New Orleans considers historic designation for Hard Rock Hotel collapse site

The site of the 2019 Hard Rock Hotel collapse in downtown New Orleans could get a historic landmark after city leaders officially asked a city commission Thursday to explore the idea.

Council members voted unanimously in favor of the measure, saying a designation would give the city more control over what happens next to the site. The property, located at 1031 Canal Street, has been unused since the construction site collapsed five years agowhich killed three people.

But it’s not just the site of tragedy. It was also the site of a prominent civil rights-era protest in 1960, when activists staged one of the first sit-ins at a separate lunch counter in a Woolworth department store.

“This isn’t just about having a plaque,” ​​said Helena Moreno, council president. “It’s about what we can do to make sure that what comes next is appropriate, based on what happened there in 2019 and also in 1960.”

The future of the property has been in limbo for years as lawsuits and criminal investigations have worked their way through the legal system. Last year, the Orleans Parish District Attorney decided not to continue criminal charges against any of the engineers, construction companies or city building inspectors who oversaw the project.

Families of the victims and community members have advocated for the landmark designation and for stricter city oversight of major construction projects in general. At Thursday’s meeting, public commenters said this would be a good move for the neighborhood.

“Whatever replaces it has to be in line with what the community desires, what the community values,” said Erin Holmes, principal of Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents & Associates. “That means we shouldn’t give everything away for top dollar economic development. That means you remember what happened there, the good and the terrible.”

Next, the city’s Central Business District Historic District Landmark Commission will investigate the Canal Street property. After completion, they will provide a formal recommendation to the municipal council regarding a historic monumental designation.