THE BEAT | BIZ
Harrison Avenue Boom A commercial powerhouse in Lakeview By Kathy Finn
Take a look at New Orleans neighborhoods that have thrived over time, and at their center you will likely see a vibrant commercial core that helped fuel their growth. Consider for instance, how the proliferating restaurants and other businesses along Freret and Magazine streets have buoyed the neighborhoods of Uptown. Or think of the bustling activity along Frenchmen Street that boosted the popularity of the Marigny district. Similarly, for people in Lakeview, one of the city’s largest neighborhoods, it would be hard to overstate the value of the area’s business centers. Harrison Avenue, whose commercial section cuts a mile-long swath across Lakeview’s rectangular grid, has for decades supported residential development with grocery stores, restaurants and services, as has the retail hub at Robert E. Lee and West End boulevards, at the northern end of Lakeview. Activity has proliferated in both areas during the last 10 years, helping to propel an impressive post-Hurricane Katrina comeback
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of the entire neighborhood. The rapid expansion of commercial activity along Harrison Avenue has been particularly noticeable, as it has dramatically changed the look of the corridor. Some might label the avenue’s remake as a gentrification, and indeed, the stretch between Canal Boulevard and City Park has taken a quaint turn, with new brick sidewalks, street lamps and landscaped pathways that wind through the neutral ground. But more important than the cosmetic changes is the business growth that has occurred. At least a dozen restaurants and cafés that operate on Harrison today did not exist there before Katrina. The food choices run the gamut from fried chicken and high-end donuts to upscale Mexican fare, nouveau cuisine and white-tablecloth bistros. Lakeview residents who wish to patronize eating and drinking establishments in their own neighborhood today have plenty of choices within a short walk or drive. Shopping in the area has taken an upward turn as well. Several chic clothing boutiques
have opened along Harrison in recent years to join the Little Miss Muffin gift shop that took a pioneering step onto the avenue shortly after Katrina. Newcomers include Gia’s Boutique, Carpe Diem Boutique Salon and Clothing, Shop Angelique and Swoon. The availability of grocery stores played a crucial role in Lakeview’s post-Katrina comeback, and grocer Marc Robert filled the need by reopening Robert Fresh Market in the Robert E. Lee shopping center and replacing another grocery on Harrison Avenue with Lakeview Fine Foods. Those moves encouraged the development of additional retail offerings near both stores. Underlying Lakeview’s vibrancy and its ability to bounce back from devastation is its relatively high level of personal wealth. The neighborhood has long been home to a middle- and upper middle-class resident population. It was their personal assets that led a few of the area’s largest financial institutions to set up shop on Harrison Avenue decades ago and lured more banks in recent years.
cheryl gerber PHOTOGRAPH
