Celeste Landing:
MAKING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORK IN AN HISTORIC CONTEXT
BY ROBERT J. BOYD, AIA, NCARB Like most American cities, New Orleans is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. According to a report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the city has a deficit of more than 47,000 affordable rental units, with few new units in the pipeline. Aside from the substantial financial and funding difficulties, one of the greatest challenges of developing new affordable housing in the city has to do with the unique development environment. New Orleans has a relatively dense urban fabric, with little available land in desirable areas. The city is also home to 21 National Historic Districts, with an active and influential Historic District Landmarks Commission which reviews all renovations and new construction in the many historic districts. That oversight, and the distinctive historic architecture and culture of New Orleans neighborhoods creates unique challenges for Architects designing new affordable housing developments.
of the building. After the remains of that portion of the building was removed, the site remained vacant until the present day. In 2010, the surviving portion of the building was renovated utilizing the federal and state historic tax credit rehabilitation program to include 15 market rate apartments on the upper two floors, with commercial on the ground floor. The building was declared a City of New Orleans Landmark shortly thereafter, rendering any future modifications subject to review by the Historic District Landmarks Commission (HDLC).
The substantial brick masonry building located at 621 Celeste Street in the Lower Garden District was constructed around 1919 and served as a manufacturing facility and warehouse serving the nearby Port of New Orleans for most of its life In 2005, Hurricane Katrina badly damaged the building, causing a partial collapse of the upriver half
View of the building prior to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
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View of the building prior to new addition.
The challenge of connecting the new and historic buildings was resolved by creating a recessed “hyphen” between the two. Clad with dark storefront glass and fiber cement panels to contrast with the brick of the two buildings, this smaller, recessed block of space is a decidedly contemporary departure from the two solid masonry masses. This modern connector between the new and old structures, encouraged by SHPO and National Park Service, serves as a logical main entry to the entire complex.
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In cooperation with the present owner of the building, the Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation of New Orleans was awarded lowincome housing credits for this property by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Combined with state and federal historic tax credits, it will provide for the renovation of the historic building and construction of a modern addition that will eventually house 46 affordable housing units. The 17,000 square foot existing warehouse building will be renovated to include 15 apartments spread over its three floors. A new 22,000 sf addition will contain 31 additional apartments, for a total of 46 affordable housing units. There will be a total of six 2-bedroom units, forty 1-bedroom units, and four studio units. The addition will also house a shared community space and leasing office. The entire site will be landscaped and fenced to provide twenty spaces of secured offstreet parking for resident use. To comply with the state and historic tax credit requirements, the existing building will receive a thorough restoration, with removal of modern additions and replication of some lost elements, such as doors and windows. Respecting the history of the site, the new addition approximates the footprint of the destroyed warehouse and attempts to reference the masonry mass and rhythm of the openings. This new addition is designed to be compatible with the original warehouse without overwhelming it, despite its much larger size. The main body of the new
addition maintains the same three stories and matches the parapet height of the existing warehouse. Modern vinyl windows are used to contrast with the historic building but are aligned with the original and match closely in size. Like the historic warehouse, the exterior walls of the addition are painted brick, but with added brick detailing around the windows to give a subtle differentiation from the original building. With the typical apartment unit sized at just 700 SF, thoughtful layout of interior spaces and careful selection of finish materials allow each of these affordable units to look and feel like standard market rate apartments. Operable windows, high ceilings, upgraded finishes all add to the quality feel of the entire facility. Apartments in the historic half of the building retain exposed brick walls and heart pine wood floors. Given that the original warehouse is a designated city landmark, the entire project was subject to a thorough design review process with the Historic District Landmark Commission. Working closely with the staff, a design that meets the standards of the HDLC and the requirements of the State Historic Preservation Office and National Park Service were carefully developed over several months. Located within 1,000 feet of the Mississippi River levee, construction in this location required review and approval by the United State Army Corps of Engineers and the local Flood Protection Authority. In addition, the first level of the historic building is located 18” below
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Upper floor plan.
the required base flood elevation. In order for the addition to be located at the same level, and therefore avoid the additional space required for ramps and/or an additional elevator, an appeal to the city’s Board of Building Standards and Appeals was submitted. The appeal was approved, provided that the new addition be “dry flood-proofed” to help protect the construction from future street flooding. The entire ground floor is surrounded by an 18” high concrete curb built into the exterior wall, all electrical outlets and devices are located above this elevation, and portable flood gates are provided for the unprotected entrances. With a total construction budget of just over $8.3 million, every efficiency was explored to keep costs down, including multiple options for framing system, roofing, and exterior skin. A traditional wood frame structure with wood truss system turned out to be the most cost effective, and variations in the unit H/S EXPERIENCE As human beings, we spend our personal and professional time within the built environment. As Architects, we are privileged to create spaces where people can gather, live, learn, work, eat, sleep, and worship. Therefore, it is incumbent that we design spaces that enhance the quality of life and nurture a greater passion for living. Our design approach is influenced by the environment, culture, and community in which architecture exists. To take it further... We Design for Life.
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plans were kept to a minimum. Each unit is designed to be modular to make construction more efficient and economical. Despite surging construction costs and serious supply chain challenges coming out of the pandemic, the project came in at a construction cost of just $213/sf or $181,000.00 per unit, well below typical construction costs in the city. Addressing the shortage of affordable housing in America’s cities may be one of the biggest challenges we will face in the coming years. Strict zoning codes, lack of available developable land, and daunting government approvals can all be overcome with careful planning, foresight, and creativity. If we can repurpose existing buildings that no longer meet their original purpose and find creative ways to utilize the multiple vacant lots in our inner cities, we can take the first steps to addressing the issue. ■
Robert Boyd is a seasoned architect and a partner at Holly & Smith Architects, APAC. With over 30 years of experience in the planning, design, and construction of a diverse range of project types, including, hospitality, residential, interiors, and historic rehabilitations. His extensive background covers the entire design process. Robert has earned a reputation within the architectural community for his solid design skills combined with an innate sense of creativity. As the leader of our commercial residential & hospitality practice, Robert Boyd has overseen the renovation of thousands of hotel rooms and numerous adaptive use and historic renovation projects.
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