Work Resumes on Moved Houses on Bienville

As of yesterday afternoon, work appeared to have resumed on the moved VA Footprint houses that now reside in the "Bienville Cluster" around Bienville and S. Derbigny near Two Sisters Restaurant.  It's my understanding that the lots are owned by Providence Community Housing, an arm of Catholic Charities in New Orleans.

Today, crews from LA's Best were at work again on a number of the houses, which were among the earliest moved off the VA site.  A worker told me the buildings are being cleaned out inside and the roofs, already partially restored on the buildings months ago, are being shingled and completed.

Here's a closer look at the subcontractor signage that appeared on all of the houses in the cluster (zoom in for more details):

The clustered buildings sit on what once was a school site.  The old base of a former flagpole still marks the spot:

Stragglers

Robert Rogers' place.                      Deborah Brown-Cassine's place.

Desertification

If you click on the photo to enlarge it to full size, you'll see the vacancies left by over a dozen buildings in the VA Hospital Footprint.  More of that subset were demolished than moved.  You can see all the way to Canal Street from Tulane Avenue - with just a scattered few houses remaining.

At present, here's my quick count of what's left:

Tate Services building on Banks (being torn down)
Ruth Sanderson's house - Palmyra Street
Now-vacant home next to Sanderson
Gaynell Blatcher's house - Palmyra Street
Robert Roger's house - Palmyra Street (visible above at far right in expanded photo)
Outer Banks Bar - Palmyra at S. Tonti
S.W. Green House - What used to be S. Miro (not moved)
Purple house - Cleveland Avenue
Deborah Brown-Cassine home - Cleveland Avenue
Gray double shotgun - S. Tonti (visible above at left)
Boudreaux's Tires - Tulane Avenue
Dixie Brewery - Tulane Avenue
Pumphouse - What used to be Palmyra at S. Rocheblave

In addition, four houses on Cleveland Avenue remain for ostensible relocation as part of the overall VA complex.  The former Pan-Am building on Canal Street stands as well, the only building under VA control at this time.

Finally, one house up on wheels from S. Miro is currently sitting on a vacant lot at Tulane Avenue and S. Miro, moved from it's former site, but not off the VA Footprint.

So, depending on how you look at it, 18 or 19 buildings remain in the VA Footprint.

Signs of Life

People still live in the VA Hospital Footprint.  Even as crews removed the roof of Sheila Jackson's former home next door, Deborah Brown-Cassine's home on Cleveland Avenue sported a bit of seasonal decoration.

At the home of Ruth Sanderson on Palmyra, a light was still on and the trash bin was set out.

Ms. Gaynell's chair was still out on the porch, too.