NEW ORLEANS, LA (September 24, 2018) –– HRI Properties and Capital One announced today the completion of extensive renovations to the Hibernia building’s landmark cupola. Mayor LaToya Cantrell will “flip the switch” at dusk to unveil the restorations, including the installation of a new LED lighting system equipped to illuminate the cupola in a dazzling array of eye-catching colors at night.
Once the tallest building in Louisiana, the stately 355-foot-tall National Register building has been a fixture in downtown New Orleans since it opened in 1921. In 2005, Capital One acquired Hibernia Corporation, and in 2011, the historic building was purchased by HRI Properties and Woodward Interests. It was converted into a mixed-use redevelopment that includes a Capital One Bank branch on the first floor, HRI Properties and other commercial offices on the second and third floors, and the Hibernia Tower apartments on the floors above. Today, the distinct Corinthian columns of the cupola continue to stand out among the diverse architecture of the New Orleans central business district.
In addition to gracing the New Orleans skyline since its debut, the cupola has served the city in many practical and significant ways. Its recent update included the restoration of its original red beacon which once served as an aviation beacon. In addition, the cupola was the location of New Orleans’ first TV station transmitter in 1948, kicking off the broadcasting of WDSU. Most significantly, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the first light to be turned on in downtown New Orleans was the Hibernia Tower’s cupola, a signal of the city’s strength and resilience. HRI Properties and Capital One partnered on the cupola’s $1 million restoration in honor of the building’s prominent place in New Orleans’ history and identity. For 97 years, the Hibernia Building’s impressive architecture and distinct cupola has contributed to the diverse architecture of New Orleans and continues to stand as a symbol of the city’s strength and rebirth.
