Curbed Cup 1st round: (8) Marigny vs. (9) Bayou St. John

The Curbed Cup, our annual award for the neighborhood of the year, is kicking off with 16 neighborhoods vying for the prestigious (fake) trophy. We’ll reveal each of the neighborhoods this week, and polls will be open for 24 hours so you can cast your vote as to which ones should advance. Let the eliminations commence!

Marigny

This triangular-shaped neighborhood holds the iconic Frenchmen Street and has a plethora of street musicians and night clubs. And if you’re looking for fun during a city-wide party, holiday, or celebration, you might want to check the Marigny first.

One of the most anticipated developments in this neighborhood will be the new Robért Fresh Market and its commercial parcel that will operate at 2222 St. Claude Avenue later in 2018. The new grocery store will fill the local fresh-food need of both the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods.

The Marigny’s largest change was not a development but a relocation. This past July, the iconic Frenchmen Art Market moved from Frenchmen Street to 2231 St. Claude Avenue. While its still in the Marigny, the old alleyway shop will be missed.

As far as transportation, the Marigny ranks among the five most walkable neighborhoods in New Orleans. In the wake of New Orleans’s new bike-share, this neighborhood will hold five Blue Bikes station by next year.

Bayou St. John

The neighborhood named after the Bayou is vying for a chance to be New Orleans’s neighborhood of the year.

While primarily residential, Bayou St. John has a variety of locally-owned shops, grocery stores, coffeehouses, and restaurants that line Esplanade Avenue.

Bayou St. John ranks among the 10 most bikeable neighborhoods in New Orleans. And, the neighborhood will hold four Blue Bikes stations by next year.

This quiet neighborhood is known best for its springtime events. In April, its sister neighborhood the Fairgrounds holds the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, also known as Jazz Fest. In May, the MotherShip Foundation holds Bayou Boogaloo, one of the largest parties on and along the Bayou in New Orleans.

But who could miss Bayou St. John’s most iconic landmark that sets it apart from any other neighborhood in New Orleans? We’re talking about the super-cool Magnolia Bridge that crosses over the Bayou on Moss Street. In fact, the bridge will get a $1.3 million renovation starting next year, which will make the aged monument stellar once again.

Now comes the fun part: Which New Orleans neighborhood do you think should advance to the next round?