New Orleans took a step toward a new city hall Thursday.
The city council approved a land swap of some city property for land owned by the state adjacent to Duncan Plaza.
"At the end of the day, this is something that's been worked on really now for decades from administration to administration," said New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno, calling it a win-win. "It's something that's taken a long tie to come to fruition but it really is a deal of a lifetime."
The deal exchanges streets and some city-owned green space around the Caesars Superdome for the real estate that used to be home to a state office building and courthouse.
"In exchange for streets that are adjacent to the Superdome, which are LaSalle Street, a portion of Dave Dixon Drive, the green space on West Stadium Drive and the median between Poydras and Sugar Bowl Drive, the city will transfer that to the state of Louisiana in exchange for the state's portion of Duncan Plaza," said Cindy Connick with the New Orleans Building Corporation.
The city will also get the multi-level parking garage that sits on the plaza and LaSalle Street.
The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, which oversees the Superdome, also approved the land swap Thursday.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell lauded the action.
"This is a big day for the City of New Orleans, particularly for City employees, and for our residents and business owners who access City Hall for government services," the mayor said. "This paves the way to provide adequate space for a new City Hall and Civil District Court."
