The New, Greener Big Easy?
A Brownfields Proposal for an Urban Catastrophe

By John W. Sutherlin, Ph.D

Even before the floodwaters receded and the people were rescued, it became apparent that recovery from Hurricane Katrina will take more than the hundreds of billions of dollars that will be required to rebuild stricken areas. The tidal surge and rain, coupled with floodwaters spilling into New Orleans through broken levees, destroyed homes, schools, churches and businesses, costing many lives and displacing thousands of people. One conservative estimate places the number of homes that will have to be rebuilt at 140,000 (whether many of these homes should be rebuilt and where and how should be considered elsewhere).

The economic costs have been detailed in many places and will continue to be felt in an economy that has struggled to regain its pre-9/11 stamina. Obviously, New Orleans’ tourism, convention, oil and gas, coffee roasting, food processing, gambling, entertainment, restaurant and arts industries have been hurt. But, New Orleans was also home to many universities, hospitals and an emerging film industry. New Orleans itself had become almost a brand name. How does such a brand recover? 

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