AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 47

The terminal contains eight murals by artist Xavier Gonzales commemorating historic milestone flights around the world.
It was an airport ahead of its time. The
largest and most modern air terminal in
the United States, the facility encompassed
a post office, hospital, outdoor
swimming pool, dining room, and commercial
kitchen. Private sleeping quarters
and baths provided convenient respites
for Immigration and Customs officers.
Amelia Earhart was a frequent patron,
spending a night in the airport's hotel en
route to her final flight.
But it was the interior and exterior
finishes that earned accolades from the
flying and general public alike. The Art
Deco façade elements, like the " Spirit of
Aviation " figure over the entrance, teased
guests to what they would discover inside.
The extravagant interior incorporated five
types of Spanish marble, multicolored terrazzo,
and an inlaid brass compass in the
main lobby floors. Travertine stair treads
and aluminum Art Deco railings led visitors
to the mezzanine balcony for a closer
look at the painted tile coffered ceilings
and massive molded glass custom light
fixtures. The Levee District commissioned
renowned artist Xavier Gonzalez
to paint eight murals to encircle the second-floor
atrium, each depicting a historic
flight corresponding to the compass rose
in the floor below.
All that was almost lost in the 1960s
during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when
the terminal became a bomb shelter, and
its stunning Art Deco exterior was covered
by thick concrete panels. Inside, the dramatic
balcony was covered by a false floor,
offices replaced the atrium, and many of
Gonzalez' murals were covered. Were it
not for another crisis, this one the destruction
and flooding left behind by Hurricane
Katrina in 2005, this story might still be
one in the past tense.
It was when FEMA officials came in to
assess the damage from Katrina that the
Art Deco features were discovered beneath
the flooded terminal's concrete walls. It
took a few years, and the work of more
than 80 architects and restorationists, to
bring the airport back to its former glory.
They worked from original drawings and
benefitted from architect T. Sellers Meric's
thoughtful preservation of the art beneath
the cement encasement decades earlier.
Today, the destination may be New
Orleans for the pilots and passengers of
the 200 or so aircraft using Lakefront daily.
But it doesn't take long to realize that this
rejuvenated jewel of an airport is as much
a destination as the city itself.
Not many general aviation reliever
airports can boast the walnut paneling,
marble wainscoting, coffered ceilings,
or plaster motifs that greet visitors to
Lakefront. A guest book in the terminal's
lobby is testament to Lakefront Airport's
draw as a tourist attraction; recent guests
hail from as far away as Italy, Germany,
and Hawaii. Even locals make this a go-to
spot, choosing Lakefront to host high
school proms, wedding receptions, birthdays,
and more.
Meander up the curved travertine
staircase to view the historic murals like
" Flight Over Egypt " and " Flight Over Rio. "
Head back downstairs and grab a table at
Messina's at the Terminal, where you can
nosh on New Orleans fare in a vintage
setting while watching the comings and
goings on the ramp just outside. The walls
of airport aviation director Bruce Martin's
office are lined with posters from at least
a dozen Hollywood productions filmed
here. Among them: the James Bond film
Live and Let Die, the Green Lantern,
Capone, and Reminiscence. Sue Durio is
a travel writer and aviation enthusiast who
flies with her husband in their Cessna 310.
Getting There
Lakefront Airport (NEW)
is five miles northeast of
downtown New Orleans
Runway 9/27 3,114 feet
Runway 18/36
504-243-4010
AOPA PILOT / October 2024
47
6,879 feet
SUE DURIO

AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover4
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover4
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