Oct 27, 2025 - Business
New Orleans delays public beach reopening until 2027
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New Orleans officials say they won't be able to break ground this year on the city's first public beach in decades.
Why it matters: The timeline to reopen the city's historic Black beach continues to be pushed back.
The big picture: The goal is to break ground in August 2026, city spokesperson Kourtney Williams says.
- The date is dependent on whether City Council approves a new contract with local company Digital Engineering.
- Leaders hope to reopen the beach in fall 2027, the project manager told a New Orleans East neighborhood group, according to WWL.
- The beach remains closed with security to prevent trespassers.
Zoom out: The Lincoln Beach project has been delayed for years. At one point, leaders planned to reopen it earlier this summer.
- Digital Engineering and national firm Sasaki have been involved in recent years.
- The city hired Metairie-based RNGD (pronounced "renegade") earlier this year as the construction manager at risk.
- Sasaki previously estimated about $23 million was available to fund the first phase, which would reopen the beach with safety improvements. Now, city leaders tell WWL they have $15 million.
Catch up quick: Lincoln Beach closed in the Little Woods area of New Orleans East shortly after Pontchartrain Beach, the white-only beach, was integrated in 1964.
- Pontchartrain Beach closed in 1983 and redevelopment efforts since then have stalled.
- Lincoln Beach is about 15 acres along the lakefront near Hayne Boulevard and Vincent Road. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.
- The beach was a major recreational spot for Black residents during segregation and had live performances from Fats Domino, Irma Thomas and Nat King Cole, according to the city.