Several times a year – for twenty years – Iâve been coming back to New Orleans to visit friends and my âsecond familyâ?. Iâve been back for weddings, funerals, Mardi Gras, St. Pattyâs Day, and just because. And for twenty years, Iâve looked at the city but not seen.
This time, I saw⦠and it broke my heart.
I expected the devastation across the river, and while itâs true that the full magnitude of the disaster canât be appreciated without driving (and driving and driving) through miles of abandoned and damaged neighborhoods, that was, at least, a known entity. It didnât prepare me for the West Bank.
Algiers â for how long has street after street been falling apart? You canât even drive down McArthur without an off-roader! And whatâs with the bottom end of Kabel Drive???
There are blocks of blighted, abandoned buildings along Gen. Meyer â never the best street even 20 years ago. Now, itâs like a war zone. Yes, some of it is attributable to the storm, but itâs more than that. Much more. And why are abandoned business buildings still standing there (like Schweggemanâs)? Whoâs driving the planning bus?
Itâs one thing to try and rebuild from Katrina. Itâs another altogether to try to restore vitality and economic stability thatâs been bleeding out for two decades.
Oh⦠this was a very hard visit, Algiers. Iâm so sad.