3401 St. Charles Ave

Description: New Construction of a 115 unit mixed-use development with ground floor commercial space fronting St. Charles and Louisiana Avenue. 

Previous ARC Recommendations:

1/19/2021:  The ARC voted to defer this application for additional review and agreed that:

• The building type des not correspond with large scale residential buildings found along St. Charles Ave.  Large scale buildings are typically U-shaped with ground level open space fronting the Avenue.  This is exemplified by the building at the corner of St. Charles Ave and Toledano St.

• Add canopies above the transom level at all storefront conditions.

• Consider recessing the single story portions of the building along Louisiana Avenue to allow for publically accessible open space that could be used for exterior seating for the adjacent commercial uses.

• The architectural language of the 4 story portion of the building is more successful than that of the 5 story portion.  In particular, the openings at the 5th floor are too close to the cornice.  Consider setting back the 5Th floor so that the building reads as a 4 story building.

• The large scale arches are not appropriate outside of the Central Business District.

• Additionally, the ARC advised consulting with the Board of Zoning Adjustments to ensure that the two reviews are moving forward in a mutually beneficial manner.

12/15/2020:  The ARC voted to defer this application for additional review and agreed that the mass of Building B is out of scale with the immediate context.  The ARC made the following recommendations that may help minimize the visual bulk of the structure:

• The single-story elements with roof terraces should be redesigned as courtyards at ground level.

• Extend the building mass down St. Charles to better obscure the parking area.

• 5 stories is an appropriate scale for the St Charles Ave frontage, but the building should step down as it moves away from the corner of St Charles and Louisiana Avenues.

• Consider stepping the top floor back from the building edge to reduce the perceptible building height.

• Reintroduce the depth and texture of the building exterior walls that is present in the original hand drawn renderings.

Context Photos: 

Current Drawings: 

Previous Drawings: 

January 19, 2021:

December 15, 2020:

Street View: