The New Year is off to an exciting start for the St. Claude corridor in downtown New Orleans Some new placemaking achievements include physical transformation of vacant space; establishing visual identity and wayfinding for our cultural producers, and coordinating events and opportunities through a new web platform.

St. Claude Main Street (SCMS) is excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of our pocket park at the corner of St. Claude Avenue and Independence. This project has been the result of a broad collaboration of stakeholders, from the design team to community members. SCMS worked with Maurice Cox and his team at the Tulane School of Architecture City Center to conduct a community engagement program as part of designing the layout and function of this mini park.  We also worked closely with representatives from four diverse and historic neighborhoods along the corridor who have come together to form a park management committee. We are excited for the positive transformation the physical change of the formerly vacant lot will bring to the corridor.

Moving from the physical to the virtual has been an exciting change for us. SCMS has recently launched a new website that will better highlight our business and cultural community. As we worked with designers at Civic Center, we wanted to develop a platform that would help visitors better navigate the opportunities on the corridor, from our businesses and restaurants to cultural events and programs. The site moves much of the organizational information about St. Claude Main Street to the back so that we can showcase members of our business association and allow members of the St. Claude Arts District to post information about exhibitions and events. The website also integrates visual identity and wayfinding materials developed with Civic Center and the community Arts Advisory Board into the design of the site. Overall, the site is a virtual representation of the diverse and collaborative nature of our unique corridor.