HDLC nomination of the Plaza Tower—a 2022 NO9 selection—denied by City Council on Apr. 6, 2023

The Plaza Tower is up for HDLC landmark nomination—one of Louisiana Landmarks' "New Orleans Nine" in 2022.

** UPDATE on Apr. 10—At its Regular Meeting of Apr. 6, the City Council granted the owner’s appeal of the CBD’s HDLC landmark nomination of March 1. This action does not uphold the HDLC Staff’s recommendation for a 6-month deferral: it removes local HDLC nomination status altogether. The Plaza Tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. See the original NR application for a detailed description of the site. Louisiana Landmarks is following the owner’s efforts to sell the building for redevelopment.

** UPDATE on Mar. 21—Owner is appealing the landmarks nomination to the City Council. Likely hearing date is April 6. Please write to City Council members by 8 a.m. on April 6 with your comments.

** UPDATE on Mar. 1—Nominated! Thanks for your support.

[Original post on Feb. 13, 2023:]

Former N.O. HDLC Chair Jesse LeBlanc, II, has nominated the Plaza Tower at 1001 Howard Avenue for designation as an HDLC landmark.
https://onestopapp.nola.gov/SummaryContent.aspx?type=Permit&id=956597

The nomination will be considered by the CBD HDLC Commissioners at City Hall at a monthly meeting on Wed., March 1, starting at 10:00 a.m.

The Plaza Tower was designed by Leonard Spangenberg, Jr., and Associates in a mix of 20th-century architectural styles. It was constructed in 1964–1969.

Located at Loyola and Howard Avenues in downtown New Orleans—and once the tallest building in Louisiana—the Plaza Tower has been vacant and deteriorating for over 20 years, with building elements falling to the street, presenting a hazard to the public.

The HDLC Staff nomination report is available here:
https://onestopapp.nola.gov/Documents.aspx?ObjLabel=Permit&ID=956597

More about the Plaza Tower from the Society of Architectural Historians:
https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/LA-02-OR125

Written public comments on the nomination may be submitted to mackenzie.guillory@nola.gov by Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 4 p.m.

The owner of the Plaza Tower is Alexandra Land & Development, LLC, of Metairie.
https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/Application.aspx?AppID=979&LayerID=19792&PageTypeID=4&PageID=8663&Q=247220363&KeyValue=1001-HOWARDAV

The Plaza Tower was cited by Louisiana Landmarks Society for abandonment and neglect in June 2022 on the Society's annual list of "New Orleans' Nine Endangered Sites."