20 years after Hurricane Katrina, a hospital stands abandoned in the middle of New Orleans

When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, floodwaters overwhelmed the iconic Charity Hospital, shuttering the historic 20-story complex in the heart of downtown. Two decades later, the million-square-foot landmark, once a pillar of public health with roots stretching back 289 years, still stands empty, its future uncertain despite repeated efforts to revive it.

Most recently, the city of New Orleans pledged $20 million to Tulane University, which plans to turn the long-vacant Depression-era hospital into a new research center. On July 8, 2025, Mayor LaToya Cantrell vetoed that legislation, and on July 15, the New Orleans City Council overrode the Mayor's veto to restore the funding.

Charity was one of the country's oldest and largest hospitals

Charity Hospital was fo