Plaza Tower
| Plaza Tower | |
|---|---|
The familiar landmark of the New Orleans skyline in October 2007
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| General information | |
| Type | Residential |
| Location | 1001 Howard Avenue New Orleans, United States |
| Coordinates | 29°56′47″N 90°04′36″W / 29.94639°N 90.07667°WCoordinates: 29°56′47″N 90°04′36″W / 29.94639°N 90.07667°W |
| Construction started | 1964 |
| Completed | 1969 |
| Renovated | 2006-2008 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 531 ft (162 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 45 |
| Floor area | 485,000 sq ft (45,058 m2) |
| Lifts/elevators | 13 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Leonard R Spangenberg, Jr & Associates |
| Designated | January 30, 2013 |
| Reference no. | 12001241 |
| References | |
Plaza Tower (for a time dubbed Crescent City Towers and Crescent City Residences in a failed proposed redevelopment scheme) is a 45-story, 531-foot (162 m) skyscraper in New Orleans, Louisiana, designed in the modern style by Leonard R Spangenberg, Jr. & Associates. Located in the Central Business District (CBD), it is the third tallest building in both the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.
The building has been unused since 2002 because of environmental problems such as toxic mold and asbestos. In March 2005, the Plaza Tower was purchased by Giannasca Development Group LLC for $4 million. The Giannasca Group planned a $120 million renovation to convert the office tower into a 197-unit condominium tower with an entirely new . However, after damage due to Hurricane Katrina, the group was involved in faulty appropriations of insurance money that had been issued after the storm, causing the group to sue one another and default on the mortgage.
In 2007, the building was auctioned off and purchased by Plainfield Asset Management for $583,000. In January 2009, mold remediation work began on the structure to rid it of asbestos and other problems. The work involves stripping the entire interior of the building, including removing all of its walls and ceilings. The work is estimated to cost $10 million and is expected to take one year to complete. Subsequent future plans are uncertain.
As of Wednesday, July 20, 2011, WWL TV of New Orleans reports that the building is up for auction, with a minimum bid of $250,000, and was bought by Tony Anderson.
Construction of the Plaza Tower began in 1964, but halted in October 1966. The property was bought out and construction resumed in 1968. Upon completion later that year, the Plaza Tower became the tallest building in New Orleans and Louisiana, a record it held for four years when One Shell Square surpassed it by over 160 feet (49 m).
Along with the World Trade Center on the Mississippi riverfront, the Plaza Tower marked the beginning of modern high-rises in New Orleans. The building has always held a prominent place in the city's skyline, even after the 1970s building boom on along Canal Street and the 1980s boom along Poydras Street. This is due to both its unique design, particularly its "mushroom top," and its location on the extreme edge of the CBD.
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