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NEW ORLEANS - Today, the Council approved a request to the City Planning Commission (CPC) to consider revoking the Conditional Use ordinance for the Hard Rock development located in downtown New Orleans.
District "C" Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer authored the motion (M-21-69), which directs the CPC to conduct a public hearing to consider revoking the conditional use for 1031 Canal Street, where the Hard Rock construction site collapsed in 2019, killing Anthony Magrette, Jose Ponce Arreola, and Quinnyon Wimberly.
In 2011, the Council approved a conditional use ordinance with five waivers and 18 provisos for a proposed multi-use development at 1031 Canal Street during Councilmember Palmer's first term. The terms of this development later changed once Councilmember Palmer was out of office, leading to the Hard Rock Hotel construction site collapse.
Now, it appears that the development violated the terms of the conditional use approval along with the City's governing land use law, the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO). If the CPC agrees that the terms were violated, the Council can go on to revoke the conditional use approval. Future developments at 1031 Canal Street would have to be built in compliance with applicable use and design standards for the site, without the additional height and density allowed by the current conditional use.
"I strongly believe the owners of 1301 Canal Street have violated provisions of their conditional use and the CZO, which is why I am requesting that CPC formally evaluate whether any of these violations exist," said Councilmember Palmer. "If so, this will allow the Council to revoke the conditional use. Given the history of this site and the grave harm it has posed to our residents, neighborhood, and economy, I am eager to move forward in this process."
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