Destrehan Next Steps - NOLA.com

Next Steps
The Potential for Smart Growth
In Louisiana urban development is trending towards the low carbon
Smart Growth concept. Suburbia is oversupplied in the US and
the future will be about mixed-use development which means the
expanded use of rail and public transport with interlinking paths
for pedestrian and bike traffic.
The initial scoping exercise, held in July 2011 at Destrehan, revealed
the potential to create a centralized area that would provide
shops, mixed-use buildings and multi-family and single family
residential, in close range to dining, schools, a farmer’s market,
Contact:
Jim Schaeffer
Jim.Schaeffer@bp.com - 281.366.1221
BP Project Support Manager
Ann Daigle
ann.daigle@princes-foundation.org - 318.450.1777
The Prince’s Foundation Project Manager
The Prince’s Foundation. President: HRH The Prince of Wales. A Company
Limited by Guarantee, Number 3579567. Registered in England and Wales at
22 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3SG. Registered Charity Number 1069969.
VAT Number 839 8984 44
© The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment, 2011
as well as the attraction of the Destrehan Plantation. In addition
to excellent highway links, the river levee bike path, which runs
from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and the nearby Ormond Estates
by interlinking walking/biking paths renders this site extremely
accessible.
The area has the potential to be a thriving and sustainable
development. Both large and small businesses alike can be part of
a genuine downtown project, part of the vision for the new heart
of St. Charles Parish.
Destrehan
A New Heart for St Charles Parish
St Charles Parish is changing! In June 2011 the Parish adopted a
new Comprehensive Parish Plan that will guide the future of St
Charles for the next 20 years. Key to this is the identification of
two new civic/town centers:
• Hahnville - encompassing land located between Bethlehem
Lane and Courthouse Lane, on both sides of River Road.
and
• The former plantation and BP/Amoco refinery property at
Destrehan located at the base of the Hale Boggs Bridge on
the East Bank, approximately a 165 acre site, which houses
the Parish’s East Regional Library.
This designation is wholly supported by site owners BP who
have responded through a series of design workshops facilitated
by their UK partners, The Prince’s Foundation for the Built
Environment, to establish a wider vision for the whole site
stretching north from River Road to Airline Highway (a total
of 1369 acres) in consultation with key stakeholders. Interest in
proposals for the wider site is also welcome.
The vision plays to the key strengths of the Parish and the
site: the strong economic profile of the Parish, top schools,
regional connectedness, proximity to I310/Airline Highway, its
relationship to the historic Plantation House (under separate
ownership) and position on the River Road Historic Mile. The
site is already home to the St. Charles Parish Library as well as
the local fire station.
Responding with proposals for an integrated, mixed center, the
new vision for the site includes a market place for local food and
products, a business incubator hub for small-medium businesses,
a corporate innovation quarter for larger manufacturing and
a more village-like area surrounding the existing Plantation.
Potential occupiers of the site would benefit from the great
location, unique heritage of the area and growing community.

Four complementary themes will be brought together at Destrehan,
to maximize the consumer and occupier experience of the place:
The Business Incubator and Distribution Hub
The Business Incubator and Distribution Hub could create an
environment to nurture locally made products and gradually
grow some of the cottage industries into larger production and
distribution opportunities, as well as attract local business to
what will become a well-serviced location.
The provision of large-format sheds with direct rail access
could allow the area develop organically, as there is room to
accommodate major manufacturing operations. This area
connects south to the Market Place and east to the Corporat
Innovation Quarter, which could foster supply chain
mechanisms and social interaction.
The Market Place
The Market Place is the front door to the development and
will form the primary retail and hospitality anchor on the
east bank of the Parish. At the southwestern corner of the
site, immediately adjacent to the interchange with I310, the
Market Place will offer a unique take on the factory retail
concept aligning local retailers, producers and entertainment
and business services with key onsite manufacturers through
shared infrastructure.
There is potential for synergy between the Plantation House
Museum and the Market, and an opportunity to showcase the
food, crafts and other cultural assets of the region’s German,
French and Spanish heritage.
A mix of small, medium and large retailers would be
supported, offering fresh local seafood and produce, furniture
and crafted items alongside community facilities to create a
dynamic retail experience.
Mississippi
River
Southern
Property
Northern
Property
River Road
I 310
Destrehan
Airline Highway
The Destrehan Site sits in St. Charles Parish,
stretching north from the river to Airline Highway.
Business Incubator and Distribution Hub
An active mixeduse
street
T e Market Place
Light Industrial and Manufacturing
Parking
Parking
Start Up and Incubator
Market
Place
A vibrant market with local
produce from Louisiana
Plantation
Southern Acreage
Concept Plan
Craft apprentice program
participants and local business
representatives, New Orleans, LA
Institutional
T e Corporate Innovation Quarter
Destranhan
Plantation Fall
Festival
T e Plantation Village
The Corporate Innovation Quarter
The Corporate Innovation Quarter will be located around
the existing business park and consist of a cluster of
businesses and research outposts where large corporations
engaged in manufacturing or resource extraction could
develop corporate social and natural responsibility
strategies. There is opportunity to link this to academic
research and education supporting wetlands conservation
and resilient community-building, with land sufficient for
testing sustainable construction techniques.
Connections with Plantation House activities could
emphasize leisure, recreation and tourism, including an
equestrian facililty supported by hotel accomodations.
Existing allé of live oak trees on the site
Jackson Square, New Orleans
The Plantation Village
The Plantation Village, to the east and north of the Destrehan
Plantation House, would respond to and draw from the
historic landmark of the 18th century House. Potential
exists to develop a genuine mixed-use community wih a
range of housing types and sizes that reflect the architectural
traditions of the River Region. There is also opportunity
to showcase new ecological construction that reinterprets
historical building types.
Linking to the asperations of the Plantation House,
accomodations such as resort cottages or a boutique hotel
could serve both the tourism and corporate hospitality
industries.