Abandoned New Orleans landmark is finally getting a new life 21 years after Katrina

Charity Hospital, a major New Orleans landmark shuttered after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, is moving toward a new purpose 21 years later. Louisiana marks the storm’s 21st anniversary Saturday as Tulane University announced a $500 million effort to convert the 1930s-era Art Deco building into a medical research facility focused on biomedical innovation. Construction is expected to begin this fall. The article recalls that Katrina’s floodwaters trapped patients at the former Memorial hospital, later renamed Ochsner Baptist Medical Center, and that dozens died. It also notes demolition began this month on the Lindy Boggs Medical Center, vacant for more than 20 years. Katrina killed nearly 1,400 people across five states and caused about $200 billion in damage. Tulane leaders say reviving Charity Hospital reflects New Orleans’ long-standing commitment to community healthcare.