LOCATION: Citywide
THREAT: Demolition by Code Enforcement
New Orleans Code Enforcement employs overly aggressive demolition practices by rebranding "Imminent Danger of Collapse" as the vague "Imminent Dangerous Conditions," This circumvents Historic District Landmarks Commission and City Council review. Since early 2024, 203 of 216 IDC demolition permits have been granted, with the others under review. Structurally sound buildings now become "emergency"
demolitions without transparent criteria, rationale, or process. Minor violations escalate to demolition before exploring alternatives, leaving vacant lots where historic architecture—key to the city's appeal—once stood. Code Enforcement prioritizes
speed and numbers over preservation, destroying irreplaceable heritage while
undermining community input and setting dangerous precedents.
LOCATION: 2020 Farragut Street
THREAT: Demolition by Neglect
In 1932, Dr. Alfred King acquired an expansive parcel near Algiers Naval Station, where he and his wife built an idiosyncratic interpretation of a Colonial Revival-style raised cottage. After Dr. King died in 1933, his widow remained there until 1951, cultivating celebrated gardens. From 1952 until 1970, Dr. King’s nephew Vernon Lee Davis and his wife, both horticulturists, maintained this country home in the city. Today, the abandoned cottage is perilously dilapidated, obscured by vegetation. Although a developer acquired 2020 Farragut and the grounds of the demolished 2030 Farragut in 2017, neglect continues.
LOCATION: 401 South Rampart Street
THREAT: Demolition by Neglect
Built in 1850, the Eagle Saloon stands as a nationally significant early jazz landmark—one of the last survivors of "Black Storyville" along South Rampart Street. This sacred ground witnessed the musical genesis of legends like Buddy Bolden and Joe "King" Oliver, while serving the diverse "Back of Town" neighborhood that shaped Louis Armstrong's youth. Despite its 2002 National Register designation, the Eagle Saloon remains shamefully neglected: vacant, deteriorating, and forgotten. Redevelopment of other buildings in this jazz corridor are complete or underway. The Eagle Saloon must be prioritized for renovation.
LOCATION: 2216 Third Street
THREAT: Damage and Lack of Funding
With roots dating to 1817, the First African Baptist Church is the oldest Black Baptist congregation in New Orleans and by some accounts the oldest continuous African American church in Louisiana. Construction began in 1904 on this Spanish Revival-style church in Central City that served as a space for religious and community gatherings, educational and cultural events, and political activism. The local landmark remained home to a thriving congregation until it became unusable after sustaining significant damage during Hurricane Ida in 2021. The congregation urgently needs funding to restore this significant site before the building becomes unsalvageable.
LOCATION: Citywide
THREAT: Removal of Historic Heritage
Contemporary taste for open floor plans and stark minimalism permanently removes much of our architectural heritage. Historic homes with lovingly restored exteriors are being brutally gutted and transformed into sterile white boxes that obliterate authentic character. Fireplaces, molding, trim, pocket doors, flooring, and sometimes entire walls are all sacrificed to appeal to the most generic market possible. While buildings may need updates for modern use, stripping away historic character doesn't necessarily improve functionality—it creates bland spaces devoid of the warmth, history, and authentic New Orleans charm that once defined them.
LOCATION: Citywide
THREAT: Lack of Appreciation and Protection
From the 1930s to the 1970s, New Orleans witnessed a robust and lauded modernist movement that transformed the city's skyline. However, midcentury modern buildings are often dismissed as untraditional in New Orleans. The Historic District Landmark Commission cannot protect most of these buildings because they were constructed after the National Register-defined periods of significance for historic districts, which
determines if a building contributes and must be regulated. Since the wave of midcentury modern demolitions following Hurricane Katrina, a troubling pattern has emerged where buildings from this era are labeled non-historic and unworthy of preservation.
LOCATION: 7th and 9th Wards
THREAT: Lack of Planning and Investment
St. Claude Avenue, once a thriving business corridor, has experienced disinvestment and blight since the 2005 flood. Empty storefronts, blighted buildings, graffiti, trash,
and dangerous traffic conditions reinforce the downward spiral. The lack of planning and public investment in the corridor to restore city services, beautify the neutral ground,
and calm traffic discourages new investments while driving businesses like bars and restaurants into adjacent residential neighborhoods, where they come into conflict with residents. As a state highway, the city does not have full jurisdiction and will need cooperation from the state legislature to enact improvements.
LOCATION: Citywide
THREAT: Open, Transparent, Accountable City Government
The rule of law is under attack by the city administration through systematic violations of public record laws, open meetings laws, zoning regulations, public notice and altering public documents. This administration has undermined transparent governance and is now threatening the authority of the Master Plan. Public confidence in city institutions and the consistent application of the law has eroded in the face of cronyism,
where laws, regulations, and permits are applied based on the applicant's connections rather than legal merit and fair process. The result is ever more contentious public hearings, divisive politics, resentment and circumvention of regulations.
LOCATION: Ninth Ward
THREAT: Uncoordinated Over-Industrialization
Excessive industrial intensification in the Ninth Ward threatens the area's hard-won post-Katrina recovery. The proposed grain train routing through residential streets, demolition of the historic St. Claude Bridge, creation of a Florida Avenue truck route, and replacement/relocation of the Industrial Canal lock prioritize industrial uses over neighborhood safety and sustainability. These projects sacrifice residential quality of life
and local economies for expansion by non-local industries. They will devastate property values and drive out residents through increased noise, decade-plus construction, traffic, pollution, and flood risks. This uncoordinated hodgepodge approach lacks comprehensive planning and risks undoing decades of rebuilding efforts.