Downtown Living in New Orleans

With premium access to world-class dining, art, music and culture, Downtown New Orleans is a great place to live. The Arts District, the WWII and Ogden Museums, award-winning restaurants like Herbsaint and Emeril's are all steps away when you live in Downtown's distinct neighborhoods. The Hornets and the Saints, the Sugar Bowl and Mardi Gras all happen in your backyard.

Housing

Condominiums and Apartments comprise most of Downtown's housing stock. To search for property Downtown, visit the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors at http://www.gulfsouthrealestate.interealty.com/Index.asp and in "MLS Area Number" select "New Orleans/CBD/Warehouse."

Downtown is host to an exciting mix public museums, including the National WWII Museum, the Contemporary Art Center, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, as well as galleries exhibiting works by local, national and international artists. Downtown's nightlife scene is equally diverse with cabaret at Le Chat Noir, laid back socializing at Lucy's Retired Surfer's Bar and Vic's Kangaroo Cafe', swank cocktails at the Swizzle Stick, dancing at Republic and the Metropolitan, and live music at the Howlin' Wolf. Whatever your mood, options abound Downtown.

• Arts Council of New Orleans/NOLAFunGuide.com - Designated by the City of New Orleans as its official arts agency, the Arts Council of New Orleans acts as an advocate, convener, and an investor in the arts and culture of Greater New Orleans.
  
• Arts District of New Orleans - A collection of contemporary galleries focused on Julia Street and adjacent streets. The Arts District hosts "Art Walk" the first Saturday of every month to showcase new exhibitions.
  
• Audubon Aquarium of the Americas - Get face to face with penguins, sea otters, sharks, seahorses... you can even pet a starfish.
  
• Audubon Insectarium - The newest attraction on Canal Street, the Insectarium is the largest insect museum in the U.S.!
  
• Civil War Museum at Confederate Memorial Hall - Home of the second largest collection of Confederate memorabilia in the world in the oldest continually operating museum in Louisiana.
  
• Contemporary Arts Center - The the CAC is the home of modern arts programming in the South. From bold experiments in visual arts, to cutting-edge performances, the CAC celebrates the art of now.
  
• Louisiana Children's Museum - The young and young at heart come to the Children's Museum to learn through play.
  
• National WWII Museum - Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as the country's official World War II Museum, this remarkable attraction illuminates the American experience during the WWII era with moving personal stories, historic artifacts and powerful interactive displays.
  
• Ogden Museum of Southern Art - Ogden is home of the largest and most comprehensive collection of Southern Art in the world.
  
• Sculpture For New Orleans - A two-year sculpture exhibition placing monumental sculptures throughout New Orleans, from the well- traveled areas of Downtown New Orleans, Uptown and the Garden District to City Park and the New Orleans Museum of Art, designed to bring national and international attention to the visual arts and the artists of post-Katrina New Orleans.

Dining

From the grandeur to Palace Cafe' overlooking Canal Street to the smoky barbecue of the Ugly Dog Saloon, Downtown offers a bounty of options ranging from fine dining to casual. New Orleans' food critic Tom Fitzmorris documents the restaurant scene on a daily basis and has compiled a current list of restaurants.

• Restaurants in the CBD
  
• Restaurants in the Warehouse District / Lafayette Square

The Louisiana Superdome and New Orleans Arena are home to all of New Orleans' major sporting events and serve as the home of the NFL New Orleans Saints and the NBA New Orleans Hornets. The Superdome hosts the Sugar Bowl, Bayou Classic, Tulane Football and serves every four years as the site of the BCS Championship Game. The New Orleans Arena also hosts the New Orleans Voodoo of the Arena football league and in 2008 will host the NBA All-Star game and ArenaBowl XXII.

• Louisiana Superdome - Superdome.com
  
• New Orleans Arena - NewOrleansArena.com
  
• New Orleans Saints - NewOrleansSaints.com
  
• New Orleans Hornets - Hornets.com
  

Parks

Downtown offers three public parks - Lafayette Square, Duncan Plaza and the Mississippi River Heritage Park. Downtown residents are never more than a five minute walk from a public green space. Click on the links below to see a Google map of each park. Piazza d'Italia, the Cancer Survivor's Plaza and Spanish Plaza aren't green spaces, but they are public common areas to read the paper, relax, and reflect.

• Lafayette Square
• Mississippi River Heritage Park
• Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Survivor's Plaza
• Piazza d'Italia
• Spanish Plaza
• Duncan Plaza - (currently closed for work on State of Louisiana office building)

Transportation

Downtown offers easy access to the Greater New Orleans area. While most condominium and apartment developments have adjacent parking garages, many Downtown residents find it easier and more convenient (not to mention healthier and "greener") to walk or take public transportation. Amtrak and Greyhound share a passenger terminal near the Superdome as well.

• Regional Transit Authority - norta.com
• Union Passenger Terminal - amtrak.com or greyhound.com

Developments in Progress

Clean & Safe

The Downtown Development District is dedicated to keeping Downtown Clean & Safe in order to foster a conducive environment for its residents, workers and visitors. To see more on the DDD's Clean & Safe efforts, click the link to the right.