Gentilly Woods, New Orleans
Encyclopedia
Gentilly Woods is a neighborhood
of the city of New Orleans
. A subdistrict of the Gentilly District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Dreux Avenue to the north, Industrial Canal
to the east, Gentilly Boulevard to the south and People's Avenue to the west.
, the district has a total area of 0.72 mi2. 0.7 mi2 of which is land and 0.02 mi2 (2.78%) of which is water.
of 2000, there were 4,387 people, 1,487 households, and 1,147 families residing in the neighborhood. The population density
was 6,267 /mi² (2,437 /km²).
During World War II, the Higgins plant occupied most of the land. At the factory there were homes constructed of plywood that employees were reported to have occupied during the war effort, they were aptly named Higgins Huts.
With the growth of the city after the war and the need for new housing, Gentilly Woods was developed. A corporation founded by W.H. Crawford and Associates began work, in early 1951, with a plan to construct more than 1400 homes designed to meet the booming post-war housing market.
The City of New Orleans made arrangements for public transportation and the developers signed contracts for city sewerage, drainage, water mains, and other site improvements before a single house was begun. Land was secured along Gentilly Boulevard for a shopping center, to serve the new community, and approximately 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) were reserved for school (Saint Gabriel the Archangel and W.C.C. Claiborne grammar schools) and playground use.
New Orleans neighborhoods
In 1980 the New Orleans City Planning Commission divided the city into 13 planning districts and 72 distinct neighborhoods.While most of these assigned boundaries match with traditional local designations, some others differ from common traditional use...
of the city of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. A subdistrict of the Gentilly District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Dreux Avenue to the north, Industrial Canal
Industrial Canal
The Industrial Canal is a 5.5 mile waterway in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The waterway's proper name, as used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and on NOAA nautical charts, is Inner Harbor Navigation Canal...
to the east, Gentilly Boulevard to the south and People's Avenue to the west.
Geography
Gentilly Woods is located at 30°00′36"N 90°02′17"W and has an elevation of 0 foot (0 m). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the district has a total area of 0.72 mi2. 0.7 mi2 of which is land and 0.02 mi2 (2.78%) of which is water.
Adjacent Neighborhoods
- Pontchartrain ParkPontchartrain Park, New OrleansPontchartrain Park is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Gentilly District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Leon C. Simon Drive to the north, the Industrial Canal to the east, Dreux Avenue to the south and Peoples Avenue to the...
(north) - Pines VillagePines Village, New OrleansPines Village is a neighborhood in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. A subdistrict of the New Orleans East area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Downman Road and Interstate 10 to the east, Chef Menteur Highway to the south, Lake Pontchartrain and...
(east) - Desire AreaDesire Area, New OrleansDesire Area is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Gentilly Boulevard to the north, the Industrial Canal to the east, Florida Boulevard, Alvar Street, Higgins Boulevard, Piety Street,...
(south) - Gentilly TerraceGentilly Terrace, New OrleansGentilly Terrace is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Gentilly District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Filmore Avenue to the north, People's Avenue to the east, Dahlia Walk and Benefit Street to the south and Elysian Fields Avenue...
(west)
Boundaries
The City Planning Commission defines the boundaries of Gentilly Woods as these streets: Dreux Avenue, Industrial Canal, Gentilly Boulevard and People's Avenue.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,387 people, 1,487 households, and 1,147 families residing in the neighborhood. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6,267 /mi² (2,437 /km²).
History
The Gentilly Woods subdivision was developed in the early 1950s, in an area adjacent to the Higgins Shipyards, which was located on the Industrial Canal.During World War II, the Higgins plant occupied most of the land. At the factory there were homes constructed of plywood that employees were reported to have occupied during the war effort, they were aptly named Higgins Huts.
With the growth of the city after the war and the need for new housing, Gentilly Woods was developed. A corporation founded by W.H. Crawford and Associates began work, in early 1951, with a plan to construct more than 1400 homes designed to meet the booming post-war housing market.
The City of New Orleans made arrangements for public transportation and the developers signed contracts for city sewerage, drainage, water mains, and other site improvements before a single house was begun. Land was secured along Gentilly Boulevard for a shopping center, to serve the new community, and approximately 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) were reserved for school (Saint Gabriel the Archangel and W.C.C. Claiborne grammar schools) and playground use.