NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) –– City council members unanimously voted to move forward with a land swap that could open the door for a new municipal headquarters in place of Duncan Plaza.
The passage of the motion means the city is now authorized to transfer the streets adjacent to the Superdome: LaSalle Street, a portion of Dave Dixon Drive, the green space on West Stadium Drive and the median between Poydras Street and Sugar Bowl Drive in exchange for the state’s portion of Duncan Plaza and all of the HEAL Garage.
CEO of the New Orleans Building Corporation, Cynthia Connick, said that in the 1950s, the city sold a portion of Duncan Plaza to the state of Louisiana, where they built a garage and had an office building, which was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“It’s in some respects, coming full circle because now we’re going to have the entirety of Duncan Plaza,” said Connick.
The motion received support from all seven council members. While it would likely be years before the city could break ground on a new headquarters, council members are eager for the change.
“To be able to build something that’s conducive to what the citizens of our city need, and also to have something that is of the highest tech value potentially, and also just something that is a good use of Duncan Plaza,” said Councilman Eugene Greene.
The plans await final approval from the commissioner’s office and Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who released a statement Thursday evening.
“This is a big day for the City of New Orleans, particularly for City employees, and for our residents and business owners who access City Hall for government services.
The act of exchange whereby the City gains ownership of the State’s portion of Duncan Plaza has been a priority of mine since the beginning of my administration, almost six years ago. This paves the way to provide adequate space for a new City Hall and Civil District Court, which will strengthen our workforce and increase our assets, ultimately working to provide better services for our residents. I look forward to continue working with the New Orleans City Council and Governor Landry’s Office to make this a reality.”
Mayor LaToya Cantrell
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