10-16-2023: DR039-23; Applicant 2537 Tulane Properties, LLC; zoning MU-1
BY EMAIL
October 16, 2023
Robert Rivers Executive Director, CPC Design Advisory Committee
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
Re: DR039-23; Applicant: 2537 Tulane Properties, LLC; zoning: MU-1
Dear Mr. Rivers:
Louisiana Landmarks Society supports the proposal for the new construction of a “specialty grocery store” (“Specialty Grocery”) at 2537 Tulane Avenue and believes it is a great opportunity to bring amenities and enhancements to the area. We also would like to suggest some improvements to the submitted design to make it more responsive and respectful of the surrounding neighborhood and its history.
These suggestions moreover support concepts and visions expressed in the Master Plan.
Tulane Avenue is an important part of the public realm of the city, with a long and significant history. The neighborhood surrounding the subject property has recently sustained some major changes, including the introduction of two large medical complexes into what had been a lower-scale, mixed-use area. The historical identity of the neighborhood is largely drawn from the people working at the local breweries and living in the workforce housing nearby. The permitting process for the two medical complexes in the Lower Mid City Neighborhood entailed a rigorous National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 review. During this process, the VA agreed to pay homage to the neighborhood’s history by reusing the red brick façade and repurposing part of the Dixie Brewery building for use in the VA Medical Complex. Additionally, the old Falstaff Brewery nearby, also of red brick, was preserved and repurposed as apartments. Both projects connect the new uses to the history of the neighborhood.
The 2500 block of Tulane Avenue was literally part of the Dixie brewery complex. By the simple incorporation of red brick on the exterior of the building, the Specialty Grocery has the opportunity to tie in with the architectural history of the breweries and therefore with the history and culture of the neighborhood. By contrast, the current submitted design proposes an exterior that is mostly beige stucco, with some beige brick accents, which may be found in suburban strip shopping centers anywhere in the country.
In addition, we note that the submitted design fails to meet two specific requirements from the CZO’s Building Design Standards:
15.3.B.1.a —
a. The primary entrance ... shall be oriented to the primary street. Tulane Avenue, a state highway and major thoroughfare, is the primary street. The submitted design has no primary entrance facing Tulane Avenue—only a fire exit. The design does not satisfy this requirement.
15.3.B.1.b —
b. The ground floor of newly constructed commercial buildings shall contain a minimum transparency of fifty percent (50%) on the primary street and windows shall be constructed of transparent glass. Opaque, highly tinted, or reflective glass is prohibited. Transparency into the building shall be maintained. Any window signs shall consist of individual letters and numerals without the use of any background. The proposed design does not meet the intent of this requirement. By using transparent glass and then placing continuous shelving units along the interior side of the glass, the effect will be very similar to that of opaque glass, which is prohibited. Additionally planned are closed shutters.
This Specialty Grocery can not only provide a good place to buy food: it can also be a symbol of a community that is living and breathing, and moving forward—while also respecting the community’s past. The best way to do that is to maximize the building’s presence on Tulane Avenue—making the façade as strong as possible—so the building can be a source of pride for the community. Another valuable addition to the design would be more trees, particularly those that can provide an abundance of shade, making the area more pedestrian-friendly.
We are providing the sketch below (page 4), entitled Concept A-1, dated Sept 21, 2023, as a design that is more responsive to the context, and which moreover satisfies the two requirements of the Building Design Standards as follows:
– The entrance of the Specialty Grocery faces Tulane Avenue, thus making a statement for the significance of the building for the area.
– The Specialty Grocery building is oriented parallel to Tulane Avenue to increase its presence.
– The use of red brick on the exterior creates a warm, welcoming feeling and connects the building to the history of the area.
– The Specialty Grocery, brick piers, and outparcel building are joined together to make a continuous façade that spans the entire length of the block, lined by a row of shade trees.
– The continuous façade provides ample space for store signage and graphics.
– The design creates better traffic flow, respecting the near neighbors by removing the proposed vehicular entrance/exit from Banks Street.
Other benefits of the concept include:
– Provides better pedestrian and transit-friendly access—thereby encouraging transit and pedestrian use.
– Has a second building entrance facing the parking lot.
– Maintains the 13,368 sf of the submitted plan.
Concept A-1 has 107 parking spaces. We realize that on-street parking in this neighborhood is tight, so the number of provided parking spaces should address the nearby parking situation—while restricting stormwater run-off and maximizing available space for landscaping.
We note there are several vacant, commercially-zoned lots for sale nearby on Tulane Avenue. We see an opportunity with the design of this project to set a precedent that can influence and transform future development – for good or for bad.
We are hopeful that the Specialty Grocery will provide great opportunities for food choices. We also hope it will be built in the spirit of the Master Plan—to further the livability and enhance the neighborhood streetscape. The design of this important site can help transform Tulane Avenue into a walkable, transit-friendly, welcoming part of the neighborhood.
We continue to support the grocery but hope for a better design than what has been proposed. We know it can be better.
Respectfully,
Sandra Stokes
Chair of Advocacy La. Landmarks Society Advocacy Committee
Steve McDaniel, Architect
Attachment: Concept A-1
