Eventually, Jaeger seeks HUD financing to spend $130 million to transform the building closest to Poland Avenue into a 295-unit "luxury affordable" apartment building. Police, fire and EMS worked Monday morning to clear the. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. As World War II began, the lease was canceled and the navalcomplex reverted back to complete use by the military as the New Orleans Port of Embarkation. WDSU reached out to Jaegar but there was no response. The City continues to be a supportive partner with the developer to bring this site back into commerce as a transformative mixed-use project as quickly as possible, which is the only path to ensuring that they are no longer nuisances and hazards in our community. Days later, another man is wounded in a shooting there. Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, its rare to see a nice blog like this one nowadays.. My family and I just visited Federal City in New Orleans this past week. Nobody will ever want or use them again. Featured above is the work of New Orleans-based Reader, You Go Girl, along with others. The New Orleans mayor addressed citizen concerns Tuesday over the state of the abandoned Naval Support Activity Center site. Click Here to report it. The city of New Orleans technically owns the site. This site is currently under private development, in which the owner assumes responsibility for maintaining the security of the site. The City continues to be a supportive partner with the developer to bring this site back into commerce as a transformative mixed-use project as quickly as possible, which is the only path to ensuring that they are no longer nuisances and hazards in our community.". The city says it has taken steps in recent weeks to secure the naval base by leasing it to film companies with private security details. Please include the headline. Hes hopeful his questions will be answered by city officials and developers on Monday, but other residents say they have mixed feelings about the sites official closure. Project to renovate, restore abandoned Bywater naval base stalled, Now behind chained gates, the City of New Orleans still owns the property and is responsible for securing it, La. Behold, your tax dollars at work. As one door closes, residents hope another opens to address issues impacting citizens across the city-- issues like affordable housing, resources for the homeless population, and mental health and addiction support. Plans to renovate the property are: Cruise ship terminal, shopping malls, Film and education complex and much more. I personally have a background in private security and also in construction so if anyone can get this place back right again its me. We at this point dont feel confident that something constructive is going to be done. It was acquired by the Navy in 1966 as part of an expansion of its Algiers base, and was relinquished to the city in 2013. SHE TOLD ME THE SUSPECT. Mayor Cantrell says she flipped the bird at a Tucks rider to defend New Orleans. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WDSU-TV. According to a news release, city agencies will begin sweeping the facility on Monday, July 11. And how is the property going to be secured?. There was an application submitted to HUD for the financing of 250 to 300 workforce housing units, Gaurnieri said. The site, located in the Bywater on Dauphine Street and Poland Avenue, has been empty for years since being shuttered by Hurricane Katrina. 2013:In May, the Navy gives 118 acres and 51 structures that were part of the Naval Support Activity in Algiers to the Algiers Development District, to repurpose that campus into a project called Federal City. TELL WDSU DEVELOPER. Back in the day, 95-year-old Lauren Swinney took pride in living next to what was then the F. Edward Hebert Defense Complex. A woman whose body was found in the abandoned Naval Support Activity complex in Bywater last month had been shot to death, the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office said Wednesday. Chad Dyer, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Land Use, says theyve been negotiating with a developer, EMDRC Partners, for years. . The Louisiana Emergency Relief Administration, later the WPA,opened the naval complexas a transient camp a year after the complex was placed in maintenance status. More than 1,000 workers from seven union locals strike the New Orleans Army Terminal, formerly the Port of Embarkation, in a dispute over hiring longshoremen on April 1, 1960. The Coast Guard and state and local officials had to clean it up. If anything, put it in military hands. Firefighters estimate nearly 100 people continue to use the abandoned naval base as their illicit home. Get a life and get your head out of the liberal gutter. 2020:In August, a vagrant finds a body,later identified as 25-year-old Slidell waitress Brooke Buchler, with a single gunshot wound to the head in the abandoned Bywater base. An artist's sketch shows the F. Edward Hbert Defense Complex in New Orleans' Bywater section in 1975. Jackson Barracks is a military base in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Army transferred ownership to the Navy, and along with the neighboringAlgiers base on the West Bank, the site became the Naval Support Activity (NSA New Orleans) in 1966. There have been previous incidents at the abandoned naval base, dating back to 2018 when a man reportedly told police he had been kidnapped and pistol-whipped at the base. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT TRAVERSE AND JEAN. City officials, New Orleans police and property developers on Monday (July 11) cleared out and secured the former Naval Support Activity complex in the Bywater neighborhood. NOW THE COUNCILMAN DID SAY THAT HES WORKING TO GET MORE GUARDS OUT TO THE SITE MEAN WHILE I DID REACH OUT TO JOE YEAGER, NO RESPONSE FROM HIM JUST YET NOW. Then what happens once you move these people out of this space. In this video my friend Daisy and I explore a naval facility in New Orleans that has been abandoned since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. We (responded to) hundreds of calls over there for overdoses, stabbings. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. All those pieces have to really fall into place before it gets to that next level.. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate). My biggest fear all along was that it would become the biggest blighted property in the city of New Orleans, and thats exactly what has happened.. "The City and the private developer who controls the Naval Support Activity site began the process of fully securing and closing the former base on July 11. As World War II began, the lease was canceled and the naval complex reverted back to complete use by the military as the New Orleans Port of Embarkation. The long-abandoned Bywater naval base will be shut down next week, city officials announced Friday afternoon. Occasionally there would be a marine band playing. The city got $40 million from FEMA to renovate the site, but the money was never used for the project. Met alot awesome DOD civilian police officers there and on the West Bank. WHAT WORSE COULD HAPPEN? In May, a 28-year-old man is injured in a shooting at the property. In 2016, the city of New Orleans selected a former New Orleans homeland security chief,Col. Terry Ebbert and businessman Bill Ryan, to redevelop the naval complex into a resiliency center.The center wouldmanage regional disasters, a cruise ship terminal, lodging, and amenities such as grocery and retail stores. The next month, a woman is fatally shot and a man wounded at the base. Residents in the area reported hearing upwards of 50 shots fired around 9pm local time. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. A person on a bike rolls past the former naval base on Poland Ave. in New Orleans, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. The Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) is not involved in supplying any financing for the construction of the property at 4400 Dauphine, commonly referred to as the old naval base, HANO communications director Suzanne Whitaker said in a statement. Campers and vehicles are parked alongside the former naval base on Poland Avenue in New Orleans' Bywater section on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Can retirees stay at Navy Lodges New Orleans military base abandoned really creepy but it was fun if you guys would like to see more drop a comment letting me know what you would like to see. Wow, it looks just like the one in New Orleans. Join me as WE explore what is left inside!Abandoned Southeast - Bloghttps://abandonedsoutheast.com/2017/04/30/naval-complex/Noladeejhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-YcpLaHr7Sm9RV62h8_6ugLykins Filmshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX3i6kbZGgsuMGxRgRrmjzALive a Little Explorationshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC006T6piOc3m3x6A6cXEJXAExplore With Rickhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQkZpYIExYDAUA52yIMMtWg*Exploring Abandoned Navy Complex Base NSA - New Orleans, Louisiana*Epidemic music: https://www.epidemicsound.com/Intro: 0:00 - 1:02History: 1:03 - 2:03Exploring abandoned Navy Base: 2:04 - 7:21Gym: 7:22 - 8:34Back Exploring abandoned Navy Base: 8:35 - 13:14Theater: 13:15 - 15:31Back to exploring Abandoned Navy Base: 15:32 - 20:16Homeless Set ups: 20:17 - 25:47Back to exploring Abandoned Navy Base: 25:48 - 29: 53Meeting Board Room: 29:54 - 31:36Cafeteria and more: 31:37 - 34:48 Teen Cosplay in Abandoned New Orleans Navy Base. The grounds were kept immaculate. Maybe if you did you wouldnt ask such a dumb question. THE BUILDING HAS BEEN ABANDONED SINCE 2005 DURING HURRICANE KATRINA OFFICIALS. "The New Orleans Fire Department reported that the abandoned naval base on 4400 Dauphine Street was on fire on Sunday morning. I live in the Boston area and these pictures looked really familiar. They need to do something about it, said Bywater resident Jerry Wickes. The Navy should have sold those buildings to a company that would have turned them into condos or something nice where us citizens could be proud of. You have permission to edit this article. Michigan, USA. Trash fires started by squatters grew out of control several times this year. The NOFD . Sixteen year old Joseph loves dressing up in tactical gear and shooting at targets. Why? PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER/THE TIMES-PICAYUNE, City officials will shut down long-abandoned navy base in Bywater, Clancy DuBos: Jeff Landrys latest dumbassery delays key Supreme Court race. Water continuously runs from broken pipes, causing area flooding. A history of the abandoned Naval Support Activity campus on New Orleans' east bank, Dauphine Street between Poland Avenue and the Industrial Canal, transform the building closest to Poland Avenue into a 295-unit "luxury affordable" apartment building, redirected at least $40 million in federal grants, later identified as 25-year-old Slidell waitress Brooke Buchler, one-alarm fire spreads across four floors. Now look at the city and how they take care of the streets with pot holes, THEY DONT! So I feel like its not as simple as clean out the Naval base.. Look at the money they throw around for defense which is merely a fig leaf for genociding people Israel doesnt like (plus enriching the industrial barons and their pet politicians). for people without homes since the Navy gave it to New Orleans nine years ago. I have many great memories of being stationed in New Orleans. - YouTube In this video my friend Daisy and I explore a naval facility in New Orleans that has been abandoned since Hurricane Katrina. It was a nice place and to think the Navy gave it to the city. It is shocking, the lack of care, Swinney says. Wow. RAN OFF TOWARDS THE BASE. The base was shut down, and ownership was eventually transferred to the city in 2013. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Everything from tags and throw-ups to sophisticated pieces covers its exterior, interior and rooftops. WDSU reached out to Jaegar but there was no response. The Navy leaves Bywater and Algiers. The New Orleans Fire Department battled a one-alarm blaze Thursday at the abandoned Naval Support Activity Base in Bywater. The City Council approves the lease in August, and it is signed in November. It was supposed to be a cruise ship terminal for cruise ships to dock from the Port all the way to the French Quarter. Bywater Neighborhood Association President, John Guarnieri, says its the city's fault. The Bywater Neighborhood Association plans to meet with developers and other city officials on Tuesday, July 12, at 7 p.m. at the Bywater Brew Pub to learn more about the plan and potential project timeline. Joe Jaeger recently signed a 99 year lease with the city to began work renovating the property. 1955: The Army redesignates the property its Gulf Transportation Terminal Command. The three-building complex housed offices for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Temporary lodging is available at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in the Navy Lodge. Around 9 p.m. Tuesday,. The base is located in the Bywater area of New Orleans. In July, 40 to 50 homeless people were asked to leave the site after living there for years. My name is Leland Kent and I have had an interest in abandoned places ever since I was a kid. 2005:The Defense Department'sBase Closure and Realignment Commissionrecommends closing Naval Support Activity New Orleans, to funnel more money to new weaponry and technology. It opens up a whole can of worms with the feds and stuff like that, so theres an incentive to get it done. New Orleans is known for its historical buildings and the city's ability to re-develop old buildings is part of the city's allure. Between 1944 and 1966, thenaval complexprogressed from aU.S. Exploring an abandoned Naval Base in New Orleans! Its a death trap for anybody thats in there, especially for firefighters.. "; Belinda Little-Wood estimates between $500,000 to a million dollars of furniture has been ruined from water damage since the city left the base abandoned in 2013. After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans planned to spend $170 million redeveloping an old naval base in the Bywater. The NOPD and other emergency teams were set to sweep the abandoned Bywater Navy base at 11 this morning, but crews have already entered the grounds and people are leaving with whatever they. The 1.5 million square foot 3,6 story buildings once housed 3,900 active-duty and 2,700 civilian personnel. Become a Gambit member today and help us continue our mission, Email Sarah Ravits at sravits@gambitweekly.com. March 24, 2019 There are few bare surfaces in the abandoned naval base in Bywater, New Orleans. Because that housing is what is going to be the impetus for the whole project.. In May2005, theDefense Departmentdecided to close the Naval Support Activity during a Base Realignment and Closure Round, or BRAC. Weve all watched these people stealing metal repeatedly and now that the word is out that this is a place you can go and live and steal the metal, this is only escalating.. Constructed during World War I, the U.S. Armyoriginally builtthe 1.5 million square footlogistics centerfor the U.S. ArmyQuartermaster Depot. The fire was a 1-alarm fire, and NOFD is on the scene. Bywater Neighborhood Association president John Guarnieri said, Were dealing with a property thats had problems for well over 10 years.. According to the . December 19, 2021. The New Orleans Fire Department reported that the abandoned naval base on 4400 Dauphine Street was on fire on Sunday morning. Miss you guys. New Orleans leaders say 40 to 50 homeless living on site when old Naval base cleared. Neighbors, like Judy Bolton, say its apparent the city has done little to restrict access to the 1.5 million square-foot facility. Instead, the site itself has become crisis-prone. The front door has been broken into. Since the Navy relinquished the F. Edward Hbert Defense Complex base to New Orleans in 2013, the 25-acre property and its three massive buildings have sat empty, unused and unprotected from trespassers. The development is really contingent on financing and historic tax credits that come into play, said Guarnieri. FEMA asked the city to "repurpose" the money, he said, because developers and the various plans for the site weren't coming together fast enough based the grant's timeline. (LogOut/ NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The reputation of the abandoned naval base in the Bywater is unfortunately well known. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, The New Orleans Police Department is responding to reports of shots fired, Multiple detained after active shooter fears at abandoned Naval base in New Orleans, Louisiana with 50 shots heard, Bone-chilling new details emerge about nephew's horror death after uncle 'chopped him up with a machete', Shocking pics of children brought away on stretchers after bounce house flips, injuring '18 kids', Boy, 7, left unable to walk after being bitten by venomous snake with SEVEN bags of antivenom given during 4 days in ICU, Dy'Sheae Hall's mom reveals double family tragedy and haunting link between two shootings of Dancing Dolls members, One of Britain's most wanted men, 32, arrested at hotel in Bulgaria 'with fake passport', Broke ex-billionaire James Stunt locked in a court battle with his father over painting worth millions, American men feel insecure about their looks three times a week - and new data suggests it's not all about gray hair, Mystery after dog swimming alone in a pond leads cops to body of owner, 38. The plan called for it to house essential personnel during a catastrophe, store essential supplies and equipment and provide space for other disaster management and recovery agencies. Belinda Little-Wood was hired by the city as a consultant to oversee redevelopment. It stars Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. TELL ME THAT WITH EVERY FIRE AND CRIME IN THE AREA. I hope that they are really following up on what happens to these communities that will no longer have that as shelter, and of course, there are things that need to be dealt with. Copyright 2022 WVUE. Its just a question of being patient, he said. So now look what they are getting, one big shelter for the homeless. 386. Brooke Buchler was on a Florida beach trip with a. WDSU cameras saw people coming and going from the site nonstop. Without that funding, Guarnieri fears a setback of years renovating the property. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio | The naval base in the Bywater is supposed to be secured, as there are supposed to be three guards on-site 24/7 to ensure no one enters the site. Additional details, including a possible motive, were not immediately available. Electrical boxes have been scrapped for metal components. But that still hasnt happened, and neighbors are complaining the building has become a danger and an eyesore. Naval Headquarters. 2022:In March, aone-alarm fire spreads across four floors inside one of the buildings, trapping a man on the third floor; firefighters rescue him, but he runs away before they can treat or question him. THE GUY PUNCHED MY BUDDY IN THE FACE AND PUT THE GUN BACK ON ME. In the early 1970s,the naval complex was renamed the F. EdwardHebert Defense Complex, after the New Orleans Congressman who served a stint as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Call the front desk to make reservations at phone number 504-678-9745 or 800-NAVY-BED. Neighbors say its just the latest in a series of problems. Next time use your real name so people can see who the idiot is, it certainly isnt me. The city of New Orleans technically owns the site. Now behind chained gates, the City of New Orleans still owns the property and is responsible for securing it. Because its just gonna kind of be that way if you dont have a plan with it, said Weber. Since then, Bywater residents have watched the once-imposing military complex, with its Brutalist architecture and high-security defenses, fall apart. What actual net good do you feel the US military has done in the past 50 years? Graffiti artists use the naval bases exterior walls as a canvas. COUNCILMAN FREDDIE KING SAYS HES RECENTLY HAD TO RETRIEVE TRASH CANS STOLEN FROM RESIDENTS IN THE AREA AND PLACED INSIDE OF THE SITE ASSISTED SLEEP. Its dangerous. witl.com. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond, Juvenile injured after homemade pipe bomb detonated, police say. Its incredibly dangerous. Police records report over 80 crimes at the naval base since 2016. Help us make more by buying a print: http://shop.theproperpeople.comSupporting us on Patreon:http://patreon.com/theproperpeoplePurchasing a t-shirt: http://theproperpeople.spreadshirt.comOr shopping through our Amazon affiliate link: https://www.amazon.com/?tag=thepropeo0d-20 MICHAEL I WATER THE THIRD FOR HIM AND HIS WIFE MY BUDDY WAS SITTING THERE GETTING HIS WALLET OUT. The NOPD and other emergency teams were set to sweep the abandoned Bywater Navy base at 11 this morning, but crews have already entered the grounds and people are leaving with whatever they. City and state officials had for years fretted over the vulnerability of the Algiers and Bywater sites, neither of which had a combat training mission. The fire was a 1-alarm fire, and NOFD is on the scene securing the fire. Exploring an Abandoned Navy Base - NSA New Orleans The Proper People 1.38M subscribers Join Subscribe 13K Share 737K views 4 years ago NEW ORLEANS Start protecting yourself on the web. The New Orleans transient camp closed in March 1936, after being open for two years. Then in June, New Orleans police swarm the base and put surrounding neighborhoods on lockdown after reports of gunfire. Themassive sitespreads over bothsides of the Mississippi River, making it the largest in New Orleans. Weve stood up to city hall with you, cheered the Saints with you, On Sunday the abandoned Naval Base caught fire once again . I want the city to handle this, because it is out of control.. We found dead bodies, shootings, and open elevator shafts. Check out this picture from the South Boston waterfront district which was formally an old Army Base: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3439948,-71.0294101,3a,75y,251.57h,104.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scyPrLUtEJJaA_wrXh1s3zg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3445617,-71.0305818,3a,75y,251.26h,84.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXEZFXQPyD0IxhnpbXrESLg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en. danced in the streets with you and cried over our collective loss with 197. The long-abandoned Bywater naval base will be shut down next week, city officials announced Friday afternoon. By, 'Lot Next Door' Blight Remediation Program Revived. Bywater residents say the old F. Edward Hebert Defense Complex is a blight on the neighborhood. Additionally, the plan proposed using 2acres of the 25-acre Bywater site to develop "permanent supportive housing" for homeless people, as required by federal laws governing the closure and redevelopment of surplus military property. During the 1930s, there were only three such centers in existence in the United States. If youre outside now at the naval base, you can see theres a stream of people coming and going in and out of there, she says. This city is responsible not only for whats going on in the base, but also what happens to people around this area because of whats going on in the base. Under the terms of the 50-year agreement, Jaeger's EMDRC Partners LLC would payNew Orleans $150,000 a year, plus 5 percent of the gross rents that the developers receive. That makes no sense to me, she says. LJ Montgomery has been living in the Bywater his . The complex was completed in 1919. I also have at least 12 Volunteers ready to go to paint over graffiti and repair or board windows and doors for re securing the property as well as helping keep a close eye on the property for unwanted activities. New Orleans to officially close old abandoned Naval base, La. This resulted in the Navy moving its headquarters to Virginia and its personnel functions to Tennessee. 1 / 15. the big main house burned down a few months prior to me exploring. Copyright 2022 WVUE. We make our way through offices, storage areas, and the main parking facility, showing the current state of damage in addition to doing a few drone flybys to show what it looks like from the air.---------------External Links:---------------An online community for misfit travelers: https://squattheplanet.com---------------Music credits:---------------Walt Adams - Loose Bolts: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/gqv8UO7FlD/ To do that, we need Does New Orleans have a military base. The City expects that reactivating the site will not only bring jobs, housing units, and amenities to a neighborhood of opportunity, but will also improve the safety and security of the site for the community.. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The city of New Orleans acquired it in 2013, but it has sat vacant since then. Theres more to be seen, theres more conversations to be had, said Kitten. The fire was reported to . "They need to do something about it," said Bywater resident Jerry Wickes.. But HANO said it is not to blame for any development holdup. The agreement would also allow for two extensions, bringing the total term to 99 years. Guarnieri said the redevelopment of the historic site could have a significant impact not just from a commercial standpoint, but for job creation too. In October, New Orleanstakes ownership of the Bywater property, 25 acres with three six-story buildings that total1.5 million square feet. local kids had turned it into a party spot. You arent very educated for sure. Its a really complicated and complex situation you know, I mean its so easy to be like oh well that shouldnt be happening. But you know, that opens up a deeper conversation, said Kitten, owner of Chance in Hell Snowballs in the Bywater. (It is for sale.) Officials have stated that the space will be redeveloped later on as a partial housing and partial retail development. There was a problem saving your notification. Cops were investigating other reports that a suspect was barricaded inside the New Orleans facility. At the time, the 200-acre complex that straddled the Mississippi River employed more than 4,600 people with a $142 million annual payroll. I hope to preserve the past through documentation and photographs since many of these amazing places are often lost to neglect, demolition, or renovation. Emergency workers have had to respond when problems get out of hand, such as during the oil spill. Multiple people were taken for questioning, cops said. MULTIPLE people were in custody on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, after reports of a possible active shooter situation at an abandoned Naval Base. The Bywater Neighborhood Association says a development team led by Joe Jaeger still intends to take it over, but that an application seems to have stalled with the Housing Authority of New Orleans. I TOLD HIM I DIDNT HAVE ANY CASH. The site overlooks the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Industrial Canal. According to a news release from the Office of Mayor LaToya Cantrell: City leaders and public safety agencies, including Office of Economic Development, the New Orleans Police Department, and UNITY of Greater New Orleans, will conduct an intensive walk-through and cleanup of the site. I MEAN THERE IS ONE SECURITY GUARD HERE AT THE VERY FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE SITE ME AND MY PHOTOGRAPHER HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND THE SITE TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND ANY OTHER GUARDS PEOPLE MEANWHILE WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA. Until they secure funds for that housing, theres really not going to be any progress above and beyond that. Its been abandoned, and has become a blight on the neighborhood. Most importantly, the City remains committed to ensuring that a transformative project is developed at the site, and the City anticipates substantial progress to be made by the end of the year. This summer, an old oil tank spilled almost 2,000 gallons of diesel on the property and into nearby waterways. Officials say about 100 people call the abandoned facility home. Between 1944 and 1966, the naval complex progressed from a U.S. AND SO I HANDED HIM OVER MY PURSE. What a wonderful neighbor to have on this block.. TRAVERSE PEOPLE WHO LIVE BY THE OLD NAVY BASE IN THE 9TH WARD SAY THAT THEY ARE LOSING HOPE. NEW ORLEANS -- Firefighters were dispatched to the abandoned naval base on Poland Avenue after a trash fire was set inside the building. I served there from 1977 to 1980 as a Marine.