Trump Tower moves ahead

Building would be tallest in Louisiana
Sunday, February 18, 2007
By Bruce Eggler

Although some New Orleanians still express skepticism that it will happen, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's body blow to the city's economy, one of the lead developers of the proposed 70-story Trump International Hotel & Tower on Poydras Street promised last week that the project is going to become reality.

With New Orleans City Planning Commission approval in hand, Florida developer Cliff Mowe said, "we don't see anything at this point" that could derail the construction of what would be Louisiana's tallest building.

The City Council still needs to approve the plans, but that is considered almost certain. With no opposition to the project having surfaced, Mowe said, council approval "should be pretty smooth."

Mowe said he hopes to break ground this summer, with construction expected to take 28 months, putting completion in late 2009. "We're very excited about moving forward," he said.

The 1.6-million-square-foot tower, estimated to cost about $400 million, would fill most of the largely vacant block bounded by Poydras, Camp, Natchez and Magazine streets. It would be 716 feet high, plus a 126-foot spire, and would contain 734 luxury condominium and hotel units and a 715-space garage.

Mowe said the developers want to shift "in the very near future" from taking reservations for the building's condos to signing sales contracts for them.

Traffic impact studied

The Planning Commission approved plans for the tower 6-0 last week, after getting the results of a traffic impact analysis from the developers. The commission had delayed voting on the project last month until the traffic study could be reviewed.

City planners said the staff of the Department of Public Works "agreed that the additional traffic generated by the proposed structure would not likely decrease the level of service on the surrounding streets below what is acceptable to the city."

New York real estate magnate Donald Trump announced on Aug. 25, 2005, that he would join a team of Florida developers in building a 70-story tower in New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina hit four days later, but within two weeks Donald Trump Jr. said the developers would go ahead with the project.

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