11-20-2023: Critical status of Madam John’s Legacy continues -- 632 Dumaine Street, Vieux Carré
November 20, 2023
Office of Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser
Capitol Annex Building
1051 North Third Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802
Re: Critical status of Madam John’s Legacy continues -- 632 Dumaine Street, Vieux Carré
Dear Lt. Governor Nungesser:
We thank you again for the meeting on November 2, 2023, regarding Madame John’s Legacy. We all left the meeting with high hopes that no further damage would occur. However, we have again hit a roadblock. The meeting you suggested with Facility Planning and Control, the SHPO, and the Director of the Vieux Carré Commission was not allowed. Facility Planning and Control decided to move on with their contracts without any input from professionals in the field of historic preservation. We fear that every day the work continues, more damage is done.
We still have not been allowed to physically assess the condition of Madame John’s Legacy. It seems work is being performed that is wasteful, but more importantly—harmful to the landmark building. We have continuing concerns that poor judgments are being made with regard to the replacement of items and that a lack of knowledge about historic architecture is causing damage to essential historic fabric.
After the report by MCWB Architects (the state-hired consultant) was issued, the Louisiana State Museum voted to restore Madame John’s Legacy to its 1820s period. The SHPO, the Vieux Carré Commission, National Parks Service, and all of the preservation community were in agreement. Yet the report and the vote were ignored. The contractor continues to make irreparable modifications as sanctioned by Facility Planning and Control.
Sadly, with this latest information, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has decided to advance Madame John’s Legacy to the next level of nomination for its listing of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places—a dubious honor none of us want to see.
Attached below is a list of work (provided by SHPO) that has been performed or will be performed by the contractor—with our comments in italics. We stress that before much of this work is implemented, the Historic Structure Report (HSR) and the Archeology Study are needed. Otherwise, work is being performed in ignorance. In the meantime, all work should cease and a qualified structural engineer should be brought in to advise on the work needed to safely “mothball” the structure until an HSR is completed. Instead of paying the contractor to cause more damage, the money should be spent to have him stabilize the building under the supervision of SHPO, the VCC, or other qualified professionals.
Fortunately, we just got word today that the City of New Orleans has authorized the Vieux Carré Commission to issue a Stop Work Order until such time as the project is brought into compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, VCC design guidelines and the report drafted by their consultant. It will be posted soon.
We are at a loss—and ask for your leadership and guidance once again. Please advise how we should proceed with the State. Can you try to intervene again? Should we go to the Commissioner of Administration? The Governor? The Governor-Elect? We are at a critical juncture. This restoration needs to be guided with professionalism and expertise—from a point of knowledge rather than whim.
We thank you again for trying to help—but we are asking for your help again. Please advise as soon as possible. There is much at stake.
Sincerely,
Sandra L. Stokes
Chair of Advocacy
Louisiana Landmarks Society
Madame John's Legacy
(Without on-site physical assessment by preservation professionals, this list is a best attempt...)
LIST OF WORK IN PROGRESS AND ANTICIPATED: (list provided by SHPO – our comments in blue/italics)
1. Complete roof shingles, ridge tiles and dormer repairs
Seems to be in progress. Objection to the non-historical, anachronistic, modern copper flashing visible at the drip edge, however, this may not be visible or problematic once gutters are installed (also anachronistic though). Have no knowledge of dormer repairs. As the structure must be roofed, work should continue, whether or not it is correct.
2. Replace wood columns at front and rear of building
Seems to be in progress. Distinguish between front and back galleries. On front, the columns should not have been removed, and we object to the replacement posts, one of which (on the lake side corner) is being installed. The columns in the rear are original and should not be removed.
3. Replace lap siding on large ally side of building
Refer to "Outstanding and Anticipated Change Orders, #2." Many questions--how much is rotten, how much has been replaced to date, how much work is needed to make the building weather proof, what material are they using, how are they matching existing siding, have they removed original material and, if so, have they saved it? Stop work for evaluation by professionals.
4. Replace rotten sill plates between ground and first floors
Question the necessity of this work. How rotten? Could they be repaired instead of being replaced? Has this work been done already? If not already done, work should not proceed until examined.
5. Replace rotten decking on the front and rear porches
Probably not very old material, perhaps replaced during the Labouisse work. What material is being used? How constructed and detailed? As decking is needed, continue work.
6. Replace rotten balustrades on front and rear porches
Was the contract for 100% replacement or replacement only of those that are rotten? What sort of wood? Are they matching existing material carefully? Halt work for evaluation.
7. Replace rotten stairs at front and rear porches
Was this to be 100% replacement or only partial? Stairs were not rotten when last seen by members of this group. Who determined how much was rotten? What is material and how is it being replicated to match existing? By "stairs," do they mean treads only or stairways? In addition to the above questions, there is objection to moving the rear staircase, which is also concerning to SHPO. Why was this decision made? What's the documentation or rationale? (Note that only the rear stairs are listed for re-location.) See "Executed Change Order No. 6." What is progress on this work? If not begun, work should be stopped immediately.
8. Build piers at ground floor at front of building
This work should be halted. The UNO archaeologist's findings were inconclusive, and he recommended that additional professional work should be undertaken to determine the locations of the piers. Until this can be determined, work should not take place.
9. Install security fencing at front of building
What do they mean? Is this the chain-link fence now existing or do they mean iron grilles between the piers? Simple security fencing is necessary. The addition of iron grilles should be halted immediately as the location of the piers is unknown, the existence of such grilles has not been documented, and there is no rationale for this non-historical treatment. Archaeology study required prior. If security is needed between the piers, it should be temporary and obviously modern, not a poor imitation of an undocumented feature.
10. Repaint and prepare exterior bricks at ground floor for whitewash
Unclear—how can you both paint and whitewash? What locations are involved? What is the documentation? Halt work immediately.
11. Install repaired shutters and doors
This is needed to close the building. But there are questions about hardware and methods. Original hardware is irreplaceable.
12. Complete painting and whitewash finish throughout
Recognizing that new wood requires protection while the job is shut down, the group approves in concept – but the locations, paint colors, and documentation are missing. Historic finishes should not be painted over or tampered with until examined as part of the HSR.
EXECUTED CHANGE ORDERS
13. Replace rotten beams
As with the sills, what is degree of rot and what materials are to be used? Qualified structural engineer should comment on this. Concerned that this work has already occurred and that the replacement for antique cypress was treated pine, a material unsuited for use in historic structures.
14. Replace rotten joists and balustrades, and deteriorated hardware
Refer to #6 above for balustrades. What joists? How many? How rotten? What is justification? Historic hardware should not be replaced, especially with bad modern copies—what is the situation?
15. Replace deteriorated rear porch decking
See No. 5 above.
16. Demo and rebuild large alley chimney
Chimney was removed without documentation or justification. Now that it's down, do not allow bricks to be removed from the site and do not allow them to rebuild, as there is no confidence that the contractor has any idea of how to restore the chimney.
17. Rear roof restructuring
What is meant here? Is this the work that has already been done, which Larry Wilson deemed both unnecessary and detrimental to the building? Or is this work to compensate for the problems they caused with uninformed changes?
18. Add rafter tails/ Relocate rear stair
The rafter tails have been added and were noted by Wilson as inappropriate. As for the rear stair relocation—see No. 7 above. In sum, relocation of the rear stair must be stopped.
19. Replace roof underlayment / Reglaze windows/ Replace additional rotten joists
Underlayment has been installed. The only reglazing relates to the glass broken by the contractor. What sort of glass are they using? How extensive is the replacement? The location and condition of the "additional" joists is unknown. Stop work for evaluation.
OUTSTANDING AND ANTICIPATED CHANGE ORDERS:
20. Jobsite Overhead Delay Costs
We have no comment on this, but to say that the contractor's lack of insurance was responsible for some degree of closure.
21. Replace Lap Siding
See No. 3 above.
22. Assist Archaeological Team
Is this for assisting the UNO team that did the preliminary work or for additional professional work? Do not authorize—should be part of the HSR. We object to amateur probing around and request that the State Archaeologist be brought in.
23. Replace Ridge Tiles
Assume already done. If so, why is it listed as an outstanding or anticipated change order?
24. Credit for Not Rebuilding Chimney
Good. Alleviates the possibility of making it worse.
25. Column Replacement and Associated Costs
On the front, lake side corner, the work has begun. The new supports are undocumented and no rationale has been presented. The decision about the type of column and the condition of the 1820s columns should have been made as part of an HSR. Work should stop and proper temporary shoring added on the instruction of a qualified structural engineer.
26. Front Piers and Associated Costs
There is no documentation as yet for the location of the piers. The wall should not have been removed. Do not go forward with any work until professional advice is obtained.