Skyscrapers! The 20 Tallest Buildings in New Orleans

by • January 22, 2014 • Architecture & Design, Central Business DistrictComments (3)23524

Via Wikimedia Commons

Via Wikimedia Commons

New Orleans is the site of 106 completed high-rises, 36 of which stand taller than 250 feet according to Wikipedia and Emporis (yes, we just cited Wikipedia).

The tallest building in the city is One Shell Square, which rises 697 feet in the Central Business District and was completed in 1972.  It was developed by Houston-based Hines Development and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.  It was the first Southeastern skyscraper to rise higher than 656 feet, it was the tallest building in the Southeastern US at the time of its completion, and today it still stands as the tallest building in the state of Louisiana.

The second-tallest skyscraper in the city is Place St. Charles, which rises 645 feet (197 m).   Nine of the ten tallest buildings in Louisiana are located in New Orleans.

Of the twenty tallest buildings, 13 are office buildings, 6 are hotels, 2 are vacant and awaiting redevelopment (Plaza Tower, World Trade Center), 1 is multifamily (Hibernia Bank Building), and 1 is being converted as we speak into multifamily apartments and an Aloft Hotel (220 Baronne).

Via Wikimedia Commons

Via Wikimedia Commons

Some other fun facts:

  1.  Constructed in 1969, Plaza Tower was the tallest building in New Orleans until 1972, when it was surpassed by One Shell Square.
  2. The 84-foot wide by 16-foot tall First Bank & Trust signage was added during the week of April 23, 2007.
  3. The Sheraton is the tallest hotel in New Orleans and has no 13th floor.
  4. Created by a merger of the International House and International Trade Mart, WTC New Orleans was the first World Trade Center organization in the world.  it was the tallest building in New Orleans until it was surpassed by Plaza Tower in 1969.

The  20 tallest buildings in New Orleans (according to Wikipedia and Emporis):

Rank Name Height
ft (m)
Floors Year
1 One Shell Square 697 (212) 51 1972
2 Place St. Charles 645 (197) 53 1984
3 Plaza Tower 531 (162) 45 1969
4 Energy Centre 530 (162) 39 1984
5 First Bank and Trust Tower 481 (147) 36 1987
6 Sheraton New Orleans 479 (146) 48 1985
7 New Orleans Marriott 449 (137) 42 1972
8 Texaco Center 442 (135) 32 1983
9 One Canal Place 440 (134) 32 1979
10 1010 Common 438 (134) 31 1970
11 World Trade Center New Orleans 407 (124) 33 1967
12 Benson Tower 406 (124) 26 1989
13 225 Baronne Street 362 (110) 29 1965
14 Hyatt Regency New Orleans 361 (110) 27 1976
15 Entergy Tower 360 (110) 28 1983
16 Hibernia Bank Building 355 (108) 20 1921
17 1250 Poydras Plaza 342 (104) 24 1979
18 1515 Poydras 341 (104) 29 1984
18 Hilton New Orleans Riverside 341 (104) 29 1977
20 JW Marriott Hotel New Orleans 331 (101) 30 1984

 

 

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3 Responses to Skyscrapers! The 20 Tallest Buildings in New Orleans

  1. […] Shell Square, the tallest and biggest office building in New Orleans and Louisiana, was acquired by the Los Angeles-based Hertz Investment […]

  2. In the last 40 years over 13 planned skyscrapers over 40 stories were canceled including a 72 story Trump Tower… New Orleans just cannot compete with other great Southern and western cities as over 15 of these have over shadowed the Crescent City with dynamic skyline growth… Blame the city leadership for that decline!

  3. […] 697 feet and 52 stories, One Shell Square is the city’s tallest building.  It’s borne the named One Shell Square since it first opened in 1972.  Beginning in 2018, […]

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