prc

Valuable Information for 1st Time Renovators

January 8, 2016 by Charlie London

First Time Renovator Training: Buy Right
Buy Tickets Now

This training includes two sessions:

Session 1: Tuesday, January 12 · 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Session 2: Tuesday, January 26 · 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

At the Preservation Resource Center located at:
923 Tchoupitoulas St. (in the Warehouse District)

Prepare to take on your first renovation project with this two-night course.

Topics covered will be an analysis of the pros and cons of renovating, how to select a project that is right for you and your budget, and financing options including 203(k) renovation loans and rehabilitation tax credits.

This training is helpful for anyone trying to purchase their first home on a limited budget, as well as anyone who is thinking of renovating for the first time who wants to do the best job possible and maximize their renovation budget.

First Time Renovator: Buy Right is Underwritten by Tricia King- Gardner Realtors.

EVENT COST
$40/$35 for PRC members.

Become a Member
For more information or to register, click on “buy tickets now” or contact Suzanne at 504.636.3399 or sblaum@prcno.org.

Space is limited · Pre-registration required. Buy Tickets Now

News from the PRC

October 23, 2014 by Charlie London

Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans

What’s in This Issue:
Stained Glass Tour: Celebrating Local History
First-Time Homebuyer Training: November
Historic House Specialist Seminar for Real Estate Agents
Calling for Holiday Home Tour Volunteers
Absolute Auction: 130+ Homes and Residential Lots
Save the Dates for PRC’s Upcoming Events

Stained Glass Tour: Celebrating Local History

Sunday, Nov. 2 · 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tour begins at Our Lady of Prompt Succor
$16 for PRC members / $20 for non-members
Advance ticket sales close at noon on Friday, Oct. 31. On the day of the tour, all tickets are $25.

Sally downriver for a unique Stained Glass Tour in Chalmette and St. Bernard Parish!

First-Time Homebuyer Training: November

Four sessions are required for completion of this course:
Monday, Nov. 3 · 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 4 · 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 5 · 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 6 · 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
At PRC, 923 Tchoupitoulas St.
$75 per individual / $90 per household
$50 for ASII individual members / $75 for ASII household members

Historic House Specialist Seminar for Real Estate Agents

Thursday, Nov. 6 · 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
At PRC, 923 Tchoupitoulas St.
$75 for PRC members / $85 for non-members

Attention real estate agents: Bolster your knowledge of historic house types, New Orleans neighborhoods, and financial incentives for homeowner renovations.

Calling for Holiday Home Tour Volunteers!

Sunday, Dec. 14
9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
In the Garden District

We enlist over 200 volunteers to work as docents in the tour homes throughout the Holiday Home Tour weekend. Not only will you enjoy an “insider’s view” of one of the incredible tour homes, but you will also receive one FREE ticket to the tour ($45 value) in exchange for your time. Volunteer now before all the shifts are taken!

If you have any questions, please contact Bette Painter at 504.636.3397 or bpainter@prcno.org.

Absolute Auction: 130+ Homes and Residential Lots

Save the Dates for PRC’s Upcoming Events:Sunday, Nov. 2
Stained Glass Tour: Celebrating Local History
View event details.

Monday, Nov. 3 through Thursday, Nov. 6
First-Time Homebuyer Training: November
View event details.

Thursday, Nov. 6
Historic House Specialist Seminar for Real Estate Agents
View event details.

Friday, Dec. 12
Holiday Home Tour Patron Party — SOLD OUT
View event details.

Saturday & Sunday, Dec. 13 & 14
39th Annual Holiday Home Tour
View event details.

Click here for PRC’s Calendar of Events.

For more information about Preservation Resource Center,
please call 504.581.7032 or visit www.prcno.org.

Preservation News

October 4, 2014 by Charlie London

What’s in This Issue:

Announcing New Work by George Schmidt to Benefit PRC
First-Time Renovator Training, Part 2: Renovate Right
Renovators’ Happy Hour Goes Uptown
Home Repair Advice by Maryann Miller
Preservation in Print: October Issue
Community Corner: Introduction to Property Research Resources
Save the Dates for PRC’s Upcoming Events

Announcing New Work by George Schmidt to Benefit PRC

Saturday, Oct. 4 · 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
At George Schmidt Gallery
626 Julia St. (in the Lafayette Square District)
FREE and open to the public

George Schmidt is one of PRC’s most talented friends—an artist, a musician, and a general New Orleans celebrity—and he’s honoring PRC’s 40th anniversary with a new series of limited-edition etchings! Drop by to see his original depictions of New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods at his gallery this Saturday as part of Art for Art’s Sake.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit PRC.

First-Time Renovator Training, Part 2: Renovate Right

This training includes two sessions:
Tuesday, Oct. 14 · 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 21 · 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 28 · 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
At PRC, 923 Tchoupitoulas St.
$50 for PRC members / $65 for non-members

Learn how to manage your first home renovation.

Renovators’ Happy Hour Goes Uptown

Thursday, Oct. 23 · 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
1905 Peniston St. (at Dryades Street)
FREE for PRC members / $10 for non-members

Tour this unique 4,297-square-foot Craftsman home that was designed by Favrot & Livaudais and built in 1909.

Home Repair Advice by Maryann Miller

“Minding the gap: easy DIY ways to fill the gaps between old wood floor boards”
NOLA.com / The Times-Picayune · Sept. 22, 2014

This week, I want to talk about another wood floor pet peeve: the tendency for slim gaps to appear between floor boards, when the aging fill between the boards cracks, dries and pops up out of place. The gaps can be anywhere from a few inches to a foot in length, resulting in air leaks and climbing utility bills.

Click here to read the complete column or post a question about home maintenance.

Preservation in Print: October Issue
Featured Content:

Poverty Point Becomes a World Heritage Site (p. 10)
Louisiana claims its own World Heritage Site: the ancient mounds of Poverty Point. By Diana M. Greenlee.

Renovate Right: The Synagogue Apartments (p. 17)
How seasoned renovators created their masterpieces. By Lauren McCulloch.

Clarence John Laughlin: Life After Life (p. 20)
The surrealist photographer who brought the spirits of Louisiana’s architecture to life. By Gene Fredericks.

Subscribe to the print edition by joining PRC today!

Community Corner: Introduction to Property Research Resources

Saturday, Oct. 4 · 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
At New Orleans Public Library, in the Louisiana Division / City Archives
219 Loyola Ave. (at Tulane Avenue)
FREE and open to the public; registration appreciated

Want to research the history or your house or other buildings in New Orleans? This class will introduce beginners to the property research resources available in the Louisiana Division/City Archives.

Save the Dates for PRC’s Upcoming Events:

Saturday, Oct. 4 and Saturday, Oct. 11
First-Time Homebuyer Training: October
View event details.

Tuesdays, Oct. 14, 21 and 28
First-Time Renovator Training, Part 2: Renovate Right
View event details.

Thursday, Sept. 25
Renovators’ Happy Hour Goes Uptown
View event details.

Sunday, Nov. 2
Stained Glass Tour: Celebrating Local History
View event details.

Monday, Nov. 3 through Thursday, Nov. 6
First-Time Homebuyer Training — November
Call 504.636.3046 or email mmiller@prcno.org for details.

Thursday, Nov. 6
Historic House Specialist Seminar for Realtors
View event details.

Friday, Dec. 12
Holiday Home Tour Patron Party
View event details.

Saturday & Sunday, Dec. 13 & 14
39th Annual Holiday Home Tour
View event details.

Click here for PRC’s Calendar of Events.

Ladies in Red | June 14

June 6, 2013 by Charlie London

13th Annual Ladies in Red

Friday, June 14 · At The Cannery
3803 Toulouse St. (behind the American Can Company)
Complimentary valet provided.
GoogleMap

Patron Party · 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Music by the NOCCA Alumni Jazz Ensemble

Gala · 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Music by Shamarr Allen and the Underdawgs

Awards Presentation · 8:30 p.m.
Honoring jazz musicians and the institutions that support them

Enjoy New Orleans cuisine and an open bar,
plus specialty cocktails by Smooth Ambler and Ketel One Vodka.
Join us at The Cannery for an evening of jazz, cocktails and dancing!

Emcee
Eric Paulsen

Award Honorees
Lucien Barbarin · Leah Chase · Benny Jones
Freddie Lonzo · Herlin Riley · NOCCA Institute

Honorary Chairs
Michael Lewis, writer
Michael Lewis, New Orleans Saints ambassador
Irvin Mayfield, trumpeter

Event Chairs
Nicole Blackmon Lewis · Anna & Adam Breaux

AAHP Chair
Edgar Chase III

TICKETS

Gala · $75
1 ticket to the Gala

Junior Patron · $100 (Ages 21-35)
1 ticket to the Patron Party & Gala

Patron · $150
1 ticket to the Patron Party & Gala

Ragtime · $500
4 tickets to the Patron Party & Gala, plus sponsorship benefits

Dixieland · $1,000
6 tickets to the Patron Party & Gala, plus sponsorship benefits

Swing · $2,000
8 tickets to the Patron Party & Gala, plus sponsorship benefits

Big Band · $3,000
12 tickets to the Patron Party & Gala, plus sponsorship benefits

Trumpet King · $5,000
16 tickets to the Patron Party & Gala, plus sponsorship benefits

Lady in Red · $7,500
24 tickets to the Patron Party & Gala, plus sponsorship benefits

Purchase tickets in advance by calling 504.581.7032.

Ladies in Red supports the following Preservation Resource Center programs:
African American Heritage Preservation · Education & Outreach · Heritage Education and My City, My Home · Jazz plaques with the New Orleans Jazz Commission · Jazz house research, awareness and restoration

Contributions are tax-deductible as provided by law.

Follow Ladies in Red on Facebook!

824 North Dupre

August 22, 2012 by Charlie London

photos by Charlie London

Renovators’ Happy Hour goes to Faubourg Saint John!

On Thursday, August 23rd, visit a double shotgun being restored using a 203(K) renovation loan. Serving as his own general contractor, Matthew Mahoe and his partner Heather Self are carefully renovating and updating this home with their own labor. Tour the recently completed rental unit as well as the updated and expanded owners’ unit of 824-26 N. Dupre. Refreshments available.

5:30 to 7:00 p.m. | $7, free for PRC members | 824-26 N. Dupre

For more information,
please contact:
Sarina Mohan
Education and Outreach Coordinator
Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans
923 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: 504.636.3067
Fax: 504.636.3073
smohan@prcno.org
www.prcno.org

2805 Bell Street

March 30, 2012 by Charlie London

article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center

photo by Ian Cockburn

Home of Shawn Kennedy & Hal Brown
by Charlotte Jones

ONCE A SHOTGUN, this five-bay house with its central entrance between two large windows appears today to be a characteristic raised center-hall cottage. However, before the extensive 2002 renovations it actually was a typical double shotgun.

Visitors are greeted with a fleur-de-lis capped iron-fence, a myriad of hanging ferns and a leaded glass front door. Through this door is the center hall, flanked by an open parlor and dining room.

Windows and light are abundant throughout the house. Ample natural light permeates the vibrant blue master bedroom through french doors that replaced most of the traditional windows in the most recent renovation. For Brown and Kennedy, this has been a benefit for the many plants that adorn their home. Also illuminating the home is a glass wall leading to an insulated breezeway that connects the house and the garage. Through the glass wall, the deep blue walls of the primary living space contrast beautifully with the antiques and wooden furniture.

Despite these modern renovations, the house retains much of its historic character, in part by maintaining the traditional placement of the kitchen in the rear of the shotgun home. The garage along with a mother-in-law suite accessed through the breezeway stand where an outbuilding was once located.

After the house was sold by the original owners in 1904, it passed through inheritance to Leila Soniat Dufossat, with whom it remained until 1946 when, after changing hands several times over the course of a decade and one-half, it found its way to the family of Henry Songy, Jr. and his wife in 1961. The Songy’s raised their five children in the house and passed the property on to their children, who sold it to Russel Feran in 2002.

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.

2819 Bell Street

March 28, 2012 by Charlie London

article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center

photo by Ian Cockburn

Home of Lynn Reeves, Laura & Sophie Vagianos

by Valorie Hart
Research by Valorie Hart and Sharon McManis

“LIVING SMALL” is a resurging option for many people, and the sweet shotgun home of Laura and Sophie Vagianos and Lynn Reeves epitomizes the advantages of preserving an historic home’s original footprint. The owners have lovingly renovated their 100-year-old cottag to utilize every inch of its 1,000 square feet.

“Before our renovation, we had a dysfunctional, strange space. We did not have a functional kitchen and our single bathroom was extremely small,” Laura said. It added up to about 300 square feet of usable space — a hefty percentage in a small house. The side-hall shotgun felt closed in, so the owners removed the wall dividing the living space from the hall, allowing in light from the exterior wall of windows. Reeves and Vagianos take great pride that much of the house is original including the walls, floor and most of the trim work, as are the side hall and the pocket doors.

The finishing touch to the renovation is the witty and unique decor of the house. From the cement pigs that grace the front porch (and get seasonal costume changes that the neighbors look forward to) to the spicy and warm color scheme, this is definitelya New Orleans home. The owners share the philosophy that, in decorating, they just include what they like while also striving to maintain the integrity of the structure and respecting the many years it sheltered others before them.

They love to collect art, and their favorite artists include Amy Cespedes Glisan, Bill Hemmerling and their daughter, Sophie. One of the most sriking installlations is where the humble kitchenmantel has been decked out with religious items and mementos, creating an altar of sorts.

At the back of the house is a funky, colorful garden that includes a place to dine among the tropical foliage and handmade metal art pieces created by Lynn’s brother, Paul.

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.

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!

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

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

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.

2918 Esplanade Avenue

March 26, 2012 by Charlie London

article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center

photo by Ian Cockburn

Home of Booth Pohlmann & Dr. Kenneth Sumner
by MaryNell Nolan-Wheatley

THIS TENDERLY DECORATED house is intimate and refined, though the unassuming homeowner, Booth Pohlmann, is likely to describe the space as comfortable and functional. Pohlmann and his partner Kenneth Sumner purchased the house in 2005, just before the floodwaters of Katrina reached but did not cross the front and rear property lines, thanks to its location on the Esplanade Ridge.

The previous proprietor shied away from major structural alterations to the house, avoiding even modern amenities like central heating. As a result, Pohlmann and Sumner discovered an array of original architectural gems, such as a complete inventory of fully operable historic windows, doors, and fireplaces, as well as original hardwood floors. With no major repair work to tackle, Pohlmann and Sumner’s interior changes were mainly cosmetic, adding a master bathroom in the bedroom and marble flooring to the enclosed side hall and refinishing the interior woodwork that, according to an advertisement for the house in a 1927 newspaper, was originally painted ivory. Pohlmann and Sumner found and electrified an original gas chandelier, which now hangs in the dining room.

The home’s art selection illustrates the owners’ unique tastes. This is perhaps best exhibited in the library, which was originally a nursery, located at the end of the side hall just before the kitchen. The room contains a mix of antiques, art, crafts, and heirlooms such as two cherished sets of antlers dating to 1912, which Pohlmann rescued from his grandmother’s house. Images by Louisiana photographers including Debbie Caffery and Frank Relle create atmosphere and a sense of place.

Only a few changes have been made to the building’s floor plan over the course of its history, the most recent being the 1988 kitchen additon.

The home has received attention as the house where Estelle Musson Balfour, the cousin of Edgar Degas, lived. While the chain of title leaves Estelle’s exact connection to the property a mystery, the narrative continues to attract curious visitors. Her story, and particularly her legendary love for flower arrangements, which she organized by texture due to her blindness, as the inspiration for the front garden. Pohlmann described the garden’s aesthetic as “freeform,” like a painting that changes every year.

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.

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!

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

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

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.

908 North Rendon

March 19, 2012 by Charlie London

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

Home of Ben Gauslin
By Gabrielle Begue
THIS MODEST, TWO-BAY shotgun was likely built as a rental house around 1906 by French Quarter travel agent Albert Ducombs, whose residence was one block away at 3230 Dumaine, but the property’s chain of title originates with entrepreneur and philanthropist John McDonogh.

Upon his death in 1850, McDonogh donated his vast real estate holdings to the City of New Orleans, which parceled the land in 1859 and sold it off to various parties, who in turn divided up and sold their parcels as smaller lots.

Due to its long-term use as a rental, this bargeboard single saw numerous interior alterations, yet its simple, sturdy bones were still evident to first-time homeowner, architect and Web developer Ben Gauslin, who purchased the house in 2010.
With spare, neutral furnishings and plenty of negative space, the house spotlights the architecture and feels more spacious that the shotgun’s limited dimensions. Each room features a different wall color, the refreshing blues, pinks, and yellows echoing the traditional Caribbean-influenced hues found throughout the city while also highlighting the spaces’ geometry in a decidedly modern way.

Combining his minimalist modern aesthetic with a respect for traditional building methods, Gauslin stripped out unoriginal elements and gutted the house to its worn, glowing pine floors and bargeboard walls. Gauslin re-covered most of the boards with insulation and plaster but chose to leave one interior wall exposed as a celebration of the house’s humble architectural roots. Its dark wood adds warmth and texture to the expansive parlor at the front of the house, which Gauslin created by knocking out an original non-supporting wall that had cut the space into two smaller living and dining areas.

A streamlined, chrome-and-white IKEA kitchen with ample storage space now stretches the length of one wall, offering a study in how to creatively use the challenging, narrow spaces of the shotgun layout.

While most buildings of this type feature a small backyard and side alleys, this house’s unusual off-center placement on the 28-foot-wide lot provides an ample side yard, which Gauslin is currently converting from a cracked concrete driveway to a landscaped patio for grilling, lounging with friends, and playing with his Catahoula-mix dog, Calvin.

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.

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!

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

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

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.

1260 Moss Street

March 16, 2012 by Charlie London

article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center
photo by Ian Cockburn
The home of Sara & Mark Landrieu
By MaryNell Nolan-Wheatley

“WHAT MAKES THIS HOUSE is all the windows,” noted Sara Landrieu, owner of the one-bedroom shotgun house situated on Bayou St. John. Indeed, the abundant fenestration expands the walls of the charmingly diminutive house.

The rhythmic frequency of windows and glass-paned doors connects the interior spaces with the exterior views, but it is Sara and Mark Landrieu’s aesthetic that distinguishes the house. Their design instinct and attention to detail during a 2008 renovation revealed much of the historic structure hidden by earlier additions and modifications.

The shotgun home was originally built on the neighboring property at the corner of Desoto and Moss streets between 1883 and 1895 but by 1908 owner Daniel Moriarty had moved the house to its current location. The property changed hands once more before it was sold to Otto John Rees at the outset of World War II. His son, Otto Albert Rees, who lived there until his marriage in 1955, remembers rearing chickens in the backyard. After Otto Rees’ death in 1974, the family rented out the property before selling it to the Landrieus in 2008.

Sara, an interior decorator, led the renovation and interior design of the historic home. A garage attached to the south façade concealed a bead board side gallery with several of its original support posts intact. Mark, concerned about the narrowness of the space, suggested expanding the width of the side gallery along the kitchen’s exterior. Sheer curtains add shade as well as movement to this picturesque space.

Inside, the Landrieus removed a wall that originally divided the front space into two rooms and added a small guest bedroom with skirted tub, a design that predates the more common claw-foot version. The removal of a dropped ceiling in the bedroom (which had been converted into a kitchen) and the linoleum flooring uncovered original wood floors and ceilings. A bookcase attached to the wall in the current kitchen hid a brick chimney. Other treasures uncovered on-site include a porcelain kitchen sink, a seed bin that Sara incorporated within a bookcase in the bedroom and three glass etchings found in the attic, now framed in the front room. All of the art on display was created by artists who reside within a mile of 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.

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!

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

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

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.

Shotgun Volunteers

March 6, 2012 by Charlie London

Click here to volunteer for the Shotgun House Tour!

Preservation Resource Center is gearing up for its Shotgun House Tour on Saturday, March 31, 2012 . At this event, locals and visitors take a self-guided tour of eight private homes in Faubourg St. John. Each shotgun home has unique architectural features and demonstrates a unique take on New Orleans’ most common house type.

Please support the PRC by volunteering for this great event! We enlist nearly100 volunteers to help staff the tour homes throughout the day as house captains, greeters, and docents. Two shifts are available on Saturday, March 31 – 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Volunteers will receive one FREE ticket to the tour in exchange for their time. Volunteers are welcome to sign up in groups. They must be 18 years of age or older.

Shotgun House Tour is a tradition for the PRC and proceeds from the Shotgun House Tour go toward the PRC and its Education and Outreach programs. PRC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been preserving, restoring and revitalizing New Orleans’ historic architecture and neighborhoods for 37 years.

You may register as a Shotgun House Tour volunteer online by clicking here or the button above. If you have any questions, contact Sarina Mohan at 504.636.3067 or smohan@prcno.org.

Thank you for your support!

*If you have already signed-up and are receiving this email, you do not need to register again. We will be sending out confirmations with additional information in the next week. Thank you for your patience and your commitment to the Preservation Resource Center.

Sincerely,
The Shotgun House Tour Committee
Jimmy Fahrenholtz and Sarah Hess, Chairs

Click here to learn more.

Got an Empty Lot?

January 14, 2012 by Charlie London

by Michelle Kimball

article reposted at the request of the author

1780′s House in 9 Mile Point Needs a New Home

The owners of this historic 1780′s home in Nine Mile Point, near Westwego plan to remove the house from the site and sell the property for new construction. The owners have given a local contractor a window of opportunity to try to save this house. This house is 40+ feet deep and 50+ feet wide. It can be moved, or it can be dissambled for reconstruction. The catch is that one of the options must be completed in the next 90 days.

On Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012 an open house will be held 9 am till noon. Please go by and see all the marvelous details and feel the ambiance of this simple and humble home. We’ve seen the house and it is truly a gem!

All components of the original building are cypress and hand hewn! Renovations over the years have added some beaded ceiling and pine flooring over the original in place cypress floor. Some bussilage “stuffing” is evident where some weatherboards are missing. The exterior wall framing shows no evidence of replacement of weatherboards. The visible additions are the kitchen, bath, and probable closing in of the front porch to make sort of a den. The current “front porch” is a slab on grade change. With this change the front became the back and the back became the “front”. Most of the millwork is period and probably original. The French style timberframe trusses in the attic are magnificent. Joinery is all mortise and tenon and peg. Cross sectional measurements of lumber and beams are typical of French colonial construction. See photos of some of the details HERE –> http://www.flickr.com/photos/prc-advocacy/sets/72157628136228450/.

If you could use this home or know someone who could or would like to contribute in any way to saving this house please email PRC staff at mkimball@prcno.org or send this information on to others.

The house is located at 1029 Hidden Lane, Nine Mile Point. It is about 1/2 mile downstream from the H P Long bridge on the West Bank of the river. Look for Wiegand St. off of the river road go back to the 1st intersecting street to the right (Pavo), turn right, stop at the next corner. Hidden Lane is so hidden that it doesn’t appear on maps, so please visit the link below for a MAP of Wiegand Street (Pavo maps as Toreo, which you can see if you zoom in close). http://tinyurl.com/free-house-map

If you have trouble finding the house, email PRC staff at mkimball@prcno.org and we’ll put you in touch with the folks that will be on the site. We will be checking emails and we might even be willing to take a ride to see the house again — it is just THAT GREAT! Here is a peak at some of the old timber framing. Don’t mistake the bussilage “stuffing” between the wood beams for termite damage!