4016 Saint Claude Ave.

Staff Recommendations: 

4016 St. Claude Avenue was constructed in ca. 1930 as a commercial building with attached warehouse. The warehouse portion is frame with wood weatherboard siding and the commercial storefront is frame construction with stucco. For the past two (2) decades, the building has either been vacant or housed itinerate businesses. The storefront of the building has been vacant since 2015 and the building has been a blank slate for graffiti. Throughout the building's history several alterations have been made, but the original form of the building remains intact. 

In early 2023, the applicant took on the noble task of bringing the building back into commerce. Currently, the exterior of the building is a vast improvement from its previous condition and positively impacts the surrounding St. Claude corridor. In January an HDLC Certificate of Appropriateness (CofA) was issued for exterior work at the rear warehouse portion of the building. In August a final inspection revealed that areas of work deviated from the CofA. Work performed at the storefront, not included in the approved scope, comprises the request for retention. 

Although the CofA included wood weatherboard replacement at the rear warehouse portion of the building, stucco repair/replacement took place at the storefront portion of the property. This work also extended on the Bartholomew Street facing elevation. The stucco on frame construction was removed and fiber cement panels were installed. Fiber cement paneling is not an exterior cladding material that the HDLC approves due to the visibility of joint lines and its inability to accurately imitate stucco. It is also unclear how the material will weather over time in the New Orleans climate. The applicant claims that the existing material at the storefront included areas of paneling which is why the material was installed. Due to the factors noted above, Staff recommends denial of fiber cement paneling at the storefront portion of the building. This area includes the front façade, the left-side elevation, and the right-side elevation to the first leader head and downspout. Staff recommends retention of the paneling past this point at the right-side elevation. 

Installation of the fiber cement paneling at the right-side elevation resulted in the removal of three (3) original storefront window openings. One (1) larger plate glass window opening and two (2) square clearstory windows matching those remaining at the left-side elevation were removed and paneled over. Although these windows had not had glazing since at least 2007, the framed openings showed the original fenestration of the building. Had this work been requested, it would have required Commission approval. Staff recommends that exterior trim matching the existing openings be installed at the right-side elevation to indicate the location of the existing windows.