THE FUTURE

Building Livelihood

St. Bernard Avenue businesses are small, predominately Black-owned and primarily service the local community – representive the type of entrepreneurial activity historically present in New Orleans. The 7th Ward Revitalization project aims to to strengthen relationships within the business community, attract customers, and enable commercial activity to spill out into the avenue’s open spaces. To do this, NewCorp plans to implement:

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1. A resource hub meant to facilitate business development and networking opportunities for small businesses in the 7th Ward.

2. Transformation of vacant spaces around the corridor into commercial spaces for micro-enterprises.

Building Home

The 7th Ward is home to over 10,000 residents. The 7th Ward experienced a dramatic population loss after the wake of Hurricane Katrina, causing a decline of the number of housing units with an increased number of vacancies along the corridor. Many residents of the 7th Ward are also impacted by high poverty rates and low-income, exposing the need for anti-displacement and affordable housing initiatives, such as those that NewCorp intends to implement including: 

1. Suggestions for policy change to create and preserve more affordable housing.

2. Identification of sites for new single and multi home and affordable housing developments.

Building Community

The public infrastructure and open spaces in the 7th Ward are not completely aligned with the community's needs, as several large open spaces are rarely used by the community members. Bicycle and pedestrian safety are also a concern of the community as there are gaps in informal bike lanes and sidewalks are often unpredictable. Additionally, there are high flooding risks in the area and stormwater mitigation improvements are needed in the future. NewCorp plans to implement:

1. Public spaces for community gatherings and cultural expression.

2. Improvement of the walking and biking experience for residents of the corridor to make the neighborhood more easily accessible.