With $30 million of infrastructure work beginning last June and construction on the Class A office tower commencing in Q1 2025, New Orleans is beginning to see the first tangible signs of the $1 billion River District. The 40-acre, mixed-use, riverfront development is expected to generate $43 million of net new annual tax revenues, 9,000 construction jobs, and 6,000 projected permanent jobs.
“In 2025, the River District team is most excited to celebrate completing the majority of the Phase 1 infrastructure work, commencing construction of the first vertical development – the state-of-the-art office tower that will house Shell’s Gulf of Mexico operations and the beginning construction of 220 mixed-income apartments,” said Tara Hernndez, investor and partner with River District Neighborhood Investors, LLC (RDNI), and also founder/president of JCH Properties+. “Together, these make the River District an emblem of economic advancement for the Crescent City and neighborhood for all.”
In 2021, RDNI was the team selected by the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center Authority to develop a mixed-use neighborhood and community on 40 acres of riverfront property adjacent to the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The first shovel hit the ground on Nov. 29, 2023.
The development will feature a 142,000-square-foot Class A office building anchored by Shell`s Gulf of Mexico operations and its 800 employees; a 67,000-square-foot sports and entertainment venue on Tchoupitoulas St. occupied by Topgolf; along with entertainment, greenspaces, hotels, restaurants, retail, offices, and mixed-income apartments. The first phase of mixed-income multi-family housing is in pre-development. In July 2024, the Louisiana Housing Corporation announced $15.4 million in Prime 3 funding for the first phase of residential development.
In June 2024, RDNI partnered with Boh Bros. Construction Co., LLC to kick off the more than $30 million infrastructure work on the long-fallow land, installing a districtwide stormwater management system and utility lines to bring power, water, and fiber to the area. In November 2024, Boh Bros. installed one of the largest modular systems in Louisiana for stormwater runoff, a StormTrap stormwater management system – providing vital protection for the new neighborhood from flooding, erosion, and environmental damage, said Hernandez.
“Living with water in New Orleans is a challenge for any development and one that the River District has been tackling with care from the beginning,” said Hernandez.
Throughout 2024, Hernandez said the RDNI leadership team has worked with local community partners to plan efficient, streamlined multi-modal transportation, including bike and pedestrian pathways and publicly accessible green spaces. RDNI has participated in community, general outreach, stakeholder, and public meetings with residents, minority and women-owned businesses, and business groups for regulatory approvals, direct requests, and general information sessions.
RDNI has pledged at least 30% participation of small and emerging businesses (SEB) and disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) in development, construction, design, professional services, and goods/services. “Since 2022, the River District has spent over $3 million with small, emerging, and disadvantaged businesses, and we continue to maintain our commitment to SEB/DBE companies for all stages of development,” said Hernandez.