French Quarter project causing disruption for business owners

But now, he says, a construction project is turning customers away.

He adds that if it’s not the noise, it’s the fact that it’s hard to maneuver through the big green fence.

“When you’re in the French Quarter, you need those tourist dollars as well. And now, it’s like a maze outside, you know, unless you really know you’re specifically coming to Turtle Bay. It’s hard for anybody to get here, and nobody stumbles on the place, because once you see this fence, you kind of turn around and go the other way if you don’t know any better,” said Smith.

Along the fences are business signs, telling customers they are open. But some claim these fences have become a safety hazard at night.

“These are dark alleyways because the fences are so high,” said Dawn Carl.

The Sewerage and Water Board says the project will fix the 115-year-old water mains by installing a drain line and addressing utility issues.

While some understand the project is necessary, others claim that on most days, no one is actually out working on the project.

“It’s the busiest corner in the French Quarter. You have the grocery store. So, I see these poor people in the morning, struggling with the deliveries. All of the shops here are super slow compared to the others,” said the owner of Isabelle Jacopin Gallery, Isabelle Jacopin.

The board expects the project to be completed by late February.

But with business slower than normal, Smith says this affects more than just the owners.

“We’ve had to cut back a lot of the kitchen staff and the hours and, you know, our bartenders, you know, they go as we go in,” said Smith.

Smith says without sales tax dollars from French Quarter businesses, he is unsure how the city plans to erase the multi-million-dollar budget deficit.

In a statement, the Sewerage and Water Board says:

SWBNO contractor, Roubion Construction, is working on the 600 block of St. Peter St and the 1100 block of Decatur as part of the French Quarter Transmission Main Project. Crews will be replacing water, sewer and drain lines on this block and the work is anticipated to last a minimum of 5 months for the 600 block of St. Peter St. and 1100 block of Decatur. Delta Utilities (formerly Entergy Gas) and SWBNO have coordinated efforts in the French Quarter to minimize impacts to residents and businesses. Delta Utilities completed upgrades on St Peter and is now working on the 900 and 1000 blocks of Decatur Street. Once Delta Utilities completes their work, SWBNO contractor will come behind them and work on our portion of the project block by block. 

The replacement of the 115-year-old transmission water mains on Decatur Street (Dumaine St – Gov Nicholls St) and St Peter Street (Chartres St – Royal St) is the seventh Transmission Water Main Replacement Project that SWBNO has replaced since 2018. The transmission main replacement program is funded by FEMA and managed by SWBNO in cooperation with the City of New Orleans as part of the Joint Infrastructure Recovery Roads (JIRR) Program and anticipated to last for one year. These projects are needed to proactively replace water lines as part of SWBNO’s commitment to infrastructure resiliency and reliability, as outlined in our five-year strategic plan.

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