New Orleans - Central Business District

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About New Orleans - Central Business District

The Central Business District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the French Quarter/CBD Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, Julia and Magazine Streets and the Pontchartrain Expressway to the south and South Claiborne Avenue, Cleveland and South and North Derbigny Streets to the west. It is the equivalent of what many cities call their "downtown," although in New Orleans "downtown" or "down town" is often used to mean portions of the city downriver from Canal Street in the direction of flow of the Mississippi River.

This part of town was first built up in the early 19th century after the Louisiana Purchase as many people from other parts of the United States moved into the city. It was historically called "The American Sector". In its early days it also was known as "Faubourg St. Mary".

While traditionally Canal Street was the dividing line between the French Quarter and the American Sector, legally both sides of Canal Street are considered part of the Central Business District for zoning and regulation.

The portion of the CBD closer to the Mississippi River and upriver from Poydras Street is known as the Warehouse District, because it was heavily devoted to warehousing and manufacturing before shipping became containerized. The 1984 World's Fair drew attention to the then semi-derelict district, resulting in steady investment and redevelopment from the mid-1980s onwards. Many of the old 19th century warehouses have been converted into hotels, restaurants, condominiums, and art galleries.

Notable structures in the CBD include the Greek Revival Gallier Hall, the city's former city hall, the Louisiana Superdome, the New Orleans Arena, the city's present-day, International style city hall, and One Shell Square, the city's tallest building and Royal Dutch Shell's headquarters for Gulf of Mexico Exploration and Production. Other significant attractions include the postmodern Piazza d'Italia, Harrah's Casino, the World Trade Center New Orleans, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, St. Patrick's Church, the Hibernia Bank Building and the former New Orleans Cotton Exchange.

The principal public park in the CBD is Lafayette Square, upon which face both Gallier Hall and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Other public spaces include Duncan Plaza, Elks Place, the Piazza d'Italia, Lee Circle, Mississippi River Heritage Park, Spanish Plaza and the Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Survivor's Plaza.

Museums include the National World War II Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Louisiana Children's Museum, the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center and Confederate Memorial Hall.

New Orleans CBD was one of the few areas of New Orleans that escaped the catastrophic flooding of Hurricane Katrina.