It's been empty for over two decades. You can see it from miles away. And nobody can figure out what to do with it.
The Plaza Tower rises 45 stories above the Central Business District, a stark concrete skyscraper that was once a symbol of New Orleans' ambition and has become a symbol of something else entirely. Vacant since 2002, the building is one of the tallest abandoned structures in the United States — a daily reminder, visible from highways and neighborhoods across the city, that even big ideas can go very wrong.
A Tower of Ambition
The Plaza Tower was completed in 1969, designed by the firm of Leonard R. Spangenberg Jr. and Associates. At 531 feet, it was the tallest building in New Orleans at the time of its completion, and it remained one of the most prominent structures on the city's skyline for decades. The building was designed as an office tower, and for its first three decades, it served that purpose — housing tenants ranging from government agencies to private businesses.
The building's design is pure late-1960s modernism: a rectangular concrete tower with a repetitive grid of windows, functional rather than decorative, built for efficiency rather than beauty. It's the kind of building that was going up in every American city during that era — a no-nonsense office box that valued square footage over style. In New Orleans, a city known for its ornate architecture and decorative excess, the Plaza Tower has always looked a bit like a visitor from another planet.
The Decline
By the 1990s, the Plaza Tower was struggling. The building had never been the most prestigious address in the CBD, and as newer, more modern office buildings came online, tenants drifted away to more attractive options. The building's systems — elevators, HVAC, plumbing — were aging and expensive to maintain. Occupancy rates dropped steadily.
The final blow came in the early 2000s when environmental concerns — including reports of asbestos contamination — made the building effectively unleasable. The last tenants vacated by 2002, and the Plaza Tower became what it has been ever since: a 45-story empty building in the middle of downtown New Orleans.
The Problem with Big Empty Buildings
The Plaza Tower presents a uniquely difficult urban problem. It's too big to ignore, too expensive to renovate, too complicated to demolish, and too prominent to pretend it doesn't exist. The building looms over the CBD, visible from I-10, from the Superdome, from the Garden District, from just about everywhere. You cannot drive through New Orleans without seeing it, and you cannot see it without wondering why it's still empty.
The challenges are immense. Asbestos abatement alone would cost millions. The building's mechanical systems would need to be entirely replaced. The concrete structure would need seismic and structural evaluation. The facade, which has deteriorated visibly over the years, would need extensive work. And all of this would need to happen before a single new tenant could move in or a single hotel room could be furnished.
Demolition is equally daunting. Taking down a 45-story building in the middle of a dense urban area is extraordinarily expensive and complex. The asbestos issue makes demolition even more challenging, as the hazardous material would need to be removed before the building could be brought down. The cost of demolition alone has been estimated in the tens of millions of dollars.
The Proposals
Like the Market Street Power Plant, the Plaza Tower has attracted no shortage of redevelopment proposals over the years. Plans have included luxury condominiums, a mixed-use development, a hotel, and various other schemes that would transform the empty tower into something productive. Each proposal has been accompanied by optimistic timelines and confident projections, and each has eventually stalled.
The pattern is grimly familiar: a developer announces plans, the city expresses enthusiasm, renderings are released, and then the project quietly dies as the realities of cost, contamination, and complexity prove insurmountable. The Plaza Tower has been "about to be redeveloped" for two decades now, and the most honest assessment is that it will remain empty until someone with very deep pockets and very strong nerves decides to take on the challenge.
A Different Kind of Landmark
The Plaza Tower has become, in its strange way, a landmark. Not the kind that makes it onto postcards or walking tours, but the kind that New Orleanians point to when they want to talk about what's wrong with the city's approach to development, maintenance, and accountability. How does a 45-story building in the middle of downtown sit empty for over two decades? How does a city that needs housing, office space, and hotel rooms allow one of its largest structures to rot?
The answers involve a tangle of ownership disputes, tax liens, environmental regulations, and the basic economics of construction in a city where even straightforward projects face unusual challenges. The Plaza Tower isn't empty because nobody cares. It's empty because solving the problem costs more than anyone has been willing or able to spend.
Still Standing
The Plaza Tower continues to dominate the New Orleans skyline, its empty floors staring blankly out over the city. At night, it's a dark gap in the constellation of downtown lights — the one building that never glows. During the day, its deteriorating facade and empty windows tell a story that everyone in the city knows but nobody can resolve.
For a city that prides itself on never throwing anything away — on preserving, repurposing, and finding new life for old things — the Plaza Tower is a stubborn exception. It's the building that New Orleans can't save and won't tear down, caught in a limbo that has lasted longer than some of its occupants' careers. It stands there, 45 stories of concrete and questions, waiting for an answer that may never come.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is the Plaza Tower?
The Plaza Tower stands 45 stories and 531 feet tall. When completed in 1969, it was the tallest building in New Orleans. It remains one of the most prominent structures on the city's skyline.
Why is the Plaza Tower empty?
The building was vacated by its last tenants in 2002 due to declining conditions and environmental concerns, including asbestos contamination. The enormous cost of remediation, renovation, or demolition has prevented any redevelopment from moving forward.
Why hasn't the Plaza Tower been demolished?
Demolishing a 45-story building in a dense urban area is extremely expensive and complex, with estimates in the tens of millions of dollars. The presence of asbestos adds additional cost and regulatory requirements. No entity has been willing to bear the expense.
Are there any plans to renovate the Plaza Tower?
Multiple redevelopment proposals have been announced over the years, including plans for condominiums, hotels, and mixed-use developments. None have come to fruition due to the immense costs involved in asbestos abatement, structural renovation, and systems replacement.
Where is the Plaza Tower?
The Plaza Tower is located at 1001 Howard Avenue in the Central Business District of New Orleans, near the Superdome. It is visible from highways and neighborhoods across the city.
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