The former Sara Mayo Hospital on Jackson Avenue, which sat for more than two decades as a hulking blighted eyesore, has reopened after a massive renovation as a mixed-use complex that promises to bring new life to a long-neglected corner of the Lower Garden District.
Metairie-based developer Kailas Companies has spent the past two years converting the 2.3-acre property — an entire city block bounded by Jackson Avenue, Chippewa Street, Josephine Street, and St. Thomas Street — into The Jackson, a two-building complex with more than 200 apartments, office and retail space, a parking garage, recreational area and a park.
The project, which included renovating and adding a sixth floor to the original hospital building and constructing a new, 9-story tower next to it, cost more than $62 million.
About half the units are located in the original building, which opened in August and is fully leased and occupied. The new tower, where the other units are located, opens later this month and is partially leased, the Kailases said in a written statement…