Yesterday Mayor Nagin and Strategic Hotels, the corporation that owns the Hyatt, announced plans for a major overhaul of a large chunk of Downtown. Many old and/or damaged buildings will be demolished including City Hall and the New Orleans Centre to make way for a new Jazz Park/Center, a new civic courthouse and new municipal buildings among other structures. City Hall will be relocated to the renovated Dominion Towers.
I applaud Strategic Hotels for their initiative here. I think that partnerships like this one, between government and private corporations, neighborhoods or non-profits are the only way anything will actually get accomplished down here.
The result will be a swath of green space leading from Tulane Avenue to the sports complexes of the Superdome and New Orleans Arena surrounded by modern buildings designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Thom Mayne in association with local architect Ray Manning. Developers on a panel convened by Hyatt and working with other stakeholders from New Orleans envision an internationally known destination for the arts and tourism that will be used day and night.
The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra would be based there, which would also be a destination for national touring jazz acts. Ron Markham, president of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, said the site, near the birthplace of Louis Armstrong, would be branded as the international home for jazz. Wynton Marsalis led the design of the $120 million National Jazz Center.
I'm really interested to see the Thom Mayne building(s) in detail. Here's a sample of his work from the NYT after he won the Pritzker.
Here's the proposed map:
Finally something to be excited about!
Lookit all the greenspace.
Be nice if it actually happens.
Posted by: Will | May 31, 2006 at 04:40 PM
That's exactly what I'm thinking, but since it's a $715 Million project and Strategic have raised $400 Million already it seems like it will. If the city can't get this done we are in even bigger trouble than I thought.
Posted by: Jonah | May 31, 2006 at 04:52 PM
It looks like it is going to happen, you made a good point on the $400 million. We are in dire need of this, upon returning from Chicago Monday I noticed that downtown Chicago has parks EVERYWHERE! It really was a nice touch, it made you feel comfortable. I would like to see New Orleans rebuild the city like this. I would like to see them not stop here, just go ahead and revamp alot of the city, of course saving the older landmarks that you can. Have a blessed day and go N.O!
Posted by: Peyton | May 31, 2006 at 06:38 PM
Ha. I cut that article out too! Lets hope it is accomplished!
Posted by: Rick Bergez | June 01, 2006 at 09:41 AM