1016 Canal Street
Size of Project
35,000 SF
Number of UNITs
50
Location
New Orleans, LA
Owner
Quarter Holdings, LLC
Industry
Type
Historic Renovation and Restoration
Status
Completed in 2020
Architect
Impetus / Rozas Ward Architects
Overview
A revival of the most complex kind.
Historic renovation is a delicate balancing act. It’s not just reconstruction with updated finishes or new wiring. It’s a revival of the most complex kind. At RNGD, we’re experts at navigating intricacy. That’s why Quarter Holdings, LLC sought RNGD’s expertise as the Design-Build contractor to lead the historic renovation and construction of 1016 Canal Street. This 100-year-old five-story mixed-use building was heavily fire-damaged and required meticulous attention to detail, along with a careful approach in a high-traffic area. As a burned and broken architectural ambassador nestled in this famous streetcar-lined urban center, the preservation and rebuilding of 1016 Canal Street meant reviving the building’s character while fortifying it—and the Canal Corridor—for decades to come.
Partnership-focused mindset.
Nearly destroyed by a six-alarm fire that partially melted the glass lamps on the streetcar tracks, the only remnant of 1016 Canal Street was the century-old Italianate façade and original brick siding—held up thanks to neighboring historic buildings. Working with Rozas Ward Architects and using Matterport scanning, our first step was stabilizing and fortifying the façade. RNGD worked with project engineer Batture to design and construct a supporting system that fortified the façade and tied it into the new steel framing on each floor, including additions of steel beams, support columns, tie plates, and flat steel bars installed in masonry. With the client’s national and state historic tax credits on the line, special care was taken to preserve the Canal Street exterior with accuracy. With our partnership-focused mindset, we worked with the HDLC to regularly review the façade’s revitalization work and make changes without shifting the overall timeline.
A new horizon for problem-solving.
Executing major reconstruction on a compact building in a busy urban environment calls for some creativity. There was little room for material storage, and the collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel further reduced accessibility. For RNGD, it meant a new horizon for problem-solving. Our team scheduled designated times for both subcontractor activity and material delivery, working with the New Orleans Fire Department to coordinate times and shuffle activity slots appropriately. Along with using Canal Street as a material laydown area, our team compensated for space by using the first floor for material storage. Likewise, the team hoisted materials to the additional floors for added space amidst active construction. Working with our partners, the preconstruction team was also cautiously mindful of neighboring historic properties. Instead of using traditionally-driven wooden piles, the RNGD team used auger piles drilled with a rig that was disassembled and reassembled inside the small footprint of the building—showing that a narrow space calls for clever methods of construction.
A testament to revitalization.
With its close proximity to the French Quarter and juxtaposition to the central business district, 1016 Canal Street’s re-entry into Canal Corridor commerce had a significant impact. Completed in 2020, the 31,000-square-foot property with ground floor commercial space, 47 short-term residential units, and 2 rooftop penthouses is a testament to revitalization and historic renovation. Despite extenuating circumstances—such as the Hard Rock Hotel collapse—the RNGD team did what it does best: maintained the client’s vision with a solution-oriented approach. In recognition of our outstanding work, the RNGD team was awarded the prestigious ABC National Excellence in Construction® Eagle Award for Historic Restoration. Beyond an honor, this award confirmed what we already knew about the RNGD team—that progress is nothing without the people that build it.
Recognition
Eagle Award
ABC National
