City of Kenner Laketown Recreation Area
BKI was selected by the City of Kenner to develop a 20-acre recreation complex on reclaimed lake bottom at the Lake Pontchartrain end of Williams Blvd.
The project included eight boat launch ramps, harbor and channel dredging, bulkheads, access piers, public picnic areas, access roads and parking, concession building and picnic shelters, public restrooms, potable water, sanitary sewer, street lighting, landscaping and a public fishing pier.
The project developed over several years, beginning with a boat launch ramp facility and later expanded to include fishing piers and numerous public amenities for better utilization of the lakefront area for public recreation. A riverboat mooring system for a riverboat casino and entertainment complex is also located on the east side of the facility. BKI provided all site development design services under a separate agreement.
The total construction cost for this project is $1.5 million.
City of Westwego Riverboat Landing Development
BKI was selected by the City of Westwego, as part of an effort to revitalize “Old Westwego,” to develop a Master Plan for long-term development of a riverboat landing to anchor the historic Sala Avenue downtown.
The landing serves as a transfer station for tour boats from the Audubon Zoo and the Aquarium of the Americas en route to Bayou Segnette, the Alario Center, and attractions within Old Westwego. It will also provide the residents with an opportunity to re-establish contact with the Mississippi River.
The Master Plan established a new two-acre park to connect the riverboat landing to the Westwego Historic District. The plan included a promenade, a riverfront overlook, an amphitheater, public art, a restaurant, and an interpretive plaza constructed from the remains of the historic Westwego Canal Locks.
BKI developed numerous design alternatives, cost estimates, and a phasing plan that included initial plans and specifications for implementation of the project. The Master Plan divided construction into five phases. BKI helped the City obtain $1 million in grant assistance for creation and implementation of the plan.
Construction cost for all five phases of the Master Plan is estimated at $4.5 million.
Orleans Levee Board South Shore Harbor Development Plan
BKI was chosen by the Orleans Levee Board to study the potential for developing a major marina facility near the Lakefront Airport on Lake Pontchartrain in eastern New Orleans.
South Shore Harbor was one of the first new marina developments to be planned in the New Orleans area in over 20 years. Among the key concerns for this development was the impact of dredge and fill operations on the fragile Lake Pontchartrain environment.
The study investigated demand for boat anchorage, evaluated the physical constraints of the site, studied the site’s development possibilities, analyzed financial feasibility, and assessed its environmental impact. BKI’s recommendations included the development of an 835-slip marina, harbor support facilities, boathouses, and surrounding development of commercial uses.
Demand forecasts indicated that the slips and adjacent commercial uses would be absorbed over time. Therefore, the plan provided for phased development of improvements.
