A long-vacant stretch of Claire Avenue is finally getting a second act, as Gretna broke ground this week on AM Plaza, a $4.4 million redevelopment that will turn the empty parcel into a compact mixed-use hub. City and business leaders say the project will bring new restaurant and office space, nearly 100 parking spots and fresh jobs to the West Bank corridor.
Project at a glance
According to New Orleans CityBusiness, AM Plaza will transform a 75,250-square-foot site at 1411 Claire Ave into a 14,400-square-foot commercial building. The layout calls for a 12,000-square-foot home for August Moon, a 2,400-square-foot office for Hoang Law Firm and 99 parking spaces.
The expanded August Moon footprint is designed to boost kitchen capacity and add banquet and reception space for more than 200 guests. The larger operation is expected to support new hires as construction moves toward an anticipated 2027 completion.
Officials and owners at the ceremony
The Monday groundbreaking drew a full cast of local backers, including representatives from the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission, OnPath Credit Union and Gretna city officials. JEDCO President Jerry Bologna said, "Projects like this one strengthen our commercial corridors," while Mayor Belinda Constant described AM Plaza as "a significant investment in the future of Gretna," as reported by New Orleans CityBusiness.
How it's financed
Officials say the development is backed through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 504 Loan Program, with local financing partners helping to assemble the deal. The U.S. Small Business Administration notes that the 504 program offers long-term, fixed-rate financing intended to help small businesses acquire and improve owner-occupied commercial real estate and to promote job creation.
Who’s moving in and what it means
August Moon, founded by Phong and Cuc Nguyen and already a familiar name on the West Bank, will move into the new 12,000-square-foot space. The restaurant’s current Harvey location lists 875 Manhattan Blvd on its website.
Hoang Law Firm, founded in 2018, will take a 2,400-square-foot office in AM Plaza as it shifts from leased space to an owner-occupied location.
Why it matters locally
Work is expected to wrap in 2027, and officials say the modest, owner-occupied project is aimed squarely at strengthening Gretna’s downtown commercial corridor and keeping more spending on the West Bank. For now, the freshly turned dirt on Claire Avenue marks a small but very literal step toward that local reinvestment.
