NEW ORLEANS -
A jem of a shopping district with family-owned department stores, doctor's offices and New Orleans pride. It's how Mary-Beth Romig of the New Orleans Convention and Visitor's Bureau remembers Canal Street, which was booming today as Essence Fest and a holiday weekend got kicked off.
But it hasn't been a banner summer for Canal Street so far.
On Tuesday the murder of a 20-year-old woman here served as a last straw shenanigan for the troubled Canal Street Hotel, which was promptly shut down by the city. It had violated fire and health codes and was the spot for numerous criminal complaints.
Yesterday, Essence-festival-goers who had rooms reserved were relying on the Downtown Development District to find them rooms.
Last month the Hotel Lasalle was the spot for closure and a guest exodus when a dead body was found in one of the rooms. When cops arrived they deemed the building to be in deplorable condition, and it was ordered closed by the city as a health hazard.
Just like the canal street hotel, hotel lasalle served as a living quarters for many of it's guests.
Romig says there are still booming businesses and thriving Canal Street staples downtown, but she admits the street needs work. "Over decades--this isn't a recent phenomenon and it's certainly not beacuse of Katrina, but over the decades it's deteriorated," said Romig.
But it hasn't been a banner summer for Canal Street so far.
On Tuesday the murder of a 20-year-old woman here served as a last straw shenanigan for the troubled Canal Street Hotel, which was promptly shut down by the city. It had violated fire and health codes and was the spot for numerous criminal complaints.
Yesterday, Essence-festival-goers who had rooms reserved were relying on the Downtown Development District to find them rooms.
Last month the Hotel Lasalle was the spot for closure and a guest exodus when a dead body was found in one of the rooms. When cops arrived they deemed the building to be in deplorable condition, and it was ordered closed by the city as a health hazard.
Just like the canal street hotel, hotel lasalle served as a living quarters for many of it's guests.
Romig says there are still booming businesses and thriving Canal Street staples downtown, but she admits the street needs work. "Over decades--this isn't a recent phenomenon and it's certainly not beacuse of Katrina, but over the decades it's deteriorated," said Romig.
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