Hurricane Katrina and the levee breaches that followed completely decimated Lakeview in New Orleans. However, Lakeview, perhaps more than any other neighborhood in New Orleans, put in an extremely strong rebuilding effort. This neighborhood has made an incredible recovery since the storm. Lakeview has always been a very family oriented neighborhood. Young professionals have flocked to the area to raise their children. The safety of the neighborhood, coupled with the fact that it is located in New Orleans, makes it one of the most prosperous neighborhoods in the city.
Lakeview and Hurricane Katrina
Lakeview was one of the most talked about areas of New Orleans during the massive press coverage provided by the hurricane. With a multitude of photos showing the area’s devastation, Lakeview became a household name and the main neighborhood referenced when the press referred to New Orleans homes affected by the massive storm. Because the Lakeview Subdivision is located so close to the levee breach, it represented the defining point between the areas affected and unaffected by the levee breach.
Since many of the homes in Lakeview were outright owned and were not required by a lender to carry flood insurance, many Lakeview properties did not have flood insurance when the tragedy occurred. This caused many homeowners in the area to seek other forms of financial assistance to help rebuild. Once again, this put Lakeview at the forefront of “how to rebuild New Orleans” talks.
Lake View Demographics
Lakeview in New Orleans is surrounded by bodies of water on three sides. On the northern boundary is Lake Pontchartrain. The Orleans Avenue Canal is to the north and the 17th Street Canal is to the west. This is another draw to the neighborhood. Daily residents can be found boating on the lake, fishing from the shore, or just people watching on the concrete steps of Lake Pontchartrain. If it’s seafood you crave, you can catch it yourself. Take out your crab traps and shrimp nets and enjoy the bounty of the surrounding water.
Statistics from City-Data.com tell us that the majority of people who live in Lakeview are white-collar professionals. More than 22 percent of male residents are employed in a management position. Almost another 20 percent are employed in sales or office occupations. Other business and financial occupations account for about 10 percent of jobs held by men in the area. The women who live in Lakeview are similar in the occupations they have. More than 25 percent are employed in an office or sales capacity. Another 14 percent are employed in technical or health occupations and another 10 percent earn their living in some educational field.
How Katrina affected Lakeview Real Estate
Hurricane Katrina changed Lakeview forever. Before the hurricane, Lakeview was a desirable area, but many of the homes hadn’t been updated in years. Because the media focused on Lakeview as the epicenter of the hurricane’s housing crisis, real estate investors from across the country flocked to buy the “flooded and destroyed” homes in Lakeview. As a result, property values for Lakeview homes for sale have skyrocketed. In many cases, uninhabitable houses without walls were selling for more than they were in pre-storm living condition. As many of the homes in Lakeview were quickly rebuilt by investors for a quick sale, Lakeview became one of the few areas residents could return to, and real estate values increased substantially. With newly renovated homes on the market, Lakeview homes became a hot commodity. Today, real estate searches for “Lakeview Real Estate” are among the top real estate searches in the country according to REALTOR.com.
New Orleans Services
Orleans Parish also enjoys one of the largest green spaces in the country. Established in 1854, New Orleans City Park is another beautiful draw in the Lakeview neighborhood. It is one of the oldest urban parks in the country. After the Great Depression, President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration was at the heart of City Park’s growth and development. Nearly 20,000 unemployed residents were given jobs to repair roads and fountains, and Tad Gormley Stadium. The many works of art in City Park also come from this time. City Park occupies 1,300 acres, making it the sixth largest park in the country and almost twice the size of Central Park in New York. Some of the beautiful Live Oaks scattered throughout the park are estimated to be over 600 years old and one is nearly 800 years old. Hurricane Katrina had a devastating effect, killing approximately 2,000 of these majestic trees, but at least 5,000 have since been planted to replace them.
City Park in New Orleans is home to the famous Dueling Oak. This was the access point for knights to settle their scores through pistol duels. It is located on Dueling Oaks Drive; and is situated between the Besthoff Sculpture Garden and the New Orleans Museum of Art. Governor William CC Claiborne’s brother-in-law, Micajah Green Lewis, was killed here after being shot by former State Senate President Bernard de Marigny. Dueling was banned in 1890; but while there may be no more dueling, City Park remains a great source of inspiration and beauty for Lakeview residents and the many visitors who come to New Orleans each year.
Another New Orleans institution that has added flavor to the Lakeview area in recent years is Morning Call. In 2012, the New Orleans beignet machine opened a location inside the Casino building on Dreyfous Avenue. Originally established in 1870, Morning Call is also known for its rich lattes, blended with chicory coffee. Cash is the only form of payment accepted. Of course, Lakeview residents are well-informed, so they’ll always have cash on hand.
lake view today
Lakeview in New Orleans is one of the best neighborhoods New Orleans has to offer. Whether you’re a young family looking to buy a home in the city without being “in” the city, or a college student looking to rent; Lakeview has you covered. It’s not known for its diversity, but it more than makes up for it with its roots and its residents’ determination to continue to make it one of the safest, family-oriented neighborhoods in the city of New Orleans.
The young people who now flock to Lakeview are simply carrying on the traditions and lifestyle that generations before them came to know and love. Lakeview is a New Orleans mecca for its hospitality and charm. The kind that can only be found in the city called Big Easy; Crescent City, New Orleans.