A long-abandoned 114-year-old Central City building that was once used as a firehouse is being reopened as an early childhood education center with seven affordable housing units to the neighborhood.

Oji Alexander, CEO of one of the companies that led the redevelopment, said the project was a balance between historic preservation and mixed-use development, and required coordination of numerous public, private and federal funding sources.

“We chose early childhood development, because we thought pairing affordable housing in early childhood development addresses two of the city’s most critical needs [economic development and affordable housing],” Alexander said to Verite News.

The firehouse project marks the first property completed under the New Orleans Redevelopment Agency’s Redevelopment Framework, through which the agency seeks to redevelop underutilized and blighted city property to serve the community. 

“This is one of my favorite projects in the city of New Orleans because it speaks to everything we’re trying to do as a city and as an administration,” Jeff Schwartz, New Orleans deputy mayor for community and economic development, said in a statement. “This former firehouse was an underutilized City asset, which has now been transformed into permanently affordable housing and an early childhood education center in the LaSalle and Louisiana corridors in Central City, is going to be a vibrant asset in this community for many decades to come.”

Inquisitive Thinkers Learning Center, a company that operates an early childhood education center in Westwego, will run the education center on the first floor of the building. The new center will serve 60 students and offer four classrooms in the main firehouse and two classrooms built out of former stables. For Inquisitive Thinkers owner Aireca Anderson, operating in Central City is a roundabout moment for her after being priced out of Central City before starting her first Inquisitive Thinkers center in Westwego.

“When families have access to safe affordable housing and critical childcare, they have greater opportunities to work, plan for the future and thrive,” Anderson said. “That’s what makes this project so special. It brings affordable housing and early childhood education together. Two essential investments for families in our community.”

The second and third floors of the firehouse building will house seven affordable units. The apartments seek to maintain permanent affordability through 99-yearlong deed restrictions. Additionally, the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO), will partially cover rent for two of the units.

The apartments will be available to renters who make less than 60% of the area median income, which varies based on household size.

The $8 million project derived funds from a multitude of sources, including $1.35 million from the state’s historic tax credit and $725,000 from Louisiana Housing Corporation and Louisiana Office of Community Development’s Rental Restoration and Development Program.

“Historic preservation is economic development. Revitalizing properties that were once blighted is economic development,” said Sen. Royce Duplessis, who attended the ceremony. “Access to high-quality early education is economic development. Stable, long-term affordable housing is economic development.
When we’re talking about priorities and investments, this is the model.”

Read the full article on Veritenews.org.