One of Canal Street’s most notorious eyesores — a decaying office block once listed among the city’s “Dirty Dozen” blighted properties — could soon be reborn as a $50 million health and wellness complex.
Developer David Fuselier, whose projects include the transformation of the historic Our Lady of Lourdes church on Napoleon Avenue into the newly opened Josephine on Napoleon venue, operated by the Brennan restaurant group, said he and his partners have acquired about half the city block bordered by Canal, Iberville, South Prieur and North Johnson streets. The accumulated properties are centered on the graffiti-scarred building at 2025 Canal Street, which has been deteriorating for decades.
“We have been developing a project on Canal Street across from UMC hospital for quite some time,” Fuselier said. “It’s a health and wellness facility, and we’ve already completed most of the demo and prep work. This will be a true community health and fitness center — a place that brings people together and offers a whole host of ways to become healthy and active.”…