Surplus property hearings scheduled for Wednesday, June 12, 2012:

2552 Saint Philip Street - Former police station in Treme (pictured above)

6038 Saint Claude Avenue - Former fire station located in Holy Cross

2019 Third Street - Vacant lot

The second round of public meetings for the disposition of surplus properties has been announced! We encourage submit comments to the City Planning Commission. Written comments on the dockets listed below must be received by 5pm Wednesday, June 6 to be included with the staff reports. Comments can be emailed to pcramer@nola.gov The hearing will take place on June 12, 2012 at 1:30pm.

At this point, the City has not scheduled an open house for these buildings, though we are hopeful that one might be scheduled before the auction. At least 2 more batches of properties will be considered by City Planning over the next 2 months, and all properties will be auctioned at the same time, likely at the end of the summer.

CITY PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2012

PUBLIC HEARING: 1:30 PM CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER (CITY HALL -1E07)

THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF THE REVISED STATUTES OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND THE CITY CHARTER REGARDING PROPERTY DISPOSITIONS, WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2012 FOLLOWING THE ZONING PUBLIC HEARING, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER (CITY HALL 1E07), ON THE FOLLOWING PROPOSED PROPERTY DISPOSITIONS.

2552 Saint Philip Street - Property Disposition 12/12:  Consideration of the sale of 2552 Saint Philip Street, Lots 99 and 100, Square 322, in the Second Municipal District, bounded by Saint Philip, Dumaine, North Rocheblave and North Dorgenois Streets. (ZBM C-13, PD-4)

6038 Saint Claude Avenue - Property Disposition 13/12:  Consideration of the sale of 6038 Saint Claude Avenue, Lots 5 and 6, Square 330A, in the Third Municipal District, bounded by Saint Claude Avenue and Gordon, El Dorado and Tupelo Streets. (ZBM E-14, PD-8)

2019 Third Street - Property Disposition 14/12:  Consideration of the sale of 2019 Third Street, Lot 16, Square 286, in the Fourth Municipal District, bounded by South Saratoga, Second, Danneel and Third Streets.  (ZBM C-15, PD-2)

This meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for additional accommodations or any assistance to participate may be directed to the Office of Constituent Services at 504-658-4015 (voice), 504-658-4002 (facsimile), or the City’s TTY 504-586-4475. This communiqué is available in alternative formats upon request.

THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 16 OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE 4264 MCS AS AMENDED, WILL HEAR ALL PROPONENTS AND OPPONENTS TO THE ABOVE PROPOSED PROPERTY DISPOSITION.  ALL INTERESTED PARTIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND AND ALL RELEVANT COMMENTS CONCERNING THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE ENCOURAGED. YOU MAY ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN ADVANCE BY MAIL (1340 POYDRAS STREET, SUITE 900, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112) OR FAX (504-658-7032).  ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO THE HEARING DATE.

May 22nd, 29th and June 5th, 2012

Yolanda Rodriguez, Executive Director

Comments (0)

The Neighborhood Conservation Districts Committee considered 23 properties for demolition on May 7th, 2012. Click here to see how they voted!

On May 8, the City Planning Commission approved the disposition of two historic fire stations in Mid City and Uptown. The City Council is expected to give their blessing to the disposition in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

We have a few additional details about the buildings, which is included in the City Planning Commission staff reports.

4877 Laurel Street - the lot is 40 feet wide at the front and 34 feet wide in the rear. The sides of the lot are 95 feet and 97 feet and has an approximate area of 4,000 square feet. The Department of Property Management has stated that the property is in poor condition and that there are large holes in the roof of the main structure, which have allowed damage to occur to the interior of the buildings. The purchaser SHALL be required to rehabilitate the property in a timely manner and a rescission clause in the Act of Sale SHALL be used to enforce the timeliness of the renovation. The City Planning Staff believes that it is viable to renovate this building within the current zoning, which is multi-family residential (RM-2). Read the full City Planning staff report HERE.

200 North Alexander Street - the lot is 60 feet wide at the front and 126 feet deep, with an area of 7,560 square feet. The Department of Property Management has stated that the property is in poor condition and that there is roof damage that has also lead to ceiling issues. The structure sustained one foot of flood water during Hurricane Katrina, but it appears to be structurally sound. The purchaser SHALL be required to rehabilitate the property in a timely manner and a rescission clause in the Act of Sale SHALL be used to enforce the timeliness of the renovation. The City Planning Staff beleives that it is viable to renovate this building within the current zoning, which is 2 family residential (RM-3). Read the full City Planning staff report HERE.

At this point, the City has not scheduled an open house for these buildings, though we are hopeful that one might be scheduled before the auction. At least 2 more batches of properties will be considered by City Planning over the next 2 months, and all properties will be auctioned at the same time, likely at the end of the summer.

Check out the Times Picayune article on the City Council meeting HERE and the Uptown Messenger article HERE.

View our ongoing coverage of the surplus property auction process HERE.

Comments (0)

Historic District Landmarks Commission Meeting

Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 1:00 pm
City Council Chamber
City Hall, 1300 Perdido St.
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Do you have an opinion about any of these proposed demolitions or any other item on the HDLC agenda? CLICK HERE to share your opinion with the Commission.
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Esplanade Ridge
2921 St. Ann – private owner/applicant
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Faubourg Marigny
1011 St. Roch (pictured above)- City of New Orleans, applicant (FEMA funded demolition) – PRC supports the Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association believes that this house should be sold at Sheriffs’ Sale rather than demolished. Would you be interested in bidding on this house? Email PRC staff HERE.
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Holy Cross
5453 Charters - NORA, owner/applicant
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View the complete HDLC agenda online HERE.
Comments (0)

As noted by the Times Picayune, “on Tuesday, the City Planning Commission will take comments at an afternoon hearing about the proposed sale of the Laurel Street firehouse as well as an even more architecturally significant one located at 200 N. Alexander St. in Mid-City. Both were designed by renowned city architect E. A. Christy. The firehouses are among a package of 14 unused city properties now being considered for auction.” The properties that will be considered by the City Planning Commission is just the first of many properties that will be considered for liquidation.

Read the full Times Picayune article HERE.

Hearings will be held on the disposition of these buildings:

4877 Laurel Street

200 North Alexander Street

3601 General Taylor Street (vacant lot)

Read our blog post about the City Planning hearing HERE.

Learn more about more properties that will be considered for disposition HERE.

 

Comments (1)
Figure 4. 7016 Zimple Street. (click to enlarge image)
Figure 4. 7016 Zimpel Street.
(click to enlarge image)

Tulane University has proposed to demolish two houses on Zimpel St. behind the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library. The University will be adding a roof-top addition to the building. In order to accommodate construction materials and construction related activities, Tulane has proposed to demolish 7008 and 7016 Zimpel Street.

According to the application submitted to FEMA by Tulane:

  • 7008 Zimpel – constructed c. 1940 – this site will be used as a staging area. Further the “boom radius” of one of the two cranes to be used for construction will extend over this site.
  • 7016 Zimpel – constructed in 1914 – this site will be used as a laydown area during construction.

Tulane’s applications to the City of New Orleans Department of Safety & Permits, Neighborhood Conservation District Committee show that Tulane may redevelop the two sites at some future time. However, the Applicant currently has no redevelopment plan.

How do you feel about demolishing these houses, which are contributing elements to the Uptown National Register Historic District, in order to accommodate construction material staging, a temporary use? Post your opinion online HERE. Comments are due via the website by May 17, 2012.
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Below is the official public notice, posted online HERE. As a side bar, HERE is an article from Blake Pontchartrain about the correct spelling of Zimpel.
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FEMA Department of Homeland Security SealPublic Notice Regarding Section 106 and NEPA Review of the Proposal to Demolish 7008 Zimpel St. and 7016 Zimpel St. New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA to allow for the Construction of a Roof-Top Expansion of the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library at Tulane University’s St. Charles Ave. Campus - Seeking Public Comment


Figure 1.  Project Location Map - (click to enlarge)
Figure 1. Project Location Map
(click to enlarge)

Figure 2. The Standing Structures Area of Potential Effects (APE) is in yellow. The two Archaeological APEs are in red.
(click to enlarge image)

Figure 3. 7008 Zimple Street. (click to enlarge image)
Figure 3. 7008 Zimpel Street.
(click to enlarge image)

The high winds and heavy rains of Hurricanes Katrina and the subsequent widespread flooding damaged many buildings in Orleans Parish, LA. In the aftermath of the hurricane, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is issuing this public notice as part of its responsibilities under the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s (ACHP) regulations, 36 CFR Part 800, implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA). FEMA has also decided to utilize the NHPA Section 106 review process to coordinate its responsibilities, including public outreach, required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This notice applies to activities carried out by the Public Assistance (PA) program implemented under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C.§§5152-5206. 

The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund have revised the scope of work for the roof-top expansion of the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library at Tulane University’s St. Charles Avenue Campus, New Orleans funded by FEMA’s Public Assistance program to include the demolition of 7008 Zimpel Street (Tate House – U67) and 7016 Zimpel Street (Institute for Environmental Law and Office for Continuing Legal Education – U66). These buildings are proposed for demolition to provide space for the operation of a crane and a staging area. This alternative is proposed by Tulane to best avoid the removal of old trees on Newcomb Place and minimize construction-related traffic congestion.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 44 CFR Part 10: It is the intent of NEPA that federal agencies encourage and facilitate public involvement to the extent practicable in decisions that may affect the quality of the environment. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the CEQ established Alternative Arrangements to meet the requirements of NEPA in reconstructing critical infrastructure in the New Orleans Metropolitan Area (NOMA); Alternative Arrangements, Federal Register/Vol. 71, No. 56/Thursday, March 23, 2006. Alternative Arrangements enable FEMA, as a component of DHS, to consider the potential for significant impacts to the human environment from its approval to fund critical physical infrastructure in NOMA. More information on NEPA and the Alternative Arrangements process can be found on FEMA’s web page at: www.fema.gov/plan/ehp/noma.

National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 36 CFR Part 800: The regulations at 36 CFR Part 800 require FEMA, as the funding agency, to identify if 7008 and 7016 Zimpel Street are listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; to assess the effects the proposed demolition will have on historic properties; and to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects.

FEMA has identified that 7008 and 7016 Zimpel Street are located within the Uptown New Orleans National Register Historic District (Uptown NRHD). 7008 Zimpel Street, constructed c. 1940, is a two-story frame building covered in painted stucco with a hip roof. 7016 Zimpel Street, constructed in 1914, is a raised basement bungalow. Both interiors were remodeled by Tulane in the 1980s. FEMA has determined that both structures are contributing properties to the Uptown NRHD. Other historic properties within the Area of Potential Effects (APE) are 7012 Zimple, 1037 Audubon, 1033 Audubon, 7039 Freret, 7031 Freret, 7029 Freret, and 7025 Freret. These buildings were constructed within the period of significance of the Uptown NRHD, retain integrity, and represent a part of the overall period of significance and are contributing properties to the Uptown NRHD. The APE also includes Dixon Hall (U-68), constructed in 1929, a contributing property to the Tulane University of Louisiana National Register Historic District.

FEMA has conducted a records search and a site visit in order to identify if archaeological resources may be affected by the proposed project. It has determined that based on all the available evidence, there are no National Register of Historic Places-eligible archaeological deposits in the project area since the area is disturbed, has no visible features or artifacts, and that the chances of identifying a privy, cesspool, or cistern is unlikely.

FEMA has determined the proposed demolitions will adversely affect 7008 and 7016 Zimpel Street and the Uptown NRHD. FEMA has determined to fulfill its responsibilities under Section 106 of the NHPA through the development and implementation of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The MOA will document FEMA’s review of ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the adverse effects of the proposed Undertaking. FEMA is seeking input from members of the public on ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the potential Adverse Effects.

Any member of the public is encouraged to provide views on this project to FEMA. FEMA will accept and consider public comments on NEPA related issues as a part of the Section 106 review. Comments can be submitted to FEMA for a 15-day period beginning on May 2, 2012 by posting online at: http://www.crt.state.la.us/culturalassets/fema106/; sending an email to FEMA-NOMA@dhs.gov; or sending a letter through the mail to:

FEMA Mail Center
Historic Preservation
1 Seine Court, 1st Floor Mail Room
New Orleans, LA 70114

If mailed, comments and requests must be postmarked by May 16, 2012.

Post your opinion online HERE.

Comments (0)

The following demolitions will be considered by City Council on Thursday, May 2, 2012. If you have an opinion about these demolition proposals or any other items on the agenda, you can email City Councilmembers here.

3124 N. Johnson  - code enforcement demolition

2216-18 St. Roch  - code enforcement demolition

2529-31 Marengo (pictured above) – Louisiana Land Trust demolition (Lot Next Door program)

2367 N. Villere - Louisiana Land Trust demolition (Lot Next Door program)

If you have an opinion about this demolition proposal or any other items on the agenda, you can email City Councilmembers here.

The complete City Council agenda is available online HERE. (If the agenda hasn’t been posted, please check back.)

Check out our “Citizen’s Guide to Participating in the Demolition Review Process” HERE. The guide deals with the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee but is also relevant to City Council matters.

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Neighborhood Conservation Districts Committee
Monday, May 7, 2012
WHERE:  City Council Chamber, 1300 Perdido Street, 1st Floor

Click here to view the agenda and photos. The demolition proposals are listed by neighborhood. Are there any proposed in your area? How do you feel about the demolition?

Click here to view a map of the properties on the agenda.

If you have an opinion on any of these demolitions, the NCDC committee would like to hear from you. CLICK HERE to email the committee and share your opinion.

How can you help? CLICK HERE to learn about the citizen’s role in the demolition review process.

FOR INCREASED TAX REVENUES WITH NO NEW TAXES:
RESTORE $974,000 TO STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE,
ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY EFFECTIVE OFFICES IN BATON ROUGE!
A message from PRC Director Patricia H. Gay
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PRC members and preservationists throughout the state, as well as anyone who cares about economic development in Louisiana, should contact members of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees in order to reinstate a portion of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) which has been reduced by one half since 2009.  A sample email is provided for your consideration below and can be modified to reflect your part of the state and your particular interests. Emails can be time-consuming, so we truly appreciate the effort.
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We ask that you email the House and Senate budget committee members HERE, including Senate President John Alario and House Speaker Chuck Kleckley. YOUR EFFORT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT, AND IT IS CRITICAL. If the state is ever to have more tax revenues for schools and hospitals, the state simply must not cut programs that generate jobs and tax revenues.
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Our rationale  for the figures used is that SHPO has taken more than a 50% cut since 2009 yet it generates jobs and tax revenues. Main Street construction dollars went down from $18 million to $9 million when its revenue was cut in half. By adding in our request of $ 974,000, the total would still be under the 2009 budget by about  25%.  The figure of $974,000 is only  about half of what  has been cut from the 2009 budget. 
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If you would like to send a personalized message to any of the committee members, the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee members are HERE and the House Appropriations Committee HERE.
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We’ve posted additional talking points HERE.
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Again, we ask that you We ask that you email the House and Senate budget committee members HERE. If the email link doesn’t work for you, HERE is the email string, which can copied and pasted into your “to” field. Here is a sample letter:
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Dear Rep./Sen……………. 
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First, thank you for your work as a state legislator. We are all aware of the challenges you face, but Louisiana is a great state so we are optimistic about its future, and we wish you the best as you make critical decisions in this legislative session. 
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A very economically critical state office   -  an office that probably generates more new jobs and tax revenues per public dollar than any other office  - has incurred a budget reduction of  more than 50% since 2009 : the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). As you are probably aware, this office is responsible for an average of $289 million/year in construction projects utilizing rehabilitation tax credits, and for the Main Street program in more than 30 towns that generates net new jobs and business investment at a very minimum cost. We will never have sufficient revenues for hospitals and schools if we cut programs that generate tax revenues.
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For the sake of  tax revenues in Louisiana please restore the SHPO budget to 75% of  what it was in 2009, with an addition of $ 974,000 to its proposed annual budget of  less than $2 million. 
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Thank you for taking this important action for economic development in our state.
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Most sincerely,
[Your Name]
Categories : Advocacy
Comments (0)
After Louis Armstrong was arrested for firing a gun on New Year’s Eve on S. Rampart St. in front of the Eagle Saloon, he was arrested and subsequently sent to the Colored Waifs’ Home from early 1913 until June 16, 1914. But where was the home located? Since there has been so much confusion about the location of the home, FEMA has researched the matter, which has been researched by many before, and confirmed that the Colored Waifs’ Home was located at City Park Avenue.
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Why has this question about the location of the Colored Waifs’ Home come to the forefront again? Because the City of New Orleans has proposed to demolish 3 buildings on the Milne Boys Home site in Gentilly.
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In 1932 the Colored Waifs’ Home, by then known as the Municipal Boys Home, merged with Milne Boys’ Home and a new campus was constructed for the Milne Boys’ Home at 5420 Franklin Avenue in the Gentilly neighborhood.
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Keep reading for more information about Satchmo and the history of the home. Click HERE for additional information about the demolition proposals at the Milne Boys Home site.
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Addendum
Public Notice Regarding Section 106 and NEPA Review of the City of New Orleans’ Proposal to Demolish and Replace the
Caretaker’s Cottage, Laundry, and Chapel and
Phase I Repairs to the Administration Building, North Cottage, and South Cottage,
Milne Boys’ Home, 5420 Franklin Avenue, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA
Seeking Public Comment
Figure 1. Overlays on 1924-25 Taylor's Map of New Orleans depicting the locations of the Colored Waifs' Home (demolished) and the Milne Boys Home. The two facilities (yellow stars) were approximately 3.8 miles apart. (New Orleans Public Library) (click to enlarge image)
Figure 1. Overlays on 1924-25 Taylor’s Map of New Orleans depicting the locations of the Colored Waifs’ Home (demolished) and the Milne Boys Home. The two facilities (yellow stars) were approximately 3.8 miles apart. (New Orleans Public Library)
(click to enlarge image)
Figure 2. Page from a jazz history article with a 1913 photo (top) of the Colored Waifs' Home, located at the "back of City Park Avenue." The Colored Waifs' Home was established circa 1906 and occupied a campus that had been used since the 1870s by several institutions including the Girod Asylum, the House of Good Shepherd and the Boys House of Refuge. (Delgado Community College website)(click to enlarge image)
Figure 2. Page from a jazz history article with a 1913 photo (top) of the Colored Waifs’ Home, located at the “back of City Park Avenue.” The Colored Waifs’ Home was established circa 1906 and occupied a campus that had been used since the 1870s by several institutions including the Girod Asylum, the House of Good Shepherd and the Boys House of Refuge. (Delgado Community College website)
(click to enlarge image)

In response to comments posted on the FEMA Section 106 Notices for Louisiana, FEMA is posting this Addendum to address comments relating to the relationship of the Milne Boys’ Home campus and famous jazz musician, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (1901-1971). Based on the research described in this Addendum, FEMA has determined that the Milne Boys’ Home campus does not have a sufficiently strong connection with Louis Armstrong to support a finding that the campus is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for its association with a significant person (Criterion B).

Historical records document that Louis Armstrong was confined to the Colored Waifs’ Home from early 1913 until June 16, 1914. During this time he received his early musical instruction from Peter Davis, the band director. Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, City Directories, and various newspaper articles document the location of the Colored Waifs’ Home at 301 City Park Avenue, in the area presently bounded by Rosedale Drive, Canal Boulevard and Clayton Avenue. This was the semi-rural “back side” of City Park Avenue near St. Patrick’s Cemetery No. 3, Holt Cemetery and Conti Street.

In 1932 the Colored Waifs’ Home, by then known as the Municipal Boys Home, merged with Milne Boys’ Home and a new campus was constructed for the Milne Boys’ Home at 5420 Franklin Avenue in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans in 1932 – 1933. The Milne Boys’ Home campus is approximately 3.8 miles from the site of the Colored Waifs’ Home.

By 1932, Louis Armstrong was an internationally renowned musician in his thirties and no longer living in New Orleans. Armstrong maintained contact with the staff of the Colored Waifs’ Home after he left New Orleans and spoke extensively about the pivotal influence the institution had upon his life. Following the construction of the Milne Boys’ Home campus he made donations to support musical education there, and occasionally visited the Milne Boys Home to encourage the boys in residence. Following Armstrong’s death in 1971, his widow gave the Milne Boys’ Home a portrait of Armstrong to supplement its small collection about Armstrong. In addition, a local historic group mounted a plaque at the Milne campus honoring Armstrong’s days at the Colored Waifs’ Home.

The use of the Colored Waifs’ Home campus, associated with Armstrong, is unclear after the 1932 merger with Milne Boys’ Home. It is likely that the City of New Orleans retained ownership of the property. A 1946 aerial photograph from the New Orleans Public Library’s online collection documents that the buildings of Colored Waifs’ Home remained through the 1940s. A caption for the photograph notes that demolition took place “sometime before 1974 when a new communications facility for the New Orleans Fire Department was built on the site.”

 


Bibliography

” ‘Captain’ Jones Is Presented Chair as Token of Services to Community.” Times-Picayune, June 30, 1951. Page 3.

Brothers, Thomas. Louis Armstrong’s New Orleans, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, NY, 2006. Pages 10-11.

City Council of New Orleans. City Ordinances 199 CCS (1913), 9330 CCS (1926) and 13687 CCS (1932). Louisiana Division/City Archives, New Orleans Public Library.

Kay, George W. “The Milne Boys and Colored Waifs and ‘Little Louis.’” The Second Line(Publication of the New Orleans Jazz Club) Spring 1974: 9-11. Page 8 republished as part of “Delgado: Benevolent Businessman (1909 – 1921)” by Bob Monie. Delgado Community College website, August 30, 2011. (http://delgado90.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html)

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1929-1940, Volume 8, Sheet 819.

Unknown photographer. Aerial Photograph dated November 12, 1946. “Image of the Month, October 2009,” Louisiana Division/City Archives, New Orleans Public Library. (http://nutrias.org/~nopl/monthly/october2009.htm)

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Our mission: to promote the preservation, restoration and revitalization of the historic neighborhoods and architecture of New Orleans.