Hammond Square – New Manager, New Town
Relocating from Atlanta to the Northshore of New Orleans, Louisiana to manage a shopping center in Hammond for Stirling Properties is a pretty big culture shock; however, it does help a bit that I am from the New Orleans area originally.
In my new position as the Hammond Square Property Manager, a large part of what I am looking forward to is meeting and learning about the tenants at Hammond Square. This will be the first time I have the stores Kay Jewelers, Zales, Charming Charlie, Maurices and many local merchants as tenants.
From what I have learned in my first two weeks, Southeastern Louisiana University and North Oaks Health System are a big part of the Hammond economy; meeting with representatives from those two institutions will be a 2013 priority. Hammond will be an interesting place to learn more about the economy, the importance of Hammond Square to the area, and the successful events put on by the Downtown Development District.
I can only hope that this blog will help me learn more about Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, and the surrounding areas. In turn, I would like to share my knowledge about Hammond Square and the area with others. If all goes well, this can be a win-win situation!
Shop in Tangi! Shop Hammond Square!
Donations Collected for Train of Hope, A Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort
Having experienced our own recovery after Hurricane Katrina, we know all too well how those in the Northeast are feeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. In an effort to help with the disaster relief, we found a local organization, Train of Hope, that StirlingProperties is supporting. In addition to donating badly needed supplies like cleaning supplies, diapers and other baby items, toiletries, and blankets, we also donated Christmas toys to the Train of Hope collection effort. With the help of Amtrak, many generous individuals and volunteers, the train left on Friday, December 14th to deliver these critical supplies and toys to areas of New York and New Jersey devastated by Hurricane Sandy. TWO baggage cars were filled with donations from all 50 states.
Stirling Properties Adopts Christmas Angels
Pictured (L-R): Dick Cyr, Nancy Stallings, Marcia McGarrity, Karen Bachemin, Ellen McCain, Krystal Jones, Jessica Zeringue, Lindsey Palmer, Tracy Gandy, Gena Randall, Laura Wallace, Amanda Zell, Rhonda Creel, Kristy Beach, Carri Creel, Judy McKee, Tara Slater, Angelique Bates, Grady Brame, Ashlee White and Joseph Koon
Stirling Properties has teamed up with Volunteers of America this holiday season to adopt 4 Northshore families. Agents and employees of Stirling Properties have donated food baskets and gifts for these families that are in need this Christmas season, with items being delivered over the next few days. We were able to provide gifts and food for a total of 13 family members, parents and children, whose ages range from 18 months to 40 years old.
East Coast, West Coast…Emergence of the Third Coast
I wanted to share this recently published article, “The Rise of the Third Coast,” by Joel Kotkin, an internationally-recognized researcher and author on global, economic, political and social trends. In the piece, Kotkin describes the “Third Coast,” in large part driven by a “resurgent New Orleans” region, as “one of the major forces in twenty-first-century America.”
One quote in this article that is particularly striking to me is regarding the education system:
In a new report, government efficiency expert David Osborne describes New Orleans’s reforms as a “breakthrough.” The results, he says, are “spectacular: test scores, graduation rates, college-going rates, and public approval have more than doubled in five years.” He adds, “I believe this is the single most important experiment in American education today.”
Sam’s Club Opening a Record-Breaking Success!
Yesterday morning I spoke briefly at the official ribbon cutting for the Sam’s Club in our River Chase development. The parish president, all of the area mayors, several council members and a crowd waiting for the doors to open were all gathered. It was great to see so many people excited about the store opening.
Monday night was the store’s soft opening and it was equally crowded. The Sam’s Club parking lot was full, plus there were about 300 extra cars parked on the street and in nearby lots. The manager, Chris Cuevas, told me that the soft opening was a record for Sam’s Club.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this store sets many more records.
Stirling Properties Announces Sam’s Club Opening at River Chase
Stirling Properties, the developer of River Chase, announces the opening of Sam’s Club at River Chase Shopping Center, the largest open-air retail center in St. Tammany Parish. Sam’s Club opened today, Tuesday, October 30. The grand opening ceremony, led by Covington Sam’s Club Manager Chris Cuevas, featured local dignitaries and special appearances as community officials cut the ribbon to signify the club’s opening.
The new 136,000 square foot Sam’s Club is the only one in western St. Tammany and has have a fuel station and pharmacy. “Sam’s Club is a fantastic addition to the River Chase development. This state-of-the-art Sam’s Club is a great compliment to the existing tenant mix at what has now become the largest open air retail center in Louisiana,” said Stirling Properties’ Vice President of Development Townsend Underhill. “Sam’s commitment to the project and to Western St. Tammany Parish has been tremendous over the past 2 years while this deal has been in the works and we are thrilled to see them cutting the ribbon and officially joining the River Chase community.”
For more information about River Chase, contact Townsend Underhill, Vice President of Development for Stirling Properties, at tunderhill@stirlingprop.com or by phone at (985)-246-3785.
