Author: Dave Minsky

Intersection of Chartres and Conti streets closed for workdays until April 9 for electric utility upgrades

(Photo: Crews close the section of Conti Street in March for reconstruction. | RoadworkNOLA)
The intersection of Conti and Chartres streets closed for five days starting Monday morning and reopen on Friday to accommodate upgrades to electric utility lines.

Crews plan to close the intersection of Chartres and Conti streets to accommodate Entergy Electric utility upgrades and will reopen to vehicular traffic at 6 p.m. The project concludes on April 9, according to New Orleans Department of Public Works.

Signage and a police detail will be in place to allow local traffic onto Conti Street between Chartres and Decatur streets

The project was designed by Mott McDonald and is being constructed by Hard Rock Construction. Construction is anticipated to run through winter 2021, with approximately four months per block, and construction partners include Entergy Electric, Entergy Gas, Cox Communications and AT&T.

The work is part of a $4.3M reconstruction project along Conti Street, which involves removing and replacing the existing pavement; replacing/upsizing the existing drain lines and catch basins; replacing existing water lines; repairing or replacing existing sewer, water and low-pressure gas lines; repairing/replacing underground electrical duct banks; replacing sidewalks and adding Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, and a mid-crossing at Exchange Place; and bollards along the street’s side facing Esplanade Avenue.

Crews are working seven days a week from 8 a.m. until sunset each day to complete the project, according to Department of Public works officials.

As part of the reconstruction project, the 700 block of Conti Street is currently closed to vehicular traffic for its duration, which is scheduled to end in June. Commuters are advised to detour from Bourbon Street onto Toulouse Street and then onto Royal Street.

When construction is completed, the fence will be removed and work will begin on the sidewalks; and once Entergy crews have finished their upgrades in the 600 block of Conti Street, Hard Rock Construction crews will shift their operations to the 600 block section of the street between Royal and Chartres streets, according to Department of Public Works officials.

During the day, commuters are advised to detour from Bourbon Street onto Toulouse Street, and then onto Decatur Street. The 600 block of Conti Street will reopen to vehicular traffic each night.

In April 2021, the intersection of Royal and Conti streets will be closed for approximately four weeks to accommodate utility upgrades and a traffic advisory will be sent ahead of that closure, according to public works officials.

Questions about this project or our Capital Improvement Program should be directed to 504-658-7623 or roadwork@nola.gov.

$4.3M infrastructure reconstruction project begins along 2-block section of Conti Street

‘NCIS: New Orleans’ filming scheduled on Chartres, Decatur streets; parking affected

(Graphic by Eric T. Styles)
Parking will be limited along portions of Chartres and Decatur streets on Tuesday as production crews film scenes for “NCIS: New Orleans.”

The 500 blocks of Chartres and Decatur streets will be affected between midnight and 11:59 p.m., although crews will arrive on location and will film between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., according to CBS Studios, which is currently producing episodes for the series that’s in its seventh and, most likely, final season.

During filming, parking along the lakeside portion of the 500 block of Decatur Street and the riverside portion of the 500 block of Chartres Street will be impacted.

Crew member parking and base camp will be located in private lots to minimize the impact in the area, and all driveways and handicap zones will be respected, according to CBS Studios, which will also have New Orleans Police and security details on site.

CBS Studios is working with Film New Orleans, an agency that regulates site location permits in the city, on the production, which stars actors Scott Bakula as the fictional Navy Criminal Investigative Service supervising special agent Dwayne Cassius Pride and assistant supervising special agent Hannah Khoury, played by CCH Pounder.

“We realize that you may have had a great deal of filming in the past and that it can sometimes be a nuisance,” according to CBS Studios. “We work closely with Film New Orleans to help ensure that we adhere to the standards they have set forth.”

Anyone with questions regarding planned deliveries, construction and with concerns regarding parking or the filming may contact CBS Studios site location managers, including:

Ryan West, assistant location manager, 225-955-0930, ryan@ncisloc.com
Claire Dahm, assistant location manager, 260-205-3151, claire@ncisloc.com

Carroll Morton of Film New Orleans can also be reached at 504-658-4341 or 504-240-9504, and cgmorton@nola.gov.

2 people injured in Bourbon Street shooting; 2 suspects sought

(Photo: Two suspects, in the green and black clothes, are sought in a March 20 shooting. | NOPD)
Two suspects who remain unidentified are wanted by New Orleans Police in a shooting that injured two people following a verbal altercation on Bourbon Street last week.

The shooting occurred shortly after 11 p.m. on March 20 in the 300 block of Bourbon Street, according to New Orleans Police.

The incident began when one suspect, who was wearing a green shirt and blue hat, began arguing with a person on Bourbon Street.

At some point, the argument escalated and another suspect wearing a black jacket produced a gun and allegedly started firing, striking two bystanders, according to New Orleans Police.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact Eighth District detectives at 504-658-6080. Anonymous callers may contact Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.

Matassa’s Market reopens in the French Quarter with new operators

(Photo: Infrogmation | CC)
Matassa’s Market, grocery store located at the intersection of Dauphine and St. Philip streets, reopened earlier this month.

The market, located at 1001 Dauphine St., reopened several weeks ago after its owners leased it to new operators, according to nola.com.

Owners Louis Matassa and partner Vincent Catalanatto Jr. shuttered the business in January, although the exact reasons weren’t immediately clear at the time. Many believed the store would join other neighborhood businesses that closed permanently due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent government restrictions.

But Matassa and Catalanotto, who own the building, leased it to Richard Djapni, a Monroe-based pharmacist who also operates several grocery stores throughout Louisiana.

Matassa is a third-generation owner of the store. His father, Cosimo, opened a recording nearby on North Rampart Street in the 1940s and worked with artists such as Little Richard, Allan Toussaint, Fats Domino, Ray Charles and others. The grocery store was started by Giovanni Matassa, Cosimo’s father, in 1924.

Suspect identified as “Ju-Ju” sought in North Peters Street assault

New Orleans Police are seeking a person they have identified as “Ju-Ju” who is wanted in connection to an aggravated assault incident on North Peters Street earlier this month.

The incident occurred March 4, shortly after 7 p.m. in the 400 block of North Peters Street, according to New Orleans Police.

The suspect, pictured below, is also allegedly known to be a habitual shoplifter from the location where the incident occurred and possibly armed with a handgun.

Anyone with information regarding this incident of the identity of the person is asked to call Eighth District detectives at 504-658-6080 Anonymous callers can also contact Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at 504-822-1111.

Courtesy of NOPD.