Rue Poydras | |
Namesake | Julien de Lallande Poydras |
---|---|
Length | 1.9 mi (3.1 km) |
Width | 132 feet (40.2 m) |
Location | New Orleans |
West end | Broad Street |
East end | Convention Center Boulevard |
Other | |
Known for | Tall buildings |
Poydras Street (French : Rue Poydras) is a street that serves as the main artery of the New Orleans Central Business District, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The street is named for Julien de Lallande Poydras. Many of the city of New Orleans' and the state of Louisiana's tallest buildings have been built on the street since it was widened in the mid 1960s. The street also hosts several historic structures and is the boundary between two United States National Register of Historic Places districts.
The street is named for Julien de Lallande Poydras, who helped Louisiana achieve statehood, [1] served as the first President of the Louisiana State Senate,[ citation needed ] and Delegate from the Territory of Orleans to the United States House of Representatives, Eleventh Congress (March 4, 1809 — March 3, 1811). [2]
The street traces back to 1788 when it was first laid out, but its prominence traces back to its transformation that began in the 1960s. [3] In the 1890s, Poydras Street and Canal Street were early hosts of municipal lighting when gigantic spotlights in steel light towers were erected upon them by Muller Co. [4] In 1927, when its width measured 74 feet (22.6 m), the movement to widen it was begun by consultants for the City Planning Commission. [3] The street hosted the Poydras Market from 1838 to 1932. [3] As urban planning evolved, Poydras became the logical 4-lane connection between Expressways. It took until 1964 for a bond issue to pass that would acquire the properties to widen the street as had been recommended in 1927. [3] From November 23, 1964 until August 16, 1966, demolition, drainage installation, utility connection, paving, sidewalk construction and landscaping occurred, resulting in a six-lane 132-foot (40.2 m) wide street. [3] Many factors combined to give Poydras Street its prominent place in urban transit, including the erection of the Louisiana Superdome at one end and the Rivergate Exhibition Hall at the Mississippi River end in the late 1960s and the construction of One Shell Square in 1972. [3] Subsequently, more than a dozen skyscrapers were erected along the street that has become a central area circulator for vehicular traffic and host of modern high-rise construction. [3]
The street currently accommodates a Spaghetti Junction near the Superdome that provides access to U.S. Route 90, Interstate 10 and U.S. Route 90 Business. The Street hosts various stops for the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority streetcar lines: Riverfront, Rampart–St. Claude and St. Charles. [5] According to the Port of New Orleans, the Canal and Poydras Street Wharves hosts a 300 feet (91.4 m) long and 15 feet (4.6 m) deep berth used for river boat harbor excursion tours. [6]
Below are buildings with Poydras Street addresses that are notable based on their height (listed by height).
The buildings and districts below are recognized as historic by the National Park Service.
Julien de Lallande (Lalande) Poydras was a French American merchant, planter, financier, poet, educator and political leader who served as Delegate from the Territory of Orleans to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1809 to 1811. He was a catalyst in the promotion of Louisiana statehood and helped draft the state's first constitution. He served as the first President of the Louisiana State Senate from 1812 to 1813.
The Central Business District (CBD) is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
The Poydras Market also known as the Poydras Street Market, was an early market area in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was a public open-air market.
Hancock Whitney Center, formerly One Shell Square, is a 51-story, 697-foot (212 m) skyscraper designed in the International style by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, located at 701 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the tallest building in both the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana, and is taller than Louisiana's tallest peak, Driskill Mountain. The building is primarily used for leasable office space, with some retail space on the ground level.
The Energy Centre, located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 39-story, 530 feet (162 m) -tall skyscraper designed by HKS, Inc. It is the fourth tallest building in both the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.
The BankPlus Tower, located at 909 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 36-story, 481 feet (147 m)-tall skyscraper designed in the post-modern style by Welton Becket & Associates and developed by Joseph C. Canizaro. It is the fifth tallest building in both the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Floors 2-8 are parking levels, and 10-36 hold office space. Hertz Investment Group is the current owner, having acquired the building in 2005. Beau Box Commercial Real Estate handles the leasing for this building. The current name comes from the New Orleans area bank BankPlus, the previous name comes from the Louisiana Land & Exploration Company.
The Pan-American Life Building, located at 601 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 28-story, 322 feet (98 m)-tall high-rise building. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it was built in 1980 as the headquarters for the Pan-American Life Insurance Co.
400 Poydras Tower, formerly known as the Texaco Center, located at 400 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 32-story, 442 feet (135 m)-tall skyscraper. Built in 1983, this modern office tower features more than 620,000 square feet (58,000 m2) of office space with an average of 22,000 rentable square feet per floor. The building is leased by Beau Box Commercial Real Estate.
Benson Tower, located at 1450 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 26-story, 406 feet (124 m)-tall skyscraper. The building was purchased by late New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson on September 15, 2009 and renamed the Benson Tower. In 2012, Ochsner Health System moved executives and as many as 750 administrative employees to the top four floors as well as the 2nd and 3rd floor space with balconies overlooking Champions Square and the Caesars Superdome; second floor space is utilized for Benson's television station, Fox affiliate WVUE for the station's morning newscast, sporting events and by lease for other parties. According to Corporate Realty, which leases the 487,760 sq ft (45,314 m2) building, as of August 2012, Benson Tower is more than 97.6% leased.
1250 Poydras Plaza, is a high-rise international-style office building located at 1250 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. It has 24 stories, and stands at a height of 342 feet .
1555 Poydras, is a high-rise office building located at 1555 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. It has 22 stories, and stands at a height of 262 feet (80 m).
1515 Poydras, located at 1515 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 29-story, 341-foot (104 m)-tall skyscraper.
Orleans Tower, located at 1340 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 20-story, 280 feet -tall skyscraper designed in the international style by 3D/International. The international style grew in popularity during the sixties and seventies after the architect Mies Van Der Rohe designed the Seagram Building on Park Ave in New York City and Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill designed the Sears Tower in the heart of downtown Chicago. The building is primarily used for leaseable office space, with some retail space on the ground level. The design of the building can be best classified as international with its black aluminum and glass curtain wall. The building currently houses the offices of several city and state agencies, including the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office. Orleans Tower is currently the 28th tallest building in New Orleans.
The Hyatt Regency New Orleans is a 32-story, 361-foot hotel located at 601 Loyola Ave in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, US, opened in 1976. It has 1,193 guest rooms, including 95 suites. It is part of a complex of connected buildings, which includes the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, 1250 Poydras Plaza, Entergy Tower, and the Benson Tower. It was designed by Welton Becket and Associates. The Hyatt was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and remained closed until 2011.
The buildings and architecture of New Orleans reflect its history and multicultural heritage, from Creole cottages to historic mansions on St. Charles Avenue, from the balconies of the French Quarter to an Egyptian Revival U.S. Customs building and a rare example of a Moorish revival church.
930 Poydras is a 21-story, 270.31-foot (82.4 m) residential skyscraper in New Orleans, Louisiana. Located on Poydras Street, the main thoroughfare in the city's Central Business District (CBD), it is the tallest building completed in the city in the 2010s and the first residential skyscraper completed in the city following Hurricane Katrina. Some sources affirm that the building was financed via Gulf Opportunity Zone financing that was enacted by the United States Congress to aid in the recovery from Katrina, while other sources state that alternative financing was used. The building's construction was the subject of a court battle regarding damage to surrounding buildings. Nonetheless, the building's design, which was scaled back from early plans, has won many awards.
The New Orleans Lower Central Business District is a historic district in New Orleans, Louisiana which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1991. It may be referred to as Lower Central Business District. Along with the NRHP-listed New Orleans Upper Central Business District to the south, across the redeveloped Poydras Street, it is included within the larger New Orleans Central Business District area. To the north, between N. Peters and N. Rampart, the district borders the historic, NRHP-listed Vieux Carre, which is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
The New Orleans Upper Central Business District, also known simply as Upper Central Business District, is a historic district of New Orleans, Louisiana which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1990. The original listed area is roughly bounded by O'Keefe, Poydras, Convention Center Blvd., and the Expressway. Along with the NRHP-listed New Orleans Lower Central Business District to the north, across the redeveloped Poydras Street, it is included within the larger New Orleans Central Business District area.
NOPSI New Orleans, or the NOPSI Hotel, is a hotel in the historic NOPSI building in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana.