Uptown rebuild begins

A project that’s been a long time coming got a ceremonial kickoff Monday morning as city, parish and state officials, along with residents, met at the corner of Hopkins and Washington streets to break ground on installing lights and sidewalks along a stretch of Hopkins Street.

Harold Jones, a resident of Lombard Street, said it “feels good to know something’s going to happen.”

“It seems like something might just get done this time, hopefully,” Jones said.

Though the project of putting lights and sidewalks along Hopkins Street has been in the works for a few years, it is coming to fruition at a time when the Hopkins Street charettes have just finished and residents are just beginning to get involved in bringing the ideas that came out of the charettes, led by designer Steve Oubre, to life. Many residents said they are optimistic about progress.

Local resident Arnold Green was there with a camera to document the ceremony for a photo album at the community center. He said this revitalization project feels different from past ones.

“At least it has a high-energy level and some significant people interested in it,” Green said.

“It’s a historical moment,” said Rudy Plomboy, whose soon-to-be business is across the street from the groundbreaking. “I knew all the time I was picking that paper up — good would come out of good.”

Plomboy picks up litter around his business daily.

Resident Russel Rosette said people are excited to see what is happening, and that it might get them going with their individual projects, such as improving homes and businesses.

New Iberia Mayor Hilda Curry called the project “the rebirth of uptown” and said “all the right people are here” to support it.

Lorna Bourg, executive director of the Southern Mutual Help Association that has partnered with the city on the project, congratulated residents, telling them “it’s your courage and your desire” making something happen.

Community organizer Sylvia Davis said the first two of four neighborhood association meetings were to be held Monday night at the West End Park. The next two are Wednesday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. Oubre will attend each, answering questions from residents and talking about their responsibilities and the process.

Davis said she is excited that for one neighborhood association, there were more than 100 signatures from interested residents.

Oubre said they have begun to draw up a five-year calendar with short-, mid- and long-term goals for the overall revitalization plan.

Curry said the first part of the lighting and sidewalk project should take around 45 days. The city has a grant for two blocks, is paying for four blocks itself, and is seeking money for the rest of Hopkins.

Curry said there should be sidewalks and lighting through Dale Street sometime early next year.

State Department of Transpor-tation and Development District Administrator Bill Fontenot said the city’s prospects for funding for the two blocks currently under consideration look good.

“We believe it’s going to happen. This is what drives government to really get things done,” said Fontenot, referring to the turn-out. “This represents a lot of hard work from the community from one administration to the other. We’ve been working on this for a long time.”

Councilman-elect for District 3 Robert Suire, who served 20 years on previous city councils, said the process for the DOTD grant began in 2002.

“It’s good to see it come through,” he said.