7-17-2023: Zoning Docket No. 054/23 Applicant: 2537 Tulane Properties, LLC

July 17, 2023 

City Planning Commission 
1300 Perdido Street 
New Orleans, LA 70112 

Re: Zoning Docket No. 054/23 
Applicant: 2537 Tulane Properties, LLC 

Dear City Planning Commission: 

Louisiana Landmarks Society supports the proposal for a “Specialty Grocery” store at 2537 Tulane Ave and believes it is a great opportunity to bring amenities and enhancements to the neighborhood. We also would like to suggest some ideas to improve the submitted design to make it more responsive and complementary to its surroundings. 

Tulane Avenue is an important part of the public realm of the city, with a long and significant history. The neighborhood around the site has been through some major changes, including two large medical complexes being dropped into what had been a lower scale residential/commercial area. The identity of the neighborhood drew largely from the efforts of the people working at the breweries, living in the workforce housing nearby. 

 During the process to proceed with the two medical complexes in the Lower Mid City Neighborhood, a rigorous National Historic Perseveration Act Section 106 process was held. During this process, the VA agreed to pay homage to that history by reusing the red brick façade and re-purposing part of the Dixie Brewery building for use in the VA Medical Complex. This helped to tie part of the complex back with the remaining neighborhood. The 2400 block of Tulane Avenue was the site of several of the warehouses that were part of the brewery. The new Specialty Store could also recognize and tie-in with the important history of the neighborhood by incorporating red-brick– providing a continuation of the theme, and enhancing the streetscape. 

This Grocery can not only provide a good place to buy food, it can be a symbol of a community that is living and breathing, moving forward – while respecting its past. The best way to do that is to maximize its presence on Tulane Avenue so the building can be a source of pride for the community by making that face as strong as possible. 

The attached sketch, Concept A, dated June 9, 2023, (below) accomplishes that as follows: 

- Entrance of Grocery faces Tulane Ave to make a statement. 

- Grocery building is placed parallel to Tulane Ave to increase its presence. 

- Using brick for the exterior would give a warm, welcoming feeling and connect it to the history of the area. 

- The Grocery, brick piers, and Outparcel building are joined together to make a continuous facade that spans the entire length of the block, accompanied by a row of trees. 

- The continuous facade provides good space for store signage and graphics. 

Other benefits of the concept include: 

- Provides better pedestrian access. 

- Has a second entrance facing the parking. 

- Maintains basic vehicular circulation of submitted design. 

- Maintains the 13,368 sf of the submitted plan. 

Concept A has 89 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 – while restricting stormwater run-off and maximizing available space for landscaping. 

We are hopeful that the Specialty Grocery will provide great opportunities for food choices, and be built to further the livability and enhance the streetscape of the neighborhood. 

Hoping for a great result, 

Sandra Stokes
Chair of Advocacy LA Landmarks Society

Steve McDaniel, Architect 
Advocacy Committee 
Louisiana Landmarks Society