Academy Place

The project includes the complete renovation of the historic Houma Elementary School. It is an ideal location for much needed affordable senior housing being immediately adjacent to downtown Houma with proximity to services, transit, and commercial. The Terrebonne Parish School Board had been operating school and administration uses at this property since the early 1900s. The owner/developer utilized both State and Federal Historic Tax Credits allowing for the historic character of the buildings to be restored and preserved for the future.

All 103 units will be age-restricted to seniors 62 and up comprising a new 56 unit, 47,000 sq. ft. three-story building with the additional 47 apartments located in the rehabilitated 29,491 sq. ft. historic elementary school and 12,731 sq. ft. annex. 94 units will be one-bedroom units, and 9 will be two-bedroom units. Sixty percent of the apartments will be income-restricted.

The original historic buildings were once the site of the Houma Elementary School, with the oldest building built in 1931 followed by a cafeteria annex in 1950. The site design is scaled to the surrounding historic downtown and serves to transition from the commercial properties with their larger scaled structures to the residential neighborhoods.

This change in scale is accomplished through exterior material changes on the façade and the rhythmic setback of building forms rather than a single monolithic building with a uniform exterior finish. The building form also permits landscaped outdoor spaces between the building envelope for residents’ use and enjoyment and neighborhood beautification.

The renovation met The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the treatment of historic properties and was developed in coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The revitalization of this historic landmark is a great asset to the successful rejuvenation of Downtown Houma, while also fulfilling a great need for centrally located affordable senior housing.

The development is certified with Enterprise Green Communities and Energy Star 3.0 and incorporates many green building strategies, including durable materials, Energy Star lighting and appliances, and energy-efficient building components. All of these contribute to lower costs for tenants on utilities.

The existing one-story connection between the historic school and annex building has been upgraded with a new connecting structure that contains an elevator providing accessibility to upper floor residents. The existing parking lot has been reconfigured for efficiency. It is located behind the historic building’s street entrances, which will preserve the large front yards and oak trees and maintain the buildings’ existing emphasis as the focus of the streetscape facing the historic downtown.

Approved as a Green Communities certified development through the Enterprise Green Communities

223 E. Thomas Street

Originally constructed in 1917, the Dantone Building is a proud contributing structure within the Hammond Historic District. Once home to the Dantone Grocery and Fruit Market, the building also featured family living quarters on the second floor with rear access.

Our restoration and adaptive reuse of this historic structure preserved its architectural integrity while thoughtfully updating it for modern use. The design maintains a small commercial space at the street level and introduces a new one-bedroom apartment on the first floor, along with two residential units on the second floor.

Historic character was carefully preserved throughout. The 1960s-era storefront was removed and replaced with an entrance that more closely reflects the original design. The missing flat canopy was reintroduced along the street-facing façades using the building’s original anchorages. Original wood sash windows were fully restored, and the heart pine flooring was repaired and refinished to its former richness. The original staircase was also retained, reinforcing the building’s historic fabric.

A new rear courtyard was added, providing secure and private entry from the street while enhancing the livability of the residential units. With its distinctive brickwork in both running and Flemish bond, large double-hung sash windows, and a crenelated parapet, the revitalized Dantone Building continues to contribute to the historic and architectural narrative of downtown Hammond.

1026 Dauphine St. Renovation

This unique one-story circa 1860 brick creole cottage has four bays including an asymmetrically placed carriageway entrance that divides the building and leads to the deep courtyard and a 2-story service building in the rear courtyard. On the north side of the carriageway is a small ten-foot-wide space originally used as a funeral home. The narrow one-room space was hardly sufficient to accommodate a single occupant.

The design team added one bedroom with windows opening to the courtyard under the existing roofline to the west, and a low headroom loft was added above the kitchen and the bathroom. The south side of the carriageway was a larger one bedroom and one bath space. The design team added an extra bedroom and bathroom into the attic. The front façade along Dauphine Street was renovated meticulously to the original design. The two-story service building in the courtyard had a wood balcony overlooking the courtyard which was in a serious state of disrepair and required extensive refurbishing in compliance with Vieux Carre Commission regulations.

The poorly conceived previous interior renovation added an interior stairwell (original stair was on the exterior) to access the second floor. This renovation structurally compromised the 2-story masonry service building to the point where it was tilting significantly to the north, approximately 12 inches out of plumb to the top of the parapet. The design team designed a steel frame on the interior of the building to stabilize the masonry walls due to the removal of pilasters and floor joists that allowed the structure to tilt. The new stairwell was installed around the new steel structure and the run was reversed to allow more usable space under the stair adjacent to the kitchen area. The new air conditioning equipment was installed in full compliance with the VCC and the exterior units were removed from the upper balcony.

Ritz Theatre Adaptive Reuse

This adaptive reuse of a historic 1905 theatre that was abandoned and in extreme disrepair, involved a total reworking of the interior space. Years of decay and water damage allowed for only the exterior shell to be salvaged. A garage inserted at the ground level provides parking for the seven townhouse units above. The garage door was specifically designed to mimic the storefront entrance to the theatre. Above this entrance, the original marquee and neon sign was restored with historic accuracy. A heavily landscaped alley to the north of the building allows for entrance into the units front doors. Every tenant has their own private entry from the courtyard or the garage directly into their apartment. The alley allows north light to illuminate the apartments living rooms and bedroom. A vertical connection between the upper and lower floors makes for a voluminous space. The buildings original bow-shaped steel trusses support an exposed painted wood ceiling while the walls juxtapose them creating dynamic and engaging spaces.

Morgan & Lindsey Apartments

The Morgan & Lindsey Apartments is an adaptive reuse of an historic circa 1890’s building located in Historic Downtown Hammond. The developers purchased a mid-block, 14,000 sq.ft., two-story former department store with second floor storage. The building had rear access from an alley and a storefront facing main street. The building was significantly renovated in the 1930’s into the Art Deco style with plaster and ceramic tile facade and aluminum storefront.The adaptive reuse required removal of the center portion of the building to accommodate an exterior courtyard which allowed access into eight apartment units located behind and above a boutique storefront which maintained the original historic facade in order to qualify for historic tax credits. The eight residential units are accessed by exterior stairs and balconies within the new courtyard. The overall volume of the historic building allowed for a parking garage at the rear, accessed from the alley, with split-level units above. The adaptive reuse concept has been recognized for its innovative design and conformance with the historic guidelines.

Hodding Carter House Renovations

The House was originally constructed out of heart pine and cypress in 1904 by James McCarrol, the prominent lumber man in the Hammond area. Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Hodding Carter, spent his childhood in this residence during the depression era. The house demonstrates the Queen Anne style with its wraparound gallery and ornate gables. The owners desired a complete renovation and restoration to the existing structure and a master suite one story addition. In response to the elegant Queen Anne style, the addition created a new octagon turret as the connecting element between the addition and the existing structure. The octagon, a traditional style, acts as a transition between the two story existing structure and the one story addition. The second story screen porch built over the porte cochere was removed back to the original historic roof line. The two car carport was constructed separate from the house connected by a colonnade using the same detailing as the columns on the veranda.