Blighted Bywater naval base to be converted into affordable housing

NEW ORLEANS ( WGNO ) — The blighted Naval Support Activity Base in the Bywater that has sat vacant for about a decade and has become a serious eyesore for nearby residents and business owners is about to receive millions of dollars in a grant.

“Loud sounds in the middle of the night, yelling, screaming, you know like sounds of racket of metal like falling, glass breaking,” Bywater resident Nikki Brown said.

As part of a plan to rehabilitate the property, the $166 million “NSA Eastbank Apartments” project was created.

As of now, $20 million in federal funds have been earmarked for this project administered by the Louisiana Housing Corporation.

“It’s a good thing if it is being funded. They’re at least going to secure the property,” Bacchanal Wines owner Joaquin Rodas said.

This grant was awarded from a total of about $230 million dollars in federal grants aimed at improving affordable housing in the state of Louisiana following hurricanes Ida, Delta and Laura.

“People throw things off the roof at cars, people shoot things, drugs, kids, you name it. It’s all happening in there and so the sooner something can happen to put this in a commerce to get things moving, would be great,” Bywater resident Judy Bolton said.

One of the top priorities of the NSA project would be to turn the blighted property into 294 affordable apartments.

Residents and business owners say this would be an improvement from what stands today but are worried about what construction plans may look like in the future.

“Like are the construction trucks going to be coming rumbling through here kicking up dust, debris? I’m not sure. Last I heard, the plan was for all of the construction to actually happen from the dauphine street entrance but I’m not sure what’s happening, so I’d like to get a lot more information on that, so I’d know what to plan for,” Rodas said.

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