5500 Dauphine
This proejct is a historic renovation of a severely damaged Hurricane Katrina-era building in New Orleans’ Holy Cross neighborhood and our second residential development project. Originally divided among multiple tenants and a corner store facing Flood Street, the building required extensive structural reconstruction before being reorganized and returned to use as a single-family residence.
About the Project
5500 Dauphine was our second residential development project in the Holy Cross neighborhood, located just down the street from 5302 Dauphine. The existing building had suffered extensive damage and required a far more substantial reconstruction. Originally configured for multiple tenants, the property also included a corner store facing Flood Street at grade, while the residential portions along Dauphine Street were raised above the ground with multiple entrances.
The renovation consolidated these separate uses into a single-family residence while retaining and rebuilding as much of the existing structure as possible. Severely damaged exterior walls were removed and completely reframed, requiring the roof to be temporarily shored while new walls were constructed beneath it. The original brick fireplaces were also in extremely poor condition and required substantial rebuilding and stabilization. New windows, roofing, exterior siding, and a complete interior reconstruction were accompanied by improvements to the driveway, yard, and surrounding site. Like 5302 Dauphine, the project was developed with us serving as both owner and architect alongside a general contractor, continuing an early exploration of the relationship between design, construction, investment, and the reuse of damaged historic buildings.
