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Senator highlights Tulane’s role in Charity Hospital redevelopment, BioDistrict growth
Summary
A senator acknowledged Tulane University’s economic and research role and said the university could anchor the redevelopment of Charity Hospital as part of the New Orleans BioDistrict, while noting challenges remain to realize the project.
BATON ROUGE — On April 21, a senator recognized Tulane University’s economic contributions and said the university is expected to play a key role as an anchor tenant if plans proceed to redevelop Charity Hospital and expand the New Orleans BioDistrict.
Why it matters: Redeveloping the Charity Hospital site and strengthening the BioDistrict are pitched as regional economic-development projects that could generate jobs, support research and spur further investment in the New Orleans area.
Senator Plessis introduced Tulane scholars on the floor and praised the university’s statewide role, noting employment and economic figures. “Over 30,000 jobs, nearly $90,000,000, in economics, generated each year,” Plessis said. He said Tulane would be a major anchor tenant should redevelopment of Charity Hospital move forward and described the project as potentially “transformative for the city of New Orleans and for the Southeast Region.”
Plessis said the BioDistrict — created about 20 years ago — is central to the redevelopment vision and that Tulane’s participation would help attract research and jobs. He acknowledged there are “some challenges that we have to overcome” before the project can proceed and noted university officials and partners are actively working on those obstacles.
Senator Plessis thanked Tulane representatives and scholarship recipients present in the chamber and identified Ellen Paul Mateer and President Fitts as university affiliates involved with the effort.
Background and next steps
Plessis presented a resolution recognizing Tulane’s contributions and said he would present the formal resolution to the chamber. He said officials are continuing work on the redevelopment plans and that the university’s involvement remains subject to further planning and resolution of outstanding issues. No final action to alter property or authorize construction was taken on the floor during the remarks.
