2242 Saint Claude Ave.

District: Faubourg Marigny - Full Control

Owner: Good Money Global LLC

HDLC Staff: Dennis Murphy

Rating: Unrated

Applicant: Lynnette Gordon

Permit #: 23-26332-HDLC

Description: New construction of a 4,796 SF two-story, commercial building on a vacant lot.

Previous ARC Recommendations:

01/04/24: The Commission voted to grant conceptual approval of the proposed massing with the final details, including the articulation of the St. Claude elevation, to return for additional ARC review once all other necessary waivers and variances have been obtained. This approval includes the proviso that if substantial design changes are necessary (such as for off-street parking or to raise the building foundation), this will necessitate the need for an additional conceptual approval from the full Commission.

12/20/23: The ARC voted to recommend conceptual approval of the massing with the final details, including the articulation of the St. Claude elevation, to return for additional ARC review once all other necessary waivers and variances have been obtained. The ARC agreed the revisions made to the foundation elevation height and floor-to-ceiling heights has substantially improved the overall scale of the building, and it is now more contextual with the surrounding historic context. The ARC also agreed that:

The window openings proposed in the parapet/railing are not successful and the applicant should instead consider forming these in relief as articulated recesses in the stucco, or another strategy, such as metal handrails, or a combination of the two.
The applicant should consider introducing some asymmetry to the overall design for additional visual interest at the front elevation. For example, the taller massing toward the right side could be increased in width.
The central stucco area should be articulated with a deeper reveal or shadow line at the edges, so the area is further differentiated from the adjacent portions.
The storefront windows at the left and right sides appear too close to full height windows in their proportions, so the sill height should be increased slightly. The storefront windows at the central area should have a small, raised curb at the base.
The 2nd floor window closest to St. Claude at the right-side elevation should be shifted back slightly and away from the corner to better align with the edge of the window opening below.
The applicant should consider shifting the location of the interior stair at the right side of the building to potentially allow for additional windows at the right-side elevation.
The rear wall of the building will be visible from Marigny Street, so the applicant should bring more visual interest to the area. This could be accomplished through the material palate, fenestration, or by stepping the roof down toward the rear (such as by using a hipped roof). Stepping the roof down toward the rear may also help the overall massing relate better to the adjacent single shotgun building.
Either the more contemporary horizontal or more traditional angled awning types (or a combination of both) could be appropriate for the building. Air rights may need to be leased from the City for the proposed awning encroachments.

11/14/23: The ARC voted to defer the application for additional review. The ARC also agreed that:

The overall scale and massing of the building is still too large and there is too much vertical emphasis for it to be compatible with the scale, heights, and proportions of the existing adjacent historic context.
The current strategy of visually breaking the building into three distinct and alternating volumes is less successful than the previous iteration because the taller masses are positioned at the edges of the site where their scale and verticality are read in direct relation to the existing adjacent building’s scale and proportions.
- - For example, the previous one-story massing along the street related better to the adjacent context and the setback at the second floor helped to reduce the visual appearance of its scale and massing from the street.

The ARC recommended the applicant investigate reducing the first-floor FTC height from 12’-0” to 11’-0” and to explore other modifications and details at the front elevation to help bring the door and window openings, canopies, and balconies, etc. into better alignment with the scale and proportion of the adjacent surrounding context.
- - For example, the detailing of window heights, widths, muntins, awnings, and materials can all affect the perception of the building’s scale and massing.

The 2’-0” zone between the first-floor ceiling and second floor could be reduced slightly to help lower the overall scale of the building. For example, necessary interior components such as ductwork can be surface mounted directly to the ceiling.
The applicant should reduce the number of exterior materials and consider how the material palette can be used to help further reduce the scale and verticality of the building.
It may be helpful for the next review to provide a few options or iterations for the ARC to consider which may also help to better illustrate the design process and thinking.

10/17/23: The ARC voted to defer the application for additional review. The ARC also agreed that:

The building footprint at the rear should either be located on the property line or set back a minimum of 3’-0” from the property line.
The use of an oversized or faux-rusticated brick cladding is not considered appropriate for the proposed building based on its contemporary design.
The right-side window should be shifted back on the wall such that the proposed Hardie siding that wraps the corner can terminate to align with the massing at the 2nd floor above.
The applicant should reconsider the proposed planters and awnings, so that they better relate to each other and the overall building, such as by making both a metal material for consistency. The planters and canopies should also be adjusted so that they are contained within the width of the window openings rather than extending further out at the left and right sides.
The applicant should consider installing a parapet wall or other screening at the proposed rear 2nd floor mechanical enclosure as this area may be visible from along Marigny Street.
The overall scale and proportions of the building should be reconsidered and reduced so that it relates better to the heights, datums, and proportions of the immediate surrounding historic context. For example, the applicant should consider extending the door transom horizontally across the façade windows so that their overall scale and height is reduced and so they relate better to the surrounding context.
The context drawing should be reviewed to ensure the existing context and proposed new construction are accurately depicted at-scale in relationship to each other. The applicant should strike datum lines from the existing surrounding context to better relate the overall height of the building, window openings, etc. to its surroundings.