McDonogh No. 11 - Relocation Update

Here's what I know.

Recently, the bids were opened in response to the RFP issued by the state for relocation of the McDonogh No. 11 School out of the LSU (UMC) Footprint.  Only two companies bid on the project.

One company, Patterson Shoring, bid approximately $1.4 million.  The other company, Orleans Shoring, the winning bidder, bid approximately $300,000.

You may recall Orleans Shoring as one of the key contractors involved in the VA house moving effort (and the possible UMC house moving effort as well).

The chasm between the bid amounts seems a bit stunning, as does the low number of bids.

In the end, my chief concern is for the continued integrity of the structure as the move proceeds.  Patterson appears to have significant experience with moving large, masonry structures.  Orleans was involved in the successful moving of the S.W. Green Mansion, but that's about the only somewhat analogous example I can find.

Only in New Orleans

Mr. Steve Lemoine at Orleans Shoring was kind enough to provide me with these shots of the houses crossing I-10 (they did get a number of honks from below).  

In the second shot, I'm in the knot of people near the dark brown house.

Also, as I've noted all along, it's important to know that the roofs of the houses have to be removed to make it to their destinations, especially given the timeframe.

There Goes the Neighborhood

No, really.  There it goes.  As I noted, a group of five houses - all of them affected to some degree by the waters of Hurricane Katrina - made the only migration they'll ever make to lots across town here in New Orleans.

A worker rode along in the back of the Mediterranean Revival shotgun once owned and occupied by the Monleys on Palmyra.  I can't wait to see some of the professional film photos of this episode from the photographer Stephen Hilger, pictured at right.

You can see the tip top of the courthouse at Tulane and Broad off in the distance through the harsh afternoon sun.

Bringing up the rear of the five-house convoy, the lonely but renovated house from 228-30 S. Miro made its way across the bridge over I-10 with the Super Dome and the Plaza Tower off in the distance.

Here's a very rough approximation of the route across town.

"Have you ever played for a house moving before?"

*Photo courtesy of Steve Lemoine

Uncle Lionel Batiste, leaned up against a house on Conti in the shade with the rest of the Treme Brass Band, nodded and wheezed in the affirmative as I shook his hand.

Down the row, people dotted the stoops on each bracketed facade as the train of four old houses crept cautiously along toward their new locations on Bienville.  Batiste may have played for a house moving at some point, but this one was clearly out of the ordinary for the folks on Conti Street.

Orleans Shoring, one of the chief contractors involved in the moving process, brought a crew of employees down to the Footprint on Friday for a second line as the latest set of houses moved out.  The company had a film crew on hand to shoot a tv ad, and I can't say I blame them - the process makes for quite an unusual backdrop.

A Comprehensive Look at the House Moving Process

Orleans Shoring, one of the main contractors involved in the house moves, sent along a link to an extensive bank of photos documenting the entire process involved in the first few house moves from the VA Footprint.

The photos do a better job than my own posts in demonstrating just how labor intensive the house moving process can be (especially given the age of some structures).