Magnolia Projects
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The Magnolia Projects, officially the C.J. Peete Projects, is one of the Housing Projects of New Orleans.
The project is among the largest, housing approximately 2,100 people. It is (in)famous nationwide for both its legendary violent-crime rates, as well as spawning a number of world-famous Hip Hop artists. Located in the part of uptown New Orleans known as central city, it is bounded by Louisiana Avenue, South Claiborne Avenue, La Salle Street and Washington Avenue. The Magnolia Projects are located within the 11th and 12th Wards of New Orleans. At its height, the Magnolia projects had 1403 units.
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[edit] History
The first part of the project was constructed in 1941, bordered by Louisiana Avenue, Magnolia Street, Washington Avenue and LaSalle Street. In 1955, the complex was expanded north past Clara Street, incorporating about six additional city blocks.
Toledano Street was re-aligned during the 1955 expansion, resulting in the disappearance of a three block long residential street named Belmont Place. The only remnants of Belmont Place today are three houses facing Toledano before it joins with Louisiana Avenue.
During the Jim Crow laws era of racial segregation, the city's main medical care facility for African-Americans, Flint Goodrich Hospital, was on the southwest end of the Magnolia on Louisiana Avenue. The first three African American mayors of New Orleans were born at Flint Goodrich.
From 1952 through 1978, the manager was Cleveland Joseph Peete. In the 1980s and 1990s conditions in the projects declined severely. In 1998 demolition of portions of the projects began as part of a Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) revitalization plan. There are plans to redevelop the area along the lines of what had been done with the St. Thomas Projects.
By 2005, only the 1955 expansion had been razed. The majority of the remaining buildings were vacant and fenced off, with only a portion still occupied, when the area flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (see: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans). Redevelopment work has been delayed in the aftermath of the disastrous flood which devastated the majority of the city.
[edit] Crime problems
It is one of the more notoriously dangerous housing districts in the United States. This section of New Orleans has a local crime rate higher than many full municipalities in the United States and has a significant influence in New Orleans' extremely high murder rate.
The project is known for the group "Dooney Boys." The Dooney Boys members fight members of the rival group 3'n'G (Third and Galvez).[1] Ivory "B-Stupid Harris associated with the group.
[edit] Cultural contributions
The various New Orleans housing projects are most notable for being the launching ground for Bounce Music and New Orleans Rap. The most well-known artists to come out of the Magnolia Projects are Juvenile and Turk of the Hot Boys, a former rap group who started their careers on Cash Money Records. The label shot to fame in the late 1990's and still is popular today. Other popular artists from the area include Soulja Slim, 6-Shot, Ruda Real, "Young City" and Mr. Marcello.
The district is often referred to as Magnolia or Nolia. The Magnolia has been the scene of Juvenile's hit song "Nolia Clap", a dance inspired solely by the Magnolia Projects. The Magnolia Projects has also been home to sculptor Willie Birch. The park on La Salle in the Projects, A.L. Davis Park, has long been a frequent site of brass band parades, and an important gathering site for Mardi Gras Indians tribes. Under the old name of "Shakespere Park" (originally commemorating New Orleans mayor Joseph A. Shakspeare) it is mentioned in the lyrics of Professor Longhair and Papa Celestin.
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