KEY TAKEAWAYS: DDD begins design and planning for Molly Marine Plaza upgrades. $100,000 project funded by Louisiana Act 461, targeting design and installation. Improvements include updated lighting and enhanced public spaces, completing by July 2026. Project supports BioDistrict initiatives an d coincides with Canal Street sidewalk restoration.   The Downtown Development District of New Orleans (DDD) has begun designing upgrades to Molly Marine Plaza, the Elk Place neutral ground between Canal Street and Tulane Avenue. The improvements, which include updated lighting and enhanced public spaces, are being developed in partnership with local design firm Studio West. The $100,000 project is funded through Act 461 of the 2025 Louisiana Legislature and covers both design and installation. Construction is expected to be completed by July 2026, pending city approvals, permits and reviews. “This project represents the kind of thoughtful public space investment that strengthens both the safety and vitality of Downtown,” said Seth Knudsen, DDD president and CEO. He added that the upgrades aim to make the corridor more inviting for residents, workers, and visitors, while supporting the BioDistrict’s vision as a hub for biosciences innovation. The enhancements build on DDD’s ongoing work in the BioDistrict, a collaborative effort with Tulane University, BioDistrict New Orleans, and the New Orleans BioInnovation Center. Past initiatives have included public art installations, landscape improvements, district identity projects, planning studies, and programs supporting entrepreneurship. “Molly Marine Plaza sits at the heart of where innovation meets everyday life,” said Andy Kopplin, chair of BioDistrict New Orleans and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. “Investments like this help create places where people feel connected, inspired, and proud of their neighborhood.” The Molly Marine Plaza project coincides with DDD’s Canal Street Sidewalk Restoration, the first comprehensive maintenance of the sidewalks in more than 20 years. Both projects reflect the district’s commitment to improving prominent Downtown corridors and public spaces. Patrick Norton, Tulane’s senior vice president and a board member of BioDistrict New Orleans, emphasized the project’s broader impact. “These improvements reflect our community’s investment in creating a safe, walkable, and thriving neighborhood adjacent to a nation-leading corridor of discovery and innovation,” he said. The Downtown Development District, created in 1974 as the nation’s first assessment-based business improvement district, oversees enhanced economic development and public space services in Downtown New Orleans, supporting property and business owners through grants, public safety initiatives, and sanitation programs. ...read more read less