Groceries...

I finally finished the first draft of the market study for redeveloping a grocery store on Broad Street, which produced some promising results.   After completing a conservative market analysis, it was found that the 1-mile area around the site could support 75,000 GSF of grocery store space and the 3-mile area around the site could support 216,000 GSF of grocery store space. Given that the Robert's building is approximately 53,000 GSF, there is definitely enough demand and support to turn the site into a grocery store.

Broad Community Connections envisions transforming the former Robert’s site into a center and model for improving food access in New Orleans through economic development.  Aside from housing a much-needed grocery store, the building would also include a food processing and distribution center for nutritious school lunches, as well as a community kitchen, and a neighborhood rooftop garden, which would both provide assistance to low-income entrepreneurs in the food business and nutrition education and related programming for children and adults in the surrounding areas.

Yesterday, we actually showed the Robert's site to a representative from Revolutionary Foods, an organization that delivers delicious, healthy meals and nutrition education to schools and programs in several cities across the United States.  Given that the Robert’s site is located 15 minutes way from every charter school in New Orleans, the building would be an ideal location for such a facility in this city. 

Now time to enjoy another Wednesday on the Square...