The towering root beer mug that has watched over South Claiborne Avenue for generations is headed for a big change. Ted's Frostop, the neon-lit burger joint just off Tulane's Uptown campus, is slated to be torn down to make way for a three-story student housing complex that will stretch across South Claiborne. Developers say the longtime diner will be replaced with purpose-built student apartments and ground-floor retail, with a prominent Frostop presence worked into the new facade, marking a major shift for a neighborhood fixture.
According to NOLA.com, the project is being led by the Robert family, operators of Robert's Fresh Market, through their RCR Ventures arm. The plan involves assembling several parcels along South Claiborne between Calhoun Street and South Miro Street, including the Frostop site itself. Developers told reporters the complex will feature about 39 apartments designed to house roughly 160 students, a ground-floor parking garage, and space for neighborhood-oriented shops, with Tulane set to serve as a long-term tenant and run the residential side of the building.
The deal goes deeper than real estate. The developers said the sale also includes Ted's Frostop recipes and branding. Employees will be offered positions at Robert's Fresh Market, and the iconic neon root beer mug and sign are slated to be preserved and mounted on the new structure rather than scrapped.
Property records back up the move. A commercial real estate newsletter reported that an RCR-controlled entity bought the 3100 Calhoun Street parcel in 2025, giving the development team control over the block where the new project is planned. The buyer was listed as RCR Claiborne Venture III LLC, which supports the picture of a deliberate effort to assemble adjoining commercial lots near Tulane instead of scattering investments around the city, according to Elifin Realty.
A neighborhood fixture
Ted's Frostop has been part of Uptown's streetscape for decades. The restaurant's own site lists its address at 3100 Calhoun Street and traces the New Orleans location back to the 1950s. The glowing mug out front and a classic diner-style menu have long drawn both Tulane students and neighborhood regulars. Even so, developers say they want to keep that recognizable local identity alive as they overhaul the block.
What's planned and the timeline
Early renderings show a three-story building rising where the low-slung burger joint now stands. The development team has said demolition and construction are tentatively set to start in late summer 2026, with work targeted for completion by the start of the fall semester in August 2027.
Developers told local media that the site is already zoned for commercial use, which they say removes the need for a conditional use permit. They also say the design will comply with, and in many cases exceed, city requirements on parking, noise, trash handling, building height, and density. The overall cost is expected to land in the tens of millions of dollars, according to NOLA.com.
Why it matters
Tulane's evolving housing policies have cranked up pressure on the blocks surrounding campus. University materials show that beginning in Fall 2025 the school will require first, second, and third year students to live on campus. That policy shift helps explain why developers are zeroing in on sites immediately adjacent to the Uptown campus for purpose-built student apartments instead of other commercial projects, according to Tulane University. The location directly across South Claiborne keeps the new building within an easy walk of campus amenities, something developers say will be a selling point for student tenants.
Next steps
Design work and permitting are still in progress, and neighbors will have opportunities to comment as plans move through city review. Developers say a roving Frostop food truck will help keep the brand visible during construction, and that existing restaurant staff will be offered roles in Robert's Fresh Market's prepared foods department while the project is underway. The full scope of the redevelopment will come into sharper focus as architects finalize drawings and the city weighs in on approvals.
