The affordable and workforce housing developer Lincoln Avenue Communities (LAC) has broken ground on the NSA East Bank Apartments, an adaptive-reuse development that will transform a decommissioned New Orleans naval base into 294 affordable housing units and 30,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.
The NSA East Bank Apartments will serve as the residential anchor in the rehabilitation of the Naval Support Activity (NSA) complex, which has been vacant since 2011. The multiphase development will include the NewLab innovation hub, a facility dedicated to advancing energy industry breakthroughs and tech startup growth, while future phases including the Railyard Marketplace and a riverfront estuary park.
The NSA East Bank Apartments will feature one-, two-, and three-bedroom units serving families earning between 20% and 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), including 74 Project-Based Voucher (PBV) units. Resident amenities include a rooftop pool and clubhouse, first-floor community space, outdoor play structures, dog park, pet wash station and bike storage. The development will achieve Enterprise Green Communities Certification (LEED equivalent) and feature a rooftop solar array that will offset a portion of common-area electricity.
“This project will be transformative for the Bywater community and will bring new life to these historically significant buildings,” said David Garcia, LAC vice president and project partner. “LAC is proud to play a role in preserving the architectural heritage of New Orleans while creating sorely needed affordable housing for local families.”
The NSA East Bank Apartments is the second affordable housing development coordinated in New Orleans by LAC, following the recent completion of the $35 million rehabilitation of the century-old Tivoli Place Apartments. Construction will begin immediately, with substantial completion anticipated in September 2027.
