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NPN’s The Trumpet
March / April 2008
LSU/VA :Complicated and Confusing Randall Dowling Uptown Writer
T
he ongoing debate about the proposed LSU/VA hospital, slated to begin construction this October and open by 2012, speaks to larger divides in New Orleans. The general consensus among residents of the area, that they were not given sufficient warning of the plans, suggests not only that plans like this need to be communicated better, but that the media which are used to communicate them must be reexamined. In a city as small as New Orleans, it is impossible to consider construction efforts as happening in vacuums without any impression on the area around them. And with attention on the city as it is now, people should be
able to get information that directly affects them through media of their choosing. Googling the phrase “LSU/ VA” reveals a number of different articles and texts regarding the proposed pair of hospitals. The pair, set for construction near Canal and I-10, will cover nearly 70 acres of national historic space. The plan even sounds acceptable until one discovers that areas that would be destroyed by the renovations include the 129-year-old site of the original McDonogh No. 11 School, the Deutsche Haus and numerous classical and traditional homes. Additionally, while a 2007 article on LSU’s website promises that the complex will create more than 10,000 jobs and, by 2012, bring $1.4 billion into the local economy, the lack of reporting on the damage
to the surrounding neighborhood remains to be fully explained. Furthermore, citizens’ responses that the original Charity Hospital need only be restored, and that the new building is unnecessary, have not been addressed. Attempting to navigate the morass of press releases and info bulletins on LSU’s website fails to clarify much on the issues. The press releases, available at http:// www.lsuhospitals.org/projects/ lsuva.html, document dates and plans for considering collaboration, but fail to illustrate the finalization of any progress. No official announcements have been made from LSU in the weeks since the February 24 Times-Picayune article “Land in Limbo,” which, for many outside of the area, was their first exposure to the controversial plan.
A resident in the Tulane/Canal area displays their frustrations with LSU/VA’s recent actions. Photo by Alethia Picciola
Regardless of beliefs or reactions to the plan, one thing that cannot be disputed is the importance of maintaining the absolute best possible channels of information regarding these developments. The frustration of the residents of the Canal area recalls the radical shift during the December housing announcements. Those in authority cannot expect the Internet to be a reliable means for communicating with city residents. And the complementary sentiment, that city residents can and should do more to involve themselves with city government, seems redundant to the point of offense. A city with the history and energy of New Orleans does not need to be reminded of the importance of getting involved, certainly not now.