New Orleans, alongside the Downtown Development District, has unveiled a robust plan for the future of Canal Street

René Pastorek, Chief Economic Development Officer at the Downtown Development District of New Orleans, joins Newell to discuss the latest in downtown, including the area posting a solid Q2 2026 gains: visitation rose 5.6% to 9.8 million visits, and the development pipeline held at roughly $1.1 billion across 26 active projects, including Tulane's takeover of the Charity Hospital redevelopment. Office vacancy stayed flat at 12.1%, and residential rents rose 1.9% to $1,966/month, while retail was the soft spot, with vacancy climbing from 6.6% to 7.9% despite higher asking rents.