1031 Annunciation St.

District: Warehouse District - Full Control

Owner: BCH Nola 1031 LLC

HDLC Staff: Dennis Murphy

Rating: Contributing

Applicant: Robert Marine Services LLC

Permit: #23-23350-HDLC

HDLC Guidelines: 

Section 12, Pages 23-24 of the Guidelines for New Construction, Additions and Demolition states that the demolition of all or portions of historic resources within a local Historic District or Landmark site are considered drastic actions, since they alter the character of the area. Once historic resources or buildings that contribute to the heritage of the community are destroyed, it is generally impossible to reproduce their design, texture, materials, details and their special character and interest in the neighborhood. When reviewing demolition applications at properties located within a Historic District or at a Landmark site, the HDLC uses the following criteria in its evaluations:

• The historic or architectural significance of the building or structure as designated by its “rating”: Contributing.

• The importance of the building or structure to the tout ensemble of the area:  FEMA survey, Sanborn map and newspaper research indicates the building was constructed sometime between 1908 and 1940, within the period of significance for the local historic district (1820-1958). A 1936 Sunday Item-Tribune article notes that Dixie Machine Metal & Welding Works was operating at the site for 17 years, likely indicating the existing building was constructed by 1919. This also correlates with the painted signage at the front elevation which notes the business was established in the same year. It appears that several previously extant residential townhouses were demolished to clear the site for construction of the current warehouse building, however, there does not appear to be evidence that these were incorporated into the building façade or at the interior. By 1950, the primary masonry building was expanded at the rear along Poeyfarre with the construction of a large steel truss warehouse. This portion of the building was demolished between 2011 and 2014 as part of a previous application to renovate the warehouse for a restaurant build-out with exterior parking planned at the rear. However, this application did not proceed, and the building appears to have been left open to the elements since this partial demolition. The current building appears to retain much of its original exterior architectural features and details, such as stucco wall cladding, stucco window hood bands, many of the historic operable steel windows, and the original painted building signage. It also appears to have retained its original style, scale, massing, roof form and footprint to this day except for some modifications to door and window openings along the primary Annunciation Street elevation. In its current state, the building continues to contribute its historic building fabric, details, and typology to the tout ensemble of the surrounding local historic district.

• The alternatives to demolition that have been explored by the applicant: No alternatives to demolition have currently been submitted by the applicant, nor have redevelopment plans for the site been submitted for HDLC/ARC review. There have been several previous applications for work at this property since 2011 (including two from the current owner who purchased the property in 2015) all of which sought to reutilize the existing masonry building and incorporate it into a new construction development. The most recent application for a proposed storage facility program was given final approval by the Commission in March 2022 and is only waiting on the submission of final stamped drawings for the CofA to be issued. The site is currently generating income for the owner via its use as a contract parking lot, and this use will likely continue once the remaining building is demolished. Principal use surface parking lots are prohibited use for sites zoned as CBD-6, as per the CZO.

• The difficulty or impossibility of reproducing such a building or structure because of its design, texture, material or detail: Based on the masonry and steel building construction, use of relatively simple materials and methods, and minimal exterior decorative ornamentation, this building would likely not be difficult or more costly to reproduce today. However, it would likely be difficult or impossible to reproduce its historic texture, materials, and details or to recreate its special character and interest in the neighborhood. As land values in the district continue to increase over time, it may become less financially feasible to maintain or reproduce similar one and two-story, low-intensity use warehouse buildings like this in the future. Additionally, the continued demolition of these types of industrial/commercial warehouse buildings may threaten the viability of the overall district to maintain its historic status as more and more of the structures which contribute to the area's unique texture, scale, rhythm, and use are removed. 

• The special character and aesthetic interest that the building or structure adds to the local Historic District:  The stucco-clad masonry building utilizes a steel structural system at the interior with steel truss spans to create a relatively open interior floor plan conducive for the previous industrial use. The existing building is indicative of other historic industrial and commercial building typologies which were common in the area due its proximity to the riverfront and port, but which unfortunately may no longer be extant. The building physically reflects the prevailing economic and commercial activity of the area at the time it was constructed through its form, siting, scale, massing, roof form, window openings, architectural details, signage, and use, much of which it retains to this day.

• The condition of the building or structure: HDLC Inspector Daniel Syal completed an interior/exterior visual inspection of the property on August 29, 2023. Much of the steel framing is intact and in fair condition. The steel shows signs of surface rust but the members appear to be competent. The masonry walls are in fair condition, likely due to the added support of the embedded steel members but would require extensive repointing. The exterior stucco coating is mostly in fair condition and has protected the masonry from the elements. All wood-framed portions of the building are in poor condition and should be removed, particularly the rooftop penthouse that collapsed previously and all second-floor wood joists and flooring which are in very poor condition. No portion of the interior is watertight, and the entire roof system is either compromised or absent. Metal windows are salvageable but are currently only partially glazed. The remnants of the structure appear to be competent enough to be incorporated into a redevelopment proposal that would be mostly new construction. 

Staff Recommendations: 

The current building has been left open and vulnerable to rain and wind at the rear wall for over a decade, and the roof decking and wood-framed rooftop penthouse structure appear to be deteriorating at an accelerating pace. The building is also suffering continued deferred maintenance in the form of unprotected window openings, ad-hoc and unsympathetic masonry repairs, vegetation growth, cracks/spalling at the exterior stucco, deterioration and collapse of the roof structure, and a general lack of routine maintenance and repair; all of which continue to degrade its remaining historic building fabric. While this has led directly to the building's uniquely deteriorated current condition, it appears that enough of the historic fabric and structural integrity remains that it could be reasonably incorporated into a new redevelopment plan, just as it had been for the several previous applications.

While Staff understands the applicant's desire to alleviate the liability of daily fines from Code Enforcement, full demolition of the existing historic structure is an extreme and inappropriate option. Previous approvable applications demonstrate the existing building is feasible for retention and incorporation into a redevelopment plan for the site, and this option should continue to be explored by the applicant. Staff also encourages the applicant to work with HDLC and Code Enforcement to develop a plan to make a good-faith effort to address the most urgent violation conditions at the site, while ensuring the exterior walls, roof and other historic building fabric is preserved and maintained for reuse and inclusive redevelopment in the future.

Staff would also like to note that there is general concern that the continued demolition of warehouse buildings such as this will inevitably undermine and negatively impact the visual perception of the area and the public's understanding of the unique social, cultural, economic, and architectural history of the Warehouse District.

Based on these factors, the fair condition of the building elements today, and based on the HDLC Design Guidelines, Staff recommends denial of the request for demolition to grade. 

• Staff Recommendation: Denial