Coalition for Coastal Resilience and Economy (CCRE): Ecosystem Restoration Is Economic Development
As Chairman of the Coalition for Coastal Resilience and Economy (CCRE), I wanted to take a moment to introduce the coalition and give an update about the traction we’ve made in our first year. Launched in July 2014 by the economic development organization Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.), CCRE is a business-led coalition tasked with creating an educated, informed voice of advocacy for sustainable restoration efforts in Louisiana’s wetlands, rivers, deltas, and coastline. It is made up of non-partisan, Southeastern Louisiana business leaders that believe investing in smart restoration today will ensure continuing economic opportunities in the future. CCRE will advocate for policies that promote, protect and drive resources to Louisiana’s coast.
RESTORE Act Meeting – August 2014
In the last year, CCRE members and I have participated in several unique coastal experiences, including seaplane and boat tours of Louisiana’s coastline, designed to increase awareness of the needs, opportunities and plans for coastal protection and restoration. We’ve met with government officials, including U.S. Congressman Steve Scalise, to collaborate and discuss the most effective ways to utilize RESTORE Act funds to revive and protect Louisiana’s wetlands and coastline. As we approach the Katrina Anniversary, coastal restoration and resilience is bound to be a part of the media coverage about the region’s recovery over the last ten years. In fact, there was a terrific piece in the New York Times recently “How to Save a Sinking Coast: Katrina Created a Laboratory.” To ensure that the narrative around coastal issues is appropriately framed—furthering the region’s position as an international leader in resiliency and restoration—GNO, Inc., on behalf of the CCRE, is reaching proactively to media via coastal overflights, interviews and panel briefings. Also, GNO, Inc. Chairman Michael Hecht and I penned a Letter to the Editor and submitted it to the New York Times, providing additional context to the recent John Barry story, “Is New Orleans Safe?” Restoring the wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico coastline is arguably the region’s most pressing environmental and economic issue. With the coming influx of funding from the RESTORE Act and other oil spill-related settlements, CCRE has a unique opportunity to ensure the continued prosperity and sustainability of Southeast Louisiana. Now is the perfect time to implement smart, long-lasting solutions to improve the coastline, communities and economy. I am excited about the role the business community will play in this effort.
Louisiana Continues to be Recognized in National Rankings
As the International Council of Shopping Center’s (ICSC’s) State Director for Louisiana, I recently contributed an article for our Quarterly Membership Newsletter that I’d like to share:
Louisiana State Director’s Message – Summer 2015
I have written many times in recent newsletters about Louisiana’s economic development growth and I can’t help myself but to continue to report the good news. Our State continues to be on an unprecedented roll for economic growth and diversification that is really changing our trajectory in a way that is having extreme benefits on our industry, our career, our families and our long term well-being. The progress and growth is not going unnoticed, this summer’s publications have bestowed some significant rankings and milestones.
For the 6th straight year, Southern Business and Development has ranked Louisiana #1 among Southern states for attracting the most significant capital investment and job-creation projects per million residents. In the State of the Year category, Louisiana earned honorable mention. While not receiving State of the Year this year, Louisiana has earned State or Co-State of the Year honors in five of the past seven years. In addition our cities are being recognized individually as well.
- 2015 Small Market of the Year (Pop < 250K) – Lake Charles
- Honorable Mention – Houma-Thibodaux
- 2015 Major Market of the Year (Pop 750K – 2M)
- Honorable Mentions – New Orleans & Baton Rouge
- 2015 Mid-Market of the Year (Pop 250K – 750K)
- Honorable Mention – Shreveport
In June Area Development magazine awarded Louisiana the 2015 Silver Shovel Award (Pop 3M to 5M category) for posting one of the best economic development performances in the U.S. during the past year. The awards honor states with the most significant impact from their 10 leading investment and job creation projects during 2014. This is our State’s 6th year in a row earning a Silver Shovel Award.
In May Chief Executive magazine honored Louisiana with its highest ranking ever in its CEO survey of state business climates, ranking #7 on Best & Worst States for Business. This is up 40 positions since January 2008, representing the greatest improvement of any state in that time period. Additionally, Site Selection magazine picked Louisiana No. 2 in U.S. for economic development competitiveness in 2014 with 7 of the top 10 states located in the Southeast, which points to the region’s sustained competitiveness over the past decade.
All of this just a decade after most of the nation had written Louisiana off for dead following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the summer of 2005, quite remarkable to say the least. This is not only encouraging for our personal businesses but also inspiring for the business community in our State. I see the retail industry as a huge beneficiary of this success during this past decade with even brighter days ahead.
Super Region Economy Driving Louisiana Growth
Well respected Louisiana economic experts, Dr. Loren Scott and Dr. James Richardson, released the results of their 2015 Louisiana Economic Outlook.
Based on their forecast, Louisiana will set records statewide and in a number of metro areas for the most non-farm jobs in its history, surpassing 2 million across the state.
The Super Region – consisting of Baton Rouge, Houma-Thibodaux and New Orleans – is forecast to see incredible growth over the next two years. The area is expected to produce 62 percent of Louisiana’s non-farm job creation – a combined 41,400 of the state’s 66,700 new jobs by the end of 2016.
While much of this growth is being fueled by the industrial boom from Lake Charles to Baton Rouge and down river to New Orleans, the encouraging fact is that there are several other sectors, both traditional and emerging, that make Louisiana more diverse. Traditional sectors include international trade, advanced manufacturing and energy. Digital media, information technology, emerging environmental related to water and water management, coastal restoration, and medical are among Louisiana’s emerging sectors.
Putting all of these together, the future has never been brighter for our state and our region.
For additional news coverage about the 2015 Louisiana Economic Outlook:
- “Louisiana forecast to gain 66,700 jobs through 2016”
The Advocate - “News alert: Scott sees La. reaching record employment in 2015”
Greater Baton Rouge Business Report - “Baton Rouge’s more than $16 billion in industrial projects expected to drive jobs beyond 400K in 2015”
NOLA.com
Stirling Properties Completes Acquisition of Ansley Place Apartments in Houma, LA
Stirling Communities II, LLC, an entity of investors led by Stirling Properties, successfully completed their acquisition of Ansley Place Apartments. Ansley Place is a 246-unit “Class-A”, luxury garden-style apartment community located at 100 Ansley Place Court in Houma, Louisiana. Completed in 2008, the Property encompasses thirteen (13) two- and three-story apartment buildings, one (1) single-story leasing office, and four (4) single-story garage buildings on 21 acres of land. The deal closed on April 1, and involved the assumption of an existing HUD 223(f) loan on the property.
“We believe the frenzied activity at Port Fourchon resulting from the return of Gulf exploration, significant expansion projects currently underway at several key service firms in the Houma area, the fully booked pipelines at the shipyards of Edison Chouest and Bollinger, and the various coastal restoration projects either underway or planned, will lead to a substantial increase in the population and employment base of the Houma area over the next five years. With its excellent location, superior floor plans, and premier status in the market, Ansley Place offers our investors a high quality asset located directly in the path of Houma’s growing economy. ,” said Justin Landry, head of Multi-Family Asset Management for Stirling Properties.
“Multi-family is an asset class that Stirling Properties has grown very bullish on in recent years based upon the demographic and economic trends in the nation,” stated Marty Mayer, President and CEO of Stirling Properties. “With the addition of Ansley Place Stirling Investors’ portfolio has grown to more than1,000 units, a significant milestone considering three years ago they did not own a single unit.”
BH Management Services, based in Des Moines, Iowa, runs the day to day activities of the property as is the case with all of Stirling’s 1,042 units.
For more information about Stirling Properties Acquisition Team and its objectives contact Jeff Marshall at (985) 246-3765 or jmarshall@stirlingprop.com.
New Orleans: A City of Possibility
A recent email from Michael Hecht, CEO of GNO Inc., highlighted another positive ranking for New Orleans. The city was named as one of the Top 20 “Cities of Possibility” in the World in Good magazine’s new “Good City Index”. To create this list of global “cities they are betting on,” the magazine looked at a combination of factors:
- “Hub for Progress”
- Civic Engagement
- Transportation
- “Local Vibes”
- Green Space
- Diversity
- Signature Movements
- Work/Life Balance
Driven by “a spirit of self-determination that has been a powerful driving force over the past eight years,” New Orleans shares the global recognition with:
- Mexico City
- Singapore
- Budapest
- Nairobi
- Seoul
- Johannesburg
- Istanbul
- Beirut
- Rio De Janeiro
- Buenos Aires
- Montreal
- Paris
- Perth
- Tel Aviv
- Santiago
- Kuala Lumpur
- Accra
- Atlanta
- Wellington (NZ)
Certainly, this is an impressive list of global cities to be ranked amongst. It is yet another testament to how far we have come. While much work remains, it is truly an exciting time to be a part of the NEW New Orleans.
Louisiana Rising in the National Rankings
As the International Council of Shopping Center’s (ICSC’s) State Director for Louisiana, I recently contributed an article for the July 2013 edition of our Quarterly Membership Newsletter that I’d like to share:
As the returning ICSC State Director, I am extremely excited about the progress that we are making in the State of Louisiana on a number of fronts. Most importantly for our retail industry the economic and business growth trends continue to show a phenomenal trend for the region. Over the last 5 years, Louisiana has risen significantly across numerous national rankings – and the accolades keep coming! It’s hard to keep up with all the good news, which is a great problem to have. Highlighted below for quick reference are some of the rankings earned by the State of Louisiana over just the last quarter – very impressive for a state that was traditionally on the bottom of every list.
Louisiana Rankings – 2nd Quarter 2013:
- Top 10 Most Entrepreneurial States
CNN Money, June 2013
- #1 State with the Most Engaged Employees (most involved & enthusiastic)
Gallup, June 2013
- 2nd in the U.S. for construction job growth from May 2012 to May 2013
Associated General Contractors of America, June 2013
- 11th among “Best/Worst States for Business” based on CEO survey (most improved in the U.S. over the past 4 years, up 33 spots since 2009)
Chief Executives, May 2013
- Top 5 State in the U.S. for worldwide exporting in 1st Quarter 2013
World Trade Center of New Orleans, May 2013
- #2 Best States for Retirement
Bankrate.com, May 2013
- #7 among “Top Ten Competitive States of 2012”
Site Selection, May 2013
- 2nd Least Stressed State in 2012
Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, April 2013
- 1 of 6 states experiencing the largest increases in entrepreneurial activity rates over the past decade; 9th for 2010 to 2012 Entrepreneurial Activity with a rate of 400 per 100,000 residents (U.S. 300 per 100,000)
Kauffman Index, April 2013
- 2nd fastest revenue growth (up 170%) and 4th fastest growth in number (up 84%) of women-owned firms from 1997 to 2013
The State of Women-Owned Businesses, March 2013
- 12th in the U.S. for per-capita economic development project wins
Site Selection’s 2012 Governor’s Cup, March 2013
- Record-breaking $63.2 billion in merchandise exports in 2012, growing 15% over 2011
International Trade Administration, March 2013
- 3rd Best State for Banking
MoneyRates.com, March 2013
Louisiana’s cities and metro areas are also commanding positive national attention. Summarized below are some of the rankings earned over just the last quarter in these areas.
Notable Metro/City Rankings – 2nd Quarter 2013:
- Lafayette #1 overall among 100 Leading Locations in the U.S. for economic & job growth; #1 for Economic Strength, Year-Over-Year Growth & “Recession-Busting” factors among Top 25 Mid-Size Cities
Area Development’s Leading Locations for 2013, Summer 2013
- New Orleans and Shreveport among Top 20 Fastest Growing Cities in U.S.
NerdWallet.com, June 2013
- New Orleans is America’s Fastest Growing City
Forbes, June 2013
- New Orleans #3 among “Big Cities Winning the Battle for Information Jobs”
Forbes, May 2013
- Benteler Steel/Tube in Shreveport among “Top North American Deals of 2012” – 2nd largest investment in the U.S. during 2012
Site Selection, May 2013
- New Orleans #2 “Boomtown” in America, based on population and GDP growth
Bloomberg, April 2013
- Baton Rouge and Alexandria among “25 Best Places to Retire” out of 400 total U.S. cities
Forbes, March 2013
- New Orleans & Baton Rouge among Top 30 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs 2013
Under30CEO, March 2013
Louisiana has fared relatively well during the Great Recession and the national rankings show it. National and trade publications are taking notice and businesses are too. Louisiana is well positioned for a great future.
