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 :-)
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
Turning a Historic Spot Into a Lifelong Dream: Bywater Brew Pub
My client, local attorney Nahum Laventhal, was on the hunt for a great building to house his lifelong dream – a brew pub that would fulfill a family legacy after his 38-year law career in New Orleans. The story goes like this: in 1937, Nahum’s grandfather, owner of Leo’s Bar & Grill in Brooklyn, passed away when Nahum’s father was in his first semester of law school at Harvard. Because his father quit law school to move home and run the bar, Nahum feels like his own life now has come full circle — and he’s thrilled to be a lawyer running a bar. The Right Zoning & The Right Building Having looked at other buildings with other agents who didn’t understand zoning, Nahum turned to me – and I found him the right spot (with the correct zoning!) and even helped find the perfect lender for the deal. A two-story, 105-year old building at the corner of Royal and Montegut Streets in the Bywater, this renovated beauty contains an awful lot of history. Starting out as the World Bottling Company (maker of Dr. Nut, Ignatius Reilly’s drink of choice), it went on to become a garment factory, then Studio Inferno, and today houses Nahum’s beautiful brew pub featuring local art by artists who work right upstairs. Taking time to lovingly renovate the space, Nahum paid homage to its history by reusing everything he could in the process. Offering Its Own Beer, a Viet-Cajun Menu, and a Gorgeous Space Now a full-scale brewery, full-service bar, and gastropub — BBP brews twelve of its own beers on site, thanks to Brewmaster Sonny Day (with rave reviews from Eater New Orleans and Google), serves a delicious Viet-Cajun menu by noteworthy Chef Anh Luu, and offers gorgeous indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as reservations, pickup, and delivery. A family affair operated by locals (Nahum runs the place with his multi-talented son, Dylan – and Nahum, Dylan, and Anh are all Ben Franklin High School alums), BPP features an awesome, fully-vaxxed staff that can’t wait to see you. Special note: they’ll be canning some of their own beers soon, but you can buy a keg to take home now. Seriously, check this place out. It’s a gem! Looking to buy, sell, or invest? I’m happy to help. Let’s talk. Photo credit: Josh Hailey Studio
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