Spring Greening

Thank you to all Volunteers!

Dear Friends and Volunteers of Historic Green,

The aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought New Orleans to its knees.  Homes, schools, and playgrounds were left abandoned as hope was taken from its people.  What were once vibrant tunes of jazz became a cry out for help. 

Today, New Orleans has a million reasons to smile!  One of them is the increasing number of volunteers and community members working hand in hand to rebuild the most struggling neighborhoods in the city. 

It is for that reason that Historic Green wants to thank you for joining us during our third Spring Greening event this March 2010! Making the following accomplishments in only 10 days could not have been possible without you:

The Lower Ninth Ward Village: Windows were repaired and replaced. A drop ceiling and insulation was installed. Outdoor security lighting was installed.

Bayou Overlook: 7 benches were constructed and placed around the Bayou Overlook.  A new pea gravel pathway was installed.  Trashcans were painted with art and a roof was added to the informational kiosk.

Delery Street Playground: The playground structure was repaired and sealed.  A reclaimed tire ladder was added.  Fence and playground timbers were repaired.  Two solar powers lights were installed.  Empty homes surrounding the park were cleaned out and boarded up. 

Rain Gardens: 10 Residential rain gardens were constructed.  Repairs and replanting was completed at the Delery Street Playground rain garden.

Homes: 5 Preservation Resource Center homes were worked on in various stages of gutting and deconstruction.  Additional work was performed at the PRC warehouse to sort salvaged materials.  10 occupied homes recommended by the CSED and Alliance 4 Affordable Energy were repaired and insulated.

Great job Volunteers!

*Please fill out the Historic Green 2010 Survey to help us understand what went well, what didn't go so well, and what we can do better for our 2011 event!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HistoricGreen2010

*Check out our event photos and share yours!

3 Easy Steps: 

1. Click http://www.flickr.com/groups/historicgreen10/

2. Next to Group Pool, click Join to become a member of HistoricGreen10 (If you do not have a yahoo account, sign-up takes less than a minute!)

3. Once you are signed in, click on "Add Something?" to upload your photos!

Groundbreaking for CSED's New Sustainability Center

Thursday was a big day for Historic Green, the Preservation Resource Center (PRC) and the Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development with the groundbreaking ceremony for CSED's new Sustainablity Center for Holy Cross.

Designed to be LEED Platinum, the reconstructed historic structure at 5200 Dauphine (Dauphine & Lizardi) is scheduled for substantial completion by August 29, 2010.









Left: Pam Bryan of PRC outlines the chief preservation and sustainability goals of the project. Right: Jeremy Knoll (PGAV Architects), Bill Waiters (HCNA), Julie Kaminski and Wayne Troyer (Studio WTA), Ryan Evans (Henderson Engineers), and Bill Dupont (UT-San Antonio) break ground.

Historic Green Day 8: Green Spaces

The Sierra Club's Darryl Malek-Wiley works with volunteers to build a roof over the information kiosk for Bayou Bienvenue.

Wow!

Spring Greening 2010 is becoming a wonderful success! I feel humbled to know just how much talent has manifested in a single spot for such an intense burst of energy! We owe a special thanks to the network of leaders and planners and partners, nationwide and growing, for providing such a well thought out experience. While far from perfect, Historic Green is approaching a critical mass at a critical time. Please join our drive to help a neighborhood on the mend, preserving cultural heritage sustainably.

Jeremy Knoll
Historic Green
Co-Founder and Co-Chair
Volunteer

Historic Green Day 7: Restoring a Dream

Historic Green's Volunteer Coordinator Laura Carrera (of UT-San Antonio) briefs a new group of volunteers on their projects for the day.

Volunteers from the Historic Preservation and Restoration Techology program at College of the Redwoods (Eureka, CA) work to re-paint and reconstruct the entire facade of a historic home at 1226 Gordon.

Historic Green Day 6: Ready for Another Week!

PHOTO: Siri Colom

Historic Green Day 5: Wrapping Up the Week

Smitty begins his tour of the Lower Ninth Ward with volunteers.

PHOTO: Siri Colom

Watering a brand new rain garden on N. Rampart Street.

Contractor Ryan Haugaard (of Abacus Design Build in Manhattan, KS) describes his work to restore a two-story historic house at 616 Caffin over the last week.

PHOTO: Siri Colom

Curt Rohner and his crew rest up after finishing up a radiant barrier installation and repairs at 1224 Gordon - job well done!

Historic Green Day 4: Still More Projects!

PHOTOS (above): Siri Colom

Installing radiant barriers on St. Claude Avenue.

Tuck-pointing the brick work for a double shotgun on Tricou. Restoration from start to finish!

Historic Green Day 3: More Projects!

Working at the Delery Street playground.

Greening up a house on Tricou.



Volunteers from SUNY-Buffalo take a break from installing radiant barriers in the home of Don Edwards on St. Claude.

Attending the Holy Cross Neighborhood Assn. meeting at Greater Little Zion Baptist Church - a true exercise in democracy!

USGBC's Rick Fedrizzi Pays Historic Green a Visit

U.S. Green Building Council CEO Rick Fedrizzi is in New Orleans to see green developments on the ground - including Historic Green's community-wide work in the Lower Ninth Ward. Rick spoke to a packed house at All Souls Episcopal Church on St. Claude, with HG volunteers, neighborhood residents, USGBC and AIA members and many other green advocates from across New Orleans in attendance.

His message:

"Looking at the idea that these houses have historic value, both in the context of the building itself but most importantly in the context of the people. If walls could talk... And I think when you put people first, you have to realize that this is what this whole green building movement is all about. We talk about energy and water and waste and transportation, carbon neutrality and so forth. At the end of the day, what we really are talking about are the people inside these buildings and how valuable it is to have children in schools that have the advantage of a green building; how we have the ability for our elderly to be in hospitals that have the advantage of a green building: clean air, daylight, great thermal comfort, on-toxic materials, the ability to heal better, and the ability to want to get back to your life. That's one of the most important things that we can remember here today.

"What we really have to remember is the people whose lives were changed forever by Hurricane Katrina. The people here, whose homes and lives were ripped out from under them, the loss of their sense of security, the connection with community was severed, their health was compromised, their history was altered forever."

PHOTO: Darryl Malek-Wiley

Charles Allen (right), director of the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development and a former USGBC board member, presents Rick Fedrizzi with his very own Holy Cross t-shirt.