1000 Poland Ave.

Staff Recommendations: 

1000 Poland Avenue is a long rectangular form building situated at the corner of Poland Avenue and North Rampart Street. This block has long been utilized by the City of New Orleans for municipal buildings including schools, car barns for streetcars, police precincts, and fire departments. The 1000 Poland Avenue portion of the 350 city block had been occupied by a car barn since at least 1896 before that building was demolished and replaced with the current building in ca. 1920. The current building was constructed as an accessory storage building for a much larger car barn. Between ca. 1920 and 1937, the building was converted into a stables building with adjacent paddocks for horses and mules. The building retains its original form and vaguely Craftsman detailing including its large knee brace brackets, low-sloping roof overhang with exposed rafter tails, and pent roof with louvered clearstory. Until recently, the building was vacant and in disrepair. From 2018-2023 a major renovation transformed the building into a single-family residence. 

The proposed roof-mounted solar installation is at the interior facing roof slope away from the primary façade facing Poland Avenue. However, due to the size of the building, its location at the corner, and the unoccupied adjacent lot, the proposed solar will be visually prominent from North Rampart Street. Based on the HDLC guidelines for roof-mounted solar equipment, the proposed installation would not be street-facing and would adhere to setbacks. Staff has no objection to the installation of visually prominent solar equipment at the proposed location. Staff will work with the applicant to ensure that all HDLC guidelines are met for roof-mounted solar equipment.