The Curbed Cup 2015, our third annual award to the New Orleans Neighborhood of the Year, is kicking off with eight 'hoods battling it out for the honor of a prestigious fake trophy and obviously, bragging rights. Voting for each match-up ends 24 hours after it begins. We'll showcase a neighborhood face-off through the week with results and the full tourney bracket reviewed on Friday. Let the eliminations begin!
Today's match-up: Algiers Point versus Lower Garden District, one of New Orleans' best-kept secrets versus a hip and happening 'hood.
Algiers Point. This charming hamlet may be on the other side of the river, but it's still New Orleans. Here, you get the best of both worlds: the affordability of an off-the-beaten-path spot, plus historic architecture and the CBD/French Quarter just a short ferry ride away. The neighborhood has a few friendly bars and eateries, and soon major developments—Deep South Studios, the Federal City redevelopment—will take shape near by. Of his 'hood, reader Spencer Douglass says: "It's a small walkable neighborhood with great houses. I live a half block from the river so I get to walk my dog overlooking cruise ships and the French Quarter with zero tourists. Also the ferry is a great way to the CBD and French Quarter without having to use a car. And the Crown and Anchor is a great bar. We need more restaurants, though!"
On the market: This charming Victorian camelback, asking $575,000.
Lower Garden District: This has always been a hip spot, and it's getting hipper. Just on the small Sophie B. Wright Place alone, there's a cluster of cool local businesses: a third-wave coffee shop, bars, a hybrid record store/locally made bag shop, and Il Mercado, a hot new event venue. The local businesses continue to proliferate along Magazine Street. The area is filled with stately mansions and townhouses, but there's also a lot of stock for renters. It's walkable, and close to downtown with less traffic.
On the market: This Victorian on Magazine Street asking $989,000.
And who won yesterday's match-up? The Warehouse District/CBD!