New Orleans Cold Storage Moves Site Uptown

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – The New Orleans Cold Storage company had wanted to operate a new facility at the Governor Nicholls Street Wharf near the French Market. But the location next to the French Quarter and Faubourg Marigny drew a storm of opposition from neighborhood associations. They feared increased truck traffic would harm the historic district, and ammonia used at the facility would be at risk at the riverbend location.
Now the company is looking at an Uptown site inside the port at the Henry Clay-Nashville Avenue cargo terminal operated by Ports America.
Officials credit Ports America with coming up with an alternative site to keep the company in New Orleans.
Cold Storage President Mark Blanchard said the Governor Nicholls site was never ideal.
Chris Costello of the Faubourg Marigny Association says the Uptown site should work,
Port President Gary LaGrange says the new proposed site would cost $42 million dollars. More than $14 million depends on federal funds set aside for businesses - like Cold Storage -- affected by the closure of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet.