Photo courtesy of Infrogmation | CC Flickr The Beauregard-Keyes House is seeking volunteers to guide tours on its historic property located on Chartres Street in the French Quarter.
Located at 1113 Chartres St., the house was designed by architect François Correjolles and built by James Lambert in 1826 for auctioneer Joseph LeCarpentier.
The house’s lot was originally owned by the Ursuline nuns, who sold the property. Three slave-owning families lived in the house following its construction. John A. Merle, the Consul of Switzerland, bought the house in 1833. The BK house even once served as a homeless shelter and a welcoming center for troops returning from World War II.
P.G.T. Beauregard, a Confederate general, was once a tenant of the. Years later, the house was purchased by author Frances Parkinson Keyes, who was married to U.S. Senator Henry W. Keyes.
The house combines Creole cottage with Greek Revival architectural features, such as a Palladian façade. Efforts to preserve the house began as early as the 1920s with the help of U.S. military general Allison Owen.
Those who are interested are asked to email Leah Levkowicz, the BK House’s tours and collections coordinator, at leah@bkhouse.org.
The French Market Corporation recently issued a request for businesses to lease a “prime” retail location on the ground floor of the Upper Pontalba Building, located on Saint Peter Street, which became available on Nov. 1.
The request seeks at least a one year lease for a 1,080-square foot retail space located at 524 Saint Peter Street, steps away from Jackson Square.
Applicants must submit a completed business plan and proposal in hard copy and electronic forms no later than 4 p.m. on Dec. 2 either by emailing Robert Gurtner at rgurtner@frenchmarket.org, or the following address:
Attn: RFP Pontalba 524 French Market Corporation 128 St. Peters Street New Orleans, LA 70116
Requirements include, among others, at least one year’s worth of rent equal to $45,360, banking and supplier references and a proposal that conforms with the FMC’s “merchandising goals of preserving the character of the district and perpetuating its architectural, cultural, economic and historical qualities.”
The Upper Pontalba Buildings are registered U.S. landmarks. The buildings are managed by the FMC, which seeks to “showcase architectural, cultural, economic and historical” French Quarter properties through a tourist-oriented retail market. The FMC manages the French Market and several nearby parks, including Latrobe and Joan de Arc parks.
The state of Louisiana owns the Lower Pontalba buildings on the other side of Jackson Square. The Pontalba buildings are considered the “first” apartment buildings.
Once an applicant is chosen, they will have 45 days from the acceptance date to finalize a lease. If a lease isn’t finalized by then, other applicants will be considered, according to the FMC.
Tom Bastin | CC Flickr The Metropolitan Crime Commission has requested that the New Orleans City Council initiate an investigation into Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s use of an apartment in the Pontalba Building, where she has allegedly lived rent-free since January.
In a Sept. 29 letter to the City Council, the MCC said it has received credible information that Cantrell has been inhabiting and/or personally using apartment 530B of the Upper Pontalba Building, located near the intersection of Saint Peter and Chartres streets.
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is owned by the city but managed by the French Market Corporation, and is listed with a fair market rent of $2,991 per month, according to the MCC.
“Sources contend that Mayor Cantrell put up a privacy screen on the balcony, which obstructs her balcony from the view of other residents,” the MCC said. “In addition, our sources report seeing delivery packages addressed to LaToya Cantrell in the Upper Pontalba Building mailroom.”
The MCC said sources have reportedly observed Cantrell entering or exiting the apartment’s door along the 500 block of Saint Peter Street, and watching her being picked up and dropped off by a black Chevrolet Suburban, which records show is a leased city vehicle.
Observers said the Suburban was seen parked on Chartres or Saint Peter streets, near the Upper Pontalba Apartments or the Cabildo, and is typically parked in no parking zones, according to the MCC.
In an interview with WWL, Cantrell spokesman Gregory Joseph defended the practice and said it’s allowed under an agreement the city has with the French market Corporation.
The apartment is part of the Pontalba Buildings that occupy both sides of Jackson Square and often cited as among the oldest continuously-rented apartments in the U.S. The four-story buildings extend one entire block along Saint Peter and Saint Ann streets, and were built between 1849 and 1851 by Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba, who was a wealthy New Orleans-born Creole aristocrat.
The MCC requested that the City Council independently determine if Cantrell has been inhabiting the apartment and whether any rules were broken.
“If your investigation confirms her person use of this unit, we request the City Council ascertain whether Mayor Cantrell is complying with city policy and/or state law by inhabiting this city-owned property without paying rent or being taxed for the fair market value use of this unit,” the MCC said.
(Photo: Infrogmation | CC | Flickr) The New Orleans City Council last week unanimously approved sidewalk extensions known as parklets, and excluded them entirely from the French Quarter, but expanded their their use beyond emergency orders that allowed them to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.
Council Members approved the motion to adopt parklets 5-0 during a June 23 public meeting. Councilmemer-At-Large JP Morrell did not vote and District B Council member Lesli Harris recused herself.
The measure would allow one parklet per block face and also excludes them from a portion of Magazine Street from Washington to Louisiana streets. Restaurants are not allowed to both have designated sidewalk seating and parklets, but can have one or the other, city officials said.
Under emergency orders, city officials authorized the use of parklets during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns of local businesses as a way for restaurants to stay in business by providing additional seating.
The parklets can’t continue after the emergency orders because they are not allowed under zoning rules, requiring the city council to adopt an ordinance.
Officials from the mayor’s office said it will take many small businesses years to recover the losses due to the city-ordered closures.
The city ran a parklet pilot program starting in October 2020, with 40 businesses participating, largely without incident, according to a spokesman for the Office of Economic Development
Proponents say parklets were not only a lifesaver for businesses, but enhance walkability in the city and created safe spaces for people to congregate during the pandemic.
Residents and business owners in the French Quarter said they were opposed to parklets because they created a public safety hazard, blocked roads and obstructed the historic architecture of the neighborhood.
(Picture: Location of 2OH9 as of March 2022 | Google Maps) The Board of Zoning Adjustments earlier this month unanimously denied a citizen appeal seeking to rescind permits issued to a Decatur Street business they believe is a bar and not a restaurant.
Board commissioners voted 6-0 during a May 2 public meeting, with Jose Alvarez not voting, to deny the appeal, which sought to rescind an alcohol permit, an occupational business license and a certificate of occupancy granted to 2OH9, located at 209 Decatur St.
The appeal was filed by a group of nearby residents over the belief that the Department of Safety and Permits erroneously granted the permits, even after officials learned the business may be used for more than what was listed on its application.
Director Tammie Jackson said the applicant did not violate the comprehensive zoning ordinances, and that the department seeks compliance through submitted documents only and any deviation between actual operations and documents is an enforcement issue.
“She’s only responsible for dealing with information at the time of submission,” Schmidt said. “The problem here is that one, there were some flags at the time of submission. There were some things that were omitted, not required from this applicant as was required from another applicant.”
Schmidt pointed to a four-page document called the restaurant classification form, or an acknowledgement of restaurant use standards, which was not on file in 2OH9’s application, he said.
Schmidt added the issue was brought to the attention of the department, although it was not addressed. Additionally, social media posts, including a video from a blogger showing the inside of the establishment that includes an unpermitted bar on the second floor and VIP lounge on the third.
In early February, less than two months after the permits were issued on Dec. 22, 2021, Schmidt filed the appeal. A city employee issued a “do not occupy” notice to the business following an inspection on Feb. 11.
Additionally, Schmidt said the business lapsed on its occupancy certificate and needed to go back through the zoning use process.
The previous business at that location was a standard restaurant and that the second floor bar is not newly constructed, according to Jackson. In addition, the social media posts didn’t indicate the business wasn’t in compliance, she said.
Jackson said the business had apparently met its burden through the paperwork process, which requires proof of several things, namely that the customers are greeted by a host and seated at a table, alcohol is only served with food at the same table, the menu has at least three entrees (there’s six listed on 2OH9’s menu) and monthly sales of food and nonalcoholic drinks is more than half of sales from food, nonalcoholic and alcoholic drinks.
Ike Spears, representing 20H9 at the meeting, said Schmidt’s appeal filed and paid for on time, although Schmidt said COVID-19 rules delayed the appeal’s timeliness.
In addition, Spears said the occupancy lapsed because of COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions.
Spears said a “pattern of harassment” will continue of the board did not issue a definitely ruling that the appeal wasn’t timely.
Glade Bilby, president of French Quarter Citizens who spoke at the meeting in support of Schmidt’s appeal, said this case reflects a familiar pattern throughout the district.
He added the city could be in a “culpable” position if there aren’t enough sprinklers, alarm systems or egress in the building in case of a fire.
“I think this is a pattern of applicant’s wanting to sell just more alcohol, which I understand but it also doesn’t do any good for the quality of life [for] citizens in the FQ and the city as a whole when the rules are disregarded so flagrantly,” said Bilby. “It may behoove you all not to just listen to what’s on paper but to actually go out and see an actual fact is going on in some of these properties.”
Just before initiating the motion denying the appeal, commissioner Todd C. James issued a warning to restaurant operators.
“Do understand that no matter what, someone is always going to be watching how something is going operate,” James said. “So if it’s always your intent to operate a bus in a certain capacity, the applicant’ has a fiduciary responsibility to themselves, to their neighbors and anyone else in the public realm to operate in a way that they present themselves in.”
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