03/26/2026
Official Statement from Mayor Helena Moreno
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2026
For Media Inquiries Only
[email protected]
(504) 658-4945
West End Project Advances in Legislature and Now Heads to House Floor
After years of stalled progress, Moreno administration is moving quickly with regional coordination to develop West End
NEW ORLEANS - Today marked a major step toward new development of West End as House Bill 892 by Rep. Stephanie Hilferty advanced out of the House Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs Committee. The bill now advances to the House floor.
The West End contains parcels split between Jefferson and Orleans parishes, complicating development. For years, negotiations stalled between the two parishes, but the Moreno administration worked quickly to resolve disputes within the Mayor's first month in office to move the project forward. This led to the filing of HB 892 which created an economic development district to manage land, enter contracts, and oversee development.
“We’ve been waiting more than 20 years to bring back West End, and I’m proud to have worked collaboratively and urgently with Jefferson Parish leaders and the state to get this project moving,” Mayor Helena Moreno said. “Thank you to Rep. Stephanie Hilferty for taking the lead on this important legislation that, once enacted, will be the governing entity to bring in development. Just like many other initiatives, we’re moving fast and I know some believe my administration ultimately moves too fast, but I say we’ve waited long enough for progress.”
“West End has been behind a chain-link fence for more than 20 years. That changes now,” said Louisiana State Representative Stephanie Hilferty. “This morning, our bill to create an economic development district for West End officially passed — a major step toward bringing this iconic lakefront back to life. Building on the legislation we passed in 2024 to clear key redevelopment hurdles, this measure ensures that tax revenues generated by the economic development district will be reinvested directly into the park and surrounding infrastructure. West End has always been a place where families gathered, where restaurants lined the water, and where the city met the lake. Now, we’re finally turning the page — honoring that history while creating something new for the next generation. This is what progress looks like: thoughtful policy, long-term investment, and real results for our community.”
“Kudos to Mayor Moreno, Representative Hilferty, and Councilmembers Aimee McCarron and Hans Liljenberg for their hard work and commitment to not allowing West End to remain fallow and to work across parish lines for economic development,” said City of New Orleans CAO Joe Giarrusso. “Today’s vote in a legislative committee to create an economic development district dedicated solely to West End brings us one step closer to bringing this area back to life for residents of Orleans and Jefferson Parish.”
“This bill is a significant milestone and an incredible opportunity for New Orleans and Jefferson Parish to redevelop the West End area,” District A Councilmember Aimee McCarron said. “This project shows the continued commitment to multi-parish collaboration, while promoting economic development that benefits residents and visitors of both parishes. I am thankful for the continued partnership with Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, Councilmember Hans Liljeberg, and Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration and look forward to reinvesting into one of our city’s greatest natural treasures.”
“We appreciate the Moreno administration working quickly with us to finally redevelop the West End site,” said Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng. “This is an important shared space where our parishes meet at the lakefront, and we now have an opportunity to work together to redevelop it in a thoughtful way that benefits the entire community.”
“I’ve always believed Jefferson Parish and New Orleans can reach great heights by collaborating,” said Jefferson Parish District 5 Councilmember, Honorable Hans J. Liljeberg. “The success of West End could spur real opportunity in the region.”
“NOBC expects the redevelopment of the West End parcel to be a very successful economic development project that will soon become a favorite destination for residents of and visitors to the City of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, just as it was for over 100 years before Hurricane Katrina,” said New Orleans Building Corporation’s CEO, Annie McBride. “This effort requires cooperation among Jefferson Parish, the City of New Orleans, and the State of Louisiana. Our elected officials have worked hard to foster that spirit of cooperation. Rep. Hilferty’s HB 892, and the regional support of this bill shown by Jefferson Parish and the City of New Orleans, is emblematic of that cooperative spirit.”
A New Orleans City Council Resolution supporting the collaboration, authored by Councilmember McCarron and co-authored by Councilmembers Willard, Harris, Green and King, is slated for approval today.
