The Element New Orleans Downtown by Marriott has opened its doors at 1010 Common St., marking the first phase of a significant $90 million office-to-hotel conversion project in downtown New Orleans. Managed by Bentley Legacy, the 216-room hotel includes 86 suites and features rooms ranging from 375 to 500 square feet. This opening represents an important development within the area, adding new capacity to the city’s hospitality market.
Developed by Kailas Companies, the project involves transforming the 31-story, 780,000-square-foot office building into a mixed-use facility. This ambitious endeavor includes the opening of a 250-room Fairmont hotel later in the year, along with the development of approximately 100,000 square feet of Class A office space and revamped ground-floor retail areas. The project also involves a substantial overhaul of the existing 525-space parking garage.
Rozas Ward Architects and Rockwell Group were key players in designing the renovation, while Patel Construction served as the general contractor. With the Element now open, the overall redevelopment is providing immediate operating revenue and poses as a model for similar projects seeking to revitalize underused office towers.
This venture by Kailas Companies is one of the largest private rehabilitation investments in downtown New Orleans in recent years. It is strategically placed near the Convention Center and Medical District, which may significantly affect room occupancy rates and demand dynamics. The phased approach ensures that operations start generating revenue while providing a template for developers considering adaptive reuse projects.
Interview opportunities with key figures involved in the redevelopment could provide further insights into the project’s financing, guest targeting strategies for the Element, and other construction challenges. The success of this conversion could herald a wave of similar projects in the Central Business District, as it redefines the hospitality and office space landscape in New Orleans.
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