NEW ORLEANS --
Construction began Thursday on 817 new apartments and homes in the Lafitte area and surrounding Treme neighborhood.
Four months ago, it was the site of a protest by angry residents trying to stop the demolition of their old apartments. But developers have a new vision for the area of a mixed-income community.
"There's going to be green space, walkways, front yards, back yards," said Anneanecia Morris of Providence Community Housing. "The Lafitte Greenway is actually coming right down Lafitte Avenue."
Developers say homes will go from $155,000 to $200,000, however, there will be subsidies for former Lafitte residents and low-income and first-time home buyers.
"We're also bringing the streets, which were cut off by the original Lafitte complex in the 40's. We're bringing the street back through the site to sort of re-knit it back into the fabric of the neighborhood," said Matthew Morris of Enterprise Homes, Inc.
