UPPER FAUBOURG NEW MARIGNY NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT

Bounded by St. Claude, St. Bernard, N. Claiborne and Elysian Fields Avenues. Circa 1830s to 1940s. Known to locals by a variety of names, the New Marigny Historic District was recognized by the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. The area took form when developer Bernard de Marigny found it necessary to extend his Faubourg beyond its St. Claude Avenue boundary. Surveyor Joseph Pilie completed the plans for the expansion. The upriver portion is a remarkably intact mix of buildings, most of them dating from the early-to-late 19th century. Creole cottages and shotguns, many reflecting the stylistic changes that swept through the City over various decades, dot the streetscapes.

Hurricane Katrina’s winds and water spared much of the neighborhood, but many of the houses were already in some state of disrepair. There is no design review or regulation of changes to a building’s appearance, which has led to a rash of inappropriate remodeling efforts that undermine the architectural integrity of many buildings. Original wood doors, wood windows and wood siding are being replaced with mass-produced modern building products that are often not suitable for historic structures. An even greater threat is the total loss of buildings through demolition. If the current trend continues, the area’s National Register Historic District designation may be in jeopardy, because it will lose so much of its integrity.
Threats: Demolition, demolition by neglect, architectural degradation