After years of delays, planning, and permitting challenges, two new hotel developments are finally underway on the lower stretch of St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans.
Construction has begun at the former site of the Trolley Stop Café in the 1900 block of St. Charles. Developer Joe Mann confirmed that crews began driving foundation piles in late May for a six-story boutique hotel. The project will include 58 rooms and a ground-floor restaurant. Mann, who recently completed the renovation of the former Harry’s Ace Hardware building on Magazine Street, says he’s optimistic about the area’s potential. “We are very bullish on St. Charles,” he said. “It’s one of the last remaining areas that is screaming for redevelopment.”
Just down the avenue in the 1300 block, work is also progressing on another hotel project. Entrepreneur Curtis Lawrence is developing a five-story “pencil” building that will function as a hybrid hotel. The concept includes apartment-style suites with 24/7 on-site staff, similar to a short-term rental model. Lawrence expects the $4 million project—located between the new Baptist Community Ministries headquarters and the former Emeril’s Delmonico restaurant—to open by fall.
Meanwhile, another long-stalled project is back in motion. The Church of the King, based in Mandeville, has resumed its $15 million renovation of the historic Jerusalem Temple building in the 1100 block of St. Charles. The church plans to convert it into a worship center, with a projected opening in 2026.
Mann is also exploring additional development opportunities in the area. While he remains tight-lipped about whether his hotel will be affiliated with a major brand or operate independently, he did reveal that it will feature a rooftop pool and bar, targeting luxury travelers. “There are 34,000 hotel rooms in the French Quarter and CBD, but very few high-end options outside those areas,” he noted.
Lawrence echoed Mann’s enthusiasm for the location. “You can’t go wrong on St. Charles Avenue,” he said. “It’s the city’s most prestigious street and the Mardi Gras parade route.”
The flurry of construction activity is a welcome sign for a corridor that has seen mixed redevelopment results in recent years. The stretch between Jackson Avenue and I-10 is a patchwork of hotels, restaurants, vacant lots, and underutilized storefronts. While some projects—like BCM’s renovation of the old Whitney Bank building and the transformation of the former St. Charles Athletic Club into medical offices—have succeeded, others have stalled. A vacant lot at 1500 St. Charles remains unsold, and the former Emeril’s Delmonico restaurant, originally listed for $3.9 million in 2022, is now priced at $2.4 million without a buyer.
“It’s been fits and starts,” said Shaun Talbot, a commercial broker with Talbot Realty. “There are good things happening, but there are also challenges.”
One of the biggest hurdles remains the city’s slow permitting process. “We worked with a developer who said they could have completed seven projects in Dallas in the time it took to finish one here,” Talbot said. Permitting delays have also hampered the Jerusalem Temple renovation, which began in 2018. As recently as March, church architects were appealing a denial from the Historic District Landmarks Commission over rooftop renovations.
Safety and quality-of-life concerns have also posed obstacles. Before Mann could finalize permits for his hotel, he contacted City Council members to address a longstanding homeless encampment on the site. “While our property is fenced, it continues to be littered with garbage, liquor bottles, hypodermic needles, and other drug paraphernalia,” he wrote in an October 2024 email. The site has since been cleared, and construction is now underway.
Talbot believes that if city leaders want to attract more investment to key corridors like St. Charles, they need to address these issues head-on. “I can’t tell you how many people come here excited to do projects,” he said. “Then they encounter the reality of how challenging it can be.”
Despite the obstacles, the recent surge in development signals renewed interest in revitalizing one of New Orleans’ most iconic avenues.
Source: nola.com