The DDD Honors Former President & CEO Kurt Weigle
The DDD Board of Commissioners, Staff and Stakeholders would like to thank Kurt Weigle for his many years of service and dedication to the development of Downtown New Orleans. This week the organization presented Kurt with a commemorative print of important Downtown projects that occurred during his tenure.
Throughout his nearly eighteen years as the longest serving leader of the country’s first assessment-based business improvement district, Kurt employed measures to encourage investment in Downtown which helped establish it as the economic engine of the region and serve as the largest employment center in Louisiana.
Under Kurt’s leadership, the DDD worked with partners in crafting and securing adoption of the Louisiana State Historic Tax Credit in 2005, responsible for spurring investment in Downtown. Since 2006, Downtown New Orleans has welcomed over $7.5 billion of private real estate investment and its residential population has more than doubled with 7300 units, and millions have been invested in new and improved streetscapes throughout the DDD, including historic Canal Street.
In addition, The DDD has been instrumental in expanding New Orleans’ biomedical corridor, including major roles in creating the state-of-the-art $1.3 billion University Medical Center in 2015 and $1 billion VA Medical Center in 2017
Over the past few years, Downtown welcomed national & international retail such as Tiffany & Co., Nordstrom’s, Louis Vuitton, BCBGMAXAZRIA, G-Star RAW, Allen Edmonds, Starbucks, The Art of Shaving, and Fogo de Chao. In 2019, the DDD Operations team, working with key partners, lead the planning and construction of Downtown’s first new open space in 30 years, Legacy Park, on a former parking lot and DDD is partnering in efforts `to transform Downtown’s 4.5-acre Duncan Plaza into the catalytic heart of the Charity Neighborhood.
As part of DDD’s commitment to improving quality of life, Downtown Clean and Public Safety programs have lent to Downtown’s collection of neighborhoods being among the cleanest and safest in the city. Also, Kurt led the DDD’s efforts and partnership with the City of New Orleans to create the area’s first low barrier shelter for the homeless, implement assistive outpatient treatment for the severely mentally ill, and establish a fulltime homeless outreach caseworker Downtown.
The DDD team thanks Kurt for leading the effort in creating a thriving Downtown New Orleans and plans for continued growth.