New Orleans to Demolish Former Lindy Boggs Medical Center

City plans to build stormwater tank on site to reduce flooding in the area.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 11:52am

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An extremely blurred, impressionistic photograph showing the outline of a large, dilapidated building surrounded by trees and shrubs, with the scene bathed in a warm, hazy glow, conceptually representing the former Lindy Boggs Medical Center and its impending demolition.The demolition of the long-vacant Lindy Boggs Medical Center will clear the way for a new stormwater management system and potential redevelopment of the site.New Orleans Today

The City of New Orleans has reached an agreement to demolish the former Lindy Boggs Medical Center as early as this summer. The $11.5 million project will tear down the nearly 70-year-old building and construct a large underground stormwater retention tank to help reduce flooding in the surrounding area. Developers say long-term plans for the site may include apartments, retail space, and possibly affordable housing, though financing details are still being finalized.

Why it matters

The Lindy Boggs Medical Center, formerly known as Mercy Hospital, has sat vacant since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when the hospital's basement flooded and generators failed, leading to the deaths of 45 people. The site has been the subject of several failed redevelopment attempts over the years, and its demolition and repurposing aims to address longstanding flooding issues in the neighborhood.

The details

The city plans to use $11.5 million in bond funds to demolish the former Lindy Boggs Medical Center and construct a large underground stormwater retention tank. Demolition could begin as soon as July 2026 and is expected to take about eight months. Developers say long-term plans for the site may include apartments, retail space, and possibly affordable housing, though financing details are still being finalized.

  • Demolition could begin as soon as July 2026.
  • Demolition is expected to take about eight months.

The players

City of New Orleans

The local government that has reached an agreement to demolish the former Lindy Boggs Medical Center and construct a stormwater retention tank on the site.

Lindy Boggs Medical Center

Formerly known as Mercy Hospital, the nearly 70-year-old building has sat vacant since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when the hospital's basement flooded and generators failed, leading to the deaths of 45 people.

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What’s next

Developers are still finalizing the financing details for the long-term plans to redevelop the site with potential uses including apartments, retail space, and affordable housing.

The takeaway

The demolition of the former Lindy Boggs Medical Center and construction of a stormwater retention tank represents a significant step in addressing longstanding flooding issues in the neighborhood and paves the way for the redevelopment of the site, which has sat vacant for over 15 years since Hurricane Katrina.