Working Paper 5

BioDistrict New Orleans

Visioning
December 2010
2 Working Paper 5 Table of Contents December 2010

Table of Contents

Section:
01 02 03
Task 5 Overview Visioning Workshop Vision Statement
Findings
07 19
Purpose of the Visioning 11 BioDistrict Vision
Workshops Workforce Development Statement
Workshop Findings
07
Format of the Visioning 13
Workshops Community Benefits
Agreement Workshop
Findings

14
Community Visioning
Workshop Findings
 3

04
Appendix

A
Sign-In Sheets

Acknowledgement

The AECOM team would like to acknowledge

the GNOBEDD Board and staff for their input and
engagement during this Task. This report has also been
developed in coordination with the entire AECOM
team. The team includes: EDAW / AECOM, AECOM
Economics, AECOM Transportation, Bright Moments,
Cannon Design, CBRE, Chester Engineers and The
Ehrhardt Group.
4 Working Paper 5 Table of Contents December 2010
 5

Section 01:
Task 5 Overview:
Visioning
Workshops
6 Working Paper 5 Task 5 Overview December 2010

BioDistrict New Orleans. The Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans Arena and key existing and
proposed institutional developments are shown in blue.
 7

Task 5 Overview: Visioning Workshops

Purpose of the Visioning Workshops BioDistrict; the purpose of the BioDistrict Plan and where
we are to date in the planning process; and a summary
The purpose of Task 5, Visioning the Future, was to work of the actions and findings from the first four tasks
with community stakeholders to develop a long term of the project which comprised Phase 1 (Stakeholder
vision of what BioDistrict New Orleans can become Interviews, Data Gathering, Inventory and Analysis, and
over the next 20 years. During the Week of September Programming).
13th, four visioning sessions were held with over
150 stakeholders to look at possible futures for the For both the Workforce Development and CBA Visioning
BioDistrict, while considering: (1) changing needs and Workshops, the AECOM Team developed specific
relationships; (2) changing employment and needs in questions that were tailored to each of the two groups
training; (3) changing technology; and (4) operational and to focus the discussion on topics specifically related to
functional efficiencies. education/training and CBAs, respectively. Questions
asked and discussion summary notes for these two
Dates, times and locations of the various meetings are sessions are found in Section 2.
provided below.
For the Community Visioning Workshops, round table
• September 14, 2010, 2-4 pm, Workforce
breakout sessions were envisioned. However, given the
Development Workshop, United Way Building,
poor space layout for Workshop #1, breakout sessions
2515 Canal Street
were not conducted. Rather a town hall type forum was
• September 14, 2010, 6-8 pm, Community Visioning held with community stakeholders. The community noted
Workshop #1, Tulane University, Diboll Auditorium, that the venue was not conducive to interactive dialogue
1440 Canal Street with the AECOM planning team, which the planning team
• September 15, 2010, 6-8 pm, Community Benefits acknowledged. For all future meetings, the planning team
Agreement (CBA) Workshop, New Orleans has taken extra care to ensure that venues with fixed
BioInnovation Center, 134 LaSalle Street seating are not used in public forums.
• September 16, 2010, 6-8 pm, Community Visioning
For the second Community Visioning Workshop, the space
Workshop #2, Xavier University Center, Grand
allowed for the visioning breakout sessions to occur as
Ballroom, 1 Drexel Drive
originally planned. The breakout sessions lasted just
over an hour and consisted of round-robin introductions,
Stakeholder sign-in sheets can be found in Appendix A.
discussions on a variety of topic areas, and report out
to the larger stakeholder group of the table’s findings
Format of the Visioning Workshops
by a team spokesperson. Findings from the Community
Visioning Workshops are found in Section 2.
During each of the Visioning Workshops the following
topics were discussed: the background on BioDistrict
New Orleans, including the history of the organization,
how it was formed and its mission; a definition of the
term biosciences and how it directly applies to the
8 Working Paper 5 Task 5 Overview December 2010

Stakeholder discussion during the Workforce Development Visioning Workshop.

 9

Section 02:
Visioning Workshop
Findings
10 Working Paper 5 Workshop Findings December 2010

Stakeholders participate during one of the community visioning workshops.

 11

Visioning Workshop Findings

Workforce Development Visioning science high school programs be established at such
Workshop Findings schools as Warren Easton?
• The success of the BioDistrict is in part dependent
The AECOM Team had an excellent discussion with the on the State not reducing funding for research.
stakeholders participating in the Workforce Development
• Research funding gaps should be met through
Visioning Workshop. To help spur the discussion, the
a dedicated fund (e.g. part of an endowment), so
AECOM Team posed the questions below based on
researchers are not dependent on consistent grant
the fact that over 22,000 bioscience related/spin-off
funding.
jobs are estimated to be created by 2030, not including
construction and non-direct job creation. • Millions in new taxes could be generated if the
bioscience industry and other research areas are
• Are we ready today for the BioDistrict jobs that
supported. However, this may require some seed
will become available in 2014? If not, what will it
funding
take to make us ready?
• Community college programs with focus on LPN not
• How do we connect BioDistrict, City and Parish
RN slanted towards clinical trials.
residents with these jobs?
• Education institutions need to respond to employers’
• Do we have a comprehensive, collaborative
needs so that graduates can be appropriately trained
Placement Program? If not, how do we create
to meet the requirements of jobs available in the
one?
BioDistrict.
• Are our higher education institutions adequately
• There are currently not enough testing centers
educating New Orleanians for the types of jobs
in New Orleans to allow students to take the
available in the future?
G.E.D. exam. Most travel out of state, primarily
• Do we have the right mix of programs to Mississippi, to sit for the exam. Funding the
train residents? If not, how do we create establishment of such a facility in New Orleans
a comprehensive, coordinated menu of should be a top priority.
“programs”?
• There should be no “cannibalism” of trained
• What would better prepare New Orleans to students/workers by institutions.
compete in the 21st Century?
Workforce / Jobs Training:
The following is a summary of the key points generated
• Training should be focused on excellence in multiple
during the workshop discussion.
areas.

Education: • If projects came online today, there could be a

workforce capacity gap requiring the importation of
• Students coming out of public school need to be
workers from outside of the BioDistrict, region or
successful. Can there be a “pipeline” or career
state. There is therefore a strong need to help grow
pathway created so that they can get jobs or
the existing workforce, especially mid-level workers.
internships in the BioDistrict upon graduation or
during summer breaks? Can strong math and • Some training programs already exist or are in the
12 Working Paper 5 Workshop Findings December 2010

process of being created. Recruitment programs regarding the BioDistrict, the biosciences and what
should also be established to help meet the need. the potential jobs are that will be needed in the
• Need collaboration and partnership among district.
workforce training organizations to make it
easy for job seekers to understand the types of Other General Comments:
jobs available and get the training they require. • The BioDistrict should not be too narrow in focus
The current workforce development system is and should look beyond healthcare. One field has
dysfunctional with little communication between the opportunity to spin-off into 10 different fields.
businesses, institutions, schools, job centers, or
economic development organizations. Action Items:
• In order to effectively place job candidates the • Create a Unified Task Force to Create an ongoing
workforce needs to match industry needs to Comprehensive Workforce Development Strategy
acquire accurate information on the timing of • Establish a G.E.D testing center in New Orleans
projects; and to create and maintain a centralized Community Benefits Agreement Visioning
site listing job opportunities. The latter could be
provided on the BioDistrict New Orleans website.
• Information sharing is critical in order to prepare
the workforce for the types of jobs that are going
to be created. The Healthcare Sector Coordinator
for the region does not have information regarding
the number and types of jobs being created by the
VA and UMC hospitals.
• There may be a need for an ombudsman for jobs/
workforce training for the BioDistrict.

Community Engagement:
• Improve messaging to provide a clear and
consistent message of what the BioDistrict is
and what it means to the community. This will
encourage community buy-in and support.
• The evolution of the BioDistrict is a dynamic,
long-term process. It will take time for everyone
to see the benefits of the district. BioDistrict New
Orleans needs stakeholder support and buy-in.
• Offer more public involvement and education
opportunities beyond public forums.
Sample notes taken during the Workforce Development Visioning
• There needs to be strong community education Workshop.

Workshop Findings
As part of the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA)
Workshop, the AECOM Team reviewed the following
aspects of CBAs: what CBAs are, how they are created,
how they are best negotiated, how they are monitored,
their benefits and drawbacks, and the types of
community benefits that can be included.
The Planning Team then asked the following questions of
the Workshop participants:
• What type/size project triggers a CBA?
• What types of immediate and long-range benefits
do communities want?
• What types of incentives can be offered to
developers?
• What are the appropriate groups/agencies to
monitor BioDistrict CBAs?
• Should “benefits” be limited to BioDistrict
neighborhood residents & businesses?
• How do we ensure that CBAs do not deter
development?
• What would a CBA between a Government entity
(state) and Community Groups look like?
The following is a summary of the key points, questions
and comments generated during the workshop
discussion.
Benefits to the Community:
• CBAs enable the community to be part of the
economic development within the BioDistrict
and spurs investment in the intellectual capital of
those living within the district.
• Community needs to advocate for CBAs as
they can provide critical benefits to community
13
residents living and working within the BioDistrict.
Ongoing Education Regarding CBAs:
• Education is required both before and after a CBA is
implemented
• Clarify the role of the BioDistrict in the creation of
CBAs
• Community needs to understand that CBAs are a
contract between Mid-City and/or Gert Town and
potential Developers, not BioDistrict New Orleans.
• BioDistrict New Orleans can help advocate for a
community in the right forums.
• Implementation of a CBA should not be a tax burden
to residents in the BioDistrict
• BioDistrict New Orleans stated that it has a draft
budget for helping to work on a CBA
• Need to define the criterion where CBAs could be
used including size and/or type of project
• Need to identify who is organizing the community to
enter into a CBA.
• BioDistrict New Orleans does not need to be
involved in all CBAs in the BioDistrict.
• In order to begin the CBA process, the community
should:
1. Realize that it can be difficult for developers to
start the conversation with the community;
2. Have a draft document in hand before meeting
with a developer; and,
3. Be realistic in the “asks” of the developer.
Potential Opportunities for CBAs:
• For the VA Hospital project, it’s likely too late for
a CBA to be negotiated. However, there may be
an opportunity with UMC and the Charity Hospital
rehabilitation, but this requires getting the right
14 Working Paper 5 Workshop Findings
players at the table now.
Communication with the Community:
• Need ongoing clear communication with the
community, so that the process to begin drafting a
CBA starts on the right foot
• There is currently little trust within the community
regarding current and future development.
• The community is also not convinced of the
employer numbers and quality of jobs provided
by the future VA and UMC hospitals and other
biotech related developments.
Action Items:
• Create a CBA Task Force.
• Facilitate Development of CBAs for the BioDistrict.
• Help identify appropriate people in community for
developers to speak with.
• Develop a slide show to educate the community
about CBAs and where they have been
successfully used (e.g. Best Practices).
Stakeholder discussion during the Community Benefits Agreements
Visioning Workshop.
December 2010
Community Visioning Workshop 1 and 2
Findings
Prior to the onset of the visioning process, the AECOM
Team established that success of the BioDistrict is
dependent upon success in these four core areas:
• Economic Development
• Jobs and Training
• Community Building
• Civic Leadership
Under the guise of these four themes, feedback from the
community was solicited on the following topics:
• Jobs
• Education
• Housing & Neighborhoods
• Community Serving Facilities
• Character & Identity
• Parks & Recreation
• Traffic, Parking, Walking and Transit
• Community Engagement
By collecting and sharing diverse input from key
stakeholders during the workshops, the AECOM Team
was able to (1) align common themes into guiding
principles and (2) identify BioDistrict specific infrastructure
actions and outcomes. These are found below.
Jobs:
• Prioritize hiring for those living in and adjacent to the
BioDistrict
• Use local labor and contractors for rebuilding efforts
• Need jobs in a variety of areas (medical,digital
media, construction, other community serving
industries)

• Need to have training that matches the types of
jobs that will be here
• Need high paying jobs in order to meet basic living
costs (rent is very expensive)
Education:
• Rebuild schools closed due to storm
• Create an “education pipeline” – career pathway
for children and adults
• Establish after school programs focused on math
& science
• Create opportunities for lifelong learning
(continuing adult education programs)
• Establish summer school programs, internships
and other enrichment programs for children
• Educational Institutions should respond to
employer’s needs (i.e. provide training for available
jobs)
Housing & Neighborhoods:
• Housing is too expensive – Affordable housing is
needed
• Encourage mixed-use buildings along Tulane
Avenue & Earhart Boulevard and neighborhood
commercial/small businesses along Canal Street
• Residential areas of Mid-City and Gert Town
should not be impacted without input from
residents. Should the BioDistrict include these
residential areas? Some residents would like to
see the district boundaries redrawn to remove
these areas from the BioDistrict.
• Help protect residents from being priced-out of
their neighborhoods
• Blight and drainage are serious issues
• Incorporate green building and design techniques
15
into the planning and development process (e.g.
green roofs, permeable pavers, stormwater
management techniques)
• Reuse existing buildings where feasible. What are
the options for the reuse of the Charity Hospital
complex? Can it be reused as a private hospital
and if not, what are the other potential uses that
could be incorporated into the building, so that the
building can be saved and the downtown core can
be strengthened?
• Focus new development in downtown area
• Preserve historic character of the neighborhoods
Community Serving Facilities:
The following facilities are desired in the BioDistrict:
• Grocery (improved access to healthy foods)
• Library (larger and with better resources than what
currently exists)
• Community Center (a safe place for kids to hang out)
• More retail opportunities
• Church to serve the Gert Town area
• Movie theater (The Theatre at Canal Place is one
venue, but other national chain movie theatres don’t
exist directly in the BioDistrict)
Character & Identity:
• “Nodes” of activity (retail, entertainment, etc)
should be located every 6-8 blocks.
• Develop flexible design guidelines that reflect the
character of New Orleans “(We don’t want to be
Miami or St. Louis”)
• The BioDistrict should be safe, walkable, bikable
with a vibrant streetscape
• Street and Pedestrian lighting needs to be improved
16 Working Paper 5 Workshop Findings
• Find opportunities to reflect the cultural history of
the BioDistrict
• Encourage taller buildings in specific areas to
encourage more green space.
• Pursue LEED Neighborhood Development (ND)
certification or incorporate strong sustainability
practices for new and renovation projects within
the BioDistrict.
Parks & Recreation:
• Increase access to parks and open space
• Desired park features:
o Water features
o More playgrounds
o Basketball courts
o Pool to replace closed Gert Town Pool
o Paid staff to oversee recreation areas
o Variety of activities for kids
Traffic, Parking, Walking, Transit:
• Improved bus service is needed especially in the
Gert Town area
• Limit the amount of surface parking that is
developed in the future
• Encourage development of a streetcar on Tulane
Ave
• Streets and sidewalks need to be repaired
• I-10 needs to be redesigned to unite
neighborhoods
Community Engagement:
• Ensure an inclusive and transparent planning
process with the community
• Use various techniques to communicate updates
December 2010
and meeting notices to the community (internet,
mail, door hangers, yard signs, etc.)
• Provide different ways for the community to give
feedback to BioDistrict New Orleans
• Encourage participation from small businesses as
well as residents
• Encourage the use of Community Benefit
Agreements (CBAs) to help ensure that new
developments in the BioDistrict “give back” to the
community
• Engage with the City on their Place-Based Planning
efforts.
Action Items:
Several action items emerged from the visioning session
with the community. These are to:
• Establish Ongoing Dialogue with Community and
Stakeholder Groups
• Commitment to Provide Better Notification of Future
Public Meetings
• Present findings from Visioning Workshops at Future
Public Meetings
BioDistrict New Orleans and the AECOM Planning Team
are committed to meeting each of these action items.
Stakeholder discussion during the Community Visioning Workshop.
 17

Section 03:
BioDistrict Vision
Statement
18 Working Paper 5 Vision Statement December 2010

In 2030,

BioDistrict New Orleans is a thriving cultural, business,

science and health destination, regarded throughout
the city as a district of choice: a walkable community
with excellent schools and services, vibrant
commercial areas, rich historic neighborhoods, and
accessible open space and transit.

A mix of existing, new and affordable single-family

and higher-density housing retains and attracts a
diverse community, including many institutional
faculty and staff who choose to live and work in the
BioDistrict.

The presence of excellent colleges, universities and

hospitals is leveraged into resources for improving
the area: technical assistance for job training and
small businesses; institutional research translated into
successful businesses; improved K-12 schools; and
supporting families living in the BioDistrict.
 19

BioDistrict Vision Statement

Based on the hundreds of comments made during the visioning workshops around each of the eight topic areas, as
well as general comments about the project, the AECOM Team has identified the following goals for BioDistrict New
Orleans:
• Training for and Creation of JOBS
• First-Rate Schools
• Protect, Strengthen Neighborhood Character and Quality
• Vibrant, Community Serving Business and Retail
• New and Renovated Sustainable Developments
• Safe, Attractive, Walkable Neighborhoods
• Abundant, Accessible Parks and Recreation
• Excellent Roadways, Utilities and Infrastructure
• Safe, Abundant, Accessible Transportation

Using these eight goals as a starting point, the AECOM Team developed a vision statement for the BioDistrict which
tries to capture the essence of all the ideas, questions and comments that arose during our discussions with the
community. The goal of this vision statement is to present a vivid idealized description of a desired future for the
BioDistrict that inspires, energizes and helps the community support the creation of the future district. The draft
vision statement is found on the previous page and will be presented to the community for feedback during the week
of physical planning workshops scheduled for the week of November 1, 2010.
20 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

Appendix A:
Stakeholder Sign-In
Sheets
 21

City Visioning
September 7, 2010
22 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

City Visioning
September 7, 2010
 23

City Visioning
September 7, 2010
24 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

City Visioning
September 7, 2010
 25

Charity Hospital Visioning

September 8, 2010
26 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

Public Visioning Session I

September 14, 2010
 27

Public Visioning Session I

September 14, 2010
28 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

Public Visioning Session I

September 14, 2010
 29

Public Visioning Session I

September 14, 2010
30 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

Work Force Visioning

September 14, 2010
 31

Work Force Visioning

September 14, 2010
32 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

CBA Visioning
September 15, 2010
 33

CBA Visioning
September 15, 2010
34 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

Public Visioning Session 2

September 16, 2010
 35

Public Visioning Session 2

September 16, 2010
36 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

Public Visioning Session 2

September 16, 2010
 37

Public Visioning Session 2

September 16, 2010
38 Working Paper 5 Appendices December 2010

Public Visioning Session 2

September 16, 2010
 39

Public Visioning Session 2

September 16, 2010