A Garden District Mansion Gets a New Lease on Life

This elegant, Italianate mansion that sits at 1126 Second St. was constructed in 1894 and is one of my favorite homes in the Garden District. And I was fortunate to sell this beauty as the dual agent – which means I was the listing agent for the sellers, as well as the agent for the buyers.

Back in September 2019, the sellers were Mike and Caroline, who after raising two boys in the home had decided to move to Baton Rouge to be near Mike’s elderly mother.

Having a Vision

Because it was a hot market, the sellers didn’t want to leave any money on the table. But after 112 days listed, we reduced the price to $2,550,000. That’s when the buyers – Jayson Seidman and Paris Neill -- approached me. They had a vision to do a full renovation and take the home to another level; so, they wrote an offer right after they saw it. Paris and I have some mutual friends, and Jayson is in hospitality real estate investment as the owner of some iconic properties in New Orleans, including the Drifter, Columns, and Hotel Saint Vincent.

We went under contract on March 9th, just a few days before the pandemic shutdown, and though that presented its own crazy issues, everything worked out!

A Full Renovation and Historic Rehabilitation

After sustaining water damage from Hurricane Idea, the home underwent mold remediation. Currently undergoing a full, top-to-bottom renovation and historic rehabilitation with many talented folks involved in its rebirth, it was featured at a recent Preservation Resource Center “Beams & Brews” event. From adding modern conveniences to restoring original architectural elements, the painstaking process is going to make this mansion a stunner once again.

I can’t wait to see what Paris and Jayson do with it! Stay tuned -- maybe we’ll get a sneak peek :-)