KEY TAKEAWAYS: The Downtown Development District unveiled new lighting at Molly Marine Plaza at Canal Street and Elk Place on Nov. 11. A $100,000 state allocation supported the lighting and sidewalk improvements along the corridor connecting Canal Street and the BioDistrict. Studio West design ed the programmable lighting to change colors for holidays and events. Sidewalk crews replaced 125 large granite tiles and reinstalled 70 smaller ones. The unveiling came a day after the 83rd anniversary of the installation of the Molly Marine statue, which honors women serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. The Downtown Development District of New Orleans unveiled new lighting at Molly Marine Plaza on Nov. 11, part of a state-funded project that also repaired sidewalks along a pedestrian corridor linking Canal Street and the BioDistrict. A $100,000 allocation from the Louisiana Legislature in 2025 supported the design and installation of the plaza improvements, the district said. The district coordinated the work with the city’s Department of Parks and Parkways. “Improving Downtown’s public spaces means thinking creatively about how people experience them throughout the day and evening,” said Seth Knudsen, the district’s president and CEO. New Orleans design firm Studio West designed the programmable lighting system, which can change colors for holidays and community events. The sidewalk work included installing a concrete base, replacing 125 large granite tiles and reinstalling 70 smaller ones. The plaza sits at Canal Street and Elk Place, along the route to Tulane Avenue. Sayde Finkel, the city’s Canal Street Renaissance director, said the project is part of a broader effort to improve lighting, accessibility and maintenance along Canal Street. “Molly Marine Plaza is an important connection point between Canal Street, Downtown, and the BioDistrict, and investments like this help strengthen that connection while improving the experience for residents, workers, and visitors,” Finkel said. The unveiling came a day after the 83rd anniversary of the installation of the Molly Marine statue. Sculptor Enrique Alférez created the life-size figure honoring women serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. The district said it was the first statue of a woman in military uniform erected in the United States. ...read more read less