Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
8
ORETHA CASTLE HALEY BOULEVARD:
RENAISSANCE IN THE WORKS
BOUNDARIES:
Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., Erato St., Josephine St., St. Charles Ave.
DISTANCE:
1.39 miles
PARKING:
Free parking on the street
PUBLIC TRANSIT:
RTA Buses #15 (Freret) and #91 (Jackson-Esplanade), St. Charles Ave.
Streetcar
Revival is a theme of many a New Orleans neighborhood, and none may exemplify the
concept of comeback more than Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, one of the main thorough-
fares of the historic Central City neighborhood.
A bustling retail strip from the turn of the 20th century through the 1970s, with African
American and Jewish merchants running most of the businesses, the street formerly known
as Dryades succumbed to disinvestment, poverty, and lack of opportunity. Just blocks away
from tony St. Charles Avenue, it became a virtual ghost town, with blighted buildings lin-
ing the street and the crime rate continuing to rise.
Fed up with the decline, community activists, civic organizations, and the city of New Or-
leans embarked on a battle to bring the street affectionately known as O. C. Haley
Boulevard—renamed after a beloved civil rights activist in 1989—back to its former glory.
Much work remains to be done. But signs of success are everywhere, with restaurants, an
independent movie theater, a cultural center, and a gallery among the businesses that have
opened shop.
Since 2006, the O. C. Haley Boulevard Merchants & Business Association has sponsored
the Central City Festival, an annual all-day celebration that aims to call attention to the
street's rebirth. Over the years, some of the city's hottest local musicians, from Kermit
Ruffins to Irvin Mayfield, have performed.
•
Begin at St. Charles Avenue and Felicity Street in front of Houston's Restaur-
ant. Facing Felicity, turn right (northwest) and walk three blocks to O. C. Ha-
ley Boulevard. Along this stretch of blocks, you'll pass The Muses Apart-
ments, a mixed-income housing development built after Hurricane Katrina
through a variety of public and private partnerships. The complex gets its
name from the surrounding streets, which are named for the nine Muses of
Greek mythology.
