Newly built shutter in our New Orleans mill shop

Besides enhancing the architectural appeal of any home or business, interior and exterior shutters add privacy and protection. We make custom shutters to fit any door or window.

Our mortise and tenon joints plus slats with round tenons that are cut from solid louver stock follow traditional New Orleans construction methods. No gluing of plastic dowels into louvers on any of our shutters.

Because of the damages caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisiana homeowners can apply for grant funds of up to $7,500 to make even small-scale improvements that will protect their homes from loss in future storms. That includes installing storm shutters.

From mill shop to New Orleans windows

Light through louvers in New Orleans shutters

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.

Whether the new windows you want are round or rectangular, long or short, standard or odd sized, Central City Millworks has the expertise and equipment to fit your window needs.

Make a wish, and you can have any window you want: double sash, triple sash, or even entire walls of windows (in fact, that’s our specialty).

HCC selected as Best Place to Work 2009

Back in July of 2009, our own Bryon Cornelison (HCC Project Manager) forwarded an email nominating Hal Collums for CityBusiness Best Place to Work in New Orleans.

“To be acknowledged by CityBusiness, and be able to show the City of New Orleans what we are made of, is a proud moment for me.”

Due to the excitement of the World War II Museum, Wilson Elementary and the Port Sulphur Government projects our business life was hectic and the email was forgotten.

In October, I received a voicemail, saying “we had been nominated for…”.  To my surprise, this cheery voice (Autumn Giusti) over the phone explained that we had won!!  To be acknowledged by CityBusiness, and be able to show the City of New Orleans what we are made of, is a proud moment for me.

New Orleans CityBusiness picks Hal Collums Construction as Best Place to Work in 2009

HCC Acquires Third Street Warehouse

Hal Collums Construction, LLC and Central City Millworks, LLC are pleased to announce the acquisition of the property located at 2611 Third Street.  This warehouse is adjacent to our home 2610 Second Street.

This extra space is crucial to our growth and will help us add an entirely new finishing facility.  Outside consultants from Sherwin Williams and others have come to help on the planning and logistics.  By early 2010, we will have a state of the art finishing assembly line.  We hope, Peter Dave, the head of the HCC Finishing / Paint Department, will be thrilled with his new work space!