Ok, here's the plan

[sarettah]

Once they pump all the water out of the "soup Bowl":

1. Level all buildings in low lying areas.
2. Fill in the soup bowl with dirt. Right up to the top of the levees.
3. Pack it all down.
4. Plant trees, lawns, gardens.
5. Build new, up to code, housing on the newly created high ground.

Fix the somewhat lesser damage in the french quarter and downtown.

This would be a major project, but it seems to me we now have at least a couple of hundred thousand newly unemployed to pull in as a work force. Plus if it is done with the idea that the people that were living there are the ones that will be moving back, this would give folks who worked on the project a "personal investment" in their city. Plus imagine all the architects, engineers, construction folks, etc etc that would have new projects to bid on.

Now some of you might say it is too big of a job, but think of it, The Erie canal was dug mainly by hand, the panama canal was dug out by man and machine, Orlando was a swamp that they filled in, Cape Coral the same way.

We have done projects to that scale before.

So, why not ?

[XxXotic]

why not? because in 5 years when another CAT5 hits new orleans ya gotta start all over. As much as I love NOLA I really have to question whether or not rebuilding is economically worth it. We're already looking at a 7.9 Trillion dollar debt and bush just approved $65B in aide, with presumably more coming. Plus the cost of rebuilding the city pretty much from the ground up and the potential will still be there to wipe out the city.

I dunno, it's a tough call, I really hate to see New Orleans go, but I really can't see spending the money to get it back, at least not with the monumental debt we're facing right now

[sarettah]

Originally Posted by XxXotic

why not? because in 5 years when another CAT5 hits new orleans ya gotta start all over. As much as I love NOLA I really have to question whether or not rebuilding is economically worth it. We're already looking at a 7.9 Trillion dollar debt and bush just approved $65B in aide, with presumably more coming. Plus the cost of rebuilding the city pretty much from the ground up and the potential will still be there to wipe out the city.

I dunno, it's a tough call, I really hate to see New Orleans go, but I really can't see spending the money to get it back, at least not with the monumental debt we're facing right now

You build smart. You build high. You build to be able to withstand 300+ mph wind force. You go back to the American way, overengineer the fuck out of everything. Use nothing but the most up to date modern materials. No trees being cut down. A kevlar city, a lexan city, a plastic and stainless steel city.

Build the first true Twenty First century city.

Screw the cost, we always find some way to pay for shit. Hell, a few months back we forgave 4 billion bucks worth of Iraqi debt with the stroke of a pen, not an eye blink was caused. (But don't get me started on economics, that is a whole nother ball of wax that I can spend hours on)

[sarettah]

And go with a solar and wind power energy infrastructure backed up by tidal generators. Next time a storm surge comes in, capture the fuck out of the energy that it has in it and use it to light the city sitting up there above the surge with folks sitting on their kevlar porches looking through 5 inch - perfectly clear plexi-polymer windows watching the storm while they eat their dinners because, dammit, the storm is screwing with the satellite reception.

[nlphoto]

this type of scope and vision was proposed by Kennedy when he put out the call for a man on the moon in a seven year timeframe... don't think Dubya is up to it... of course don't count out the cost to secure such an inviting target to any variety of either domestic or foreign terrorism.

[sarettah]

Originally Posted by nlphoto

this type of scope and vision was proposed by Kennedy when he put out the call for a man on the moon in a seven year timeframe... don't think Dubya is up to it... of course don't count out the cost to secure such an inviting target to any variety of either domestic or foreign terrorism.

Yeah, the same sort of spirit as that.


.

[XxXotic]

Originally Posted by sarettah

You build smart. You build high. You build to be able to withstand 300+ mph wind force. You go back to the American way, overengineer the fuck out of everything. Use nothing but the most up to date modern materials. No trees being cut down. A kevlar city, a lexan city, a plastic and stainless steel city.

Build the first true Twenty First century city.

Screw the cost, we always find some way to pay for shit. Hell, a few months back we forgave 4 billion bucks worth of Iraqi debt with the stroke of a pen, not an eye blink was caused. (But don't get me started on economics, that is a whole nother ball of wax that I can spend hours on)

we simply can't afford it though, forgiving a 4 billion dollar debt and relieving an 8 trillion dollar debt... apples and oranges. 4B is a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things.

A mounting debt can and WILL be the collapse of this country, how much further into debt should we be willing to go? Doesn't China already own enough of america? Or should we all start learning a new language?

I would love to see it rebuilt, honestly I would but we just don't have the bankroll to support a project of that size. You really can't discuss a project like what you're describing without also discussing the economics. It's a great idea, I really like it, but think about how hi-tech you're talking... it's not going to be inexpensive

[PornoDoggy]

I think, when all is said and done, there will be a yuppie/gentry amusement park calling itself New Orleans that will have all the soul of, to borrow from Mr. Buffett (Jimmy, not Warren) the menu at a Holiday Inn.

[ThrobX]

Originally Posted by PornoDoggy

I think, when all is said and done, there will be a yuppie/gentry amusement park calling itself New Orleans that will have all the soul of, to borrow from Mr. Buffett (Jimmy, not Warren) the menu at a Holiday Inn.

Agreed. If they do rebuild with any additional cost applied to fortifying the area from future hurricane damage, it'll increase the real estate costs such that dem po' folks who are now in Baton Rouge/Houston/etc. won't be able to afford to come back. Not that that's part of the plan or anything...

[Dravyk]

Originally Posted by nlphoto

this type of scope and vision was proposed by Kennedy when he put out the call for a man on the moon in a seven year timeframe... don't think Dubya is up to it... of course don't count out the cost to secure such an inviting target to any variety of either domestic or foreign terrorism.

I agree!

Sadly ... the Roman Emperors could do it (time and time again), Roosevelt could do it, Kennedy could start it and Johnson complete it, I'll even (gasp!) say that Reagan could have done it (see? bipartisan)

... Dubya can't make a peanut butter sandwich with a kiddie knife without cutting himself.

[RyanLanane]

Great thread... Dravyk, I agree the fact that Bush is in office literally kills any optimism I have of something like Sarettah proposed happening.. That being said - If we were having another election in a year or two I think this city would rebuilt and rebuilt stronger than ever simply because it would be the biggest campaign issue out there and so much focus would be put on "Will he be the first president to write off an entire American Metropolis"

Bush has the luxery of not having to face that specific issue, however he will (like Father, like son) go down in history for 9/11 and how he handles this tragedy. I think people will always look at the Iraq war as being entirely wrong and think of such when they think of Bush. What the hell did we do there besides forma secret alliance to keep oil coming in? Which btw doesn't seem to be helping pump prices much right now does it.. Didn't before N.O. either. I'm getting off on a seperate topic here....

I don't see us writing off an entire city, period... And if we do - I don't give a damn as to the reason why.. As an American I would be profoundly dissapointed. I can't even put into words how I would feel if there never was to be another New Orleans. For a multitude of reasons... The main one being it shows we caved in as a country and didn't unite to overcome a problem. Think of what kind of message this sends to Terrorists?

"If we can do this to just 2-3 major cities within a week of eachother, we will ruin America"

I gauren god damn tee it !! And the hell if I want anyone thinking we are a weak country that is willign to accept defeat when we don't have to. Doing it the way Sarettah mentioned would be plausible by using half government money and the other half corporate sponsorships.. Very possible.. But a very complicated situation.

I really, really, really like the idea Sarettah !! It would show a strong and truly united country if we were to have New Orleans rebuilt and announce such within the next few months. It would show terrorists.. You can take two towers from us, you could even take a city if you found the means to do so, but you will never stop the American way of life. This really does impact the way terrorist are lookign at our country and it's vunlerabilities... Which is an issue I am suprised hasn't been brought up yet.

[MorganGrayson]

Terrorists may never change the way they look at us.

Rebuilding New Orleans, better, smarter, safer, will impact the way we look at ourselves. It will also impact the way our allies look at us.

There are a lot of nations out there who look to us as their "strongest ally," which must give them a nice comfy feeling...right up until the "oh, shit" sets in when they realize we can't handle a natural disaster on the home front. Our chances of having their backs during anything major is pretty slim.

Or do we only do our best work when we're out-of-town?

[nlphoto]

Originally Posted by MorganGrayson

Terrorists may never change the way they look at us.

Rebuilding New Orleans, better, smarter, safer, will impact the way we look at ourselves. It will also impact the way our allies look at us.

There are a lot of nations out there who look to us as their "strongest ally," which must give them a nice comfy feeling...right up until the "oh, shit" sets in when they realize we can't handle a natural disaster on the home front. Our chances of having their backs during anything major is pretty slim.

Or do we only do our best work when we're out-of-town?

Kinda gives a new perspective on George Carlin's line, "We're really good at killing brown people..."

[MorganGrayson]

Originally Posted by nlphoto

Kinda gives a new perspective on George Carlin's line, "We're really good at killing brown people..."

It brings it - again - into horrifying reality.

[Carrie]

Originally Posted by XxXotic

Doesn't China already own enough of america? Or should we all start learning a new language?

My kids are in the beginning stages of learning latin-american spanish, and once they get pretty proficient at that we're going to add in mandarin chinese.
No joke, no bragging... just trying to prepare them for what *their* future will be.

[XxXotic]

Originally Posted by Carrie

My kids are in the beginning stages of learning latin-american spanish, and once they get pretty proficient at that we're going to add in mandarin chinese.
No joke, no bragging... just trying to prepare them for what *their* future will be.

better throw in a year or two of ebonics


god I hate louisiana....

[Carrie]

Sare what would you do with the business district? Not necessarily the CBD like where Buff is that didn't get flooded, but a mile or so away - like the moat around the Superdome and such?
All of those structures are still standing and crews are in the process now of clean-up, but sitting where they're at they're still susceptible to flooding, having their walls fall off, etc.
What I'm saying is, once one part of the city decides that it's time to clean up, you're not going to get them to stray off of the "clean it up now and open it back up for business" mode of thinking.

I like the positive thinking of the idea, I just can't help thinking that NO is just too susceptible to natural disasters from both North and South, and it has a Superfund site in it...

But the Jimmy Buffet line about sums it up. If anything is razed and rebuilt, that's what you're going to get. If they just clean up and repair, you'll get the old NO back.

[Carrie]

Originally Posted by XxXotic

better throw in a year or two of ebonics

I actually cringe at the thought. Blech blech blech
Reading it isn't so bad, but damn it's offensive to the ears!