Bringing Back the Bones: Restoration of a French Quarter Victorian - Part One
The cottage in mid-September with the rotted/termite-damaged side wall removed and new studs being constructed.
September 2023In the first of our new “Restoration” series, FQJ follows the complete restoration of a severely deteriorated Victorian cottage by a woman with ancestral New Orleans ties.
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson
Jeanne wasn’t familiar with the term “demolition by neglect” when she first started looking at the 1892 Victorian cottage for sale in the heart of the French Quarter. At first, it seemed like the sort of house that gets featured on the home makeover shows, its faded front façade with intricate gingerbread trim promising to shine with a few repairs and a fresh coat of paint. The kind of house that has “good bones,” and just needs thoughtful interior updates and some loving attention.
Not.
Initial assessments of this house revealed that structural osteoporosis had set in. The good bones of the past had deteriorated from decades of unattended moisture issues and feasting Formosan termites gnawing at the structure itself.
The “bones” revealed once work began. Photo courtesy Jimmy Boulangger
Since the asking price did not reflect the sad condition of the cottage and the owners showed no inclination to negotiate, Jeanne and her realtor, Micah Lowenthal with Latter & Blum, marshaled their patience and put it on possibility’s back-burner while they continued looking.
Jeanne wasn’t in a particular hurry. Her condo in another Victorian cottage just a few blocks away on St. Ann Street was perfectly comfortable. She’d bought it back in 2012 as a second home where she could stay when visiting her parents in Slidell and other family members in the area. As often as possible, she’d travel down from New York City where she worked as a regulatory compliance officer, often accompanied by her adult daughter.
But the more time Jeanne spent in the Quarter, the more time she wanted to spend in the Quarter. She began to think about retiring to the neighborhood. She’d developed several good friendships through groups like Patio Planters and by supporting local cultural assets like the Historic BK House. Her welcoming neighbors seemed to thrive on camaraderie and conversation, in contrast to the intensity of life in NYC.
Jeanne also began to dig into her family’s genealogy, discovering that her Dubuisson ancestors were influential early residents of the French Quarter and New Orleans. Tendrils of her past roots began to tug at her, giving more meaning to the architecture of the past that surrounded her.
“It was almost an ancestral gravitational pull that brought me here full-time,” says Michele.
But if she was going to retire full-time to the French Quarter, she would need a place with more light and more space. In the early fall of 2012, Micah – a neighbor who’d become a friend – began to search for a property that could meet her needs.
After Jeanne’s initial rejection of the Victorian cottage, it sat forlornly for many weeks, unsold in a hot property market. Other potential buyers were apparently intimidated by the scope of work the house would need. Finally, in late 2022, Jeanne circled back around and made an offer that reflected the cost of a complete restoration. An inspection backed up her suspicions of its sad state – and her offer. A deal was eventually struck.
Although much of the deterioration was hidden, there were plenty of clues as to what lay beneath.
Jeanne knew she needed to work with an architect, someone who could help manifest her dream house. She also wanted someone who had experience in a neighborhood where every property is a national treasure and every construction project overseen by a protective historic commission.
Friends of Jeanne’s had recently opened a French brasserie, MaMou, on St. Phillip Street, which had been designed by local architect Jennie West of Studio West. Jeanne had met Jennie at the restaurant and spoken about her project. The first time Jeanne and Jennie toured the new house project together, the architect made note of Jeanne’s must-haves: Capture as much light as possible. Create an office that could double as a guest room with an adjoining private bath. And most importantly, a “Sarah Jessica Parker closet.”
Floor plan for Jeanne by Jennie West of Studio West. Not included here are the second floor plans for the dependency. Street identifiers have been removed.
Jeanne’s Victorian was originally built as a duplex, like many others in the city. It has two front entrances, two sets of steps, and running down the center are walls with chimneys utilized by fireplaces facing each side. But sometime in the later 1900s, it had been converted into a single-family dwelling.
The new floor plan that evolved from Jeanne and Jennie’s discussions moved the kitchen to the front on the east side of the house. Behind it will be the primary bedroom (with a walled over window being revealed and restored, giving Jeanne lots of morning light). A bedroom behind that would be converted to a large full bath. In the left rear of the house, what was originally a small bath and closet will be converted to a closet that might make Sarah herself envious.
Beginning to expose the major damage in what will become the kitchen. Photo courtesy Jimmy Boulangger
Replacing the wall studs in what will eventually be Jeanne’s kitchen.
Looking toward the back through the east side of the house during demo and reconstruction.
On the opposite side of the house, the main entrance opens into a large open area that will serve as the living room and dining room. These take up the lion’s share of the front space. Moving toward the back is another room that will serve as an office/guest suite, with a second full bath.
The west side of the house, entering into what will be the dining room.
Looking toward the front on the west side of the house, from what will be an office/guest room.
A new wall going up on the west die of the house in what will be the living room.
A doorway at the back of the right side leads to the patio between the main house and a two-story dependency. Downstairs is a small kitchen, living area and a staircase. Upstairs are two bedrooms – each with French doors opening to a balcony – and a full bath.
The patio and the dependency during demolition.
The bottom floor of what will be the guest house.
Upstairs in the guest house.
Before the plans were even complete, Jeanne contacted Jimmy Boulangger of Jimmy’s Renovations (Just ask, we’ll do it for you). Jeanne had worked with the contractor previously when her condo building on St. Ann needed repairs and was pleased with the work. Jimmy’s responsive nature and attention to detail were other big pluses.
Two of Jimmy’s first tasks were demolition of damaged and rotting interior and exterior walls and supports and also leveling the house. If the bones weren’t good, he’d rebuild and straighten them.
The back eave of the house was completely rotted and had to be removed. Later, it would be discovered that most of the back wall of the main house had rotted as well and would have to be completely replaced.
It was agreed with the Vieux Carré Commission, which oversees all construction in the French Quarter, that the fireplaces in the main building would remain in place (eventually the interior part of the chimney in the dependency will be removed – although it won’t look like that on the outside – the part of the chimney that’s on the roof will remain).
However, this presented the first major challenge for the contractor. A four-inch slant of the main house floors desperately needed correction, yet the center chimneys there “anchored” the floor supports. Complete conventional leveling by jacking up the house and building up the pilings wasn’t feasible. Jimmy and his crew ended up raising the sagging floor supports around the chimneys bit by bit, very carefully. Eventually, they came within half an inch of true, while maintaining the integrity of the supports and chimneys – a fraction Jeanne is willing to live with.
“They basically pulled off a miracle,” Jeanne says.
Working to level the house as much as possible. Photo courtesy Jimmy Boulangger
Contractor Jimmy Boulangger explaining the challenges of leveling the house.
Next challenge: The walls proved to have much more termite damage than the inspections had shown. Both sides of the house and the back wall and eave had to be completely torn out. As of September 19th, the walls of the main house have been rebuilt.
Next will come the roofing – which Garcia Roofing says will take between seven and 10 days. In the meantime, while all the walls are open, new electrical and plumbing service will be installed. After inspection of those, the crew can begin focusing on the interior. The house is projected to be complete sometime in early 2024.
When asked how she’s currently feeling about the project, Jeanne grins.
“Woo!” she says. “It’s really happening!”
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