Posts Tagged ‘New Orleans’

Mayor Mitch Landrieu May Help New Orleans Get Greener

On February 22, 2010 Author By Scott Wolfe Jr        

Earlier this year, I attended a seminar promoted by the Louisiana Chapter of the USGBC with guest speaker John Moore from the New Orleans Office of Environmental Affairs.    Under the Nagin administration, this office has taken a bit of a beating, getting separeted and consolidated from other departments so often…they haven’t even had time to finish their website!

The election of Mitch Landrieu as Mayor of New Orleans shows promise for this department, and is good news for any New Orleanian interested in the green building industry.

Glassboth.org, a neat web organization that publishes candidates views on certain issues, had a survey filled out for Mitch during the election.   Here are his answers on Environmental and Sustainability issues.

Mitch supports:

  • City-funded recycling program
  • Expanding the role of the City’s Office of Environmental Affairs to include issues of sustainability
  • Supporting municipal carbon footprint regulations to control local CO2 emissions
  • Requiring all public buildings to meet LEED Standards
  • Implementation of the City’s plan for sustainable redevelopment called GreenNola

All good news for Mr. Moore and the team working on GoGreenNola.com.   And for Louisiana companies who build green.

This article was originally posted on Wolfe Law Group’s topic-specific Louisiana Green Building Law Blog.

Posted in:     Green Building  /  Tags: , , , , ,   /   Leave a comment

4 Years Post-Katrina Construction Outlook in New Orleans is Optimistic

On September 8, 2009 Author By Scott Wolfe Jr        

Just last week, New Orleans marked the 4 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  Coverage of the anniversary looked back on the somber experience, and then looked forward to the city’s continued progress.

Construction Outlook is Optimistic

The construction market in New Orleans has managed to largely avoid the national recession, giving Hurricane Katrina a silver lining.  As four years have now passed since the storm, many are wondering:  can the construction boom continue?

Fortunately for regional contractors, the answer seems to be yes.

In July, we reported at the Construction Law Monitor that the Army Corps of Engineers were seeking more contractors to perform federal levee projects.   Just last week, the Corps reported more good news for infrastructure projects in Louisiana stating plans to spend $1 billion to restore wetlands.

And while much has already been spent to rebuild the Crescent City, on Katrina’s anniversary President Obama vowed to speed the nation’s recovery effort.  In the New York Times article covering the topic, it was reported that the government has freed up “hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance that has not been distributed.”

Legal Information About Public Works Projects

There’s a lot to be optimistic about in the South Louisiana construction industry…but, most heavy spending projects are publicly funded.   Those who have experience working on public projects aren’t concerned about this, but many companies who ordinary focus on private work may be shaking in their boots.    There’s no need to be concerned.

While public contracts certainly have unique requirements and details, it doesn’t need to be foreign territory.   Here are some blog posts here at the Construction Law Monitor to help the private contractor better understanding public contracting:

  • The Public Contracting Category.   You can start by reading the articles posted in the “Public Contracting” category.
  • The Stimulus Package and Your Construction Business.   This blog posts discusses the difference between public and private contracts, and explains how your company can get federal and public work.
  • E-Verify.   A hot topic in federal contracting, your company should read and learn about the new e-verify requirements when preparing work on a federal contract.
Posted in:     Construction News, State & Federal Contracting  /  Tags: , ,   /   Leave a comment
« Previous Page