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 Point versus Garden District: Last year’s winner against the rising 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.

Garden District

This round’s underdog is the Garden District, which is known for its historic homes, beautiful garden spaces and elaborate walking tours. This year, the neighborhood has populated news and beautiful house listing on Curbed NOLA. To start, this past summer, during the Pokemon Go craze, a mysterious pikachu monument appeared in a Lower Garden District pocket park. After being vandalized and soon repaired, the statue was auctioned off to raise funds for the Lower Garden District Parks.

Moreover, the Garden District has expanded its infrastructure. In particular, Jackson Avenue, a main artery of the district, will be repaved and include a bike lane, larger vehicle lanes and a parking lane from St. Charles Avenue to Tchopitoulas street. Construction for the new street is expected to be completed in Spring of 2017. As the year comes to a close, the Preservation Resource Center concluded its 41st annual self-guided holiday tour, featuring 7 beautiful Garden District homes.