8229 Hickory St.

District: Carrollton - Partial Control

Owner: Gulfcoast Allied LLC

HDLC Staff: Jesse Stephenson

Rating: Non-Contributing

Applicant: James Kohnke

Permit #: 24-21500-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”: Non-Contributing

• The importance of the building or structure to the tout ensemble of the area:  None of note.

• The alternatives to demolition that have been explored by the applicant: New construction of a single-story, one-family residential building.

• The difficulty or impossibility of reproducing such a building or structure because of its design, texture, material or detail: The replication of this building would not be cost prohibitive but would be most unlikely.

• The special character and aesthetic interest that the building or structure adds to the local Historic District:  None of note.

Staff Recommendations: 

FEMA survey research estimates the construction date of construction of 8229 Hickory Street to have been between  1965-1975. The residential building  is a one-story, single-family building set back from the more traditional block face of the 8200 block of Hickory Street. The building is a wood framed, slab on grade building clad with vinyl siding with aluminum windows.

A visual exterior inspection was conducted on August 2, 2024 and the building appeared to be in good shape but did not contribute to the tout ensemble of the overall the neighborhood. Additionally the slab on grade condition is antithetical to the resiliency needs of New Orleans architecture. For the aforementioned reasons Staff recommends approval of the demolition to grade.

• Staff Recommendation: Approval