrieve tools and pets. Sean and I will be driving from Sarasota to Austin at the end of September. We will try to get in then. I am sure someone will get in to report sooner.
I have also heard that the private schools are planning to reopen by the spring semester. This is only a rumor, but the source is reliable. This rumor is also congruent with Radcliff’s prediction of early October.
Southwestern Florida has been good to us. Sean even got to play with a local jazz band the other day (who thought he was a god, by virtue of being from new Orleans jazz heaven).
But….If I hear one more Floridian tell me that this type of thing would never happen in their perfect state, or nobody in their right mind would go back, I just might loose it. I am tired of politely telling people that I am not available to receive their stupid ideas, and tired of explaining to them that I neither need to understand their perspective, nor have them understand mine. It is perilous to enter a conversation here.
I can’t wait to be home.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
bobby and nancie from 1200 block carondelet, have you heard any more news? We are going crazy here!
Thanks
bobby
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I just found your blog about Central City. I live with my husband in the 1800 block of Terpsichore. I have two important questions.
Our neighbor, "Mr. Lee" Harper, did not evacuate with us (nor anyone else) and I would like to know if he is OK. He lives at 1814 Terpsichore (white Creole cottage) next to the big two-story yellow house on the uptown side of the street and was very active in the community. He's got a medium build and just recently turned 76. Due to previous throat cancer he speaks with a distinctive, raspy voice.
I also just saw on your blog that there was a fire in the 1800 block of Terp. on Tuesday. I haven't heard of any fires in Central City up to this point. Is there anyone out there who can verify for us? We're in Austin at the moment and are anxious to get back home!
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
All the best,
Stephanie Carton
I am suddenly ashamed and embarrassed that I don’t know any of you. This is a problem that will surely be remedied at the forthcoming block party.
Unfortunately I have no knowledge of Mr. Harper. I also am sad to report to bobby and nanci, that it is unlikely that I have any more news than you do.
Radcliff’s post was great. It validated my intuition about our neighborhood. It looks as though we have been spared the water and muck, but will have some cleaning up to do. It looks like the teal house next to the Felicity Street RD building collapsed on top of the Felicity building. It also seems that the atrocity at 1731 Clio St. is still standing. Damn.
Billy, are the trees lying on your roof?
I have heard that some people have been allowed in to retrieve tools and pets. Sean and I will be driving from Sarasota to Austin at the end of September. We will try to get in then. I am sure someone will get in to report sooner.
I have also heard that the private schools are planning to reopen by the spring semester. This is only a rumor, but the source is reliable. This rumor is also congruent with Radcliff’s prediction of early October.
Southwestern Florida has been good to us. Sean even got to play with a local jazz band the other day (who thought he was a god, by virtue of being from new Orleans jazz heaven).
But….If I hear one more Floridian tell me that this type of thing would never happen in their perfect state, or nobody in their right mind would go back, I just might loose it. I am tired of politely telling people that I am not available to receive their stupid ideas, and tired of explaining to them that I neither need to understand their perspective, nor have them understand mine. It is perilous to enter a conversation here.
I can’t wait to be home.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
bobby and nancie from 1200 block carondelet, have you heard any more news? We are going crazy here!
Thanks
bobby
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I just found your blog about Central City. I live with my husband in the 1800 block of Terpsichore. I have two important questions.
Our neighbor, "Mr. Lee" Harper, did not evacuate with us (nor anyone else) and I would like to know if he is OK. He lives at 1814 Terpsichore (white Creole cottage) next to the big two-story yellow house on the uptown side of the street and was very active in the community. He's got a medium build and just recently turned 76. Due to previous throat cancer he speaks with a distinctive, raspy voice.
I also just saw on your blog that there was a fire in the 1800 block of Terp. on Tuesday. I haven't heard of any fires in Central City up to this point. Is there anyone out there who can verify for us? We're in Austin at the moment and are anxious to get back home!
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
All the best,
Stephanie Carton
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Hello Everybody
Bobby and Nancie from the corner here. We are safe and in North Florida awaiting the "word". I have talked to Aurora and Richard, reached Rob, and spent a lot of time trying to reach other folks, including Thomas. We can be contacted by phone at
386 935 0735 or Bobby new cell 386 623 4667
, Nancies new cell, 386 623 5026. The land line seems to work best. Please call us, we would like to hear your voices and get up on the latest news. We hope everyone is ok.
Bobby and Nancie
386 935 0735 or Bobby new cell 386 623 4667
, Nancies new cell, 386 623 5026. The land line seems to work best. Please call us, we would like to hear your voices and get up on the latest news. We hope everyone is ok.
Bobby and Nancie
Friday, September 09, 2005
Jeff and Josh
Greetings Neighborhood!
This is Jeff and Josh, we live at 1213 Carondelet with our dogs, Sam and Sally. I am sorry to have to introduce us under these circumstances, but I am glad to finally get acquainted with y'all!!! We learned about the Blog from Rob, who we found in the nola.com boards and we were glad to make contact with some of our neighbors!! I work for JetBlue Airways and we are currently in a hotel in Beaumont, TX, anxiously awaiting the word that we can return to check on the condition of our apt.
Please take care everyone and I look forward to hearing from all of you!!!
Jeff and Josh
This is Jeff and Josh, we live at 1213 Carondelet with our dogs, Sam and Sally. I am sorry to have to introduce us under these circumstances, but I am glad to finally get acquainted with y'all!!! We learned about the Blog from Rob, who we found in the nola.com boards and we were glad to make contact with some of our neighbors!! I work for JetBlue Airways and we are currently in a hotel in Beaumont, TX, anxiously awaiting the word that we can return to check on the condition of our apt.
Please take care everyone and I look forward to hearing from all of you!!!
Jeff and Josh
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Word From Chris
Hey everyone, it's Rob. I just saw this on the nola.com Uptown/Garden District neighborhood forum (here's the original post.)
Clio @ StCharles by cradcliffe
Friday morning I walked over the cres cty conn into uptown. 3 ring circus was undamaged my house @ clio and carondelet hadn't lost a shingle or a pane of glass and was unlooted. I retrieved my motocycle and drove up as far as webster on st charles back down magizine then up again on prtyania and finially out on tchop. The water stops at about dryaeds and is dry to the river. Amazingly I didn't see one house crushed by trees. plenty of branches down and a few places under construction that had pancaked. but most damage was light. Although most food stores had been emptied very few Magazine St stores had been touched. I'm in SF,CA now rounding up as many construction workers as I can find to return with me to rebuild our town. 99 years ago SF had to do the same thing we are about to do. Don't lose heart. I'm a construction project coordinator and I didn't see anything insurmountable in restoring our nieghborhood to its proud and glorious place of honor. I've also heard through good sources the target date to reenergize the uptown grid is Oct 9.
Clio @ StCharles by cradcliffe
Friday morning I walked over the cres cty conn into uptown. 3 ring circus was undamaged my house @ clio and carondelet hadn't lost a shingle or a pane of glass and was unlooted. I retrieved my motocycle and drove up as far as webster on st charles back down magizine then up again on prtyania and finially out on tchop. The water stops at about dryaeds and is dry to the river. Amazingly I didn't see one house crushed by trees. plenty of branches down and a few places under construction that had pancaked. but most damage was light. Although most food stores had been emptied very few Magazine St stores had been touched. I'm in SF,CA now rounding up as many construction workers as I can find to return with me to rebuild our town. 99 years ago SF had to do the same thing we are about to do. Don't lose heart. I'm a construction project coordinator and I didn't see anything insurmountable in restoring our nieghborhood to its proud and glorious place of honor. I've also heard through good sources the target date to reenergize the uptown grid is Oct 9.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
I hope that everyone is safe.I thought that we could check in as a neighborhood about what is going on in our little neck of the woods in NO and try to share information. I will paste below what I have heard from Rob and Emily Wright, to the extent that some of you may not have heard.
As for us, things are not looking good on the roof of our house at 1234 Carondelet though it is hard to tell from the satellite photos. Most everything else in the neighborhood looks all right with the exception of the frame that was going up on the 1200 block of Baronne and that house that Alton Doody had mostly already destroyed on the 1400 of Carondelet, which doesn't look like much of a house anymore.
I know that Jacqui and Sean have a blog about their house. Maybe they would be willing to allow it to be used as a community information page where we can all post information about our homes and immediate neighborhood until we can get back in there and see things for ourselves?
Alternatively, we can set a blog up or folks can simply reply all to this string as they learn things?I have been in touch with Brown's Dairy. They didn't know anything really and said that they were going to call me back. They haven't yet. Their 985 area code number for their facility near Houma is open and I will call them again soon as I am certain that they will be allowed back in before the rest of us.Also, does anyone have email or contact information for others on the 1200 blocks of Carondelet or Baronne, or Clio Street.
I spoke with Radcliffe on Tuesday. He was in Baton Rouge. John Hernandez, Aurora, Miss Betty, Lisa or Kelly, etc., etc., etc. Also, I am worried about Thomas who lived in the apartment that FSRP owns on the 1200 block. I know he is on meds and has no car, etc. Also, has anyone been in touch with Alfredo and his brothers? Camille, is Felicity still in the Lower Garden District - I heard through the St. John's grapevine that she was in her aunts house with a generator and was doing well, all things considered?If folks do make it back to NO before us or know people who are still in the neighborhood, we had a Abita Water delivery a few days before the storm, I think. There is at least one, and probably more, five gallon bottle of water in our backyard, either by the fence door or by the backdoor.Please forward to any one else that may be interested. Please be in touch.
-Billy
As for us, things are not looking good on the roof of our house at 1234 Carondelet though it is hard to tell from the satellite photos. Most everything else in the neighborhood looks all right with the exception of the frame that was going up on the 1200 block of Baronne and that house that Alton Doody had mostly already destroyed on the 1400 of Carondelet, which doesn't look like much of a house anymore.
I know that Jacqui and Sean have a blog about their house. Maybe they would be willing to allow it to be used as a community information page where we can all post information about our homes and immediate neighborhood until we can get back in there and see things for ourselves?
Alternatively, we can set a blog up or folks can simply reply all to this string as they learn things?I have been in touch with Brown's Dairy. They didn't know anything really and said that they were going to call me back. They haven't yet. Their 985 area code number for their facility near Houma is open and I will call them again soon as I am certain that they will be allowed back in before the rest of us.Also, does anyone have email or contact information for others on the 1200 blocks of Carondelet or Baronne, or Clio Street.
I spoke with Radcliffe on Tuesday. He was in Baton Rouge. John Hernandez, Aurora, Miss Betty, Lisa or Kelly, etc., etc., etc. Also, I am worried about Thomas who lived in the apartment that FSRP owns on the 1200 block. I know he is on meds and has no car, etc. Also, has anyone been in touch with Alfredo and his brothers? Camille, is Felicity still in the Lower Garden District - I heard through the St. John's grapevine that she was in her aunts house with a generator and was doing well, all things considered?If folks do make it back to NO before us or know people who are still in the neighborhood, we had a Abita Water delivery a few days before the storm, I think. There is at least one, and probably more, five gallon bottle of water in our backyard, either by the fence door or by the backdoor.Please forward to any one else that may be interested. Please be in touch.
-Billy
Our fair city will certainly rise like a phoenix if we nurture its development. This Blog is for the residents of the Central City Muses Area. Please feel free to post and share information freely concerning our neighborhood and our city.
The link that Billy sent was very useful. As soon as I can I will add the links to this blog, but right now time is sort of the essence.
Anyone can post on this blog. I can make everyone a member...or you can just:
- Click on "I power blogger" icon
- Type in username=jacquitamae and password=dottypink
- Then choose create post tab
If there are problems just use comments box or email me at nolajacqui@yahoo.com, and I will copy and paste your post ASAP
Sean has been in contact with some people that have been in town. He and at least one other friend from the coliseum area are planning to reposition themselves to a closer location so that they can bring in supplies and take out some stuff.
We currently have access to a truck and large covered trailer to help bring in wood and...water I guess. We have also learned that Sean's flat bottom boat has survived without being commandeered. That may be of use.
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