Louisiana Places 2 on Nationwide ‘Ugliest Buildings’ List

(KMDL-FM) Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; that's what we were taught from an early age, where I grew up. Basically, that phrase allows us to set our specific standards for beauty. It really works out well because I think there would be more infighting and arguing about a "national beauty standard" than there is fighting about the current state of the NCAA football playoffs. 

I would like to think that where I am currently located, in the Acadiana region of South Louisiana, I have a pretty good understanding of what "beauty" is. I see it in the Atchafalaya Basin, I see it in the food we make, I see it in the faces of some of the kindest and compassionate people you could ever hope to meet.

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But where there is a yin, there is a yang, and where there is beauty, there has to be something opposite, right? Well, the folks at the New Jersey Real Estate Network took it upon themselves to create a list that didn't highlight what was bold and beautiful. They opted to create a list of what's unsightly and hard to look at.

What Are The 100 Ugliest Public Buildings in America?

So they created the Top 100 Ugliest Public Buildings in America List. Over 3,000 people weighed in on the subject, and I am pleased to say that Louisiana did not have the ugliest public building in America. That honor went to Flint, Michigan, for its very pedestrian and uninspiring Municipal Center. I am sure it's a great place to grab a sip of that wonderful "Flint Water", right?

Which Louisiana Buildings Made the List?

As far as Louisiana and our public buildings are concerned, we only had two make the list. Coming in at number 50 on the list was the New Orleans City Hall Annex.

No, it's not the most appealing structure you'll ever see, but maybe it was built to be functional. Hmm, this is New Orleans, and City Hall, and we are asking if it was built to be functional. I will leave that answer to you. I am sure we arrived at the same scenario.

Before we reveal the other Louisiana Public buildings that landed on the ugly list, you should know that states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas all had more buildings on the list than Louisiana. A structure in Mississippi was even ranked at number four in the ugly parade.

Monroe Civic Center’s “Ugly” Ranking Explained

And speaking of ugly, when it comes to that word and Louisiana, what city comes springing from your lips first? If you said Monroe, then you'd be saying what nine out of twelve people said when I asked them that very question. And Monroe does not disappoint in the realm of ugly buildings.

Coming in at number 67 is the building you see pictured below.

Even with the festive Christmas decorations, there is no saving the Monroe Civic Center from itself. My goodness, that is a special kind of architectural ugliness, isn't it? It looks as if they transformed an old Quonset hut from a Marine Base and turned it into a poorly dressed barn.

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But I am sure there is function over form in this structure, and since most of the events are held at night, maybe it doesn't look so bad when the lights are low. Nah, it's not attractive at all, is it?

What’s the Ugliest Building in Your Town?

What's the ugliest building where you live? I am sure we can come up with at least 100 more for a second list if we think about it hard enough.