The comfortable feel of Violet just 8 miles from New Orleans
The suburban community of Violet is about 8 miles from the city limits of New Orleans . But Violet's quiet subdivisions feel far from the buzz of the Big Easy. “When somebody’s moving to the area, New Orleans is not primarily the spot they want to be in. The draw is not the city; it’s the suburbs of the city,” says Wendy Englande, a Realtor with Century 21 Investment Realty and a lifelong resident of the region. “You’re only 20 minutes away from the city, but you’re not in the city life.”
Ranch-style homes now mainly outside high-risk flood zones
Violet sits on an east-bank bend in the Mississippi River in St. Bernard Parish. Neighborhoods flank the main roads, with sidewalks lining the narrow residential streets and power lines running overhead. Most homes have small front yards and fenced-in backyards. Ranch-style builds are most common, selling for $50,000 to $190,000. Larger Acadian-style houses can sell for $195,000 to $265,000.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused severe flooding in Violet. “That area in some spots took on 10 to 12 feet of water that stayed for days and weeks because it’s like a little fishbowl,” Englande says. More than 20 years later, some lots are still empty; others have been rebuilt. “Like with anything, there were pros and cons. You had the benefit of the new schools and structures. All the infrastructure had to be redone.” Today, Violet’s population is roughly two-thirds of pre-Katrina levels. Completed in 2018, a new system of floodwalls and levees protects the parish. According to FEMA, most of Violet is now outside high-risk flood zones, though scattered properties still require flood insurance.
Education at St. Bernard Parish Public Schools
Students in Violet can attend the St. Bernard Parish Public Schools system, which gets an overall B-plus grade from Niche. W. Smith Jr. Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade and receives a C-plus rating. The school building was once utilized for Violet Consolidated High, a school for Black students during segregation, and its name honors the high school’s longest-serving principal, Willie Smith, Jr. Most students are zoned to St. Bernard Middle, which gets a B. Chalmette High is the district’s only high school, receiving a B-plus grade. The school offers dual enrollment programs through the nearby Nunez Community College campus.
Parks in the community and fishing on nearby waterways
Violet Park is the community’s main spot for recreation. The park includes a baseball field, a basketball court and a playground. Otherwise, residents often head elsewhere in the parish, such as St. Bernard State Park. The area has campsites, playgrounds and a splash pad 3 miles from Violet. Sports leagues play at Val Riess Park in Chalmette , roughly 6 miles away. Locals also take advantage of nearby waterways like Lake Borgne and Bayou Bienvenue. “It’s a big fishing and boating community,” Englande says. “People will travel down there. They have fishing camps available. There are a lot of marinas and a lot of wildlife.”
Neighborhood eateries and bars, plus more shopping in Meraux
Restaurants and bars are scattered along St. Bernard Highway through Violet. Local favorites include Charlie’s Restaurant, which serves seafood, pasta and gumbo. De Pope Tavern — named for a local New Orleans Saints superfan — is a watering hole with a limited food menu, and the Grab-N-Go Food Mart has a lunch counter with po’boys. Gas stations and convenience stores flank Judge Perez Drive closer to Meraux . The Walmart Neighborhood Market, just over 3 miles away in Meraux, is the nearest spot for groceries and other essentials.
Residents attend events throughout the parish
Locals attend community events year-round throughout the parish. Docville Farm, less than a mile away, hosts theater productions and festivals like Blues, Brews and BBQ. Englande points out Los Islenos Fiesta, which celebrates the Canary Islanders who immigrated to the area in Spanish colonial times. The festival is held annually at the Los Islenos Museum Complex, 4 miles away, and includes music, dancing, food and history.
Most commuters head to the New Orleans Central Business District
New Orleans’ Central Business District sits 13 miles upriver, and many residents commute to the city. While most people drive, the St. Bernard Urban Rapid Transit system operates buses through Violet to the parish’s border with New Orleans. The nearest emergency room is at the St. Bernard Parish Hospital, 8 miles away in Chalmette. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, 26 miles west, offers direct flights to nearly 60 destinations.
The Louisiana International Terminal proposed for Violet
Violet is the proposed location for the Louisiana International Terminal, an additional site for the Port of New Orleans. The local elementary school and Violet Park are each within the terminal's planned boundaries, and the Port of New Orleans has promised to help fund construction for new facilities. However, the port has seen pushback from some residents looking to preserve the community’s character.
