NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Mayor LaToya Cantrell recently signed a five-year Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the City of New Orleans and Save Our Soul Coalition (S.O.S.C.) to support the redevelopment process for Louis Amstrong Park and Municipal Auditorium. Additionally, Mayor Cantrell issued an Executive Order to establish a Municipal Auditorium and Armstrong Park Revitalization Advisory Committee. The nine-member committee comprised of community members will advise and provide counsel to the Mayor and City Council regarding the development of a Strategic Master Plan for Louis Armstrong Park and Municipal Auditorium.
“Armstrong Park and its historic buildings, including the Municipal Auditorium, have been an integral part of New Orleans’ history and culture for generations,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “I am pleased to enter into this agreement which will place culture-bearers and community leaders in a position to recommend future uses for the Municipal Auditorium and Armstrong Park as a world-class cultural complex. There is no better partner to envision a new plan for this important, world class cultural site.”
“The completion of the Poydras Street infrastructure improvement project marks the beginning of many exciting infrastructure improvements in the Central Business District, French Quarter, Marigny, and Bywater,” said Rick Hathaway, director of the Department of Public Works. “With street resurfacing, new bike lanes, high-visibility crosswalks, ADA-compliant ramps, and sidewalk repairs at various locations, these projects will provide lasting benefits to the city for years to come. We are excited for the future improvements in these areas and would like to thank our partners at the state, Parks and Parkways, and the Sewerage and Water Board for working with us to transform New Orleans and build a resilient, inclusive city.”
“[this order] marks a great milestone in the revitalization of one of the city’s most important assets,” said State Senator Jimmy Harris. “I look forward to seeing Armstrong Park/Municipal Auditorium being fully restored.”
“I’m glad to see progress being made to address the condition of the Morris F.X. Jeff Municipal Auditorium in Armstrong Park,” said State Representative Alonzo Knox. “This historic landmark is a true treasure that deserves preservation and thoughtful development to ensure future generations can appreciate and enjoy its legacy.”
In December 2021, S.O.S.C. developed and released the “Louis Armstrong Park Cultural Center” plan, which outlined the vision of a revitalized Municipal Auditorium and Armstrong Park. The plan includes the goals of preserving, protecting, educating, celebrating, promoting, and sustaining the unique root culture of New Orleans, the sacred traditions of Congo Square, and the legacy of Louis Armstrong. Mayor Cantrell endorsed S.O.S.C.’s vision of a world class cultural complex at Municipal Auditorium and Armstrong Park, and the City endeavors to fulfill its mission to preserve the culture, sacristy, and history of the site.
“We are excited for the opportunity to have input into the planning process for the revitalization of the Municipal Auditorium, Louis Armstrong Park, and especially Congo Square,” said Jackie Harris, president of Save Our Soul Coalition, Inc. and executive director of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation. “Ours was an inclusive process. We held numerous meetings with stakeholders in the community. They voiced support for a museum, studios, shops, a marketplace, supper club, new indoor and outdoor performance spaces, and facilities to host cultural and community events. We now will dig deeper into those concepts and funding options so that a solid plan for revitalization can be presented.”
“I fully support the CEA and commend the hard work and dedication it took for all of the parties to arrive at this historic day,” said Cheryl R. Austin, Treme resident, S.O.S.C. member, and Executive Director of the Greater Treme Consortium. “The CEA will benefit both the Treme community and the citizens of New Orleans. After 50+ years of looking forward, we can finally say that we have achieved the goal we were working toward – a viable agreement with the City of New Orleans. Let the traditions, culture, and our ancestors be celebrated!”
The City of New Orleans will execute a separate agreement with the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s subsidiary, the New Orleans Community Support Foundation, committing to procuring a Strategic Master Planning team to undertake the work of creating the Strategic Master Plan for Louis Armstrong Park and Municipal Auditorium. A Request for Proposals for the Strategic Master Planning team is expected to be released in early 2025.
“Much hard work went into crafting these documents,” said Jeff Schwartz, director of Economic Development for the City of New Orleans. “The Cantrell Administration is committed to revitalizing Armstrong Park and the Municipal Auditorium as a vibrant, world-class cultural complex. This will be a truly catalytic project, and we are excited to work with all of our partners, including Save Our Soul Coalition, to bring this vision to fruition.”
“Armstrong Park is a revered and sacred space, and we are thrilled to partner with the City of New Orleans to help fund and oversee the selection and management of a strategic master planning consultant who will engage the community in creating an inspiring vision for the park’s future,” said Andy Kopplin, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
In December 2023, the City of New Orleans began work with Verges Rome Architects to deploy $38 million in FEMA funding to stabilize the Municipal Auditorium, which has been dormant since Hurricane Katrina. The FEMA-funded scope of work includes replacing the existing roof, exterior repairs, mold remediation, the removal of existing mechanical and electrical equipment and conditioning the building.
“Louis Armstrong Park, Congo Square and the Municipal Auditorium are cherished landmarks of our city’s culture, and this agreement marks a historic step forward,” said Councilmember Freddie King. “I thank Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the Save Our Soul Coalition and everyone who worked tirelessly to forge this partnership.”
