The initial public meeting to introduce the construction of new venue with its entrance opening onto Frenchmen Street drew a large crowd of locals who appeared largely opposed to the construction.

The project, to be developed by BCNO (Jennifer Taylor and Gregor Fox), was presented to residents, representatives of the Frenchmen Marigny Improvement Association (FMIA), the Frenchmen Marigny Triangle Business Association, business owners, and artists who regularly participate in the Frenchmen Arts Market. The meeting was held on Tuesday night at 2121 Chartres Street, which is part of the proposed 12,000 square foot venue.

Hayley and Will Sampson, operators of the Indywood Theater at 638 Elysian Fields, informed the crowd that they intended to expand and improve the currently-operating small neighborhood movie theater (Fox owns this property as well). The attending crowd seemed enthusiastic about the expansion of the small business, even when the Sampsons said they would need 18 parking spaces to conform to city parking requirements. Currently the theater only has a fraction of that amount; the Sampsons said they would apply for a variance.

Fox, who owns all the property on Elysian Fields between Royal and Chartres Streets, began the public meeting by informing the audience that the Frenchmen Street Art Market would eventually have to close to accommodate the entrance of his project, dubbed the Trash Palace. He said the market would probably be in existence no more than 12 to 18 months, as that space would serve as the entrance and a place for people to queue up to the venue.

Fox also claimed that the 12,000 square foot property would be used primarily for weddings and special events, such as the Chewbacchus Ball and similar private parties. He asserted that part of the property would be classified as a “theater” of less than 6,000 square feet with two bars, one on the main floor and one on a meszzanine. The property would also have a smaller entrance on Chartres Street. The plans also include two commercial spaces that would accommodate retailers Dirty Coast and Blue Dream, both facing Chartres, and another commercial space on the corner of Elysian Fields and Chartres. Plans for a kitchen / food area are also part of the plans but will not be included in the initial construction, said Taylor, the other partner in the project. The project also contains covered parking for 26 vehicles, and second floor office space.

Fox says the venue could hold 1,000 to 1,500 people, but will not be a regular music venue. “This will not be another House of Blues,” he said. The Trash Palace will have a permanent stage as well as flexible seating.

Many of the audience attendees were artists who currently sell products in the Frenchmen Art Market. Several spoke out in opposition to the closing of the market because it provides an important source of living revenue, as well as a much-needed “respite” from the Frenchmen Street music scene. Some, however, did thank Fox for giving notice on the closing to give them opportunities to seek another market space. Fox suggested they look into Washington Square Park or French Market for their art market. Fox also offered to have the art market inside the proposed venue, but says he could not commit to regular hours because his first priority is to develop the property and put it into commerce as a special events venue, and events may not be able to allow the art market to have regular hours.

Other concerns from the audience included the issues of Fox potentially turning the Trash Palace into a regular music venue, and renting it out to promoters. Fox again reiterated that the property was not set up for that, but would not rule out the possibility of large concerts or parties being staged there in the future.

The meeting attendees also had issues with the congestion that a new venue of the size proposed by Fox would have on their neighborhood, especially with parking. Currently, city building codes require that the development provide 108 parking spaces. Thirty spaces could be provided within the space, said Fox, but a variance from the city would be needed because of the lack of parking they could actually provide.

“It’s already tight for us,” said one resident. “We literally have to plan our lives around times when we know they are going to be a lot of people down here, and it’s already really disruptive. If we add that many more people to the neighborhood, what is that going to do to our quality of life?” The speaker asked Fox whether he would welcome a 12,000 square foot venue being built two blocks from his home.

The largest concerns from meeting attendees seemed to be centered around the elimination of the artists’ market and the lack of parking. Some in the audience suggested that parking take place in the French Market Corporation-controlled paid parking lot that fronts Elysian Fields between Chartres and Decatur Streets, and Fox said he would look into that possibility. However, the lot is a revenue generator for the French Market Corporation and is generally filled to capacity, with a long waiting list.

Lisa Suarez, of the FMIA, asked Fox if he would be willing to invest in working with the city, French Market Corporation to build a multi-story lot on the FMC site. This has been proposed for many years, but in its last iteration, the FMIA opposed the construction of any building over 50 feet, which would probably limit a parking garage to only two stories.

Jon Smith, Executive Director of the French Market Corporation, said he would welcome moving the art market to the French Market, but said that the only way that Fox could use parking in the Elysian Fields lot was through leasing spots in the existing lot.

The project will go before City Planning on April 4.