Bids and proposals are pouring in for New Orleans' own World Trade Center and already WWL is describing applicants as "dream teams". So far a majority of the proposals focus on luxury and bringing hotels to the towering building at the foot of Canal St. This comes as little surprise given its near-development as both a 245 room hotel with 280 apartments.
The presumptuously named Two Canal Street Investors Inc have nearly identical plans — their proposal includes even more rooms (318) in an even more luxurious hotel and slightly fewer apartments, though all 240 are promised to be luxury. The group is also looking to turn the former "Top of the Mart" revolving rooftop bar into a hip lounge where music and food coincide.
A decision will be made regarding Two Canal Street Investors Inc's proposals as well as many others by the first quarter of 2015. Given the curious financial state of Gatehouse Capital Corp, who ponied up slightly fewer funds than the company and the city could agree upon, the primary focus of each proposal is how much they've got and how much experience they have when approaching such a large-scale project.
Keep in mind that this Edward Durell Stone-designed World Trade Center was somewhat the first of its kind when it opened in 1967. Its innovative Brunspiles pilings have given it a durable foundation and kept it around this long, despite being underutilized. Curbed NOLA has high hopes for this modernist gem and we hope you do too.
· New Orleans dream team of developers bid on WTC [WWL]
· New Orleans World Trade Center [Curbed NOLA]
· The WTC Development Falling Out Explained, Sort Of [Curbed NOLA]