The Office of Economic Development had its origins in the early 1970's as a unit of the Office of Policy Planning and Analysis during the administration of Mayor Moon Landrieu. Following the inauguration of Mayor Ernest Morial in 1978 the agency was reorganized under the overall supervision of the Planning and Development Administration within the Mayor's Office.

OED was to prepare policy recommendations and to provide related assistance to the Mayor in matters affecting the economic health of the city and its economic development strategy. Emphasis was on employment expansion and the development of new business investment. It prepared long and short range development plans; solicited federal and state funding; and coordinated interdepartmental economic development activities. The Office also sought to develop inner-city industrial sites; to development a business relocation and retention program; and provided technical assistance to the city's tourism and foreign trade programs.

Following the inauguration of Mayor Sidney J. Barthelemy in 1986 the Office of Economic Development ceased to exist although many of its activities were continued in the new Office of Business and Industrial Development.

These records include correspondence and subject files relating to the general areas of responsibility of the Office. Also included are records specifically relating to its function as the support agency for the city's Industrial Development Board. The latter materials include both general correspondence and subject files and records (applications, agreements, etc.) for individual revenue bond projects handled by the Board.

Projects and subject areas of special interest in these records include proposals for the renovation of Gallier Hall (the old City Hall), the Columns Hotel, and other historic properties; negotiations between the city and a private developer over warehouses adjacent to the Piazza D'Italia; and legislation to create a commercial district in the city's Vieux Carre.

INVENTORY

Box 1

Correspondence/Subject Files

Almonaster-Michoud Industrial District Update, 1985

Belize Development Plan

Business Assistance Contacts and Requests, 1981-1985

City/School Board Cooperation, 1979-1981

Commission on the Future of the City, 1984-1985

Contacts and Information Requests, 1981-1985

Contract for City Liaison to the Louisiana World Exposition and Coordination of Louis Armstrong Park (Robin Riley), 1984

Data Request, Chrysler Corporation, 1983

Demographic Data, 1984

EDA Planning Grant, 1984-1985

Executive Orders, Louisiana (EWE 84-31 and 84-32), 1984

Fiscal Policy Recommendations (Lazare Freres)

Gallier Hall/Municipal Auditorium Renovation--EDA Proposal, 1979

Gasohol

Homeporting, 1984

Houston (Texas) Industrial Development Corporation, 1982

Job Studies, 1985

Legislation
* Federal
** 1982-1983
** 1984-1985
* State
** 1981
** 1983
** 1984-1985

Louisiana Public Facility Authority, 1983

Louisiana State Bond Commission
* 1980-1982
* 1983-1986

Manpower/CETA, 1978-1980

Michoud Job Corps Center, 1979-1980

Miscellaneous, 1979-1984

New Orleans Citywide Development Corporation, 1981-1986

New Orleans Museum of Art--Gallier Hall Applications, 1981-1982

News Releases, 1982-1983

Piazza D'Italia/Tchoupitoulas Street Properties, 1983-1984

Pontchartrain Beach Corporation, 1984

Private Industry Council, 1979-1980

Targeted Jobs Demonstration Program, 1979

Title VII--Miscellaneous Contacts, 1979-1980

Training, Miscellaneous, 1980-1981

Urban Development Action Grant Program

Vieux Carre
* Commercial District Legislation, 1980-1982
* Zoning, 1984

Friends of Gallier Hall Files

Application to the Wisner Fund, 1983-1984 (fragment)

Bylaws and articles of incorporation

Correspondence, etc., 1983

Box 2

Industrial Development Board Correspondence/Subject Files

Activity Summaries, 1980-1985

Affirmative Action, 1981-1984

Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws (from 1976)

Board Member Attendance Summary, 1980-1986

City Council Resolutions, 1982-1983

Correspondence
* Foley, Judell, Beck, Bewley, and Martin
** 1979-1980
** 1981
** 1982
** 1983-1985
* General
** 1979-1981
** 1982
** 1983
** 1984-1985

Criteria for Evaluating Proposed Projects, 1980-1981

Financial Records, 1979-1986

In Lieu of Taxes Agreements, 1983-1985

Industrial Development Bonds--General Information

Letters of Support, 1981-1982

Membership Lists and Appointment to Office Documents, 1978-1985

Minutes
* 1979-1981
* 1982-1983
* 1985-1986

Notices of Special Meetings, 1980-1986

Presentation to the City Council, 1979

Press Releases and Other Informational Data, 1979-1983

Promotion Committee (Minutes, etc.), 1980-1981

Revenue Bond Financing (Informational Packet)

Standard Forms
* Application for Financing, 1983-1984
* Preliminary Agreement, 1982

Industrial Development Board Project Files

Aftech South, Inc., 1984-1985 (3 folders)

American Can Company, 1970-1986

American Clay Products Company, 1980-1981

Baker Sales, Inc., 1983-1984

610 Baronne Street, 1982-1983 (2 folders)

711 Camp Street, 1983

Capdevielle Associates, 1981-1985 (2 folders)

Carl Cleveland and Associates (607-609 St. Charles Avenue), 1983-1984 (2 folders)

Century Graphics Corporation, 1983

Columns Hotel, 1983

Cudahy Foods Company, ca. 1979

Dauphine Orleans Hotel, 1979

309 Decatur Street, 1983

Deco Trailer Equipment Company, 1984

GTS Corporation (Canal Street Project), 1984-1985

Lone Star Industries, Inc., 1984-1985 (fragment)

114 Magazine Street, 1980

Mid-City Self Storage, 1982-1984 (2 folders)

Box 4

New Orleans Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, Inc., 1980

701 South Peters Street, 1983-1984 (2 folders)

Upjohn National Leasing Company (Pitney Bowes Project), 1981

606-610 Tchoupitoulas Street, 1983-1984