After being open for more than four decades, the Neutral Ground Coffee House was forced to close back in April, with the owners vowing to reopen the beloved Uptown cafe as soon as possible. That looks closer to happening, as permit applications with the City of New Orleans indicate the Neutral Ground Coffee House is planning to reopen in a currently-vacant building at the corner of Oak and Adams streets, which is expected for mid-to-late 2024.
The coffee house had been located at 5110 Daneel Street since the mid-70s, primarily opening only in the evenings to host music, poetry readings, plays, other performances, and table games. The café prided itself on being a community-oriented safe space for all ages that did not serve alcohol. When the building on Daneel Street was sold earlier this year, the coffee house lost its lease and was compelled to vacate the premises.
However, the spirit of Neutral Ground has lived on through weekly open mic nights, held every Sunday evening at the NOLA Spaces event venue in Uptown. In the interim, owners Caroline “Phant” Williams and James Naylor searched for a new home, launching an online fundraiser to finance a relocation.
Documents filed with the city indicated that relocation is coming along. The owners are seeking to reopen in a vacant building that had been a bar decades ago. Because the building sat empty for so long, the area reverted to residential zoning. The owners have sought approval to reopen the coffee house with a conditional-use permit. Once the permit is approved, renovations of the space can begin. Owners told Uptown Messenger that it will take about a year to reopen at the new location. While the former Neutral Ground only kept evening hours, the current plan is to reopen as a more traditional café with morning and evening hours.
