Thoughts On The Half Way House
Ryan (warriorengineer to you Twitter-holics) was recently musing about classic Creole-French restaurants and cooking. His suggestion for a new restaurant is interesting:
Now let me join the two thoughts together. Although I don't see big demand for Jazz Dance Halls, there has been ahuge explosion in demand for the "Jazz Brunch". These things are insanely popular. So here is my idea. Renovate the old Halfway House into a restaurant that serves classic New Orleans food while playing to classic New Orleans music. It'll have jazz all the time, not just at brunch. It'll be a family place, but still kind of nice. People will eat, drink, and be merry. Following is the sort of menu I had in mind (and if I forgot anything, please let me know.) All entree's come with one side of your choice.
Brilliant idea, but the location has...well, it's got issues. Three, specifically:
1. The place is potentially a SuperFund site: In its last incarnation, the building at 100 City Park Avenue was the headquarters for Orkin Pest Control in New Orleans. After years of storing pesticides in and behind that building, I don't know what it would take to clean it up to be properly restored.
2. The building is currently leased by the state. The area of 100-120 City Park Avenue (basically from the railroad right-of-way to Cypress Grove Cemetery) was leased to the Orleans Parish Communications District. This is the agency that runs the city's 911 emergency telephone service. They're a state agency, though, not a city entity. This is the typical white-black racial crap we see when white Republican pols in metro New Orleans want to do something. Their first thought is to immediately take steps to make sure the Eebil Coloreds don't run things. That would be Bad. The OPCD pays lip service to the notion that they'd like to sub-lease the property around their building, but repeated enquiries about the Gateley building (at 120 City Park) went unanswered. I don't think they're serious.
3. Neighborhood resistance. The people of the Lakeview Civic Improvement group came out full-force to oppose the modifications to the Canal Street/Canal Blvd transit terminals proposed by RTA. Their reasoning was varied; some of the racists in the crowd didn't want black folks changing from streetcars to buses at the cemeteries, and others were concerned about traffic and parking. They would be quite the hostile environment if someone wanted to renovate the Half Way House.
Which is a shame, because the place has a lot of historic value. Half-way between downtown and West End, it was a great place for jazz and partying.
Now let me join the two thoughts together. Although I don't see big demand for Jazz Dance Halls, there has been ahuge explosion in demand for the "Jazz Brunch". These things are insanely popular. So here is my idea. Renovate the old Halfway House into a restaurant that serves classic New Orleans food while playing to classic New Orleans music. It'll have jazz all the time, not just at brunch. It'll be a family place, but still kind of nice. People will eat, drink, and be merry. Following is the sort of menu I had in mind (and if I forgot anything, please let me know.) All entree's come with one side of your choice.
Brilliant idea, but the location has...well, it's got issues. Three, specifically:
1. The place is potentially a SuperFund site: In its last incarnation, the building at 100 City Park Avenue was the headquarters for Orkin Pest Control in New Orleans. After years of storing pesticides in and behind that building, I don't know what it would take to clean it up to be properly restored.
2. The building is currently leased by the state. The area of 100-120 City Park Avenue (basically from the railroad right-of-way to Cypress Grove Cemetery) was leased to the Orleans Parish Communications District. This is the agency that runs the city's 911 emergency telephone service. They're a state agency, though, not a city entity. This is the typical white-black racial crap we see when white Republican pols in metro New Orleans want to do something. Their first thought is to immediately take steps to make sure the Eebil Coloreds don't run things. That would be Bad. The OPCD pays lip service to the notion that they'd like to sub-lease the property around their building, but repeated enquiries about the Gateley building (at 120 City Park) went unanswered. I don't think they're serious.
3. Neighborhood resistance. The people of the Lakeview Civic Improvement group came out full-force to oppose the modifications to the Canal Street/Canal Blvd transit terminals proposed by RTA. Their reasoning was varied; some of the racists in the crowd didn't want black folks changing from streetcars to buses at the cemeteries, and others were concerned about traffic and parking. They would be quite the hostile environment if someone wanted to renovate the Half Way House.
Which is a shame, because the place has a lot of historic value. Half-way between downtown and West End, it was a great place for jazz and partying.
Well, the location may be flawed then, but I believe my idea has merit. I'd love to be able to eat the classic creole food without having to go to the quarter.
The idea of classic creole food that is on the affordable side, a bit more casual (i.e. jackets not required), and has easy access to parking I think could be a big hit. I think by the sole virtue of not being in the quarter, it would make the restaurant more affordable.
So, I suppose the question is, where else would this idea work?
BTW, You've got to admit it would have been really cool to have restaurant up on that high ground overlooking the cemeteries... maybe with big windows on the front then mirrors on all the other walls.