this is what I think should be done:
A new city, or major additions to an exsisting one should be built instead of rebuilding New Orleans. They should keep The Big Easy as a commericial port because of its location but after that, theres not much use. Possibly additions on to Galveston Texas, the site of the deadlist hurricane ever (8,000 people died when a storm serge caused the freshwater lake to burst its banks in a big way.) Galveston would be the ideal site since a good bit of the residences have already been relocated there and some business is in that area already.
Now on to my main point, biggest rebuild projects ever! This is where I think New Orleans as a city ranks in rebuilding.
1.)
Great Fire of London I picked this because the fact that London was soo important on the world scale. As in the largest and most powerful city on the planet at the time. Kudos to Christopher Wren for designing almost all 87 Churches and Cathedrals when it was rebuilt.
2.) New Orleans, reports saying that some 160,000 homes may need to be demolished. Speaks for itself.
3.) Indonesia-2004 This is bad enough because everything was swept away, at least there are still roads connecting whats left of new orleans to everything else.
4.)
Great Fire of Rome they are still talking about it....
5.)
Galveston Hurricane of 1900 soo bad it lead to Political reform and eventually City Councils instead of mayors.
Good to mention
Hurricane of 1780 killed possibly 20,000 and leveled numerous islands. A surveyor thought the hurricane was accomponied with an earthquake. But there wasn't much rebuilding to do