Miji Park leads The Idea Village in developing a linked network of “Business Innovation Centers” to revitalize key commercial corridors in New Orleans. The Business Innovation Centers provide access to retail, technology, technical assistance, financial services, and other essential resources as a catalyst to fuel innovation and private investment throughout the community.
The Idea Village @ N. Galvez: 3232 N. Galvez Street
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First Floor Space Plan (2000 sq. ft.):
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Second Floor Space Plan (1000 sq. ft.):
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The Idea Village, New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) and Regions Bank formed an innovative partnership designed to spur sustainable economic development in recovering New Orleans neighborhoods. Regions Bank is the lead sponsor of this initiative, joined with support from Mercy Corps and Tulane University.
A sustainable New Orleans recovery is based on developing economic recovery solutions that stimulate simultaneous reinvestment by both homeowners and business owners, to ensure that one recovery drives the other.
To address the physical and resource issues faced by recovering businesses, The Idea Village is developing community Business Innovation Centers with the pilot center under development in the Upper Ninth Ward where NOAHH has its highest concentration of affordable housing.
THE IDEA VILLAGE COMMUNITY BUSINESS INNOVATION CENTERS
These Business Innovation Centers are designed to be a catalyst for a robust commercial corridor that will fuel private investment throughout the neighborhood, giving residents a sense of confidence, ownership, and participation in their community.
Additionally, The Idea Village aims to connect the local Business Innovation Centers and participating businesses to its local and national network of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and service providers. These linkages will facilitate the flow of traditional, social, human and other capital within the network as a whole, further bolstering the local entrepreneurs.
FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD: UPPER NINTH WARD
“The Idea Village @ N. Galvez,” will be a 3,000 square foot outpost to address the critical business needs of the community, including:
• Rental Space: graduated subsidies for retail and office space for 1-2 retail and 2-3 office businesses
• Technology Resource Center: access to fax/copy/printing services, computers and the internet
• Technical Assistance Providers: strategic consulting, technology training, financial literacy, workforce development and access to capital resources
VALUE
The Idea Village Business Innovation Centers offer:
•Partnerships
•Collaboration
•Innovation
•Entrepreneurship and economic development
•Community anchors
•Sustainability
•Collaboration
TIMELINE
The Idea Village plans to open the first hub in the Upper Ninth Ward in early 3rd quarter 2008 and will open the expanded central Idea Village in early 2009.
LONG TERM VISION
This model of addressing business and residential recovery in tandem has national and international ramifications for communities affected by future disasters or urban blight. The disaster recovery lessons, best practices and operational plans for The Idea Village Business Innovation Centers are well documented for the benefit of other cities that may face recovery challenges brought on by natural disasters or urban decline.
