Café Built on Former Brownfields Site Emphasizes Community and Ability
By Carol Blanchard, Special Projects Coordinator, City of Westwego, LA

View of Property from Sala Avenue before Construction

Typical Equipment Stored on Property

The plantation home of Francois Fazende was sold in 1870 to the Ames group (who later owned the Texas Pacific Railroad). This home became known as the White House Plantation. Louis Marrero bought it in 1930 and leased it to Robert Ordoqui who ran a dairy from 1930 to 1947. The Westwego locals called this area Ordoqui Field.

Today, the White House Plantation has been replicated to serve a new purpose, providing employment services and community involvement for the disabled. As the years pass, this new structure is sure to contribute to the ever-unfolding history of Westwego.

A former funeral parlor and contaminated industrial equipment storage site is now a beautiful training facility for mentally and physically challenged adults. The Vintage Garden Café, located in the Historic Salaville area of Westwego, LA, is a flourishing neighborhood restaurant that serves a delicious and varied menu to its clientele while providing work-training opportunities to twenty adults with severe developmental disabilities.

This 1-acre brownfields site located on Sala Avenue in Westwego, was a funeral home between 1949 and 1979 and an industrial equipment storage site until June 2000. In partnership with the State of Louisiana, the Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority, a grassroots Westbank parent group, and The ARC of Greater New Orleans, the City of Westwego purchased the property with its own funds and agreed to perform a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) utilizing city funds. The primary source of cleanup and redevelopment funds, totaling $500,000, was an allocation from the state's capital outlay budget.

Conditions present at the time of the Phase I ESA included potential concerns with the storage of drums containing suspect solid waste and miscellaneous debris on the property. Although none of these wastes were considered to constitute a material threat to the site, removal and proper disposal was recommended to prevent potential releases.

The Vintage Garden Café, modeled after the White House Plantation built in 1870, provides work-training opportunities in the areas of food prep, food serving, catering, table clean up, dishwashing, janitorial, and ground works tasks. The trainees work varied days and shifts while earning minimum wage. For many, this is the first opportunity to prove their ability to function as contributing members of society. Many trainees will secure employment in community restaurants, grocery stores, or other retail establishments.

The restaurant serves as an anchor for much of the redevelopment work in the Historic Salaville area. One of the most engaging aspects of this project is the support provided by the community of Westwego. It is not unusual to find local neighbors, the mayor, city employees, and “out of town” regulars having lunch in the relaxed atmosphere of the café.

The emphasis at The Vintage Garden Café is community and ability!

For information, contact Carol Blanchard at wegobrownfields@aol.com or via telephone at 504-347-5745.