Eighteen years after Hurricane Katrina, the lake end of West End Lakeshore Park has been closed to the public. The MYHMC will start charging people to store boat trailers in an area that has been free to the public since 1910. For several decades the area was a rose garden and then part of the lawn of the Park that was created by ACT 209 of 1906.

On September 12^th, the New Orleans Planning Commission voted to block the residential component part of Representative Hilferty’s proposed Commercial Development for the same area of West End Lakeshore Park

Back in 2019, Representative Hilferty passed ACT 152 which states the area of West End Lakeshore Park can be converted to its highest revenue producing use including restaurants, residences, parking, and other uses such as a hotel, bars, video poker, retail, and commercial space.   Studies by the Regional Planning Commission have included up to 70,000 square feet. Hilferty is a Commercial Real Estate Agent.

In January 2019, over resident’s objections, Council Member Joseph Giarrusso passed an Ordinance to increase the buildable height from three floors to four floors in the area. An increase of 33%. The plan is to have multi-story parking with four floors above.

Hilferty’s Bill allows for “Residential.” When Giarrusso introduced her state bill into a City Ordinance in 2021, his colleagues on the City Council praised the legislation which included housing in the development plan. Former Council Member Kristen Palmer passed an ordinance that waived parking requirements if affordable housing was included in the development.  Many believe that it will take federal funding make the project happen.

However, there have been several challenges by residents in the last year. The orginal state ACT 209 of 1906 restricts use of West End Lakeshore Park to a Public Park or Amusement Park and more than 85% of those responding to an on-line survey want it to stay open space used for recreation.

Four studies done in 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2022 by the Regional Planning Commission have concluded the area to be “saturated with bars and restaurants.”

The West End Neighborhood was recently ranked as the safest of nineteen in New Orleans. The multiple high-powered rifle shootings at 4:30am on Veterans & Fleur de Lis in August were a wake-up call and have residents questioning the wisdom of creating a Bourbon Street West at West End Lakeshore Park.

The Park Zoning designation for the park was changed in the City’s Master Plan in 2015, by then Council Member Susan Guidry to allow for mix-used.  Giarrusso’s recent request to change zoning to prohibit housing has made four residential complexes of approximately 200 family units to be non-conforming.

The process to convert a park on state land to commercial use has caused chaos. Rather than request FEMA funds to repair the lake retention wall and applying for other matching grants for bike paths and recreation the MYHMC is spending $500,000.00 of reserves with a former Deputy Mayor to Mitch Landrieu, who now is a consultant, seeking to develop the 4-acres which have 29-heritage oak trees into commercial use.

The Hayride has been covering the developing story for over a year:

Hilferty’s actions to commercially develop West End Lakeshore Park contributed to Charles Marsala entering the race for District Representative.  Marsala grew up in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, had his career in Silicon Valley where he was elected Mayor of Atherton.

His platform includes: School Choice, no State Income Tax, and capping Property Tax Increases at 1% annually.   His website is www.MarsalaforLa.com

Marsala was effective earlier in the year getting New Orleans S&WB to cap old water lines in West End Park that were emitting 500,000 gallons a day of fresh water since Hurricane Katrina into the park and draining into the lake. He pressured Jefferson Parish to trim the oak trees and MYHMC to remove construction debris from the rebuilding of the marina that was being stored in the park.