Crews are in the final stages of a renovation 250,000-sq-ft renovation that will convert a five-story, former department store annex into 87 luxury rental properties in New Orleans' French Quarter. Contractor The McDonnel Group and designer John Williams Architects are on track to complete work on the $35-million project by Aug. 11.
Redeveloping the structure for these purposes involved several complex undertakings. Plans included the addition of a center courtyard and balconies, and so contractors had to cut out the core of the building to allow in sunlight for the interior units. There were also engineering concerns surrounding how to structurally support the new parking and penthouse levels. Additionally, with the property’s location in the French Quarter, there was limited access to the job site for trucks and no extra lay down space to store materials.