The Central Business District, or CBD, is a neighborhood in the middle of the bustling city of New Orleans. It is a thriving mixed-use neighborhood with skyscrapers, nightclubs, offices, specialty shops, restaurants and many residents. Most of the residents live in historic industrial and commercial buildings that have been re-purposed into apartments and condominiums. Not only is it a vibrant business and residential area it is also a cultural mecca known for an abundance of galleries, museums, theaters and dozens of breathtaking historic churches. It is an educated neighborhood where around 72% of all adults hold four-year degrees or higher. This unique neighborhood is bordered by the French Quarter, the Lower Garden District, the Central City neighborhood and more.

The streets of the CDB were originally platted as a suburb called Faubourg Ste. Marie in the late 1700s. In the beginning, the suburb was largely residential, but as the city expanded the suburb was absorbed and become an area known as the American Sector. For many years Canal Street was considered the dividing line between the American Sector and the French Quarter. However, over time both sides of Canal Street became part of the CDB. By the mid-1900s most offices were located downtown as well as it being the central hub for the city’s public transportation system. In this same era, Canal Street became the central retail destination for the growing city. Barrone Street grew into the theater district, and the parts of the CDB closest to the river became the warehouse district. In more recent years, the CDB was one of the neighborhoods with the great fortune to avoid the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina.

It is a thriving neighborhood that spans nearly two miles, and in 2010 it had a population of 2,060 and a population density of 1,746 people per square mile. It is a primarily white-collar neighborhood with several major corporations headquartered within its borders, including, but not limited to, Entergy, Reilly Food Company, Pan American Life Insurance, International Coffee Corporation and more. Also, headquartered in the CDB, is the regional economic alliance, the Greater New Orleans Inc., as well as the New Orleans Metropolitan Area’s leading economic development group, the New Orleans Business Alliance. In 2012, the estimated value of detached homes was a reasonable $142,526. The current estimated household income is around $50,000 a year.

Though the CDB was once quiet and nearly deserted after work hours, today it is a lively, both day and night. There are several museums in the neighborhood including the Ogden Museum of Modern Art, the Louisiana Children’s Museum and the National World War II Museum. The Central Business District is home to two foreign consulates, the French Consulate and the Consulate of Mexico. There are several important and often historic structures in the neighborhood, including the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the World Trade Center of New Orleans, St. Patrick’s Church, the New Orleans Cotton Exchange and others. The neighborhood is also home to the beautiful Lafayette Square Public Park. Homes for sale range from traditional single family structures up through historic homes and repurposed industrial buildings. Rental and lease properties include condominiums, apartments and more. To begin your home search in the CDB, call local real estate agent Mary Danna today at 504-517-6533.