Grand Isle actually survived Hurricane Ida. Check out these pictures taken today.
How did Grand Isle survive? The government adopted stricter building codes after Hurricane Katrina. If didn't matter who you know or who the developer was, Grand Isle was through playing around and started giving nature some respect. A FEMA press release stated:
“Following Hurricane Katrina, the island looked like a bomb had exploded,” said Nora Combel, the town’s certified building official. As residents and business owners rebuilt, government officials looked for ways to avoid further damage. “We adopted new building codes from the International Code Council and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Code of Federal Regulations,” she said.
A building code specifies the minimum requirements necessary to provide safety, guard public health and reduce property losses. Over the decades, the need for a unified set of standards became apparent, and the nation’s three model code groups responded by creating the International Code Council (ICC). In turn, the ICC created the International Building Code (IBC), applying knowledge gleaned from major storms.
“Lessons learned from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 were incorporated into the 1997 Standard Building Code and the 2000 International Codes,” said Steve Daggers, ICC’s vice president of communications. “And experiences from hurricanes and other natural disasters continue to play a role in the codes, as they are updated every three years. In addition to what is learned from actual events, the international codes are based on building science and technical knowledge.”
Despite parish officials’ good intentions in adopting the stricter guidelines, many Grand Isle residents resisted the changes. These included elevating certain structures while installing ground-level lattice work or other walls designed to break away during flood events. Residents who wanted secure storage buildings could elevate them, but storage sheds remaining on the ground also had to use break-away or flow-through walls. Ground-level structures could not be wired for electricity.
“Prospective homeowners argued that the new codes increased building costs,” Combel said. “They also wanted secure low enclosures for lawn mowers, boats and other equipment.”
But building officials remained firm.
“Residents know we’re serious and we follow the codes very carefully,” said Combel. “They are getting acclimated to having to build with the hurricane straps, high impact glass or shutters. They know that a continuous load-path is mandatory in construction.”
Combel works with Irvin Richoux, floodplain administrator and code enforcement and building official. The team challenges anyone who tries to hedge on the newly adopted codes.
They make at least six inspections, starting with a visit to see the property and go over the building plans. During subsequent inspections, they check the pilings, nail patterning, strapping, plumbing and electrical systems, ending Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC) grant program and grant money administered with a final, overall review of the work.
“If something isn’t right, it has to be fixed before construction can move forward,” Combel said.
Since Hurricane Katrina, 111 existing homes have been elevated and 261 new homes have been built in accordance with the new codes, with more expected. Hurricane Isaac put all the houses to the test.
“The mayor, a couple of firemen, a couple of policemen and I rode out Hurricane Isaac here in the government multiplex,” said Combel. “Following the storm, we toured the island. We were amazed at how little damage was done to the elevated homes. We saw only a few missing shingles and some damaged siding.”
“It just goes to show you that although mitigating your home may be costly, it saves in the long run,” added Richoux. “There wasn’t any damage to the homes that were constructed according to the new codes.”
Not even the high school gym was spared meeting the new code.
Lincoln Builders states on its website:
This new 22,000 square foot elevated cast-in-place concrete gymnasium, a hurricane rebuild project, has precast concrete walls and galvanized steel trusses. The peak of the roof rises approximately 70 feet above the ground. The foundation for the structure consists of approximately 471 sixty-foot timber piles with associated concrete pile caps and grade beams. In placing the foundation, the water table was encountered two feet below the existing grade, requiring a wellpoint system to complete the foundation work
Of course, when Mississippi tried to tighten building codes, more than a few people squawked. Something about unfunded mandates and the government taking away freedom.
27 comments:
You won't see any of those Brad Pitt buildings still standing.
Interesting - the gym, according to the builder is a 'cast in place' concrete structure using precast concrete. Them damn cajuns really know how to double down and do it.
Stupid government and their onerous regulations. We little people are smart enough to know best, not the guv. If we want to build stick houses that get wrecked over and over by every hurricane that comes through, then by damn it is our RIGHT to do so. FREEDOM
Brad Pitt didn’t build them to withstand hurricane force winds. He built them to help the people of NO. Move along pud and say something nice or don’t…
Good job.
Katrina way worst. This bad not to bad thow.
Do you need some help, 4:26pm?
Not sure survived is the right word.
Parts of GI exist.
All those empty spots were houses.
Imay be only Mississippian who does not know where Grand Isle is. And I've been vacationing on the coast for sixty years or more.
There's plenty of experts over on that Geerard page who jabber night and day about gubment gettin' out of the damned way and lettin' us build shit that won't survive a wolf's huff-and-puff and givin' the finger to medical decisions based on science. We got rights, you see. God-given, guaronteed rights.
4:26, you should add “in the opinion of this Mississippian “
The HS Gym looks ridiculous to have toothpick stilts (steel piers/piles?) aligned beneath the massive pilasters (engaged columns) above them, even if the heavy looking pilasters are only decorative.
But it's a good thing that building standards prevent fire, injury, destruction, emergency rescue, massive debris removal and waste of emergency funds. Plus the rigorous building code and enforcement enable insurability of buildings at likely much lower rates.
@5:21pm - The rednecks and coonasses never think that far ahead. It’s all about their upfront cost. Too stupid to understand anything after that.
That’s Hurricane Hole marina. Pirates Cove on the east end looks even better. The west
side closer to fourchon is pretty beat up. Bridge Side marina looks pretty rough. Point to note, the east side of the island got more beat up during Katrina.
3:59 PM, he and his non-profit have been sued multiple times over the years due to their faulty homes. They couldn't even withstand the humidity, much less a cat 1 storm.
Maybe research before you type or try reading a book every now and then?
Those people down there don’t wait on the government. The federal government was dragging on the storm levees post Katrina. The parishes taxed themselves and built it theirselves. They are some of the most resilient and good hearted people I know. I spend a good bit of time down there and they will all pitch in and rebuild. Belle Chasse, Houma, Thibadeax and south to Venice and Grand Isle is now the same people in New Orleans.
NBC tonight had a totally different perspective about the devastation of Grand Isle. Are they as fake news as the Weather Channel is all about hype?
Anyone heard anything about Cocodrie?
"NBC tonight had a totally different perspective. Are they as fake news as the Weather Channel ".
You're joking right?
Their famous old weather dude, Al Roker ... concluded his live broadcast this morning by ranting about Ida happened because of "climate change".
7:46
Google it
Awful video from there
It’s indescribable
https://youtu.be/8BxXDUOj0t8
6:27 - The people in Mississippi hitched up our britches two days later and bought, borrowed and stole every shovel and hoe within 400 miles. Maybe you're talking about all the recalcitrant bums who got bussed around the country and still refused to get out of the damned hotels a year and a half later. Or are you talking about 'Chocolate Ray'? Or the thousands of ninth warders hollering, 'Where my check?" Or the democrats six months later who were still blaming Bush. I took the Amtrack from Jackson to N.O. two years later and saw hundreds of blue tarps...waitin' on the gubment truck to come by. But, if you're referring to the Rotary Club in Baton Rouge, you might be right. The rest...Nope.
@7:46 Cocodrie is demolished. Not much left intact. I saw a video yesterday from a friend down there and they took it on the chin.
I'll take the other side of this stronger code building discussion.
Those codes just make it much more expensive to build structures down there that get wiped out anyway....regardless of how it LOOKS from drone pics etc...those building ( even the expensively built coded up ones) ARE trashed. They are totaled. It's like mandating a $10,000 bumper on all cars which when get bumped totals the entire car. Not a great analogy I know but you get the point.
Building down there on the front line should be disposable and cheap. And no federal flood insurance. There's no sense building a hurricane proof fort down there. That's just foolish.
Build disposables, evac. when the storm comes, hope for the best.
Dont heavily invest in such a place.
The toughest codes in the word do nothing but increase the cost of building and of the damage done when a big storm hits anyway.
flame away.
10:11 you are correct. Despite still standing, with hours upon hours of wind and driven rain, they are full of water. Sure they are standing, but more than likely they will be pretty nasty when the owners are allowed to get back in there and start ripping sheetrock, insulation, and flooring out.
@10:11am
Local and national taxpayers spend heavily to clean up poor construction messes that are blown/washed off of slabs. The resulting trash collects off site in waterways and roadways.
In many cases, cheaply applied metal roofing and siding ("...disposable and cheap...") can fly off one building to damage others significantly.
But if sufficient extra cost is borne by an Owner for well engineered new construction, homes are built to withstand gusts of 200mph winds and are structurally "tied down" from rafters to slab, as well as raised on stout 12" X 12" piles/piers so as to resist many of these storm forces.
Insurance standards and premiums can work in concert with building codes in storm prone areas just as they have for hundreds of years to protect against fires.
EG: New Orleans burned down a couple times before masonry separation walls, cast iron posts and railing and noncombustible roofing of tile or slate became the norm.
Rather than build some POS that reduces to widespread litter for taxpayers and neighbors to haul off after a storm, those who prefer more economic beach accommodations can spend $75,000+/- on an RV/trailer instead of $750,000 +/- on a permanent structure and simply pull your vacation on wheels to and from the beach. TX, AL, LA and FL provide some upscale RV sites near the shore.
Or rent a well-built place from someone who did spend $750,000.
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