Brad Pitt's New Orleans Project Gets Mixed Local Reaction

nytimes.com:

In 2007, frustrated by the slow pace of rebuilding in the Lower Ninth, Brad Pitt set up a foundation called Make It Right; the foundation then commissioned 13 architecture firms to design affordable, green houses. The organization plans to build 150 homes, all for returning Lower Ninth residents. So far, just 15 of them are occupied, but those 15 make a big impression.

Indeed, from the main route into the Lower Ninth, the Claiborne Avenue Bridge, it's impossible to miss the Brad Pitt Houses, as everyone here calls them. They are sprawling, angular buildings in bold hues not usually seen outside a gelateria. Monuments to the city's resilience, and to Hollywood's big heart, they are also New Orleans's newest tourist attraction.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[Joshua Sophy]

12:56 AM on 12/01/2009

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[awalkinthewoods]

07:46 PM on 11/30/2009

the rich have their 'panic rooms' and those in the lower ninth have floatable homes.

bless everyone who has to be so prepared:

"New Orleans is sinking under its own weight.

For thousands of years, spring thaw from the North has sent melt-water gushing down the Mississipp­i. As this water flows toward the ocean, it dumps mud particles called silt on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans was built on that mud. If nature were allowed to run its course, spring floods would add a thin layer of silt to the city's ground each year, offsetting the sinking. But the canals and levees, designed to prevent New Orleans from flooding, block the silt. As a result, the city continues to experience subsidence­, or a lowering of ground-sur­face level. Today, about 45 percent of New Orleans sits below sea level.

Also, the canals and levees are barring silt from reaching the swampy wetlands that cradle New Orleans. As the wetlands erode, the city becomes more exposed to storm surges, or rushes of ocean water that storms push onshore.

These factors make New Orleans flood-pron­e. The Lower Ninth Ward is particular­ly vulnerable­. During a hurricane, the canal system funnels water toward the neighborho­od. As water builds up, the levees closest to the Lower Ninth Ward can spill over or break. The long-term prospects of living there are a bit risky."

there is something in nature that doesn't love a wall.

[winningticket]

07:29 PM on 11/30/2009

You Brad haters need to get a life. But seriously, if you all had a life, you wouldn't be slamming someone who's trying to make a difference­, unlike your hero GW Bush who let New Orleans drown.

[GoDogGo]

07:14 PM on 11/30/2009

Seen 'em: They're 100% brilliant.

Like most architectu­re, it's impossible to get a sense of the space and the lines until you see it in three-dime­nsions. Fan of modernism or not, they work, beautifull­y.

Kudos to Pitt.

[Libra24]

03:45 PM on 11/30/2009

While they're definitely not the most attractive houses I've seen, who cares? I'm just glad they 1) rebuilt for former residents and 2) actually paid some attention to future concerns about the levees and keeping the residents' costs down. Great job in my opinion.

[hottie]

12:39 PM on 11/30/2009

Two years, fifteen houses. People donated money for 90 houses long ago. Brad has been there
just a few times, building is very slow and the houses are being sold. When the money comes
in where is it going to go. Since it was donated why is it necessary to sell the houses for such
a high price. Brad pledged 5 million but to date he hasn't given that much(of course maybe that
was when they reach the 150 house limit),At the rate it is going he can use this for publicity for
another ten years. When the houses are sold is the money going back into the foundation
and what is it going to be used for. I should have sent my donation to someone that was
showing a little more for it. Habitat for Humanity would have been a much better choice. Brad
got a $27 million break on his movie, tons of free publicity and it's a tax break for him. He
seems to be the clear winner on this one. Katrina happened in 2005. Why are they not
using somone locally to sell them, wouldn't that be better for NOL?
'

[Phxgwen]

01:33 PM on 11/30/2009

And a Habitat for Humanity house would get wiped off the face of the Earth again if built in the Lower 9th.

The process is slower since they are verifying that the people applying for these homes are previous residents.­. plus the homes are safer and filled with top of the line solar panels and energy saving appliances and design..th­at takes longer then a pop up house elsewhere.

The people who are asking MIR to design their homes want to return to their neighborho­od and want to know that their home has the best chance possible of surviving the next hurricane or flood. It is their choice... 90 homes have been donated.. 15 completed.­. another 19 under constructi­on and more on the way as homeowners apply for the MIR homes and choose their design.

What is it to you? Why the vitriol?

The next stage that they are developing is duplexes, community centers, grocery stores, parks, playground­s and gardens. Will you bitch about that too?

[riverhouse]

07:04 PM on 11/30/2009

Volunteers for Habitat have rebuilt the Musicians Row houses in the lower 9th ward quite nicely while Pitt's rebuilding languishes­. It's all about publicity for Pitt. He's raised the money, so he should produce.

[Veronica]

11:34 PM on 11/30/2009

Of all the evil mustache-t­wirling machinatio­ns some of you people have attributed to Brad Pitt where these houses are concerned, the most nonsensica­l is that he did it for the money and publicity. Uh, yeah, because he has so little of those things already, right? You haters make me laugh.

[orianna]

10:12 AM on 11/30/2009

PR damage control for Brad .... and I'm finally admitting to myself that I think he deserves Angelina and their wacked out life in the public eye

[Agentlady007]

08:38 AM on 11/30/2009

I give Brad Pitt credit for taking the time to care about people this way. He may not be Al Gore, yet, but he's on his way.
http://twi­tter.com/A­Lgore

[VOTER]

08:15 AM on 11/30/2009

The NYT's article is about one organizati­on helping the citizens of NOLA.
There are many others and all are appreciate­d for their good work.
They deserve our support with our money, our time or at the minimum our appreciati­on.

Restoratio­n of the Wetlands is going forward and hopefully First Lady Michele Obama
will accept the invitation extended to her for a visit next year.

If any poster truly believes Make It Right is not properly or legally using its non-profit
status, then contact the authoritie­s. Give your name, address and state your concerns.
Unlike what can be posted here, you will need FACTS.

[si3gnal1]

02:18 AM on 11/30/2009

wow...thos­e people now have a roof over their heads after that storm took away almost everything they had...I think they should get a pass on the historic design of their brand new starts....­get a grip...if you can't maybe you should help them pack their stuff and move into your beautiful historic low porched home to stay with you and your family. Thought so.....

[si3gnal1]

02:19 AM on 11/30/2009

not 'shy' ....those people....

[Tulka2]

12:10 AM on 11/30/2009

"No good deed goes unpunished­". -anon

That'll teach Brad Pitt to keep his money and his talent of of N.O. He should have built long, low cigarette houses all the easier to flood again?

Know what? Complain enough and it starts to be a habit.

[tangelan]

11:33 PM on 11/29/2009

Those houses don't look attractive at all. Worse are those power lines. When power lines are attached to a house like that I always imagine they will fall down and hit someone. Surprising with houses designed by architechs­.

[Tulka2]

12:18 AM on 11/30/2009

They don't bury bodies undergroun­d in New Orleans let alone electric power lines and for the same reason.

[maxfax]

10:59 PM on 11/29/2009

How many in the peanut gallery bought a multi-mill­ion dollar home in NOLA with their own money, used his own money to seed the project to bring Lower 9th ward residents back to NOLA, and used their connection­s to get the project funded, and promotes the project in the media at every opportunit­y? Please stand up.

[Posterella]

11:54 PM on 11/29/2009

Why don't you ask who gets $20 million to wear make-up and speak a writer's lines for one hour a day for six weeks?

[duze]

01:40 AM on 11/30/2009

Why don't you ask what you would do if you had the same opportunit­y?
Doubt any of you haters would refuse Brads life.

[maxfax]

09:20 PM on 11/30/2009

You have a horse in this race? Why else do you have such animosity against Pitt? Here's a guy who uses his celebrity for good., so what's the problem.

[Tulka2]

12:11 AM on 11/30/2009

Co-sign

[maxfax]

10:52 PM on 11/29/2009

"with grass almost as high as the reconstruc­ted levees. The main effect in much of the district is an eerie stillness.­"

Dear Fred, they're called "floodwall­s" not levees, levees are on the Mississipp­i River, they look nothing alike.

[kelly odell]

10:45 PM on 11/29/2009

these are supposed to be affordable but there is absolutely no mention of what it costs to live in these buildings.

I said from DAY ONE that this was an exploitati­on deal. Pure disaster capitalism­. keep marking my words.

[Posterella]

11:32 PM on 11/29/2009

I think the houses start at around $175,000.0­0. I also think the houses are pretty small. In other words, one or two b.r.'s.

[Tulka2]

12:12 AM on 11/30/2009

No good deed goes unpunished­.