HISTORIC SHUSHAN TERMINAL COMPLEX (Lakefront, 1934)

An outstanding and rare local example of the Art Deco period, the Shushan Terminal Complex, now known as New Orleans Lakefront Airport, was designed by the firm of Weiss, Dreyfous and Seiferth and built in 1934. The design motif was continued in the decoration, which included numerous murals by WPA artist Xavier Gonzales. Aside from its architectural significance, the terminal played an important role in aviation history – when built, Shushan was the largest airport in the United States, and Amelia Earhart stayed there prior to her final global flight. During the “golden age of travel,” it served nearly one million passengers.

The damage began with a 1964 renovation, when many of the murals were either covered or removed, and the atrium was enclosed to create office space. Further damage occurred when Hurricane Katrina pummeled the structure. Despite the damage, Shushan remains in good condition and this gem of New Orleans’ Art Deco heritage should be restored.
THREAT: neglect, hurricane damage
Update: Shushan Terminal at the Lakefront Airport has been declared eligible to receive funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to repair the damage received from Katrina. The concrete exterior panels from 1964 have been removed, and the exterior may be restored soon. The interior, which remains amazingly intact, is still in need of repair and restoration, particularly the return of the central atrium and the two missing murals (one resides with the State Museum and the other is unaccounted for).

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