Home / Business and Economy / Cosmic Motel Opens in Bywater, Defying Hotel Backlash
Cosmic Motel Opens in Bywater, Defying Hotel Backlash
6 Dec
Summary
- A new 17-room boutique hotel, Milky Way Motel, is under construction in New Orleans' Bywater.
- The motel features a unique laser-cut stainless steel facade and a repurposed shipping container pool.
- Unlike other recent projects, this motel faces little resident opposition due to its scale and location.
Construction is progressing on the Milky Way Motel, a new 17-room boutique hotel in New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood. Developer Kyle Resmondo aims to capture a midcentury road trip aesthetic with unique features like a laser-cut stainless steel facade resembling falling stars and a swimming pool made from a repurposed shipping container. The project's pool and bar will be open to the public, adding to the area's vibrant nightlife scene.
This development arrives amidst a history of resident opposition to new hospitality projects in the Bywater, driven by concerns over gentrification and short-term rentals. Several previous hotel proposals, including the Sun Yard and Crescent Hotel, were rejected or stalled due to community resistance and regulatory hurdles. The Milky Way Motel's smaller size and placement on a commercial corridor have contributed to a more favorable reception.
Resmondo, who has completed over 100 projects in New Orleans, views the Milky Way Motel as his first venture into hospitality, with plans to open in early fall. He emphasizes the project's modest scale, costing an estimated $2.3 million not including land, and its aim to complement, rather than disrupt, the existing neighborhood fabric.
