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CYNTHIA LEE SHANG.I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR PROJECT GREATER GREEN ELMWOOD, FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS FOUNDATION'S NEXT 100 YEAR CHALLENGE.
MY TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE PLANNING, GENERAL SERVICES AND TRANSIT DEPARTMENTS, ALONG WITH JEFF FIT UNITEDHEALTHCARE AND THE JEFFERSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, WANTS TO TRANSFORM THE AREA AROUND THE YENI BUILDING INTO A GREEN PUBLIC SPACE.
THE YANNI BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1987 AS THE PARISH'S EAST BANK ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX.
ONCE A SITE FOR SWAMP IN ELMWOOD.
THE AREA NOW CONTAINS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACES ON SOME OF THE LOWEST GROUNDS IN THE AREA.
NOT ONLY IS THENI BUILDING HOME TO A MAJOR PUBLIC EMPLOYER, THE PARISH CLERK OF COURT IN AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION, IT IS ALSO DESIGNATED TRANSIT HUB SERVING EAST BANK AND WEST BANK LINE.
AS SOUTH LOUISIANA EXPERIENCES MORE DAYS WITH EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS, THE LACK OF GREEN SPACE COMBINED WITH THE ABUNDANCE OF CONCRETE CREATES A HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, WHICH ONLY GETS WORSE OVER TIME.
ENHANCING THE Y BUILDING SITE TO INCLUDE SAFE SHELTERS FOR TRANSIT RIDERS.
ADDING STRATEGIC LANDSCAPING THAT INCORPORATES GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVIDING THOUGHTFUL GREEN SPACE FOR USERS OF THE BUILDING WILL HELP MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF EXCESSIVE HEAT AND IMPROVE OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES.
CHALLENGE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO SOLICIT A CONSULTANT TO AID IN REIMAGINING THIS SPACE AS A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PILOT PROJECT TO REDUCE THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND TO TRANSFORM ELMWOOD FROM GRAY TO GREEN.