LSU Real Estate and Facilities Foundation issues RFQ for adaptive reuse and revitalization opportunity of million square-foot historic site
Charity Hospital of New Orleans (Photo courtesy of the National Register of Historic Places)
Baton Rouge, La. – LSU announced today that the LSU Real Estate and Facilities Foundation, an affiliate of the LSU Foundation, has partnered with the State of Louisiana to seek qualified developers, investors and their partners to adaptively reuse the former Charity Hospital building at 1532 Tulane Avenue, adjacent to the LSU Health New Orleans campus.
LSU President F. King Alexander said, “LSU is proud to lead the effort to redevelop Charity Hospital into the anchor of a revitalized medical district, home to LSU Health New Orleans, and we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana to ensure the project moves forward with a focus on enhancing the community.”
Through its real estate consultant, JLL, the LSU Real Estate and Facilities Foundation requests statements of qualification from qualified groups that demonstrate the technical and financial capacity required to deliver a large-scale adaptive reuse of the former Charity Hospital building. The LSU REFF expects respondents to have the vision, experience and financial capability required to deliver a development that will catalyze the revitalization of the neighborhood, providing ample and equitable opportunities to all New Orleans residents to live, work, play and be a part of this community.
“I’ve stated repeatedly that the redevelopment of Big Charity will be the catalyst for increased dynamic economic activity in all of New Orleans,” Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne said. “And we’re confident that we can find the right partner for this transparent process, while at the same time preserving the historic significance of this iconic building.”
LSU REFF Chairman Jimmy Maurin said, “We look forward to identifying a creative, long-term partner that will introduce best-in-class development practices to the project and commit to creative revitalization of Charity Hospital and its neighborhood.”
Constructed in 1939, the Charity Hospital is a classic and commanding example of Art Deco architecture. Designed by Weiss, Dreyfous & Seiferth, the building rises 20 stories above Tulane Avenue and sits adjacent to both downtown New Orleans and the LSU Health New Orleans campus. The former hospital building comprises approximately one million square feet.
In 2017, the LSU REFF commissioned a study by the Urban Land Institute Advisory Services Panel to explore redevelopment options that also ensure economic development in the surrounding neighborhood. The study included two recommendations: a public, transparent and robust solicitation for a qualified development partner for the Charity Hospital and a community-led effort to ensure long-term revitalization of the neighborhood. JLL is overseeing the solicitation process on behalf of the LSU REFF through the RFQ, which can be downloaded from www.charityprojectneworleans.com.
Chris Roth, international director for JLL, said, “We look forward to supporting the LSU REFF through an open, objective and rigorous procurement process to identify teams capable of rising to this occasion. No other current urban redevelopment opportunity presents such history paired with enormous potential.”
John Walsh, chairman of the ULI panel that visited New Orleans, said, “ULI is delighted and encouraged that LSU and the State of Louisiana are moving forward in concert with our recommendations. With the right development partner, there is tremendous potential for this iconic building to activate and strengthen the appeal and vitality of the neighborhood and community.”
The community and neighborhood revitalization effort, led by Andy Kopplin, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, and his team, will include the creation of the “Spirit of Charity” committee. This committee will coordinate closely with the LSU REFF on securing a long-term development partner for the Charity Hospital building.
“After more than a dozen long years, this effort to adaptively repurpose the iconic Charity Hospital building presents an exciting opportunity to bring back a place that is sacred to many New Orleanians,” said Kopplin. “Even more exciting to us here at the Foundation is the potential for using this initiative to kick-start long-standing efforts to develop the neighborhood surrounding Charity into a vibrant, job creating, inclusive and equitable innovation district that celebrates the spirit of charity and that everyone in our region can claim with pride.”
This RFQ is the first stage of a two-stage process. The LSU REFF will subsequently invite shortlisted respondents to submit a more comprehensive proposal for the project through a Request for Proposals, or “RFP,” to be issued at a later date.
Interested parties should visit www.charityprojectneworleans.com for more information. Please note the following key dates, which are subject to change:
- Publish Request for Qualifications on Monday, April 16, 2018
- Qualifications Packages Due on Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Contact Ernie Ballard
LSU Media Relations
225-578-5685
eballa1@lsu.edu
or
Sara Whittaker
LSU Foundation
225-578-8164
swhittaker@lsufoundation.org
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