Teen Jacque St Ann Dies in Fall at 45-Story New Orleans Plaza Tower

Q: What hidden danger inside a decaying New Orleans skyscraper turned a midnight teen adventure into a fatal tragedy?

The hidden danger was an open, unguarded interior stairwell inside the abandoned Plaza Tower. Police said the teenagers had climbed to a higher floor and were trying to descend when 17-year-old Jacque St. Ann fell. Officials said the building’s interior was extremely hazardous because it was dark, deteriorated and missing basic safety features. Reporting from local outlets said the staircase no longer had safety railings, turning the descent into a deadly risk. Another teen in the group was also injured, suffering deep cuts to an arm and wrist. The broader danger was not just the stairwell itself but the condition of the long-vacant skyscraper. Plaza Tower has been unused since before Hurricane Katrina and has fallen into disrepair, with authorities repeatedly warning that it is unsafe to enter. Police described the incident as a stark example of the risks of “urban exploring” in abandoned buildings, where hidden structural hazards, darkness and debris can quickly become fatal. The death has intensified scrutiny of who is responsible for securing the privately owned tower. City officials said the owner remains legally responsible for preventing unauthorized entry, while police said patrols around the building would be increased temporarily.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 18

17-year-old Jacque St Ann died after he and friends broke into New Orleans' abandoned 45-story Plaza Tower around midnight on Aug. 15 and he fell while descending an interior staircase.
Police said the dark, deteriorating building made the urban-exploration trip highly dangerous; another teen was hospitalized with a deep arm and wrist laceration, and some in the group may have left before the fall.
New Orleans officials said trespassing charges against the teens and possible charges against the owner for failing to secure the site could be considered later, while police temporarily increase patrols around the tower.
Plaza Tower has sat unused since before Hurricane Katrina, and its owner still bears legal responsibility to secure it; demolition has been tied up by ownership and financing issues, with teardown estimated at $25 million to $28 million.
The death has renewed pressure on the city and owner to act on the blighted property, even as the mayor's office says there is still no specific timeline for redevelopment or demolition despite a mid-2027 construction goal.