What ever happened to that new City Hall idea?

It's been a while since we've heard anything there. I think the last thing I remember was they were looking at the Municipal Auditorium and even there was some noise about the abandoned Naval Support building. That was last November. The most significant update since then is it looks like the Charity Hospital redevelopment is finally off the board.  Anyway, it sounds like it's time for an update even if this is an awkward moment budgetwise.

It's not too awkward for NOPD, though. They're eager to break ground on a new HQ.

The New Orleans Police Department is asking city leaders to budget $37 million to replace the department’s headquarters, authorities said Wednesday morning.

“We know we need a new building, and we need it fast,” said NOPD Deputy Superintendent Christopher Goodly in a budget meeting with city planning officials. “It’s basically time to consider looking at a new headquarters instead of spending the resources to repair a dilapidated building.”


Goodly said the aging building has developed numerous issues. Officers and staff regularly complain about the air quality in the building, and the elevators frequently need repair. The adjacent parking garage is also developing structural issues, he said.

As security standards have increased, the department has struggled to retrofit the building to meet prevent unauthorized entry, Goodly said. One security breach recently led to an intruder being subdued with a Taser, Goodly said.

“It’s not designed to handle all the post-9/11, post-Katrina safety mandates that we have,” Goodly said.

It says they think they would also need a new site,  "in the same general area of Mid-City with the other criminal-justice buildings such as the jail and the courthouse." So if you have any leads on hot real estate in the area speak up. Hopefully nothing too radioactive, though.