The NOUPT transit hub occupies the intersection of Loyola Avenue and Calliope Street/ Pontchartrain Expressway/Interstate-10 and forms the northwestern corner of the study area.. While t
Introduction and Background
This report analyzes current conditions, reviews planned and projected changes, and evaluates development opportunities for the NOUPT station area, presenting scenarios that illustrate possible courses of action It concludes with a set of recommendations to guide redevelopment efforts, with the aim of turning these scenarios into reality and realizing the overarching vision for a revitalized downtown neighborhood.
The New Orleans Central Business
The Central Business District (CBD) is the city’s hub of business and financial activity, anchoring the urban economy It is surrounded by a diverse array of neighborhoods (see Figure 1.4 for reference), with the French Quarter (Vieux Carré) located to the east.
Around the north, northeast and northwest edges of the CBD are Espla- nade Ridge, 6th Ward/Tremé/Lafitte,
New Orleans’ central business district comprises four historic, mixed-use, culturally significant districts—Tulane/Gravier and Central City among them To the south and southwest, the Mississippi River and the Warehouse District bound the CBD, and this report defines the study area within these boundaries.
(see Figure 1.2) lies in two districts as defined by the Downtown Develop- ment District (DDD): the Warehouse/
Museum/Arts District and the Super- dome District (Figure 1.3) (Downtown
The NOUPT, located at 1001 Loyola
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, located on Loyola Avenue in downtown New Orleans, opened in 1954, consolidating the city’s five existing train stations into a single facility Today the station is served by three Amtrak intercity trains—the Crescent, the City of New Orleans, and the Sunset Limited—connecting New Orleans with major destinations from New York and Chicago to Los Angeles.
New Orleans, and the Sunset Limited)
The station is also served by Grey- hound bus service The NOUPT transit hub occupies the intersection of Loyola Avenue and Calliope Street/
10 and forms the northwestern corner of the study area Poydras Street forms the easternmost boundary and Baronne Street forms the southernmost boundary (see Figure 1.2)
The area in which NOUPT is located has suffered from decades of disin- vestment Entire city blocks consist of vacant buildings and parking lots
A new streetcar along Loyola Avenue will connect the NOUPT to Canal Street, while potential rail service between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, plus the anticipated redevelopment of the Tom Benson‑owned complex nearby, position the Loyola corridor and NOUPT station for fresh investment and redevelopment This setting paves the way for a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood with access to multiple transit options and presents a core opportunity for transit-oriented development (TOD).
As the economy improves, downtown New Orleans is well positioned for infill development that will accompany enhanced public transportation along the Loyola corridor The area is expected to draw the Creative Class, a segment that now accounts for about 30% of the workforce and relies on creativity in their work A Downtown Development District survey, presented in the Creative Class Market Research Report, found that proximity to public transportation is rated by 73% of respondents as the single most important residential feature, highlighting the importance of transit access for residents and businesses in this part of the city.
Figure 1.4 The New Orleans CBD and Surrounding Neighborhoods
Source: Greater New Orleans Community Data Center
Land Use Analysis
Plan for the 21 st Century: New Orleans 2030
After Hurricane Katrina, four major post‑Katrina recovery plans were created to involve significant public processes in New Orleans The Bring New Orleans Back Commission (BNOBC) operated at a time when most residents had not yet returned and used a top‑down assessment of the city’s condition, a method whose outcomes and procedures proved controversial The New Orleans Neighborhoods Rebuilding Plan (NONRP) followed, being adopted by the City Council and built on the principle that every neighborhood would be considered in the planning process, signaling a more inclusive approach to rebuilding Together, these plans highlight the contrast between centralized decision‑making and neighborhood‑focused inclusion in the city’s recovery efforts.
The Unified New Orleans Plan (UNOP), announced in June 2006, integrated its objectives and proposals with those of other plans to form the Citywide Recovery and Redevelopment Plan, as described by Nelson, Ehrenfeucht, and Laska (2007).
In 2008, a participatory planning initiative was launched to develop a long-term master plan for New Orleans The process included numerous citywide forum meetings and a series of charrettes across the thirteen planning districts of Orleans Parish, aligned with the New Orleans Master Plan and the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.
While the City Planning Commission had approved certain sections of the master plan draft prior to Katrina, the Citywide Recovery Plan is intended to guide future development around the city The proposals and recommendations outlined in the plan focus on rebuilding with resilience, coordinating redevelopment across neighborhoods, and establishing a sustainable growth framework for post-disaster recovery In short, the Citywide Recovery Plan aims to steer long-term urban development by aligning rebuilding efforts with citywide priorities and ensuring investments support resilient, inclusive growth.
―New Orleans 2030‖ are used to guide the land use analysis herein
New Orleans’ Master Plan outlines the city’s long‑term vision, and the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance is being developed in parallel to translate that vision into practical land‑use regulations In addition to district‑specific recommendations, the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance: Technical Review Report offers a citywide evaluation of existing land uses and regulations, and identifies the priorities and issues that the ordinance should address to implement the plan.
Source: New Orleans Master Plan
Current Zoning Regulations
The land use analysis encompasses an area of nine downtown streets, all of which fall within Planning District
(PD) 1A The entirety of the Central
The Business District, which includes the study area, is zoned CBD The land use analysis covers a relatively compact area that includes CBD-5 and CBD-7 sub-designations, both of which are specified as downtown mixed-use.
In the study area, 280 properties were evaluated according to the Orleans
According to the Parish Assessor's Office, the study area’s land uses were categorized into three classes: Commercial, Residential, and Entertainment The city found that Commercial and Residential uses each account for about 40% of the district, making them the dominant categories Entertainment accounts for less than 10%, with the remainder of properties remaining unclassified.
Source: New Orleans Master Plan
Proposed Zoning Changes and Future Land Use Plans
and Future Land Use Plans
It is clear in the Unified New Orleans
The UNOP plan outlines a nearly codified land-use framework that clearly demonstrates the demand and need to transform the downtown core—and the study area—into a more walkable urban setting By prioritizing pedestrian-friendly streets, mixed-use development, and compact block patterns, the plan envisions a revitalized downtown that is accessible, vibrant, and easier to navigate on foot, supporting greater pedestrian activity, economic vitality, and overall livability.
The plan’s technical review section identifies the current zoning definitions and their shortcomings For example, while the entire Central Business District is zoned CBD, there are ten sub-designations: CBD-1, CBD-2, CBD-2b, and other sub-designations that illustrate nuanced differences in permitted uses and development standards that the broad CBD designation does not capture.
Revisions 3 through 9 to the upper CBD zoning increase focus on increased density, a concentration of hotel, office, entertainment, and retail uses, and expanded residential options within the district By enabling more intense development and a true mixed-use mix, these changes aim to foster a vibrant, walkable urban core with a diversified economy and more livability for residents.
The Master Plan identifies district-specific issues with existing zoning regulations and, drawing on the New Orleans Master Plan and the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (2010), outlines recommendations to address flaws and weaknesses in current land use within the CBD and its numerous sub-designations.
The purpose of each CBD District should be more clearly defined and easily distinguishable in intent from one another
Downtown zoning should encour- age higher density use, organized around a well-defined urban form
The Ordinance should establish a coordinated set of regulations with the Central Business District‘s his- toric district guidelines
Two zoning changes are proposed in the study area The first area bounded by Baronne Street, Loyola Avenue, Poydras Street, Lafayette Street, O'Keefe Avenue, and Calliope Street would be zoned downtown mixed-use The second area bounded by Lafayette Street, Calliope Street, O'Keefe Avenue, and Baronne Street would be zoned mixed-use high density.
Land Use Inventory
A land use inventory of the area was completed for this report in March
2010 Land uses were categorized based on observable characteristics us- ing the Activity dimension of the Land
Based Classification Standards (LBCS) published by the American Planning
Association (American Planning Asso- ciation, 2003) The results of this inven- tory are shown in Figure 2.3
Figure 2.4 was also created from the data collected in the land use inven- tory The number of stories of each building was estimated from the out- side In addition to the many proper- ties without structures, there are also vacant structures in the area, some with multiple stories These are also feasible for redevelopment
Figure 2.5 isolates the portions of the study area that have no buildings
These parking lots and vacant lots rep- resent prime targets for development
Photos: Taken by the Authors
Source: Created by the Authors
Source: Created by the Authors
Figure 2.5 Surface Parking and Empty Lots
Source: Created by the Authors
Surface Parking
The area adjacent to the NOUPT is characterized by extensive quantities of both surface and structured parking
(See Figure 2.6) In particular, the blocks bounded by Howard Avenue,
Loyola Avenue, Girod Street, and
O‘Keefe Avenue (excluding the de- funct Plaza Tower) are dedicated al- most exclusively to surface parking
A recent study conducted by the New
According to the New Orleans Downtown Development District (DDD), even in a scenario of aggressive city growth and rising parking demand, the Warehouse District's current parking supply—including the full study area defined by the DDD but excluding the station itself—will satisfy or exceed demand for at least the next five to ten years, per the New Orleans Mobility and Parking Study: Final Report.
―aggressive‖ 3% growth rate, in ten years, only two blocks within the study area (those directly adjoining
NOUPT) are projected to exceed 75% average occupancy Projections for moderate growth (2%) and conserva- tive growth (1%) result in an even greater parking surplus
More than 700,000 square feet of off-street surface parking are provided, not counting parking embedded in ground floors, roofs, or interior structures (see Table 1, Appendix 1) This area equals nearly 16 acres and can accommodate up to 2,500 cars The land devoted to parking accounts for roughly 25% of gross surface area (including rights-of-way and all public space) and about 75% of buildable land Although a comprehensive parking demand study was not within the scope of this report, site visits at various times of day show that parking supply significantly exceeds typical demand, with many vacant spaces in each lot even during peak weekday business hours.
On-street parking is available throughout the study area, with notable concentrations along Baronne Street and South Rampart Street and no street parking on the downtown side of Calliope Street The study area provides 413 on-street parking spaces (see Table 2, Appendix 1), a level that generally exceeds parking demand except for Baronne Street between Howard Avenue and Girod Street.
Within the study area, there are four multi-story parking structures: 622 Loyola Avenue, 1217 Julia Street, Plaza Tower, and 922-932 Howard Avenue Capacity data for these structures is not available at this time and requires further study.
The study area’s excessive supply of severely underutilized surface parking reflects a historical pattern of disinvestment that hinders neighborhood vitality and long-term growth around NOUPT It also contributes to an inhospitable, pedestrian-unfriendly streetscape in the vicinity of NOUPT Yet the oversupply of underutilized space, much of it currently for sale, signals near-term opportunities for investment and redevelopment in the station area.
Source: Created by the Authors, Google
Vacancy
In the study area there are 12 identi- fied vacant or abandoned properties totaling 121,068 square feet (see Table
Most of these properties are on Baronne Street, which has the greatest number of individual properties Evidence indicates that a few are currently undergoing rehabilitation, while several others, including old warehouses, offices, and a guesthouse, remain untouched.
There are two noteworthy vacant properties within the study area The first is the old Sewell Cadillac-
Chevrolet dealership The business has been closed leaving a large empty building on a prime corner location at the intersection of Baronne and Girod
The building’s size and design enable a variety of uses that could boost progress in this part of downtown, attracting investment and activity Developers have already shown clear interest in the property, and plans are underway to open a mixed-use development that could include residential, retail, and office space, signaling a revitalization effort for the area.
Rouse‘s supermarket there in the fu- ture (CityBusiness Staff, 2010)
1001 Howard Avenue, known as Crescent City Towers/Plaza Tower, could be the most significant property in the area aside from NOUPT As one of the largest structures in New Orleans and Louisiana, it has remained unused due to mold and asbestos After a recent auction, a buyer invested about $10 million in remediation, and the building was put back on the market in early 2010 If restored, the property could trigger substantial investment in this part of the city, serving as an anchor and focal point for future development.
The Land Use-Transportation Nexus
Nexus: Identifying incongruent land-use regulations within the NOUPT corridor is the essential first step toward achieving the project’s objective, a goal stated here in the purpose statement and also articulated in the post‑Katrina New Orleans Master Plan: transforming this area into a more attractive, pedestrian‑friendly, densely populated district of New Orleans’ downtown center.
NOUPT's role as a transit hub is central to the corridor redevelopment's success While zoning changes and regulatory updates are important, they are only one component of the broader redevelopment strategy A further requirement for attracting future reinvestment is a commitment to planning and implementing structural enhancements to the New Orleans downtown transportation network Current planning efforts for an improved transit system, along with recommendations, are outlined in the next chapter.
The study area is bounded by the Pontchartrain Expressway, the river- side of Baronne Street, Poydras Street and the lakeside of Loyola Avenue
The street network in this area is laid out in a grid pattern and is intersected by Howard Avenue at an angle with Loyola Avenue (Figure 3.1) Loyola Avenue comprises three lanes in each direction and is split by a neutral ground in the center At the Loyola and Girod Streets intersection, the Cancer Survivors’ Memorial Park sits on the neutral ground.
Currently the study area is mainly served by vehicle traffic, with limited pedestrian access
Pedestrian access to the study area is restricted to sidewalks and crosswalks, with no pedestrian signals at those crossings Loyola Avenue and Howard Avenue are heavily trafficked by vehicles, offering little pedestrian protection (see Figure 3.2) The NOUPT serves both Amtrak and Greyhound arrivals and departures (Figures 3.4 and 3.5) Currently, there are no streetcars that serve this area.
St Charles Streetcar lines are located within a few blocks of the study area (Figure 3.7) Bus service in the area operates on Loyola Avenue, O'Keefe Avenue, Baronne Street, and along the Pontchartrain Expressway and Poydras Street (Figure 3.6) Transit improvements play a central role in the redevelopment of this area To support planning efforts, we summarize and analyze existing transportation planning documents produced by key agencies.
Source: Created by the Authors
Transportation Analysis
Summary of the Existing Transportation Network
The study area is bounded by the Pontchartrain Expressway, the river- side of Baronne Street, Poydras Street and the lakeside of Loyola Avenue
The street network in this area follows a grid pattern and is intersected by Howard Avenue at an angle with Loyola Avenue (Figure 3.1) Loyola Avenue comprises three lanes in each direction and is divided by a central neutral ground median At the Loyola and Girod Streets intersection, the neutral ground accommodates the Cancer Survivors’ Memorial Park.
Currently the study area is mainly served by vehicle traffic, with limited pedestrian access
Pedestrian access to the study area is restricted to sidewalks and crosswalks that lack pedestrian signals Loyola Avenue and Howard Avenue experience heavy vehicle traffic with minimal pedestrian protection (see Figure 3.2) The NOUPT facility serves both Amtrak and Greyhound arrivals and departures (Figures 3.4 and 3.5) Currently, there are no streetcars that serve this area.
St Charles Streetcar lines lie within a few blocks of the study area (Figure 3.7) Bus service in the area operates along Loyola Avenue, O’Keefe Avenue, and Baronne Street, as well as along the Pontchartrain Expressway and Poydras Street (Figure 3.6) Transit improvements are key to the successful redevelopment of this area To support these efforts, we summarize and analyze existing transportation planning documents produced by the region’s key agencies.
Source: Created by the Authors
Source: Created by the Authors
NOUPT is situated in an area that is easily reachable by cars and trucks due to a grid-pattern of neighborhood streets and numerous highway entrances High-speed arterial roads funnel traffic directly to the closest highway onramps, which isolates the NOUPT area with respect to pedestrian access and creates an island-like dynamic around the site.
(Figure 3.2) Lower speed streets can be visually identified by greater atten- tion to detail, such as brick pavements
Amtrak operates three long-distance passenger rail services from the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal (NOUPT): the City of New Orleans to Chicago, the Sunset Limited to Los Angeles, and the Crescent to Washington, DC and the rest of the Northeast Corridor These routes connect NOUPT with major destinations across the United States, as shown in Figure 3.4.
Each train operates on a once daily or every other day basis New Orleans is identified as the hub of a proposed high speed rail corridor for the Gulf
Coast by the Federal Railroad Admini- stration (see Figure 3.5)
Source: Amtrak.com Source: Taken by the Authors
Figure 3.5 National High-Speed Rail Corridor Designations
The NOUPT serves as the only Grey- hound bus terminal in the city of New
Orleans Through direct buses and transfers, Greyhound links New Or- leans to its national network of desti- nations A separate bus service, LA
Swift, travels between New Orleans and Baton Rouge five to eight times a day
A federally funded extension of the streetcar system will be built along Loyola Avenue, with a terminus at NOUPT This extension aligns with the broader New Orleans streetcar plan depicted in Figure 3.9 and with the Master Plan shown in Figure 3.10 (black dashed lines) The Master Plan map also includes a Howard Avenue linkage that is absent from the more recent proposals.
New Orleans' Central Business District serves as the central terminus for a wide range of Regional Transit Authority (RTA) bus and streetcar routes, making it a well-served transit hub Canal Street functions as the turn-around for uptown and downtown services, with only a few routes crossing both halves of the city Streetcars operate along the Riverfront, St Charles, Carondelet, and Canal Streets, all within walking distance of the NOUPT (New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal).
Source: Created by the Authors
Source: New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
Source: New Orleans Master Plan
Existing Transportation Planning Documents
This document provides a comprehensive summary and analysis of existing transportation planning documents and studies that inform the decision-making process of key stakeholders in the redevelopment of the study area, and it includes the 2030 planning horizon as a framework for setting priorities and guiding investments, timelines, and implementation strategies.
Master Plan, the Coordinated Public
Programs for the New Orleans Urbanized
Area, the 2010 Unified Planning Work
Program for Transportation Planning, and the New Orleans Index All of these planning documents point to the im- portance of coordinated improvements in usability and accessibility in the
New Orleans transit system, including pedestrian and bicycle access
Plan for the 21 st Century: New Or- leans 2030
New Orleans 2030, the Plan for the 21st Century, emphasizes expanding development into a pedestrian-friendly city The future transportation system is best developed by leveraging the city’s dense street grids and existing transit lines The plan prioritizes completing much-needed repairs on streets and bridges, expanding transportation choices, and enhancing inter-city and freight transportation systems Together, these elements create a more connected, accessible, and resilient transportation network for New Orleans.
New Orleans' plan strongly emphasizes a pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly city, and by adopting transportation development guidelines—most notably the Complete Streets framework outlined in the New Orleans Master Plan and the Transportation provisions of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance—for the area surrounding the NOUPT, the city aims to deliver a transportation and transit system that is innovative and developer-friendly The infrastructure investments proposed in the current Master Plan draft are central to the future development of this district and other parts of the city.
Services Transpor- tation Plan for the New Orleans Met- ropolitan Area
The Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan outlines the challenges of delivering public transportation to the disabled, low-income, and elderly populations in the New Orleans region and presents strategies to improve the transportation system for these communities.
The plan‘s strategy includes four goals:
1 Improving accessibility and mobil- ity by adjusting the fixed routes to better serve target populations and offering transit subsidies to special needs populations
2 Assessing the community provid- ers and service areas in order to better coordinate services, and de- veloping relationships with local stakeholders such as workforce de- velopment agencies and local busi- nesses in order to promote poten- tial job opportunities for special needs individuals
3 Improving customer service within the transit system with such initia- tives as travel training, mobility counseling and trip planning
4 Improving coordination within the region by expanding the planning process to include a more inclusive and diverse list of policy makers and potential stakeholders
By supporting a mixed-use, pedestrian
-friendly development in the upper
CBD, the Regional Planning Commis- sion (RPC) can work toward fulfilling the focus laid out in the Coordinated
Public Transit-Human Services Plan Ac- cessibility will be improved through the redevelopment of the NOUPT as a multi-modal transit hub
Transportation Im- provement Pro- gram, New Orleans Urbanized Area Fis- cal Years 2009-2010
The Transportation Improvement Pro- gram (TIP) is adopted bi-annually by the Regional Planning Commission
This document is prepared jointly by the RPC, in its legal capacity as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the New Orleans urbanized area, together with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and the affected transit operators.
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) encompasses highway maintenance, replacement and upgrades, transit redevelopment and promotion, and enhancements to bicycle and pedestrian access and congestion management The Accepted Transportation Enhancement Projects are listed in Appendix 2.
2010 Unified Plan- ning Work Pro- gram for Trans- portation Planning
Regional Planning Commission, Fiscal Year 2010
The Fiscal Year 2010 Unified Planning
Work Program for Transportation Plan- ning describes all federally funded transportation studies being con- ducted within the greater New Or- leans transportation study area The
Unified Planning Work Program outlines the federally funded planning activities conducted by the RPC, local transit providers, the state Department of Transportation and Development, and local government units to maintain and enhance the efficiency of the region’s highway, transit, aviation, maritime, and rail systems The plan also addresses a range of critical issues in the NOUPT area.
Development of traffic congestion relief and prevention programs Quantitative evaluation of trans- portation air quality impacts
Coordination of transportation plans with local land use develop- ment
Evaluation of other social, eco- nomic, and environmental conse- quences of transportation plan de- velopment
Development of an overall finan- cial plan with priorities for imple- mentation
By introducing the Loyola Avenue streetcar line and redeveloping the
NOUPT is envisioned as a multi-modal hub for regional transit, with the aim of reducing congestion and improving air quality Realizing this vision will require coordinated planning with developers interested in the area, as well as collaboration with businesses and with other governmental and non-governmental agencies.
The New Orleans Index: Tracking the Recovery of New Orleans & the Metro Area
The Greater New Orleans Commu- nity Data Center and The Brooking Institution, August
The New Orleans Index monitors the city’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina by collecting data that are significant for measuring progress, evaluating the state of the economy, infrastructure, and other urban services in New Orleans, and, within infrastructure, examining the public transportation system and the volume of ridership.
By 2009, average daily ridership on the transit system had risen about 10% from earlier years, yet it still stood at only 43% of pre‑Katrina levels By the end of 2009, the number of operational buses was about 30% of pre‑Katrina levels, and the routes were only about 50% of their pre‑Katrina extent.
Five years post-Katrina, the shift in population and changes in the popula- tion‘s needs must be taken into consid- eration when planning future transit
By expanding the streetcar line, and creating a transit hub at the NOUPT, we can move toward better service, which will increase ridership
Future Transportation Plans
New Orleans is poised to transform the transportation options available to its residents, drawing input from citizens, experts, and activists who have contributed ideas to various plans for change Some proposals offer visionary concepts (Figure 3.10), while others present concrete projects at different stages of implementation (Figure 3.8), illustrating a spectrum from aspiration to action in the city’s transportation transformation.
To redevelop the area around NOUPT into a walkable, mixed-use district, targeted transit and transportation improvements are essential The planned streetcar expansion from NOUPT to Canal will strengthen connectivity, stimulate local economic activity, and promote sustainable mobility by encouraging pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders to move efficiently through the corridor.
Street (and eventually down South
From Rampart Street to Press Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, the NOUPT redevelopment as a transportation hub enhances citywide connectivity and positions the area for regional impact Permanent infrastructure investment, including the streetcar expansion, will make this district more attractive to developers.
In October 2009, the Regional Transit
Authority (RTA) announced plans for the CBD/French Quarter Streetcar Expansion project, inviting the public to participate in the process A range of surveys, design processes, and analyses were conducted by the RTA and other agencies to gather input and assess options In January 2010, the RTA hosted a project kick-off meeting where a presentation detailing the plans was given and attendees were encouraged to share their input.
In February 2010, New Orleans secured a $45 million TIGER grant from the federal government to fund the initial phase of the project The project was one of four nationwide selected to receive an FTA grant from the Obama administration By the end of May 2010, public involvement had concluded, and in October 2010 the RTA announced plans to break ground, aiming for completion by late 2012 to meet TIGER grant requirements Potential funding to complete the project includes the Urban Circular Grant, RTA Sales Revenue Bonds, Convention Center Capital Reserve, and FTA Small Starts Grants.
Other sources include local matching funds, HUD, EPA, and USDOT grants
NOUPT will be redeveloped into a multi-modal transit hub that continues Amtrak and Greyhound service while adding connections to RTA streetcars and buses This upgrade will enhance transit across the city, delivering more reliable, integrated transportation for residents and visitors—not just in the CBD but citywide.
In order to best develop this area as multi-modal, following a ―complete streets‖ model (as suggested in the
A Plan for the 21st Century New Orleans is strongly advised as a guiding framework for future growth Stakeholders are repeatedly calling for a higher and better use of the grade-level parking lots along Loyola Ave to unlock greater value for the district With Plaza Tower recently back on the market, there is increasing interest from developers who could revitalise Plaza Tower and also redevelop surrounding properties.
Funding is in place for the planned Howard Avenue extension to the Superdome and New Orleans Arena area, but the project is currently on hold When realized, it would connect the Superdome/Arena district with the NOUPT area and extend to the CBD and Warehouse District, improving downtown connectivity The plan prioritizes enhanced pedestrian access and the creation of a green space to serve as a welcoming gathering point before and after events.
New Orleans is expanding its bike infrastructure, with plans for 46 miles of bike lanes within the city by 2011 To boost walkability, sidewalks will be widened, and traffic-calming features such as bulb-outs and patterned crosswalks will be installed wherever feasible These initiatives reflect broader international efforts to create safer, more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly urban environments.
Complete Streets movement A re- cently completed section of Magazine
Street nearby the National WWII Mu- seum exhibits many of these best prac- tices (Figure 3.11)
The Loyola streetcar project is about more than transportation; it aims to create a multi-modal, mixed-use, walkable environment Its transportation component links this development to the city and region, spurring economic development and attracting investment in an area that has suffered years of disinvestment By redeveloping this underutilized tract of land in New Orleans, the project unlocks growth potential and helps link the neighborhood to broader opportunities, transforming the district into a connected, revitalized corridor.
CBD and the Warehouse District with the Arena/Superdome area, and with the Central City area on the other side of the Pontchartrain Expressway.
Figure 3.11 Magazine Street Bike Lane
Photo: Taken by the Authors
Strong economic development underpins the creation of a walkable, transit‑friendly, mixed‑use district in and around NOUPT Current land use and transportation patterns will shape economic development in the area Much of the principal study area is vacant or underutilized, yet the region's economic potential is evident in the successful redevelopment along Baronne Street and the nearby Warehouse District and CBD Access to the study area from the Pontchartrain Expressway, together with its proximity to key corridors, enhances connectivity and supports continued economic growth.
With the Charles Streetcar Line and the soon-to-be-built Loyola Streetcar Line, the study area will enjoy easy access across the city and region, boosting connectivity for residents and businesses The mix of vacant and underutilized land, alongside nearby successful examples and strong accessibility, positions the study area as a prime location for economic development.
This chapter forecasts how land values in the study area could increase from 2010 through 2040 if the land were developed To build these forecasts, interviews were conducted with a range of experts involved in downtown New Orleans real estate development Based on findings from the surveys and other reviewed materials, a model was developed to project future land value under different density and growth-rate scenarios.
This development model uses a slightly different study area than the land use analysis, as well as a number- ing system for the city blocks (Figure 4.1).
Development Analysis
Introduction
Successful economic development is the key to creating a walkable, transit-friendly, mixed-use district in and around the NOUPT Current land use and transportation decisions will shape economic development Much of the principal study area is vacant or underutilized, yet the area's economic potential is evident when considering the successful redevelopment along Baronne Street within the study area and the achievements of the nearby Warehouse District and the CBD Ingress and egress to the study area from the Pontchartrain Expressway underscore the role of transportation access in enabling growth.
The Charles Streetcar Line and the soon-to-be-built Loyola Streetcar Line will provide easy access from throughout the city and region, and the study area’s vacant and underutilized land, nearby successful examples, and strong accessibility combine to make it a prime location for economic development.
This chapter forecasts how the study area's land value could increase from 2010 through 2040 if the land is developed, using insights from downtown New Orleans real estate developers to inform the projections To develop plausible forecasts of future land value, interviews with a diverse set of experts and a review of relevant materials were conducted Based on these surveys and sources, a forecasting model was created to estimate future land value under different density scenarios and growth rates.
This development model uses a slightly different study area than the land use analysis, as well as a number- ing system for the city blocks (Figure 4.1)
Survey Summary, Interview Input, and Research Results
To gain a clear understanding of current market conditions and development potential in the target area, we conducted a series of surveys and interviews with stakeholders in development, real estate, government, and nonprofit sectors operating in and around the area (see Figure 4.2).
Across all sources, there is a broad consensus that the study area requires redevelopment attention, with the planned Loyola Avenue streetcar extension to link with NOUPT seen as a key catalyst Stakeholders emphasize higher density and improved walkability, supported by a coordinated, mixed-use approach that blends residential, office, retail, and quality-of-life amenities A connected network that ties the study area to the proposed sports complex on the site of the now-vacant property was repeatedly highlighted as a crucial opportunity.
New Orleans Centre/Hyatt hotel
There was also a common interest in clustering municipal buildings along
Loyola It was discovered that legisla- tion is pending that would allocate the vacant sites of the old State Office
Building and Louisiana Supreme Court along Loyola for use as the Or- leans Parish Civil District Court com- plex Interviewees stressed the impor- tance of connectivity to existing trans- portation infrastructure Some sug- gested extending streetcar service along Howard Avenue to the St
Charles line Finally, several experts agreed upon the need for more resi- dential units in the area Currently,
Winsome Bowen HDR, Inc Henry Charlot Downtown Development District Jay Cicero Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Sean Cummings New Orleans Building Corporation Andrea Huseman Corporate Realty, Louisiana Chair of Urban Land Institute Morgana King Arts Council of New Orleans
Jim McNamara Greater New Orleans Biosciences Economic Development District Chris Miller Southern High Speed Rail
Karen Parsons Regional Planning Commission Wade Ragas Real Estate Analyst and Consultant Kara Mattini Renne Regional Planning Commission Paul Waidhas Burk-Klienpeter, Inc
Marcel Wisznia, founder of Wisznia Architecture and Development, is coordinating several residential renovation projects in the CBD to deliver both market-rate and affordable housing, including the Saratoga building on Loyola Ave.
Land Value Forecasts
To project future land values within the study area, current data from the assessor’s office were used as the baseline and extended through six forecast scenarios defined by two dimensions: density (low, medium, high) and growth rate (low at 3% and high at 8%) These scenarios produce a future land value range from $501 million to $2.5 billion, with Figures 4.3 through 4.5 illustrating the six forecasts by density For details on the forecast methodology and the underlying analysis, see Appendix 3.
Low Density Land Value Forecast
Medium Density Land Value Forecast
High Density Land Value Forecast
D ol la rs (B illi on s)
D ol la rs (B illi ons )
Source: Created by the Authors.
Value Capture
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is an innovative funding tool that uses anticipated future gains in property tax revenue from a project to finance the project itself In the NOUPT area, establishing a TIF district could channel funds into improved transit, enhanced streetscapes, and new public buildings These investments are likely to boost nearby property values and help create a more livable neighborhood.
The results of a 1% TIF applied to the land value forecasts from the model are shown in Figure 4.6 New market value forecasts range from a low of
$466 million to a high of $2.4 billion by
2040 Cumulatively over the 30 years from 2010 to 2040, a 1% TIF could pro- duce at the low end $62 million, and at the high end $250 million
Figure 4.7 presents a conceptual vision for the area that emphasizes increased residential density, illustrating how surface parking areas would be transformed into multi-story buildings that blend with the character of the surrounding residential streets within a few blocks of the site.
Figure 4.7 Conceptual Future Land Use Model
Cumulative 1% TIF Potential over 30 years
1 New Market Value Potential is the difference between 2010 and 2040 value estimates.
Recommendations
Many key stakeholders in New Orleans identify the CBD around NOUPT as a transitional area with both potential and problems Although it is not yet clear how the district will look in 30 years, the proposed Loyola Avenue streetcar could significantly influence land use and spur broader changes across the area.
Transportation improvements must be made with a long-term vision in mind
Continued investment in Complete Streets design guidelines along Magazine Street, aligned with the new streetcar line, could significantly attract new residents to the area The Regional Planning Commission estimates a cost of about $1 million per block to apply this treatment, meaning the entire study area could be transformed for roughly $30 million—far below the lowest TIF projections Extra attention should be given to the Howard Avenue corridor, which currently hosts many dangerous pedestrian locations and will serve as the walking connection between two streetcar lines and the NOUPT.
With the CBD set as one of the major areas of investment in the coming years, the City of New Orleans and other key stakeholders in the area,
To ensure a successful investment in the area, the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, the Downtown Development District, the Regional Transit Authority, and the Regional Planning Commission must collaborate to develop targeted plans and tools that reflect their shared interests By aligning policies and establishing a clear development roadmap, these stakeholders can identify the critical next steps even before the streetcar is built Strong leadership from both the public and private sectors will be essential to inspire confidence in the redevelopment and to support future building projects Equally important is assessing what currently exists in the area and articulating a compelling vision for its future With purposeful planning, the vision of a livable neighborhood can become a reality.
Appendix 1 Parking and Vacancy Tables
Table 1 shows off-street surface parking (excluding rooftops and garages) by study-area block Data are approximated by analyzing Google Earth aerial photographs and calculating the dimensions of polygonal areas designated for parking, providing a spatial estimate of parking capacity across the studied blocks.
Bounded By: Approx Sq foot- age parking:
(300 ft sq /space to 350 ft sq/ space)
Table 2 On-street parking, by study area street segment: (Data from
New Orleans Mobility and Parking Study Final Report, DDD Jan 2009)
Baronne Julia St Joseph/Howard 28
1001 Howard Ave 67,180 Crescent City Towers
Appendix 2 LaDOTD Accepted Transportation Enhancement Projects
Source: New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
Notes on Running Economic Development Model
1 Parcels in study area were organized into nine blocks based on current land use and parcel orientation to the street and surrounding parcels
2 Block Ft 2 determined by summing up Ft 2 of individual parcels
3 Current block assessed value determined by summing up parcel assessed values (land only; no improvements)
4 Current block market value determined by multiplying assessed value by 10, since assessed value is 10% of actual value
5 Proposed block density was based on three different density scenarios - low, medium, and high Blocks 1,2,3,5,7, and 8 changed for each scenario Blocks 4, 6, and 9 remained constant based on current land use
6 Floor area ratio (FAR) was assumed to be 2.5 for low density, 7.0 for medium density, and 10.0 for high density
7 Proposed total Ft 2 calculated by multiplying block Ft 2 (see note 3) by FAR (see note 6)
8 Category Ft 2 calculated by assuming 75% residential (Total Ft 2 x 75), 20% office (Total Ft 2 x 20), and 5% retail (Total Ft 2 x 05)
9 Market Value determined by summing category values: residential market value + office market value + retail market value Category market values determined as
Residential: assumed average unit 1,500 Ft 2 and an average sale price of $250,000
(Residential Ft 2 /1,500) x $250,000) Office: Based on April 2010 market rates assumed $17 per Ft 2 per year
(Office Ft 2 x $17) Retail: Based on April 2010 market rates assumed $20 per Ft 2 per year
Growth forecasts are based on the study area’s total market value (see note 9) From 2010 to 2015, the annualized growth rate is assumed to be a modest 1% to account for development delays, and beginning in 2015 forecasts consider two growth scenarios: a low rate of 3% and a high rate of 8% Absorption is modeled as occurring in equal yearly increments over the development period, with annual absorption equal to Total Market Value divided by 30 The total area market value is calculated by applying annual inflation (3% or 8%) to the base value and adding the annual absorption (1/30 of the 2010 Total Market Value) The yearly change in land value due to development is found by subtracting the 2010 Base Market Value from each year’s New Market Value, and the portion of that difference intended for tax is assumed to be 10% of the market value, with the yearly assessed amount equal to 10% of the year’s difference between New Market Value and Base Market Value.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) was evaluated by calculating a 1% levy on the annual assessed value and then summing these annual amounts to obtain a 30-year cumulative TIF Forecasts were developed for six scenarios, combining three density levels with two growth-rate assumptions The annual 1% TIF equals 1% of the difference between New Market Value and Base Line Market Value, and the 30-year cumulative TIF is the sum of the annual amounts for each scenario.
Bowen, Winsome HDR, Inc Personal Interview 23 Apr 2010
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CityBusiness Staff ―Rouses to make announcement regarding Sewell building.‖
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After Hurricane Katrina, Nelson, Ehrenfeucht, and Laska explore how professional planning expertise, local knowledge, and government action shaped New Orleans' recovery They argue that successful rebuilding depended on integrating formal planning methods with the practical knowledge of residents and community organizations, rather than relying on top-down directives alone The study reveals frictions between planners, policymakers, and neighborhood residents, showing that bureaucratic agendas and resource constraints often limited adaptive responses By examining housing, land use, and infrastructure, the authors demonstrate how different actors negotiated priorities, allocated scarce resources, and implemented redevelopment in a politicized environment The analysis emphasizes the need for inclusive planning processes, cross-agency coordination, and accountable governance to translate plans into tangible improvements for vulnerable communities Ultimately, the article contends that post-disaster planning in New Orleans requires a collaborative fusion of professional expertise, local know-how, and governmental action to build resilience and equitable recovery.
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