Downtown New Orleans
Encyclopedia
In New Orleans, Louisiana
, USA, "downtown" has historically referred to neighborhoods along the Mississippi River
down-river (roughly east) from Canal Street
, including the French Quarter
, Treme
, Faubourg Marigny
, Bywater
, the 9th Ward
, and other neighborhoods. Contrary to the common usage of "downtown
" in other cities, this historic application of the term excluded the New Orleans Central Business District
. The term continues to be employed as it has been historically, although many younger people and migrants from other parts of the country will use "downtown" as it is used elsewhere; that is, to mean the Central Business District/Warehouse District area.
A legal definition of "downtown" New Orleans originated in 1974, when the Louisiana Legislature created the New Orleans Downtown Development District, a business improvement district (BID) bordered by Iberville Street, the Pontchartrain Expressway, Claiborne Avenue and the Mississippi River. This district is anchored by the CBD, but excludes the French Quarter. The DDD also incorporates the Warehouse District
, as well as landmarks like the Louisiana Superdome
, the New Orleans Arena
, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, Jackson Square
, the Riverwalk Marketplace
, the Crescent City Connection
, and Canal Place
.
. Downtown hosted the city's French-speaking Creole
communities. There was a traditional rivalry with the predominantly Anglophone
"Uptown New Orleans
" on the other side of Canal Street. The broad median of Canal Street became known as the neutral ground, where partisans of the two sections of the city could meet for discussions and business without going into each other's territory.The city was for years divided into "Downtown" and "Uptown". Development of the low-lying Back of Town (the swamp and marsh extending northwards from the edge of development to the shores of Lake Pontchartrain
) only began after 1900, as longstanding drainage issues
were solved. While the Downtown/Uptown division of the city has sometimes been overstated (by the late 19th century there were already substantial numbers of people of francophone orientation living Uptown, and of anglophone orientation living Downtown), it continues to be a factor in New Orleans culture into the 21st century, marking, for example, the division of the Mardi Gras Indians
into Downtown and Uptown tribes.
With the increasing development of the Back of Town in the years after World War II
resulting in the mature districts of Lakeview
and Gentilly
, it became increasingly difficult to categorize neighborhoods as "Uptown" or "Downtown". The growth of New Orleans East
, as well as suburban Jefferson Parish
, further complicated the picture. By the 1990s, the terms had largely fallen out of use, with only the merest fraction of the population of Greater New Orleans
inhabiting the region once divided into Uptown and Downtown zones. Today, use of the word "downtown" will most likely be taken to mean the CBD/Warehouse District neighborhood
(i.e., the area within the DDD's ambit), and the use of individual neighborhood names or wards has replaced the historic use of the term "downtown", though Uptown
has remained in usage - albeit with a lower boundary now stretching along the Pontchartrain Expressway
rather than Canal Street
.
The Louisiana Superdome
– often informally known as the Superdome, The Dome or the New Orleans Superdome – is a sports and exhibition facility located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. Plans were drawn up in 1967 by the New Orleans modernist architectural firm of Curtis and Davis, the company also responsible for design of the main branch of the New Orleans Public Library (1956–58).
The Superdome is home to the NFL's New Orleans Saints and the NCAA's Division I Tulane University football team. It is one of the few facilities in the United States which can host major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the Final Four; as such, given New Orleans' popularity as a tourist destination, whenever the Superdome bids to host such an event it routinely makes the "short list" of candidates being considered. It has been chosen to host Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013.
The Superdome is the largest fixed domed structure in the world. Its steel frame covers a 13-acre (53,000 m2) expanse. Its 273-foot (83 m) dome is made of a Lamella multi-ringed frame and has a diameter of 680 feet (210 m).
In 2005, the Superdome came to international attention when it housed thousands of people seeking shelter from Hurricane Katrina, and it was damaged in the storm.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, USA, "downtown" has historically referred to neighborhoods along the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
down-river (roughly east) from Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
, including the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
, Treme
Treme
Tremé is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Mid-City District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are Esplanade Avenue to the north, North Rampart Street to the east, St. Louis Street to the south and North Broad Street to the west...
, Faubourg Marigny
Faubourg Marigny
The Marigny is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: North Rampart Street and St...
, Bywater
Bywater, New Orleans
Bywater is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Florida Avenue to the north, the Industrial Canal to the east, the Mississippi River to the south and Franklin Avenue Street to the west...
, the 9th Ward
Ninth Ward of New Orleans
The Ninth Ward or 9th Ward is a distinctive region of New Orleans, Louisiana that is located in the easternmost downriver portion of the city. It is geographically the largest of the 17 Wards of New Orleans....
, and other neighborhoods. Contrary to the common usage of "downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
" in other cities, this historic application of the term excluded the New Orleans Central Business District
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...
. The term continues to be employed as it has been historically, although many younger people and migrants from other parts of the country will use "downtown" as it is used elsewhere; that is, to mean the Central Business District/Warehouse District area.
Warehouse District
-Canada:* Distillery District is located in Toronto, Ontario and is the largest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America.-United States :...
, as well as landmarks like the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
, the New Orleans Arena
New Orleans Arena
New Orleans Arena is an indoor arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is located in the city's Central Business District, adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome....
, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, Jackson Square
Jackson Square, New Orleans
Jackson Square, also known as Place d'Armes, is a historic park in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960.-Design:...
, the Riverwalk Marketplace
Riverwalk Marketplace
Riverwalk Marketplace is a mall located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. The mall is located along the Mississippi River waterfront stretching from the base of Canal Street upriver to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center...
, the Crescent City Connection
Crescent City Connection
The Crescent City Connection, abbreviated as CCC, refers to twin cantilever bridges that carry U.S. Route 90 Business over the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. They are tied as the fifth-longest cantilever bridges in the world...
, and Canal Place
One Canal Place
One Canal Place, located at 365 Canal Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 32-story, -tall skyscraper. The building contains The Shops at Canal Place shopping mall and is attached to The Westin New Orleans Canal Place, with which it shares a parking garage...
.
History
In the 19th century, much of New Orleans' Downtown (down-river from Canal Street) was still predominantly FrancophoneFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. Downtown hosted the city's French-speaking Creole
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
communities. There was a traditional rivalry with the predominantly Anglophone
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
"Uptown New Orleans
Uptown New Orleans
Uptown is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana on the East Bank of the Mississippi River encompassing a number of neighborhoods between the French Quarter and the Jefferson Parish line. It remains an area of mixed residential and small commercial properties, with a wealth of 19th century architecture...
" on the other side of Canal Street. The broad median of Canal Street became known as the neutral ground, where partisans of the two sections of the city could meet for discussions and business without going into each other's territory.The city was for years divided into "Downtown" and "Uptown". Development of the low-lying Back of Town (the swamp and marsh extending northwards from the edge of development to the shores of Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
) only began after 1900, as longstanding drainage issues
Drainage in New Orleans
Drainage in New Orleans, Louisiana has been a major concern since the founding of the city in the early 18th century, remaining an important factor in the history of New Orleans through today....
were solved. While the Downtown/Uptown division of the city has sometimes been overstated (by the late 19th century there were already substantial numbers of people of francophone orientation living Uptown, and of anglophone orientation living Downtown), it continues to be a factor in New Orleans culture into the 21st century, marking, for example, the division of the Mardi Gras Indians
Mardi Gras Indians
Mardi Gras Indians are African-American Carnival revelers in New Orleans, Louisiana, who dress up for Mardi Gras in suits influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel.Collectively, their organizations are called "tribes"...
into Downtown and Uptown tribes.
With the increasing development of the Back of Town in the years after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
resulting in the mature districts of Lakeview
Lakeview, New Orleans
Lakeview is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Robert E. Lee Boulevard to the north, Orleans Avenue to the east, Florida Boulevard, Canal Boulevard and I-610 to the south and...
and Gentilly
Gentilly, New Orleans
Gentilly is a broad, predominantly middle-class and racially diverse section of New Orleans, Louisiana. The first part of Gentilly to be developed was along the Gentilly Ridge, a long stretch of high ground along the former banks of Bayou Gentilly...
, it became increasingly difficult to categorize neighborhoods as "Uptown" or "Downtown". The growth of New Orleans East
Eastern New Orleans
Eastern New Orleans is a large section of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Developed extensively from the 1960s onwards, it was originally marketed as "suburban-style living within the city limits", and has much in common with the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans...
, as well as suburban Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
, further complicated the picture. By the 1990s, the terms had largely fallen out of use, with only the merest fraction of the population of Greater New Orleans
New Orleans metropolitan area
New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner, or the Greater New Orleans Region is a metropolitan area designated by the United States Census encompassing seven parishes in the state of Louisiana, centering on the city of New Orleans...
inhabiting the region once divided into Uptown and Downtown zones. Today, use of the word "downtown" will most likely be taken to mean the CBD/Warehouse District neighborhood
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...
(i.e., the area within the DDD's ambit), and the use of individual neighborhood names or wards has replaced the historic use of the term "downtown", though Uptown
Uptown New Orleans
Uptown is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana on the East Bank of the Mississippi River encompassing a number of neighborhoods between the French Quarter and the Jefferson Parish line. It remains an area of mixed residential and small commercial properties, with a wealth of 19th century architecture...
has remained in usage - albeit with a lower boundary now stretching along the Pontchartrain Expressway
Pontchartrain Expressway
The Pontchartrain Expressway is a parallel 6-lane section of Interstate 10 and U.S. Route 90 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The designation begins on I-10 near the Orleans Parish/Jefferson Parish line at the I-610 Split. The expressway follows I-10 into the Central Business District of New Orleans ...
rather than Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
.
Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
– often informally known as the Superdome, The Dome or the New Orleans Superdome – is a sports and exhibition facility located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. Plans were drawn up in 1967 by the New Orleans modernist architectural firm of Curtis and Davis, the company also responsible for design of the main branch of the New Orleans Public Library (1956–58).
The Superdome is home to the NFL's New Orleans Saints and the NCAA's Division I Tulane University football team. It is one of the few facilities in the United States which can host major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the Final Four; as such, given New Orleans' popularity as a tourist destination, whenever the Superdome bids to host such an event it routinely makes the "short list" of candidates being considered. It has been chosen to host Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013.
The Superdome is the largest fixed domed structure in the world. Its steel frame covers a 13-acre (53,000 m2) expanse. Its 273-foot (83 m) dome is made of a Lamella multi-ringed frame and has a diameter of 680 feet (210 m).
In 2005, the Superdome came to international attention when it housed thousands of people seeking shelter from Hurricane Katrina, and it was damaged in the storm.