Through the challenge of the wettest month in the recorded history of New Orleans and also the discovery on New Years eve of additional termite damage requiring stud replacement, we did meet our goal for this phase of this renovation in New Orleans.

The goal was to have our contracted repairs completed by the first of January so the apprentice plasterers could begin in early January.  Apprentices began prep work for plastering, repairing lathe board, and removing old plaster between the lathes on Jan 6th. We will continue to work with the Preservation Resource Center on this project over the coming months to provide support and additional repairs as needed.

Ready for plaster

Plaster apprentices at work

Great progress

Contemporary glass storefront in final stages of installation.

Hal Collums Construction is just finishing up a major New Orleans restoration on St. Charles Ave.   This beautiful Greek Revival style building had fallen into disrepair after being used to house a restaurant and then sitting empty for a few years after Hurricane Katrina.  The current owner decided to renovate this beautiful home to bring it back to its former glory.  Its new use will be a private residence and will also have office space on the first floor.

A challenge that was faced by Wayne Troyer Architects and Hal Collums Construction was how to maintain its historic beauty while meeting the current needs as a residence and an office.  With approval from the Historic Districts Landmarks Commission, this contemporary storefront entrance added inside the building while keeping the exterior shell of the building intact.  This glass and stainless steel entryway allows customers to enter the offices from the side of the building while keeping the residential entry separate and in the front.  You would never know that when you walk into this grand St Charles Ave building you will be greeted with such modern luxury.

Ramon Siles putting final touches on the handrail

Typical Working Class St. Ann Street Shotgun

The house at 2404 St. Ann is a marvelous New Orleans “shotgun.” I am totally amazed at how well preserved it is and how it has dutifully carried the soul and story of the original builder into the 21st century. The magic is in how well defined the original details are and how these details have lived through hard, neglected times to tell an important story today. Hal Collums Construction felt lucky and honored to have been the New Orleans construction company chosen to prepare this special shotgun for its second century.

Rarely preserved original rear porch

The impact of how standard the lean-to addition is as the rear facade of the “typical” shotgun double was really driven home when I saw the almost perfectly preserved rear porch and rear lean-to of this cottage. The front façade of this St. Ann Shotgun is the typical working class shotgun, built with the front right on the sidewalk, no porch and a shallow roof overhang. Decorative brackets, carved quoins, cornices, and shiplap front siding identify this structure as a working-class shotgun with an “upgraded” exterior trim package.

Clearly the original wood frame and deck of the back porch had rotted off and had been replaced with a well-designed and skillfully executed concrete deck and concrete stairs during a previous modification. The house has been fortunate over the years as its original builder was a craftsman familiar with the New Orleans building environment and a subsequent porch rebuild was skillfully constructed by a master artisan.

Large Pocket Doors are typical New Orleans Millwork

The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans working with the Prince of Wales Building Crafts Apprentices Program needed a house ready for plaster in time to take advantage of the apprentices’ time in New Orleans. Master Plasterers would use the St Ann shotgun as a training lab for the apprentices.

We have been tasked to have the house ready for the apprentices within five weeks. We started the last week of November 2009 and intend to have it ready for the plasterers by January. To accomplish this we must complete all structural repairs, restore the historic roof, repair all exterior trim and siding, and then have all mechanical trades complete their rough-in.

Original indigenous cypress windows

The structure had a earlier termite infestation that went unchecked and the insects obliterated the sills, many floor joists, wall studs and even the original heart pine flooring.

The structural work is well underway with most of the damaged sills and joists replaced. Bryon Cornelison, HCC’s project manager, working with Max Mendoza (HCC’s operation manager), is responsible for maintaining this fast track schedule. Check back as we will keep you updated on our progress.