7-24-2024: 2428 Napoleon Avenue, Demolition of Contributing Our Lady of Lourdes School
July 24, 2024
New Orleans City Council
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA
Re: 2428 Napoleon Avenue, Demolition of Contributing Our Lady of Lourdes School
Motion m-24-312
Dear Councilmembers:
The inclusion of Our Lady of Lourdes School in the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Complex (2400 Napoleon Avenue) nomination to the National Register of Historic Places was achieved on April 7, 2022. Despite being constructed 30 years after the Church and Rectory, the developers worked diligently to include the School, which received a contributing rating due to its social and educational significance to the community throughout the Parish's history. This innovative determination made the building eligible for historic tax credits, a crucial prerequisite for the School's proposed $28 million redevelopment as affordable senior housing by Providence Community Housing in 2021.
When the affordable housing project did not materialize, the potential for tax credits remained available for the "Mad Men"--themed hotel redevelopment announced in 2023. It is distressing that merely two years after the School was granted its prestigious contributing-rated status, its demolition is now proposed. Yes, it’s for a Trader Joe’s, a store which could enrich the shopping experience for New Orleans – and most would consider a welcomed addition. But realistically, the brand should not be the deciding factor in this land use decision. And at what cost do we sell historic resources?
Louisiana Landmarks Society, along with many architectural experts, know that the School could be adaptively reused to house Trader Joe’s. We have prime examples of excellent adaptive reuse just down the street with Fresh Market in the old Bultman’s Funeral Home, and Whole Foods in the old bus barn (complete with parking). And we know these developers are adept at adaptive reuse, as Landmarks Society has awarded them in the past. And we know that Trader Joe’s has many fine examples of stores in historic buildings building throughout the country. Then why not New Orleans, we need to ask?
Sadly, the developers appear uninterested in reusing even a portion of the building, along with the associated historic tax credits. This situation presents a contradiction: one developer actively sought the building's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, while the next proposes its demolition shortly thereafter.
A building's historic status should not be subject to convenience or whim. To declare a structure notable one month, then negate its listing and plan for total demolition when it becomes inconvenient and expedient for a developer is disingenuous.
Demolition is an extreme and irreversible act, particularly for a site listed on the National Register. The CZO outlines specific considerations for the demolition of a building in a historic district, including its historic or architectural significance, its importance to the district's "tout ensemble," its special character and aesthetic interest, the difficulty of reproducing such a building, and the future utilization of the site. We believe the criteria for demolition of the school building have not been met.
While Louisiana Landmarks Society acknowledges that the design of this Trader Joe’s has some better features as compared to the design on Tulane Avenue -- such as the alignment of parking lot aisles with street exits/entrances lessening chaos in the parking lot, and the incorporation of porticos mimicking the Our Lady of Lourdes church building -- there are still many concerns. The building appears to turn its back on Napoleon Avenue, presenting an artificial front façade with merely an implied portico on this major thoroughfare. We also note a lack of required transparency and windows on the Napoleon Avenue façade which detracts from the street's visual appeal and pedestrian experience.
The CZO (Art. 12.3.B.1.b) stipulates that "structures on a corner lot shall be built to the corner" and should "provide a clearly identifiable entry from the public sidewalk at the front (primary street) elevation." While the developer may prefer to treat Freret Street as the front elevation, it is evident that Napoleon Avenue, with its majestic tree-lined boulevard, is the primary street – as demonstrated by the orientation of the adjacent Our Lady of Lourdes church building. These design choices not only fail to meet zoning requirements but also miss an opportunity to contribute positively to the architectural character of this prominent location on Napoleon Avenue. In fact, it suburbanizes Napoleon Avenue.
Louisiana Landmarks Society is also concerned about the traffic and congestion in the area. The developer's statements regarding parking provisions and potential shared use with nearby businesses and the renovated church venue raise serious questions about the feasibility of such arrangements and the impact on local traffic patterns. At the CPC hearing on May 28, 2024, Mr. Sherman acknowledged this issue, stating, "We are requesting to exceed the maximum parking ratio so that we can provide sufficient parking for our specialty grocer and for the community – to be a good neighbor." He further suggested that the parking lot would serve multiple purposes, including accommodating the renovated church venue guests and overflow from the thriving Freret Street restaurants when the store is closed.
However, we question the feasibility of this proposed parking arrangement. The operating hours of the grocery store are likely to conflict with peak restaurant hours and potential events at the adjacent former church building. Additionally, we must consider that the parking lot will likely be utilized for truck deliveries during the store's off-hours.
Furthermore, it's worth noting that a typical Trader Joe's store usually requires a minimum of 120 parking spaces. This location would be operating at a parking deficit from the outset, rather than providing surplus parking to supplement the needs of the neighborhood.
When discussing a similar specialty grocery proposal on Tulane Avenue, Mr. Sherman emphasized the anticipated traffic generation and parking needs as "stunning." We believe this characterization applies equally to the current proposal on Napoleon Ave.
The site's proximity to Ochsner-Baptist Hospital, its Emergency Room, and medical offices is another point of concern. We worry that the traffic patterns generated by Trader Joe’s development may conflict with those of the Ochsner-Baptist Campus, potentially affecting emergency and other medical services.
Given these concerns, we request that the city undertake a comprehensive traffic study to assess optimal traffic plans, considering the hospital, emergency room, nearby medical offices, the growing needs of businesses on Freret Street, the event venue at the old church building which has no parking, and Trader Joe’s delivery and “stunning” customer requirements.
In conclusion, Louisiana Landmarks Society urges the developer to respect the historic aspects of the school and consider incorporating at least part of the existing building into their design. We also stress the importance of conducting a traffic study to understand the true impact of this car-oriented, suburban-style Specialty Grocery, and determine the appropriateness of its presentation on the prestigious Napoleon Avenue location.
We respectfully request that you deny this demolition request until more information is available.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Sandra L. Stokes
Chair of Advocacy