After sitting silent on the riverfront for years, the old Naval Support Activity East Bank site in Bywater is finally waking up. Construction crews have kicked off the first phase of a multi‑stage overhaul that will turn the massive warehouses into a mixed‑use campus with nearly 300 affordable apartments, street‑level shops and an industrial‑scale startup hub. Developers say the plan is to reconnect the walled‑off base to the surrounding neighborhood and bring steady foot traffic and daily jobs back to the site.
Groundbreaking and partners
At a ceremonial groundbreaking last week, a team led by Brian Gibbs Development officially launched construction, while regional economic group GNO Inc. cast the project as a chance to reshape a long‑neglected stretch of the riverfront. According to the group, the multi‑phase plan mixes adaptive reuse of historic buildings with new construction to deliver housing, retail and innovation space in one connected campus.
What will be built
The housing centerpiece, known as NSA East Bank Apartments, is being led by Lincoln Avenue Communities with a reported $197 million investment. As detailed by New Orleans CityBusiness, the project will bring 294 one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom units aimed at households earning roughly 20% to 60% of the area median income. Plans call for 74 project‑based voucher units and about 30,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail space tucked under the apartments.
NewLab and the innovation piece
On the innovation side, NewLab is set to anchor the campus with roughly 30,000 square feet of scale‑up space designed for maritime and energy startups. The industrial‑grade incubator, already known for its hubs in Brooklyn and Detroit, is expected to let companies fabricate and test hardware onsite, with room for fabrication, assembly and pre‑commissioning all under one roof. Axios and project partners say NewLab is slated to open this year, a timeline that would put serious R&D activity on the riverfront even as other pieces of the campus are still coming together.
Where it sits and the site's history
The redevelopment covers roughly 20 to 22 acres at 4400 Dauphine Street along the Bywater riverfront, according to project site materials and local reporting. The earliest base buildings date back to 1919, and after the Navy pulled out, the complex largely sat empty as it slipped into decline. By the time the city took ownership, neighbors say the massive property had turned into a magnet for vandalism, squatters and occasional violence, with thousands of square feet of prime riverfront essentially walled off from daily neighborhood life.
Retail, parking and timeline
Phase I plans call for about 30,000 to 32,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail that could house neighborhood services and possibly a grocery tenant, according to leasing materials. The broader campus is expected to include hundreds of structured parking spaces. Partners say construction will roll out in phases, with housing and retail targeted for early delivery and NewLab moving into its space as build‑outs allow. Firm completion dates for the full campus have not yet been released.
Neighbors' stakes and next steps
At the groundbreaking, nearby residents voiced cautious optimism that the project could finally erase a long‑standing eyesore and bring steady jobs to the riverfront. At the same time, community groups and long‑time neighbors are signaling they will watch closely for local hiring efforts and protections against displacement as the project builds out. Local reporting indicates officials and developers are planning phased openings and regular community updates, and project pages already highlight leasing and partnership opportunities for retailers and service providers looking to plug into the new campus.
For more on the plan and the partners involved, see project materials and reporting from local outlets and the redevelopment site.
