Wave City Market debuts as vibrant gathering hub on Tulane's downtown campus
Tulane University President Michael A. Fitts cut the ribbon last week for Wave City Market — Tulane’s newest dining and gathering destination and the next major step in the historic transformation and expansion of the downtown campus.
Calling it a hub where Tulane’s academic and medical communities can commune, collaborate and celebrate, Fitts said Wave City Market is poised to become a cornerstone of not only Tulane’s growing downtown footprint but of the surrounding community.
“We’re now at the point where roughly half of our employees at Tulane are on this downtown campus,” Fitts told the crowd gathered for the ribbon cutting. “As we develop our downtown campus, which is part of our connection to the city, this area is one more step in strengthening that relationship. It’s a place where people can come together, where they can collaborate. This is what Wave City Market is all about.”
Fitts added that he was intentionally keeping his remarks brief. After all, there was food to savor and beverages to sip, from stewed chicken and mac and cheese to iced coffee, sandwiches and more. The market features offerings from chef Edgar “Dook” Chase IV — Homage and Alva Jean’s — along with a Subway sandwich shop and a PJ’s Coffee housed in an Airstream travel trailer.
“Everyone’s looking at me knowing that I’m standing between you and getting to that food,” Fitts said, drawing laughs from the crowd of Tulane community members.
Located on the ground floor of the former Tulane Medical Center building, the vibrant market offers expansive outdoor seating ideal for bringing people together, especially those who work and study at Tulane Medical School, the Tulane School of Social Work and the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine on the downtown campus.
Wave City Market is yet another addition to Tulane’s once-in-a-generation expansion in downtown New Orleans, which includes the recent additions of new research labs at Hutchinson Memorial Building, renovations at the Tulane Medical Center building and new lighting and landscaping along Tulane Avenue. Future plans also include the redevelopment of the iconic Charity Hospital building as Tulane’s premiere downtown structure dedicated to discovery and innovation.
Among those in attendance at last week’s ribbon cutting were the deans of the three downtown schools, representatives of PJ’s Coffee and Subway, and Dook Chase — grandson of legendary Creole cuisine chef Leah Chase. Chase thanked Fitts and Tulane’s leadership for appreciating and understanding the downtown community.
“You are investing in not only this building but in a downtown campus, which will create a sustainable community right here in this area,” said Chase, who runs nearby Chapter IV restaurant at Tulane’s Thirteen15 building, as well as some of the food concessions at Yulman Stadium and the 1834 Club by Dook Chase. The latter is a dining space for Tulane faculty and staff.
Chase’s Wave City Market restaurants include Homage, which serves breakfast and boasts a lunch menu of Southern fare, including red beans and rice, chicken wings and gumbo. Alva Jean’s, which is named after Chase’s mother, offers rice and protein bowls.
Patrick Norton, senior vice president and chief operating officer, thanked all those involved in making Wave City Market a reality, including Brian Johnson, vice president of auxiliary services and real estate, who “really made this happen.”
Norton described Wave City Market as a dynamic new gathering destination marking an exciting new chapter for the downtown campus.
“It’s a space that reflects New Orleans’ rich cultural heritage while meeting the modern demands for a bustling academic and medical environment,” he said.
