The World Trade Center, an X-shaped office tower that has sat empty since 2011, is at the heart of plans to revitalize the area along the Mississippi River.

By Jane Margolies

For many years, a distinctive X-shaped office tower looming over the New Orleans riverfront was a prominent reminder of the city’s woes.

A 33-story edifice bordering the Mississippi River, the building, known as the World Trade Center, was completed in 1967. During the oil bust of the 1980s, tenants fled. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was another devastating blow. After 2011, the building stood empty.

But today, it’s a hive of activity, teeming with construction workers who are converting it into a Four Seasons property combining a luxury hotel and condominiums, expected to open in the spring. The $530 million project is said to be the largest private investment in the history of the city. It is also the most visible sign of progress on the riverfront, whose redevelopment has proceeded in fits and starts over decades and is still far from fully realized.