Listen to this articleThe Louisiana Landmarks Society has selected the winners of its 2025 Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation.
The award honors projects completed in Orleans Parish in 2024 and are examples of exceptional restoration and rehabilitation of historic buildings.
“The variety of this year’s thirteen award-winning projects reflects the strength and reach of historic preservation across New Orleans,” says Michael Mancuso, President of Louisiana Landmarks Society in news release. “These efforts are essential to preserving our city’s character while contributing to its cultural and economic growth. We look forward to recognizing the teams behind this important work.”
The 2025 winners include:
- 210-216 Eliza St – Four-Unit Cottage
Team: Bargeboard Mercantile & Millshop, Heather Ruoss Architect
The Creole cottage at 210-216 Eliza Street, a circa 1860 bargeboard structure, originally housed four one-room-deep units with separate front doors. Over time, additions extended the rear. By the late 20th century, non-original materials obscured its historic character. This comprehensive restoration removed these elements, reinstating wood siding, six-over-six wood windows, and four-panel doors. Interior updates included restoring original wood flooring, reconfiguring kitchens and bathrooms for functionality, and utilizing salvaged materials throughout. Completed in 2024, the project aligns with preservation standards, ensuring the longevity of this rare example of vernacular worker housing.
- 316 Magazine St – Board of Trade
Team: Ryan Gootee General Contractors, Trapolin-Peer Architects, The Berger Company, Mise Designs, Morphy Makofsky, Inc, IMC Consulting Engineers, RML Acoustics, LLC, Fransen Mills, J. Latter Design, Ryan
The New Orleans Board of Trade, an iconic 1883 commercial landmark, originally served as the New Orleans Produce Exchange before becoming the city’s central hub for trade. Renowned for its expansive trading floor, the building hosted market exchanges, banquets, and Mardi Gras balls throughout the early 20th century. This recent restoration preserved its historic architecture while transforming it into a premier event venue and office space. Key elements, including the 5,150-square-foot grand ballroom with 35-foot coffered ceilings, intricate moldings, and original murals, were carefully restored.
- 403 Napoleon – RTA Transit Station
Team: Landmark Consulting LLC, CDW Services LLC, Infinity Engineering Consultants
Mayo Architects, Regional Transit Authority, Weir Ready Environmental LLC
The New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad Powerhouse, built in 1892, originally generated 600-volt DC power for the St. Charles Streetcar Line before transitioning to a training and maintenance facility for the transit agency. This property was on the Louisiana Landmarks Society’s New Orleans’ Nine Most Endangered list in 2015. After the building sustained structural damage from Hurricane Katrina, a comprehensive restoration project was undertaken to stabilize and rehabilitate the historic structure. The project included masonry restoration, window and roof replacement, exterior waterproofing, and infrastructure upgrades such as new overhead doors, sprinklers, and ADA-compliant restrooms. Careful coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) ensured the building’s exterior was restored to its original design. The restored facility will serve as a museum showcasing the history of New Orleans transit while continuing to support the Regional Transit Authority’s operations.
- 420 Julia Street – Common House (Old Children’s Museum)
Team: Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, AJ Capital Partners, Trapolin-Peer Architects, Joshua Joseph Interiors, Duplantis Design Group, Forefront Structural Engineers Inc, Pontchartrain Mechanical Co. Northside Electric, Inc., Spackman Mossop Michaels, RNGD
Originally built as a private residence in the 1840s and later converted into a warehouse in the 1880s, 420 Julia Street has undergone a transformation into a mixed-use development. Formerly home to the Louisiana Children’s Museum, the historic structure now houses the Common House social club and Memoir Warehouse District, a boutique hotel and apartment complex. The renovation preserved key architectural elements, including exposed timber columns, arched brick openings, and the iconic blue double doors, while integrating a contemporary five-story addition.
- 425 Elysian Fields – Entergy Substation
Team: Lachin Architects, Gibbs Construction, LLC, Morphy Makofsky, Inc., Parish Engineering (via Marvin’s Electric), Pontchartrain MEP
The building at 425 Elysian Fields, originally constructed as a power generation facility in 1900, served as a key part of New Orleans’ early electrical infrastructure. Over the years, it transitioned into a substation and has remained operational. In 2021, a renovation project began, focusing on preserving the structure’s historic brick masonry and upgrading the roof to ensure structural integrity. The building continues to serve as an essential utility hub, meeting both operational and historic preservation standards set by the Secretary of the Interior.
- 468 St. Joseph
Team: Seth Hawley, Carl Fanaro, Joe & Kathy Anzelmo, Terrell-Fabacher Architects, VIG II LLC, Aaron Denn, Local Finishes, Fricker Historic Preservation Services
Before the recently completed rescue and rehabilitation, 468 St. Joseph (c.1850) was at risk of demolition due to neglect. The building was on the Louisiana Landmarks Society’s New Orleans’ Nine Most Endangered list in 2016. A significant property in New Orleans’ Lafayette Square Historic District, it contributes to the area’s rare collection of mid-nineteenth-century buildings. Recognized by both the city and preservation community, this property was saved through a comprehensive rehabilitation for use as a small hotel with eleven units. The project included restoring the façade, removing a non-historic fire escape, and replacing the roof and rear gallery.
- 513 Octavia – Octavia Books
Team: NANO LLC, Artisan Millshop, Gibbs Construction, Huseman & Associates, Batture, Tom Lowenburg and Judith Lafitte, owners
A 129-year-old corner storefront was rehabilitated to unite a bookstore and café while preserving its architectural integrity. Originally built in 1896 as P. Draube’s Sons grocery and barroom, the structure underwent multiple renovations, including fire repairs in 1910 and an adaptive reuse project in 2000. The recent rehabilitation carefully integrated the historic masonry walls and wood ceilings with modern updates, ensuring all new elements could be removed without damaging the original structure. Key improvements included expanding the children’s section, adding a built-in stage for events, and installing energy-efficient systems and permeable pavers for stormwater management.
- 639 Desire Street
Team: Holly & Smith Architects, Michael Holly, AIA, 639 Desire LLC / Denise & Michael Holly, Labbe Construction Co LLC, Abry Brothers Inc, Gold Leaf LLC, Row 10 Historic Preservation Solutions, LLC
The restoration of the circa 1841 center hall house preserved its original Norman post-and-beam construction while modernizing the interior and reinstating historic elements. The project carefully converted the unfinished attic into a primary suite and restored the detached kitchen dependency to its original form by removing non-contributing additions. Adhering to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, the rehabilitation secured tax credits and worked with the Historic District Landmarks Commission, the State Office of Historic Preservation, and the National Park Service.
- 740 Barracks – Two-Bay Shotgun
Team: Corbett Scott Architect, Jon Drennan LLC, Marais Consultants, LLC, Design Center of New Orleans, Sara Essex Bradley
The complete renovation of this abandoned 1890s Victorian two-bay shotgun camelback home in the French Quarter restored its structural integrity and preserved its historic Eastlake detailing. The building, once in severe disrepair and leaning against an adjacent structure, underwent extensive stabilization. The second-story camelback was extended to add living space while maintaining the historic streetscape. Original windows and doors were carefully restored, and a structurally unsound staircase was rebuilt in its original location to comply with modern safety codes.
- 1212-1216 Magazine
Team: Frank & Dan Glaser, Stay Heirloom, Cicada, JLV, Fricker Historic Preservation Services
The restoration of 1212-16 Magazine St. revived its Greek Revival grandeur by reconstructing its signature gallery and double parlor layout, which had been lost to prior renovations. The project uncovered and restored original architectural details, including a surviving column, an elliptical arch between the parlors, crown molding, and the shoulder-molded entrance. New gallery windows were designed to match the period, and missing mantels were replaced with historically appropriate pieces, bringing the home back to its former elegance.
- 1320 St. Charles Avenue – Baptist Community Ministries
Team: EskewDumezRipple, Fox-Nesbit Engineering, Huseman & Associates, Ryan Gootee General Contractors, Procella Design, Gilbert, Kelly & Couterie, Phillip Brodt of Eclipse Development LLC, Baptist Community Ministries
This 1950s Hancock Whitney bank building was transformed into a modern headquarters for Baptist Community Ministries while preserving its mid-century architectural character. Key historical elements such as travertine-clad columns, terrazzo flooring, and wood paneling were carefully restored. The first floor was redesigned as a community-focused space, while the second floor, previously unfinished, was adapted into an efficient office area. The former bank vault was repurposed into a distinctive meeting room, and the wrap-around balcony and courtyard were enhanced to promote outdoor connectivity, blending historic charm with contemporary functionality.
- 2515 Canal Street
Team: AQ Studios, Crescent Care, Gulf Coast Housing Partnership, Woodward Design + Build
The renovation of the America Fore Insurance Building, a 1950s modern office structure designed by Curtis & Davis, transformed it into a cutting-edge multi-modal clinic, pharmacy, and community space for Crescent Care. Utilizing state and federal historic tax credits, the adaptive reuse project preserved key architectural elements, including the restored marble brise soleil, salvaged granite tile façade, and refinished terrazzo floors. The building’s new design features patient rooms and offices with expansive city views, ample natural light, and acoustic privacy.
- 3301 Chippewa Street
Team: Adamick Architecture, JLV Construction, Historic Pro Nola, LLC, Atelier Camelback, LLC, Axis Engineering
The rehabilitation of 3301 Chippewa Street restored a former 19th-century corner store and bakery while adapting it for modern use. Key historic elements, including brick-over-stucco chain walls, wood-framed windows, and a hip roof, were preserved, along with the original two-story stables at the rear. Interior restoration of revealed painted wood ceilings and tongue-and-groove wainscoting reinstated the building’s historic elements. The former bakery space now serves as an architecture studio, with a thoughtfully integrated rear addition.
The Louisiana Landmarks Society 2025 Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation will be held Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Gallier Hall, 545 St. Charles Avenue. The general public is invited to attend. For ticket information go to www.louisianalandmarks.org.
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