NOLA Project Ends with Goals Met, Friends Made — and a Call for More Volunteers
by Guest Writer on September 28th, 2009Written by Kevin Daniels
Day Five has arrived so quickly and we all look forward to it with a lot of trepidation. Will we get our assignments completed, and do we really have to say good bye to all of our new friends tonight?
The weather was glorious all day except for a small shower in the morning. You would think that your body could adjust after a week of heat and humidity, but you would be wrong. I have never been so soaked with sweat in my entire life than this week.
The 603 Team had a lot of work to do in order to get the house completed to a state it would resist the weather. New walls and roof were built, and by the end of the day the house was stabilized, had a new roof and addition, and was ready for a contractor to take over to finish it. The GLY team assigned to this house put in an amazing amount of work and passion into the house, and it showed throughout the week.
The 611 Team removed the last of the asbestos siding from the exterior, but we left the waterproof paper up on the south side to give the house a little more protection from the elements. Underneath the asbestos was an exterior wall that is in dire need of repair, but that would have to be left to another volunteer group or contractor. With nearly sixty bags of asbestos siding removed, we had tangible evidence of accomplishment by the end of the day.
The 625 Team completed installing the new sub-base flooring. It was a startling transformation for the house, from one with no floorboards and decaying floor joists, to a perfectly level floor. The house is now ready for interior work to complete its transformation.
As we neared our afternoon stopping time, the teams were scurrying around with final cleanup and securing the houses for what could be a long period of inactivity. The PRC has a lot of houses that have been secured from structural or other decay, but need volunteers and other resources to continue their resurrection. One of the sad facts about visiting New Orleans is that most people from outside of the city have Katrina fatigue and expect the city to be fully recovered and operating four years after the hurricane. If you stay in the downtown area it is easy to get that picture. But less than five miles away in the Holy Cross neighborhood the memory of Katrina will remain for decades to come. Thousands of abandoned homes remain just waiting to be renovated that could use your help. If you ever thought about volunteering, please consider contacting the PRC.
As we left Holy Cross for the final time we stopped by a number of homes that had been renovated by the PRC, including a whole row of house on Dauphine Street. You can see a dramatic change in the neighborhood when most of the houses on the block have been brought back to life. Children playing in the front yards, adults mingling on front porches, and small businesses starting to take hold.
In the evening most of the team met for dinner at Marginy Brassiere to discuss our accomplishments, compare bumps and bruises, and remind everyone of how special a week we had just experienced. After dinner we headed out for some late night music at the Blue Nile. It would have been the highlight of the trip for me, but it meant that we have to say our goodbyes and leave behind all of our new friends in this great city. Looking back to the last Sunday when everyone first met, it is amazing how far and deep the friendship bonds can happen in such a short time, pulled together by the challenges we faced together, the successes we had, and the same memories for a lifetime.
Our NOLA team members from left to right were- Kate Tannian, Garo Pehlivanian, Carla Bruni, myself, Kristi Buck, Jodi Herb , Michelle Lesczynski, Steve Hoffman, Terra Hambly, Heather White, Corrine Kerr, Matt Snook, Monty Kilcup, Brad Kilcup, Ken James, & Jon Eaton. Special thanks go to the management of GLY Construction, ZGF Architects & CPL Engineers who sent their staff on this trip.
If you have an interest in assisting in the rebuilding of New Orleans please contact the National Trust’s local partner- Preservation Resource Center for more information. Through a partnership with the National Trust, Operation Comeback is working hard to bring the Holy Cross neighborhood back to life.
I can hardly wait to return next April!
Learn more about our ongoing Gulf Coast Recovery efforts here.
Kevin Daniels is a preservationist and developer in Seattle, Washington. He currently serves on the National Trust’s Board of Trustees as vice chair of the Preservation Committee.
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