The Downtown Development District in New Orleans is accepting applications for a grant matching program to help fill vacant ground-floor storefronts and support small businesses in the downtown area.
Kandy’s Restaurant opened about a month ago in the former home of a hookah lounge. The space had been empty for about a year.
“At first, I did not like it,” owner and executive chef Kandice Taylor said. “It was an ugly duckling, and I kept walking past it, and something just told me, like, go inside, look at it.”
Taylor, a longtime fine dining server in the restaurant industry, opened the place after her children’s father encouraged her to attend culinary school in Paris.
“I had to renovate the building completely. It took longer than expected and way more money than expected,” Taylor said.
Taylor opened her restaurant before the grant program launched.
While there’s a push to fill vacant storefronts in the neighborhood, the city Planning Commission approved plans to convert two empty buildings earlier this month. The former International High School of New Orleans, which closed last year, will become a hotel.
“This is a very exciting historical rehabilitation project,” one woman said on behalf of the development team at a city meeting earlier this month. “I’m sure if you’ve spent any time downtown, you’re familiar with this building. It’s just a beautiful art deco style piece in the middle of downtown.”
Another longtime-vacant building on Carondelet Street across from the former school will turn into an indoor amusement facility.
Taylor said opening a business has been difficult, especially as a mother of five.
“So far it has been worth it,” she said. “Any dream I think is worth trying at least.”
Aspiring business owners can apply for funding through the Downtown Development District until October.
READ MORE:Grant program aims to fill vacant storefronts in downtown New Orleans
