The Curbed Cup, our annual award for the New Orleans neighborhood of the year, is kicking off with 8 areas vying for the prestigious (fake) trophy. This week we'll have two matchups per day, and all the results and the full tournament bracket will be reviewed on Friday. Voting for each pairing ends 24 hours after it begins. Let the eliminations commence!

Today’s neighborhood match is Algiers versus the Lower 9: Last year’s winner vs. this year’s underdog.

Algiers Point

On the top seed is 2015’s Curbed Cup winner, Algiers point. Over the past year, Algiers point has seen several interesting developments, including a Masonic Lodge that has been converted to hold a high-end apartments. The district has a several events, including neighborhood wide celebrations for the holidays and family-friendly movies on the weekend, which all promote unity on the Point. Earlier this year, the Algiers Point Ferry reinstated its later hours of operation, but it has had, on record, fewer riders since the price was raised to $2. Additionally, in May of 2016, a developer considered building a beach in Algiers Point, but no further action has been taken. On the bright side, the city has a house market that is relatively inexpensive compared to many east bank neighborhoods.

The Lower 9

In the underdog corner is the Lower 9th Ward. The Lower 9 was hit hard during Hurricane Katrina and has lost many of is small businesses, large establishments, and residents. This past May, a CVS Pharmacy’s opened in the Lower 9th Ward, which is the first to do so since Hurricane Katrina. The year 2016 has also proved to be a year of development for the neighborhood. As more people begin to return to the devastated part of the city, others have capitalized on the opportunity to make that transition easier. Most notably, in September Curbed NOLA covered a heartwarming story of a man that opened the first grocery store and laundry facility in his lower 9th ward neighborhood. Additionally, Burnell Cotlon, the owner of the Lower 9th Ward Market, plans to expand to open a much-needed barber/beauty salon and internet cafe. While the city has seen some difficult times, it is slowly recovering, and touching the lives where it matters most.