Introduction

This is a work in progress. Please feel free to submit any changes or suggestions.

Gentilly

Gentilly, one of New Orleans' most diverse neighborhoods, stretches across approximately five square miles bounded by Lake Pontchartrain to the north, the Industrial Canal to the east, the Fairgrounds to the south, and City Park to the west. Once primarily swampland, Gentilly developed as a middle-class residential area in the early to mid-20th century. Today, it encompasses multiple sub-neighborhoods including Gentilly Terrace, Gentilly Woods, Pontchartrain Park, Milneburg, and others.

Neighborhood Profiles / Gentilly

Treme

Tremé (pronounced "truh-MAY"), often described as America's oldest African American neighborhood, lies just north of the French Quarter in New Orleans. This culturally significant community has been at the heart of the city's musical and cultural development for over two centuries. Bounded by North Rampart Street, St. Bernard Avenue, North Broad Street, and Orleans Avenue/Basin Street, Tremé's rich history and central location make it both culturally invaluable and increasingly vulnerable to development pressures.

Neighborhood Profiles / Treme

Hollygrove

Hollygrove, located in the northwestern part of New Orleans, exemplifies the quiet resilience that defines many of the city's residential neighborhoods. Bounded by Palmetto Street, Airline Drive, Claiborne Avenue, and Carrollton Avenue, this predominantly African American community has deep roots and a strong sense of identity despite often being overlooked in broader narratives about New Orleans. With a mix of longtime residents and newcomers attracted by relatively affordable housing, Hollygrove continues to forge its own path to recovery and renewal.

Neighborhood Profiles / Hollygrove

Warehouse District and Arts District

The Warehouse District and Arts District, often collectively known as the "SoMa" (South of Mardi Gras Boulevard) area of New Orleans, represents one of the city's most dramatic urban transformations. Bounded by Poydras Street, the Mississippi River, the Pontchartrain Expressway, and Loyola Avenue, this former industrial zone has evolved from abandoned warehouses to a vibrant mixed-use district anchored by museums, galleries, residential conversions, and creative businesses. The area's reinvention began in the 1970s and accelerated after the 1984 World's Fair, creating a neighborhood that embodies both the opportunities and challenges of post-industrial urban revitalization. Today, the district navigates the complexities of maintaining artistic authenticity while accommodating luxury development and tourism growth.

Neighborhood Profiles / Warehouse District and Arts District

Gert Town

Gert Town, a small but historically significant neighborhood in Mid-City New Orleans, sits at the intersection of industrial heritage and educational innovation. Bounded by Jefferson Davis Parkway, Earhart Boulevard, Carrollton Avenue, and Washington Avenue, this community has been shaped by both Xavier University of Louisiana—the nation's only historically Black Catholic university—and its industrial past. Despite its relatively small geographic footprint, Gert Town encompasses remarkable diversity of uses, from academic facilities to light industrial operations, residential blocks to commercial corridors. Long overlooked in broader New Orleans narratives, this community has been gradually reclaiming its identity through community organizing, university partnership, and strategic development.

Neighborhood Profiles / Gert Town

Lake Terrace and Lake Oaks

The Lake Terrace and Lake Oaks neighborhoods, situated along the southern shore of Lake Pontchartrain between the London Avenue Canal and Bayou St. John, represent some of New Orleans' most distinctive residential communities. Developed in the 1950s on land reclaimed from the lake through the Orleans Levee Board's ambitious lakefront extension project, these planned neighborhoods were designed as prestigious suburban enclaves with larger lot sizes, strict building covenants, and architectural controls. With their wide boulevards, extensive landscaping, and predominantly ranch-style and mid-century modern homes, Lake Terrace and Lake Oaks contrast sharply with traditional New Orleans neighborhoods while creating a unique lakefront residential environment.

Neighborhood Profiles / Lake Terrace and Lake Oaks

Tall Timbers and Brechtel

The Tall Timbers and Brechtel neighborhoods, located on New Orleans' West Bank in Algiers, represent a distinctive suburban enclave characterized by later development, greater automobile dependency, and different housing patterns than much of the city's historic core. Bounded approximately by General DeGaulle Drive, the Intracoastal Waterway, Holmes Boulevard, and Behrman Highway, this area developed primarily in the 1960s through 1980s as a suburban-style community offering larger lot sizes, ranch homes, and cul-de-sacs that contrasted with the older, more densely built sections of New Orleans. The neighborhood takes its name from the Tall Timbers subdivision and the adjacent Brechtel Park, a 110-acre woodland that provides significant green space and recreation.

Neighborhood Profiles / Tall Timbers and Brechtel

Village de l'Est

Village de l'Est, located in the eastern reaches of New Orleans between Chef Menteur Highway, Michoud Boulevard, Interstate 10, and Lake Pontchartrain, represents one of America's most remarkable stories of refugee resettlement and community building. Developed initially as a suburban subdivision in the 1960s, the neighborhood was transformed in the mid-1970s when Vietnamese refugees, primarily Catholics fleeing the fall of Saigon, were resettled in the area under the sponsorship of the Catholic Church. Over subsequent decades, these newcomers built a vibrant ethnic enclave—often called "Versailles" after a major apartment complex in the area—characterized by strong cultural traditions, entrepreneurial energy, and exceptional community cohesion.

Neighborhood Profiles / Village de l'Est

Desire/Florida

The Desire/Florida neighborhood, situated in New Orleans' Upper Ninth Ward, represents a community with deep historical roots and remarkable resilience in the face of multiple structural challenges. Bounded by the Industrial Canal, Florida Avenue, Almonaster Avenue, and the CSX Railroad, this area was predominantly marshland until the mid-20th century when it was developed for industrial uses and working-class housing. The neighborhood's identity was significantly shaped by the construction of the Desire Housing Project in 1956 (demolished in the early 2000s) and remains influenced by its industrial surroundings, historic disinvestment, and the determined spirit of residents who have maintained community bonds despite institutional neglect. Far from tourist routes and often overlooked in broader New Orleans narratives, Desire/Florida demonstrates both the consequences of systemic inequality and the power of community-driven approaches to recovery and revitalization.

Neighborhood Profiles / Desire/Florida

Fontainebleau and Audubon

The Fontainebleau and Audubon neighborhoods, located in the university section of Uptown New Orleans, represent communities profoundly shaped by their proximity to Tulane and Loyola Universities while maintaining distinct residential identities. Bounded approximately by South Claiborne Avenue, Broadway Street, South Carrollton Avenue, and Colapissa Street, these adjacent neighborhoods combine elements of classic New Orleans architecture, mid-century suburban development, and contemporary urban infill. While Fontainebleau typically refers to the area north of Audubon Boulevard and Audubon to the section closer to the universities (including the Audubon Park vicinity), both neighborhoods navigate similar dynamics as they balance the benefits and challenges of university proximity, work to maintain residential character amid student housing pressure, and adapt to changing economic and environmental conditions.

Neighborhood Profiles / Fontainebleau and Audubon

Plum Orchard

Plum Orchard, situated in the heart of New Orleans East between Chef Menteur Highway, the Industrial Canal, I-10, and Read Boulevard, represents both the challenges and resilience of this often-overlooked section of the city. Developed primarily in the 1960s and 1970s as a suburban-style residential community, Plum Orchard offered affordable homeownership opportunities for working and middle-class families, particularly African Americans seeking the American dream of suburban living. Catastrophically flooded during Hurricane Katrina with most areas experiencing 6-10 feet of water, the neighborhood has faced a long and uneven recovery journey. Despite significant challenges, including disinvestment and service gaps, resident determination has driven ongoing rebuilding efforts that demonstrate the community's enduring commitment to reclaiming their neighborhood.

Neighborhood Profiles / Plum Orchard

St. Claude

The St. Claude neighborhood, stretching along the avenue of the same name between Elysian Fields Avenue and the Industrial Canal, represents one of New Orleans' most rapidly evolving areas. Often viewed as an extension of the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods but with its own distinct character, St. Claude combines historic residential areas with a commercial corridor that has become a center for arts, music, and cultural innovation. The 2008 opening of the St. Claude Arts District signaled the beginning of significant transformation, with converted warehouses, new performance venues, and creative businesses establishing alongside longtime neighborhood institutions. This blend of traditional New Orleans character and contemporary cultural energy creates both exciting opportunities and complex challenges as the community navigates questions of authenticity, accessibility, and change.

Neighborhood Profiles / St. Claude

St. Roch

St. Roch, nestled between the Marigny, Bywater, and the 7th Ward, represents a complex tapestry of New Orleans history, culture, and contemporary urban change. Named after the patron saint invoked during a yellow fever epidemic in the 1800s, this historic neighborhood developed primarily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a working-class area with strong Creole influences. Bounded by Franklin Avenue, North Claiborne Avenue, St. Claude Avenue, and Florida Avenue/I-10, St. Roch has experienced both significant challenges and promising revitalization in recent decades. Its proximity to rapidly changing neighborhoods has placed it at the crossroads of preservation, gentrification, and community-centered development approaches.

Neighborhood Profiles / St. Roch

Bayou St. John

The Bayou St. John neighborhood, defined by the historic waterway that forms its spine, represents one of New Orleans' most distinctive communities. Situated between City Park, Esplanade Ridge, and Mid-City, this area combines natural beauty, historic architecture, and urban vitality in a uniquely New Orleans blend. The bayou itself—once a critical transportation route for indigenous people and early settlers—now serves as a recreational asset and defining feature that shapes the neighborhood's identity and development patterns. With its mix of grand historic homes, modest mid-century residences, and new construction, Bayou St. John embodies both preservation of heritage and adaptation to contemporary urban life while navigating the challenges of environmental stewardship, development pressure, and community cohesion.

Neighborhood Profiles / Bayou St. John

Leonidas

The Leonidas neighborhood, also commonly known as Pigeon Town or Pension Town by longtime residents, represents one of New Orleans' authentic working-class communities with deep cultural traditions and resilient spirit. Located in the northwest section of the city, bounded by Claiborne Avenue, Earhart Boulevard, Joliet Street, and the Jefferson Parish line, this area developed primarily in the early 20th century as a diverse neighborhood of laborers, craftspeople, and families seeking affordable housing close to industrial employment. Though often overlooked in broader narratives about New Orleans, Leonidas/Pigeon Town has maintained a strong community identity while adapting to economic shifts, post-Katrina recovery challenges, and more recent development pressures from adjacent neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Profiles / Leonidas

French Quarter

The French Quarter (Vieux Carré), New Orleans' oldest and most iconic neighborhood, occupies a unique position as both a living community and the center of the city's tourism industry. Bounded by Canal Street, Esplanade Avenue, North Rampart Street, and the Mississippi River, this 78-square-block district represents the original settlement of New Orleans founded in 1718. With its distinctive architecture, wrought-iron balconies, hidden courtyards, and vibrant street life, the Quarter embodies the blend of French, Spanish, Caribbean, and American influences that define New Orleans. As both a residential neighborhood and international tourist destination, the French Quarter navigates complex tensions between preservation, commerce, culture, and quality of life.

Neighborhood Profiles / French Quarter

Mid-City

Mid-City, as its name suggests, occupies a central location in New Orleans, bounded by Broad Street, City Park Avenue, the Pontchartrain Expressway, and Orleans Avenue. This position at the crossroads of the city has shaped its development as a diverse, mixed-use neighborhood with rich cultural traditions and increasing development pressure. Heavily flooded during Hurricane Katrina with 3-8 feet of water throughout most areas, Mid-City has experienced dramatic physical, economic, and demographic changes during its recovery, creating both opportunities and tensions.

Neighborhood Profiles / Mid-City

Irish Channel

The Irish Channel and Garden District, situated in Uptown New Orleans along the Mississippi River, represent two adjacent but distinctly different historic neighborhoods that share interconnected challenges and opportunities. The Garden District, with its grand mansions and oak-lined streets, stands as one of America's most iconic historic neighborhoods, while the adjacent Irish Channel reflects a working-class immigrant history with more modest but equally significant architectural heritage. Together, these neighborhoods navigate the complexities of preservation, tourism pressure, and changing urban dynamics while maintaining their distinctive character and community bonds.

Neighborhood Profiles / Irish Channel

Chalmette

Chalmette, the parish seat and largest community of St. Bernard Parish, sits just downriver from New Orleans along the Mississippi River. This working-class community with deep industrial roots experienced catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Katrina, with nearly every structure damaged. In the years since, Chalmette has undergone a remarkable if uneven recovery, rebuilding its physical infrastructure while navigating complex questions about environmental health, economic development, and community identity. Its story reflects both the devastating impacts of disaster and the determined resilience of a community reimagining its future while honoring its past.

Neighborhood Profiles / Chalmette

Arabi

Arabi, located just beyond the Orleans Parish line in St. Bernard Parish, represents a unique transitional zone between New Orleans proper and the suburban communities of St. Bernard. Positioned along the Mississippi River and bordered by the Lower Ninth Ward to the west, Arabi combines elements of traditional New Orleans architecture and culture with a distinct parish identity. Heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina's flooding and more recently struck by a devastating EF3 tornado in March 2022, this resilient community has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity for reinvention while preserving its working-class roots and emerging cultural significance.

Neighborhood Profiles / Arabi

New Orleans East

New Orleans East, comprising nearly 40% of the city's landmass, stands as one of New Orleans' most complex and often misunderstood areas. Developed primarily in the mid-20th century as a planned suburban community, this vast section east of the Industrial Canal encompasses diverse sub-neighborhoods including Spring Lake, Pines Village, Lake Forest, Village de l'Est, and more. Once a thriving middle-class area with shopping malls and industrial parks, New Orleans East experienced catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Katrina and has faced a challenging recovery path. Despite persistent narratives of decline, the area showcases remarkable resilience, community strength, and untapped potential.

Neighborhood Profiles / New Orleans East

Faubourg Marigny

The Faubourg Marigny, located just downriver from the French Quarter, represents one of New Orleans' most distinctive historic neighborhoods. Developed in the early 19th century when Bernard de Marigny subdivided his plantation into lots, this area has evolved from its Creole roots through various periods of change to become a center of creative culture, historic preservation, and complex urban dynamics. Bounded by Esplanade Avenue, St. Claude Avenue, Press Street, and the Mississippi River, the Marigny combines exceptional architectural heritage with vibrant cultural life while navigating the challenges of tourism pressure, gentrification, and maintaining authentic community character.

Neighborhood Profiles / Faubourg Marigny

Uptown

Uptown New Orleans, stretching along the Mississippi River from the Garden District to the universities, represents one of the city's most iconic and prestigious areas. This expansive district encompasses numerous sub-neighborhoods including the University area, Audubon, Freret, Carrollton, and portions of the Riverside area. Defined by its grand oak-lined avenues, historic mansions, and Creole cottages, Uptown combines architectural splendor with significant educational institutions, thriving commercial corridors, and a complex social landscape that spans considerable economic diversity despite its affluent reputation.

Neighborhood Profiles / Uptown

Broadmoor

Broadmoor, located in the heart of New Orleans between Napoleon Avenue and Louisiana Avenue, stands as one of the city's most compelling examples of community-led planning and revitalization. This racially and economically diverse neighborhood sits in a natural basin that was heavily flooded during Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath, Broadmoor was initially designated as a potential "green space" rather than being rebuilt—a decision community members successfully resisted through organizing, planning, and determination. Today, Broadmoor showcases how resident leadership and strategic partnerships can transform a neighborhood's trajectory.

Neighborhood Profiles / Broadmoor

Lakeview

Lakeview, located in the northern part of New Orleans between Lake Pontchartrain and City Park, represents one of the city's most compelling recovery stories. This predominantly residential neighborhood was almost completely devastated by flooding following the 17th Street Canal breach during Hurricane Katrina, with some areas experiencing up to 10 feet of water. Through a combination of resident determination, insurance coverage, and access to recovery resources, Lakeview has transformed from a disaster zone to a thriving community with new amenities, businesses, and infrastructure—while facing new challenges regarding affordability, inclusivity, and climate adaptation

Neighborhood Profiles / Lakeview

Bywater

The Bywater, situated downriver from the French Quarter and Marigny, has undergone one of New Orleans' most dramatic transformations in recent decades. Bounded by the Mississippi River, St. Claude Avenue, the Industrial Canal, and Press Street, this historically working-class neighborhood has evolved from an industrial corridor to an arts district while experiencing significant demographic and economic shifts. Its proximity to the river, distinctive architecture, and creative energy make it both vibrant and deeply contested terrain.

Neighborhood Profiles / Bywater

City Park

The City Park neighborhood, taking its name from New Orleans' magnificent 1,300-acre urban park at its center, represents a distinctive blend of institutional presence and residential community. Bounded approximately by Bayou St. John, Orleans Avenue, I-610, and Harrison Avenue, this area encompasses both the expansive park itself—with its oak alleys, museums, sports facilities, and botanical garden—and the residential communities that have developed around its edges. Unlike most New Orleans neighborhoods, City Park's identity is defined as much by its major institutions as by its residential character, creating unique dynamics between the park as a citywide resource and the neighborhood as a place to live. This unusual relationship shapes both challenges and opportunities as the area navigates changing environmental conditions, institutional expansion, and questions about access and benefit.

Neighborhood Profiles / City Park

Pontchartrain Park

Pontchartrain Park, established in 1955 as one of the first planned suburban-style communities for African Americans in the United States, represents a unique chapter in both New Orleans and national civil rights history. Located in Gentilly between the London Avenue Canal, Peoples Avenue Canal, Press Drive, and Chef Menteur Highway, this historic neighborhood was developed during the era of segregation to provide homeownership opportunities for Black professionals and middle-class families. With its distinctive suburban layout featuring detached single-family homes, the Joseph M. Bartholomew Sr. Golf Course (the first public golf course open to African Americans in New Orleans), and proximity to Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), Pontchartrain Park created a foundation for multiple generations of African American advancement and community building.

Neighborhood Profiles / Bywater (1)

Algiers

Algiers, the only Orleans Parish neighborhood located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, offers a unique perspective on New Orleans life. Separated from the rest of the city by the river, this historic community encompasses diverse sub-neighborhoods including Algiers Point, McDonough, Fischer, Behrman, and Tunisburg/McClendonville. Its physical separation from the main city has fostered both distinct challenges and opportunities, creating a community with strong identity and varied needs across its different sections.

Neighborhood Profiles / Algiers

7th Ward

The 7th Ward, one of New Orleans' historic core neighborhoods, extends from Esplanade Avenue to Elysian Fields Avenue, bounded by Broad Street on the north and St. Bernard Avenue on the south. Historically known as the center of the city's Creole craftsmanship tradition, the 7th Ward was once home to skilled builders, plasterers, and artisans who constructed much of historic New Orleans. This community combines deep cultural roots with evolving dynamics as it navigates recovery, preservation, and change.

Neighborhood Profiles / 7th Ward

Central City

Central City occupies a pivotal location in New Orleans, sitting just uptown of the Central Business District between St. Charles Avenue and Claiborne Avenue. Once a thriving commercial and cultural center for African American life in the city, Central City has experienced decades of disinvestment followed by recent waves of redevelopment. This historically significant neighborhood contains landmarks of civil rights history, musical innovation, and Black entrepreneurship while facing complex challenges of equitable development.

Neighborhood Profiles / Central City

Lower Ninth

The Lower Ninth Ward, situated in the easternmost portion of New Orleans, is a community defined by its resilience, cultural richness, and ongoing journey of recovery. Bound by the Industrial Canal to the west, St. Bernard Parish to the east, the Mississippi River to the south, and Florida Avenue to the north, this historic neighborhood was one of the most devastated areas during Hurricane Katrina and has since become both a symbol of the storm's destruction and the community's determined spirit of rebirth.

Neighborhood Profiles / Lower Ninth

On this page

• Introduction
• Gentilly
• Treme
• Hollygrove
• Warehouse District and Arts District
• Gert Town
• Lake Terrace and Lake Oaks
• Tall Timbers and Brechtel
• Village de l'Est
• Desire/Florida
• Fontainebleau and Audubon
• Plum Orchard
• St. Claude
• St. Roch
• Bayou St. John
• Leonidas
• French Quarter
• Mid-City
• Irish Channel
• Chalmette
• Arabi
• New Orleans East
• Faubourg Marigny
• Uptown
• Broadmoor
• Lakeview
• Bywater
• City Park
• Pontchartrain Park
• Algiers
• 7th Ward
• Central City
• Lower Ninth