The Neighborhood « Central City Partnership

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The Neighborhood

Central City, a historic neighborhoods located in New Orleans, Louisiana is located at the lower end of Uptown, just above the Central Business District, on the “lakeside” of St. Charles Avenue. A subdistrict of the Central/Garden District Area, its boundaries, as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Martin Luther King Boulevard, South Claiborne Avenue and the Pontchartrain Expressway to the north, Magazine, Thalia, Prytania and Felicity Streets and St. Charles Avenue to the south and Toledano Street, Louisiana Avenue and Washington Avenue to the west.

History

Central City has been home to many immigrant and working-class populations of New Orleans including German, Irish, Italian, Jewish, and African-American residents for over 170 years. According to Census 2000, there were 8,147 households in Central City. However, recent demolitions of the C.J. Peete and Guste Low-Rise housing developments suggest that this number may now be smaller.

In the 1830s, Central City was known as “back of town.” In those days, it was a large, swampy area three to 10 feet below sea level.

By the late 1800s, the area had been transformed by speculative development and 95% of the structures were rental-housing units.

Churches, which were inspired by the fervent religious background of its immigrant residents, are the largest buildings in Central City. St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, located in the 1100 block of Dryades Street, was designed by Architect Albert Diettel and constructed by Irish contract Thomas Mulligan. The church opened in 1872 and is one of the finest examples of brick architecture in New Orleans and is still a landmark in the neighborhood.

The houses in Central City were designed specifically to be rental property. Designed by contractors not architect, most of the shotgun houses are one-story, frame construction, raised two – four feet above grade on brick piers. These shotgun homes are set very close together with porches and stoops right up against the sidewalk or street.

Central City’s commercial corridor, Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, originally named Dryades Street, is a racially mixed thriving business district that began in the 1930s. Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard begins where Dryades ends at Jackson Avenue. At its height in the 1940s and 1950s, there were more than 200 businesses located there.

During the 1960s, the corridor was recognized as one of the few areas in New Orleans where African Americans could shop without fear of harassment. People came from all over the city to frequent the stores. Businesses along Dryades/Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. declined after the 1960s due to the integration of other commercial areas around New Orleans, which was prompted by the Civil Rights Movement, and white flight to the suburbs.

For more information about the history of Central City, visit http://www.gnocdc.org/orleans/2/61/snapshot.html.




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Become a Member Get the Flash Player to see the slideshow. Admin \| Register Printing Services by UPrinting.com		The Neighborhood Central City, a historic neighborhoods located in New Orleans, Louisiana is located at the lower end of Uptown, just above the Central Business District, on the “lakeside” of St. Charles Avenue. A subdistrict of the Central/Garden District Area, its boundaries, as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Martin Luther King Boulevard, South Claiborne Avenue and the Pontchartrain Expressway to the north, Magazine, Thalia, Prytania and Felicity Streets and St. Charles Avenue to the south and Toledano Street, Louisiana Avenue and Washington Avenue to the west. History Central City has been home to many immigrant and working-class populations of New Orleans including German, Irish, Italian, Jewish, and African-American residents for over 170 years. According to Census 2000, there were 8,147 households in Central City. However, recent demolitions of the C.J. Peete and Guste Low-Rise housing developments suggest that this number may now be smaller. In the 1830s, Central City was known as “back of town.” In those days, it was a large, swampy area three to 10 feet below sea level. By the late 1800s, the area had been transformed by speculative development and 95% of the structures were rental-housing units. Churches, which were inspired by the fervent religious background of its immigrant residents, are the largest buildings in Central City. St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, located in the 1100 block of Dryades Street, was designed by Architect Albert Diettel and constructed by Irish contract Thomas Mulligan. The church opened in 1872 and is one of the finest examples of brick architecture in New Orleans and is still a landmark in the neighborhood. The houses in Central City were designed specifically to be rental property. Designed by contractors not architect, most of the shotgun houses are one-story, frame construction, raised two – four feet above grade on brick piers. These shotgun homes are set very close together with porches and stoops right up against the sidewalk or street. Central City’s commercial corridor, Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, originally named Dryades Street, is a racially mixed thriving business district that began in the 1930s. Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard begins where Dryades ends at Jackson Avenue. At its height in the 1940s and 1950s, there were more than 200 businesses located there. During the 1960s, the corridor was recognized as one of the few areas in New Orleans where African Americans could shop without fear of harassment. People came from all over the city to frequent the stores. Businesses along Dryades/Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. declined after the 1960s due to the integration of other commercial areas around New Orleans, which was prompted by the Civil Rights Movement, and white flight to the suburbs. For more information about the history of Central City, visit http://www.gnocdc.org/orleans/2/61/snapshot.html.