[dirtboy]

This guy misses the point. It isn't about re-building the coastal towns to meet some kind of liberal zoning utopia.

It's about giving those living in the affected areas an option, IMO: If you want to rebuild a bit inland, past where the surge hit, we'll give you aid. If you insist on building right on the shore because you like the view, don't ask us to subsidize the risk you are taking, and rebuild on your own.

Even the fedgov, as dense as it can be at times, quit rebuilding towns build in a floodplain that, surprise, flooded - and used the rebuilding money to move them to higher ground. The same should happen here - if we're gonna fork over tens of billions of dollars, let's not just set up the bowling pins for nature again with that money - let's make sure we are reducing future risk.

[kinghorse]

1st step: empty out the underclass and send them to Houston
2. appeal to Fed largesse
3. fill in the land
4. Build upscale housing where the slums once existed
5. Profit!

I don't like this one little bit. Haiti and Louisiana have a common heritage of slavery, sugar, voodoo and suffocating corruption.

Not one red cent to a corrupt regime! Are you willing to trust your money with Blanco, Landreiu and Nagin?

[babyface00]

Given what we know today about urban design...

Yeah, we can draw our inspiration from those stunning examples of urban design all over the country...like Detroit.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Let's build a new New Orleans

And using lessons learned.

Inland. And above sea level.

[null and void]

Although he doesn't address the issue of New Orleans being below sea level, not a bad read.

IMHO, we should send NO all our garbage. Collect municipal refuse from the entire Mississippi basin and pile it on NO. Add mix mine tailings, slag and construction debris. Build a Tel 20-30 feet above sea level and cover it with 5 ft or so of dirt lay utilities and cover with another 5 ft of dirt and topsoil.

The new city - Tel New Orleans - would become the South's new 'shining city on the hill'. And being well above sea level immune to storm surge, and above the mosquitoes!

The project could even be self funding if NO charges reasonable disposal fees...

[Paloma_55]

Let those who rebuild use the following criteria.

1) Use your own money
2) Construct the lower floor out of concrete walls 12 feet high.
3) Raise the existing structure on top of it.
4)For buildings that are already multi-story, don't put anything on the lower floor that you don't want to see underwater.
5) Put your school buses on higher ground
6) If you have a porta-potty company, locate it near the stadium and on high ground
7) Use your own money

[little jeremiah]

What do you mean "WE"?

Whose money are they talking about? If it ain't private money, it's stealing.

[scouse]

A more comprehensive approach is appropriate. Let's consider the Gulf Coast as a region, centered on New Orleans, that stretches from Florida to Texas.

Don't let us consider the Gulf Coast as a region centered on New Orleans. Better we just consider New Orleans as a trap for tourists looking for a risque good time where they can hear some Dixieland Jazz. Then rebuild the city in Malibu California or even San Francisco.

[DManA]

You want to pass the hat or are you going to point the gun and take it like usual?

[Revolting cat!]

Dome it! But will they listen? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Sunnyflorida]

One thing we are sure to see is the tourist, port and other commercial activities fully working before the projects get rebuilt. So the question is why rebuild unneeded housing unless it is at a person's own personal risk. What amazes me about public housing is that the feds build public housing were there is high unemployment. They should only build subsidized housing were there is low unemployment.