Edward J. Blakely, 87, Dies; Hired to Oversee Katrina Recovery in New Orleans

An urban planner who specialized in disaster recovery, he was brought in to revive the city after the 2005 storm. The task proved larger than one man could handle. https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/10/29/multimedia/29blakely-01-gcwt/29blakely-01-gcwt-mediumSquareAt3X.jpg