The River District next to the Convention Center has a lot of land waiting on buildings. One of those buildings just got a lot closer to reality.
Providence Community Housing and the River District partners have closed on the financing for Rivana Apartments, a 220-unit affordable rental community. Providence announced that construction will begin in October 2026 and is expected to be finished in August 2028.
"Rivana Apartments will add 220 affordable rental units to a market with a significant need for accessible and affordable housing," Providence said.
What's planned
All 220 apartments will be reserved for people earning at or below 80% of the area median income. Providence says the building will have a mix of studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, along with:
- A management office.
- A fitness center and community room.
- A swimming pool.
- Secured building access and a parking lot.
- Extra amenity space on every residential floor.
A city review of the project from June 2026, prepared by the New Orleans Office of Economic Development for the City Council, fills in more. It puts the project at 1480 Tchoupitoulas St., between Euterpe and Race streets, on land owned by the Convention Center. Along with the apartments, the plan includes 18,000 square feet of commercial space. The applicant was RDNI Batture, LLC, on behalf of River District Neighborhood Investors, the master developer of the River District, with Providence chief operating officer Ryan Herringshaw listed as the contact.
The city's report put the total development cost at $100 million at the time, with about $70.1 million in construction and rehabilitation costs. It estimated the project would create roughly 225 construction jobs.
Who's building it
Here's the part contractors will care about. Gibbs Construction described itself as "the CMAR general contractor" for Rivana in a LinkedIn post seeking subcontractor and vendor bids, with a Feb. 26 bid date. CMAR stands for construction manager at risk, a delivery method where the builder comes on early and guarantees a maximum price.
The city's review also lays out the rules that come with the job. According to the report, the project will comply with Hire NOLA, the city's local hiring requirement, and with the city's disadvantaged business enterprise program requirements.
The building is also designed to a higher standard than code. The city report says it will exceed local code requirements and achieve Enterprise Green Communities 2020 and Fortified Gold standards, which point toward efficiency and storm resilience.
The city's June report described a public-private partnership including the state, the city, the Convention Center and the local housing authority. Through Low-Income Housing Tax Credit syndication, it said the project was expected to draw about $39 million in outside equity.
The city also recommended a 40-year payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, agreement for the project. Under the proposed terms, the project would pay $5,000 in the first year, rising 3% a year. The report estimated the total value of the tax break at $33.4 million over 40 years. The land currently pays no property taxes because it's owned by the Convention Center.
The report said the city had previously committed about $6.25 million toward River District roadway and infrastructure improvements, while the Convention Center committed affordable housing money for Rivana.
It also tied the project to the bigger picture. The city's report said housing next to the Convention Center will give hospitality and tourism workers a place to live close to work, and noted the new Shell office tower in the district, which it said was expected to be finished in April 2027.
Why it matters for Contractors
Rivana is a big affordable housing job for New Orleans, with roughly 225 construction jobs expected and close to two years of work ahead. Gibbs Construction is running the job as construction manager at risk, so subcontractors and suppliers who want in should keep in touch with Gibbs about remaining bid packages and future buyouts. Firms that are certified as disadvantaged business enterprises, or that hire locally, could have an edge, since the city says the project will follow Hire NOLA and DBE requirements. Roofers, window and door installers and envelope contractors should note the Fortified Gold and Enterprise Green Communities targets, which call for careful detailing. And with 18,000 square feet of commercial space in the plan, which the city's report describes as white-box retail, there should be tenant build-out work down the road.