2646-52 Canal St

District: Mid-City- Partial Control

Owner: Canal Supreme LLC

Rating: Landmark

Applicant: Canal Supreme LLC

HDLC Guidelines:

Section 7, Page 12 of the Guidelines for Masonry and Stucco.

• The HDLC requires replacement masonry that matches the historic/existing in type, color, texture, size, shape, bonding pattern and compressive strength.

Staff Recommendations:

In 1966, the former Whitney Bank (constructed 1926) at 2650 Canal Street was replaced with a strikingly new mid-century modern building. The new 1966 Whitney Bank building was constructed to meet an increased demand for a facility that could accommodate automobiles and the growing population of Mid-City. Designed by the architecture firm Parham and Labouisse in the New Formalism style, the building's architecture emphasized a uniform grid with clean lines. In part, these details were accomplished through the use of cast concrete columns clad in white marble extending from a cantilevered eave to the surface level. Overall, the building style reflects a change in the 1960s New Orleans' built environment and transformation of Canal Street from a residential corridor to commercial boulevard.

Designated as an HDLC Landmark in 2010, the building now serves as a Family Dollar store. In 2021 an HDLC Demolition by Neglect violation case was opened against the property (#21-06062). The citation included the presence of mold and vegetation on the building, broken glass throughout, and missing and/or deteriorated marble panels. Following HDLC adjudication hearings, an HDLC Certificate of Appropriateness (CofA) was issued to address the removal of vegetation and installation of new glass at windows.

In an effort to correct the missing and deteriorated marble panels, the applicant has proposed replacing the white marble with a different material. Per the HDLC guidelines for masonry, the HDLC requires that replacement masonry match the historic/existing in type, color, texture, size, shape, bonding pattern, and compressive strength. Any material other than marble, would not adhere to this guideline. The marble panels are a crucial architectural exterior finish that define the building's modern stylization. Any non-marble replacement would deviate from the original design and distract from the marble panels that remain. In turn, Staff recommends denial of replacing marble with any proposed material other than marble.