Conti Street Hotel Gets $7.8M Modern Makeover

Local owners are breathing new life into a 30-plus-year-old hotel property in the French Quarter. The Hotel Le Marais at 717 Conti St. is reopening after a $7.8 million renovation.

The property between Royal and Bourbon streets, formerly known as St. Ann and Marie Antoinette, has undergone a contemporary face lift.

Wayne Ducote and Joseph Jaeger Jr. are principals with 717 Conti LLC, the entity that owns the 66-room property hotel. Their upgrades include makeovers for all guestrooms and public spaces and a new lobby lounge. The facility also features a private courtyard and heated pool.

Le Marais takes its name from a district in Paris known for its history and architecture. It will be operated under the management of the New Orleans Hotel Collection, a group that includes the Bourbon Orleans, Dauphine Orleans, Wyndham Riverfront, 7 on Fulton, St. Louis Hotel, Crown Plaza New Orleans Airport and Audubon Cottages.

By: City Business Staff Reports Friday, November 12, 2010

Landrieu Says City Will Increase Battle on Blight

Mayor Mitch Landrieu says the city will step up efforts to rid New Orleans of blighted properties.

On Tuesdays, Landrieu said the city will target properties within a five-block radius of playgrounds and in areas with a lot of traffic.

Landrieu has made it his goal to rid the city of up to 10,000 blighted and vacant properties over the next three years.

The mayor says abandoned properties make the city less safe and hurt home values and the city's quality of life.

Landrieu says data from the U.S. Postal Service and Greater New Orleans Community Data Center show an estimated 58,000 blighted and vacant address in the city, the highest percentage of blighted properties in the nation.

posted: 08:11 AM Wednesday, November 3, 2010 By: The Associated Press