Rescue Dogs Are The Best
Back in 1992, I rescued a 20-lb. puppy with a broken leg off the streets of New York City and named him Moses. He quickly grew into my 120-lb. fur baby, and we shared a 400 square foot apartment on E. 25th Street for 10 years. Moses was the reason I started rescuing other dogs, eventually became a dog trainer, and managed a doggie daycare and boarding facility in Manhattan. And that was all before starting my career in real estate! If you’ve seen my social posts on Facebook and Instagram promoting Zeus’ Rescues and offering free dog training sessions by Elizabeth Schonberg to those who adopt, now you know that rescuing dogs is one of my passions. I’ve taken in and loved many of my own rescues over the years, from Moses the Rhodesian Ridgeback to Doody, Lupe, Jesse, and Winnie (all Chihuahuas), and Star the Beagle. Dog Training is the Key Successful Adoption And what I’ve learned is that the key to a successful rescue adoption is to do everything we can to help our furry friends get comfortable and socialized in their new home. That’s why Elizabeth’s great advice and dog training tips are so important — because we all want our new best friends to be well-mannered and happy. (Plus, Elizabeth offers forever texts & follow-ups, too!) I’m here to help everyone – including so many deserving dogs — find their forever homes. And while I’m not doing professional dog training anymore, I’m always up for offering a few tips and tricks. Why I Love Zeus’ Rescues Michelle Ingram, owner of Zeus’ Place and founder of Zeus’ Rescues, says, “There is no better feeling than taking a dog from a bad situation and giving it a great home with a loving family.” And I think Michelle and her crew are doing an amazing job. With a privately funded, no-kill shelter on Napoleon Avenue, their mission is to eradicate pet homelessness and euthanasia in the New Orleans metro area. An all-volunteer group, they find forever homes for animals that are pulled from high kill metro shelters. How You Can Help Want to help make a Zeus’ Rescue more adoptable? Volunteer to walk them – another key to good socialization! Sign up now or make a donation. Here are some of the cuties I’ve promoted to help find forever homes: Chewy Gunner Roxie Dior Beagle
Palm Terrace: A Mardi Gras Dream Home
A Hidden Gem If you’ve never heard of Palm Terrace, I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s a hidden gem of a street that’s one block long, with ten Mediterranean style bungalows featuring red tile roofs and stucco walls. Semi-private but smack in the middle of all the Uptown Mardi Gras revelry, it’s right off of St. Charles Avenue, nestled between Milan and Marengo Streets, and backs up to The Chloe. Location and Style, Right Off the Avenue Secretly, I’d had my eye on Palm Terrace for years and always wanted to own one of those bungalows. I loved the style, the location, and I’m a big Mardi Gras fan. So being that close to the action was a huge draw. Back in 2012, I put out some feelers. Lo and behold, some friends who lived on Palm Terrace said the owner of #10 might be ready to sell. Turns out the #10 owner had bought the property as an investment, when he’d owned Cannon’s (a restaurant around the corner that as New Orleanians like to say, “ain’t dere no more”). I did some sleuthing – a superpower that I’ve put to good use for my clients – and found that he lived on Bellaire Drive, the street I’d grown up on. Making It Happen So what did I do? That day, I went to his house on Bellaire Drive, knocked on the door, and said I wanted to buy #10 Palm Terrace. He was open to the idea and agreed to show me the house. Turns out it wasn’t in great shape – there was water damage from a roof problem, cracks in the stucco, and the oak floors were ruined by a tenant’s dogs. He was detailing all that he was going to do to the property before putting it on the market, when I stopped him mid-sentence and said, “If you don’t do anything to improve it, would you sell it for 20K less?” He said, “Yes. And I’ll still fix the roof.” New Orleans being the small world that it is, we soon discovered that my cousin had been his long-time golf pro. (In this city, there’s always less than six degrees of separation.) Life on Palm Terrace With various improvements and renovations over the years, the Palm Terrace house was a joy to live in and a perfect spot for Mardi Gras parties of all kinds. And even though it’s small, I never tired of filling it with friends and family who’d sit on the balcony, spill out into the street, and wander down to the corner to watch the parades go by.
Artist / Designer Works to Revitalize a Quirky, Historic Bywater Property
Photos by J. Marque | Collaged by A. Meyn New Orleans Felt Like Home Though she grew up in Cincinnati, most of Alexandra Meyn’s family lives in New Orleans and has for eight generations. Over the years, she came to visit regularly, whether it was for the holidays, Jazz Fest, or any other reason she could dream up. An artist and designer, Alexandra has lived all over, from New York City to Hawaii — but she says, “New Orleans felt more like home than anywhere else.” What Alexandra Was Looking For After her father passed away, she and her partner decided it was time to move to New Orleans with Alexandra’s mother. As someone who specializes in both residential and commercial interior architectural projects, Alexandra was looking for an historic Bywater or Marigny property with a multi-generational aspect that could be age-adaptive, with off street parking, and roughly 2500-3000 square feet. It also needed to be unfinished and un-renovated, so that she could revitalize it herself and as Alexandra puts it, “capture that equity.” That’s where I came in. I started showing Alexandra and her partner properties over Jazz Fest in 2019, and the whole process took about eight months. We discovered 2820 St. Claude Ave. in October, but it was already under contract; I encouraged them to make a back-up offer because they so often come to fruition. And then when the first offer fell through, we moved into first position! While technically zoned commercial, the property was ideal. Permitted as “mixed-use”, the 5000 square foot space had the ability to include living space, Alexandra’s studio, retail/showroom space, and more. The following are “Before” photos: The Exciting Plan for the Property While the realities of the permitting process have been difficult at times, Alexandra says, “I’m excited to hopefully forge a path forward in that respect. I’m an optimist and a solutions-oriented person, and it will be worth it if it makes it simpler for others to more easily create and occupy mixed-use, live/work spaces.” Alexandra is excited to celebrate the architectural details of the building. She explains her plan for the space as including “a small, curated home goods retail space, my design & art studio, a personal & professional showroom with custom finishes so that clients can see our offerings, private living space for three adults, and room to expand into the ample backyard. The goal is to grow the business so that it absorbs the whole footprint.” Stay tuned for more details and “After” photos, as Alexandra transforms the space. What Alexandra Says About Working with Me Alexandra is a true visionary, and I understood exactly what she was trying to accomplish. I love that she had this to say about working with me: “Tracey was most importantly super patient – because only a couple of properties would have suited the primary factors we were looking for. I showed her before & after photos of projects that I’d done in Hawaii, and she got it. She was there through thick and thin, weekends, holidays – she never let us down. I appreciated that she was fearless, and there wasn’t anything she couldn’t tackle. Tracey was willing to go down this road with us. She could see what I could see, and we were able to get this property for the right price at the right time. She was down for the adventure, and I am sincerely grateful for that. I’m an avid learner but sometimes felt out of my depth, not knowing the protocol of how things work in the city, and Tracey was just always so willing to help and nothing was beneath her. She’s smart, savvy, and talented, and I love her passion and her mission. We’re both similarly business-oriented, and when we get together, we’ll talk business for hours, which I love! And it’s super fun to see a female pioneer in an industry that’s pretty male dominated.” Photography credit: Jacqueline Marque
Categories
Recent Posts
