1450 Moss Street

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article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center
Photo by Ian Cockburn

The home of Daniel Samuels and Dr. Nona Epstein
by Valorie Hart
Research by Valorie Hart and Sharon McManis

WHERE ARCHITECT DANIEL SAMUELS and his wife Dr. Nona Epstein saw the potential of the circa 1912 raised shotgun on the banks of the bayou, their family and friends saw rot, unfortunate facade proportions and an outdated floor plan.

Despite protests that they were crazy, the Samuels bought the house in 1992. The renovation was major — 40 percent of the sills and 60 percent of the floor joists were replaced, but with the expertise and skill of contractors such as Abry Brothers, Inc., the Samuels transformed the dilapidated shotgun into a warm family home.

Other improvements during the initial renovation included replacing the pediment and columns, moving the front door to the side gallery and redoing the facade with more Neo-Classical and refined architectural details. The Samuels also raised the house two feet in the hopes of, someday, building additional living space on the ground floor. These changes led the house to visually “grow up” to match the grandiose stature of its neighbors. Beyond that, the family lived in the house much the way a family in 1921 had, making the most of the great room proportions, high ceilings, cypress floors, pocket doors in every room, claw-foot bathtub, and, of course, that view of
Bayou St. John.

After returning from Austin, Texas following Hurricane Katrina, the Samuels immediately obtained permits to complete their ground floor addition, which includes a stair hall, two bedrooms, a bathroom, laundry room, windows on all sides and eight-foot ceilings that diminish any feeling of being in a basement addition.

Upstairs, the master bedroom utilizes the original front door as an entrance to a porch overlooking the bayou. The Neo-Classical porch railings, designed by Samuels, were fabricated by Ironworks Service. The stair hall that divides the master bedroom and office from the living space is an amazing aerie with tall windows and striking modern iron and cable stair banisters.

The elegant living/dining room has a set of original bay windows overlooking the side gallery and a decidedly Southwest-style fireplace that Samuels clad in plaster over brick. The house is eco-friendly with bamboo floors used in the new addition and Marmoleum floors, a type of sustainable linoleum, in the kitchen. Windows have been liberally added so that every room has a view of the bayou, while providing extra light to the house.

Click here to view the original article as printed in the March, 2012 issue of Preservation in Print. Article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center.

Doesn’t this house sound great? You can see more of this house and many more during the Preservation Resource Center’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John homes on Saturday, March 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The headquarters for the PRC’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John will be at the PITOT HOUSE at 1440 Moss Street on Bayou St. John.

The tour is just…
$16 for PRC and Louisiana Landmarks Society members
$20 for non-members
$10 each for groups of 10 or more

All tickets are $25 at the Pitot House on the day of the tour so get your tickets early!

Ticketholders will receive discounts from area businesses including Bayou Beer Garden, Cafe Degas, CC’s Coffee House, Cork & Bottle Wine Shop, Fair Grinds Coffee House, Liuzza’s by the Track, Lux Day Spa, Pal’s Lounge, and Swirl Wine Bar & Market.

For more information call (504) 581-7032 or visit prcno.org

SPONSORS of the PRC Home Tour
Abry Brothers, Inc.
Cork & Bottle Wine Shop
Louisiana Landmarks Society
Mothership Foundation
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Soprano’s Meat Market
Stafford Tile
Uptown Insurance Agency

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

Built in 1799, the Pitot House is one of the oldest Creole country house buildings in New Orleans. It is traditional stucco-covered, brick-between-post construction with a double hipped roof and wide galleries. The house is named for James Pitot, the first mayor of incorporated New Orleans, who lived here from 1810 -1819.

Now open for tours and special events, the house was restored in 1960 by the Louisiana Landmarks Society, which uses the building as its headquarters.

Shotgun House ticket holders will have the opportunity to visit the historic Pitot House.

2011 Urban Hero

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Bike and Pedestrian Champion Named 2011 Urban Hero
 

New Orleans, LA – Jennifer Ruley will be recognized as The Urban Conservancy’s 2011 Urban Hero at the organization’s annual You Are Here fundraiser on Saturday, October 22, for her work to make New Orleans streets safer and more accessible to bicyclists and pedestrians.
 
A Pedestrian and Bicycle Engineer with the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI), Ruley provides technical assistance to the City of New Orleans to develop facilities for walking and bicycling.  Since beginning work in 2004 under a Center for Disease Control and Prevention “Steps to a Healthier U.S.” grant and subsequently through grants from Entergy, Ruley has provided technical support and guidance to improve the City’s capacity to expand facilities such as bike lanes and walking paths to more neighborhoods. Jennifer is currently working to develop “complete streets” policy recommendations and to initiate new opportunities for physical activity such as ciclovía in New Orleans. 
 
“Jennifer’s ability to affect positive change completely aligns with our mission to promote the wise stewardship of the urban built environment,” says Dana Eness, Executive Director of The Urban Conservancy.  “Her unswerving commitment to people-friendly New Orleans streets has made this a greener, safer, and more connected city for all of us.”
 
In addition to recognizing Ruley, the Urban Conservancy will celebrate it’s 10th anniversary by  honoring co-founders Geoff Coats and Edward Melendez. Entertainment will include The Mystic Pony Aerial Troupe, and music by Ingrid Lucia and Spillway. Pedicab service provided by Bike Taxi Unlimited, portraits by G. Chapin Studios, and La Divina’s gelato cart are also part of the festivities. Food, drinks and live and silent auction items donated by local businesses will shine the spotlight on New Orleans’ diverse local business community.
 
“We are featuring the very special aspects of New Orleans’ urban fabric—its local culture and economy, its low-impact transit options, and its distinct historic buildings and walkable neighborhoods– while showcasing our organization’s work over the past decade to foster them,” says Eness.
 
What: “You Are Here,” The Urban Conservancy’s Annual Fundraiser
 
When: Saturday, October 22, 2011 from 6 – 9:00 p.m.
 
Where: The Icehouse, 2803 St. Philip St., New Orleans, LA 70119
 
Proceeds from the event support The Urban Conservancy’s projects including the local business directory on staylocal.org, neighborhood guides, the Lafitte Greenway kiosk project, and economic impact research on industries and communities affected by the BP oil disaster along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast.
 
LCI Workers’ Comp is a major sponsor. Other sponsors include Woodward Design + Build, Abita Brewing Company, Bike Taxis Unlimited, Civic Economics, Etkind Design Studio, La Divina Gelateria, Lakeside Camera Photoworks, MPress, Pal’s Lounge, Plan B, Trumpet Group, and dozens of food and auction donors.
 
For event information, contact Keely Hill at 504-561-7474 or keely@staylocal.org. Tickets may be purchased online at
www.youarehereforapurpose/eventbrite.com or at the door.
 
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The Urban Conservancy is a New Orleans-based nonprofit dedicated to research, education, and advocacy promoting the wise stewardship of the urban built environment and local economies.  For more information about the organization and its initiatives, visit our websites at
www.urbanconservancy.org and
www.staylocal.org.

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