The former Southwood Homes development in Lower Algiers has sat vacant since 2010, when the site was cleared after the buildings were demolished. Now, community leaders and the City of New Orleans are working to transform the land into the Hung Dao Heritage Garden.
Lower Algiers is home to a growing Vietnamese community that formed in the 1970s after refugees from the Vietnam War resettled in the region. The neighborhood now includes about 350 families. Community members hope the new garden will protect their cultural traditions and pass them on to future generations.
The Hung Dao Heritage Garden will combine green infrastructure with cultural placemaking. The project will include a community space, a neighborhood park, and a heritage farm. These features are designed to help reduce flooding on the vacant lots and improve the surrounding environment. The garden will also honor Vietnamese history through food, plants, and traditions from regions across Vietnam…