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
Some other fun facts:
- Constructed in 1969, Plaza Tower was the tallest building in New Orleans until 1972, when it was surpassed by One Shell Square.
- The 84-foot wide by 16-foot tall First Bank & Trust signage was added during the week of April 23, 2007.
- The Sheraton is the tallest hotel in New Orleans and has no 13th floor.
- 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 |
about the author: CSB Staff
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