Photo via Hnoc.org

There is an exciting new plan being considered by the Architectural Review Committee for the Vieux Carré Commission to convert a former French Quarter assisted living facility into a luxury condominium development.

The properties at 822 Barracks St. and 1220 Dauphine St may be renovated into a 16 unit condo complex with off-street parking.  The facility has been vacant since Hurricane Katrina in 2006 and is currently owned by Lauricella Bourbon Properties.

The plans are still in early stages, according to David McMurphy who represents the development group.

An $8 million value was given to the project based on the building permit which was filed on the city’s One Stop website. “This is one of the largest contiguous properties in the French Quarter that hasn’t been touched,” McMurphy said. “The location, the size and the fact that it offers off street parking are all key factors in making the project work.”

Resorting the Barracks Street property would be a part of this project, and the property dates all the way back to the 1840s.  The Dauphine Street property would undergo minor modifications, that property dates back to the 1950s. The initial plan includes adding balconies and dormer windows to the third floor as well as reconstructing and removing the windows and doors of the building.  They also plan to restore a “kitchen house” on the property based on the 1840s original design by demolishing a two-story addition.

According to New Orleans CityBusiness, the condo units would vary in size from 1,000 square feet to 2,100 square feet.  A pool and six private courtyards are also planned.

Historic tax credits will not be used as some of the parameters of the credits would have prevented them from making some necessary alterations.