In response to a public records request, the city claimed in August that it does not maintain any policies relating to the overnight use of the apartment by city employees or elected officials. The heirs sold the lower building to local philanthropist William Ratcliffe Irby, who in turn bequeathed the property to the Louisiana State Museum. The story begins with the Great Fire of 1788, which destroyed 856 of New Orleans' 1,100 buildings. The Lower Pontable is now owned by the Louisiana State Museum while the Upper Pontalba is owned by the City of New Orleans. "In addition, the most recent franchise agreement contains no rules governing how that unit should be used. Zurik: Mayor Cantrell allowed family members to use city-owned Upper Billy Nungessers alleged personal use of an apartment in that building, on at least a few occasions, sparked controversy in 2017. The historic apartments on Jackson Square known as the "Upper Pontalba" are owned by the city and operated by the French Market Corporation, which rents all but one apartment to private. After her grandson, Edouard,the last baron de Pontalba, died in 1918, philanthropists bought the Upper and Lower buildings from his estate, according to the Upper Pontalba's website. I never spent a night in the Pontalba. Pontalba Buildings vacation rentals - Vrbo A former high-ranking official with the Landrieu administration said Mayor Landrieu stayed at the Pontalba less than five times during his eight years in office, and only after a handful of work events in the French Quarter. The Upper Pontalba was once 16 townhomes but is now 50 apartments. Baroness Pontalba died in France in 1874, and the Pontalba family retained ownership of the buildings until the 1920s; but they did not take an interest in the townhouses, so they fell into disrepair. A spokesperson said she was under no obligation to pay for its use, however. The dwellings are efficiency, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units. There was a problem saving your notification. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Copyright 2023 Upper Pontalba Building Restoration Corp. Site by Deep Fried Advertising, Located on Jackson Square in the French Quarter, steps away from St. Louis Cathedral, the Upper Pontalba building is one of the most historically and architecturally significant structures in New Orleans. That would be very easy. The Pontalba Apartments were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974. Along with being under investigation by the New Orleans Office of Inspector General, the FBI is also investigating thousands of dollars in purchases made by Cantrells stylist. Former mayoral administrations say city-owned Pontalba apartment was never lived in. It gives a clear view of the balcony and door that leads to the apartment. While that is not a written rule, if the city was going to provide a residence for the mayor thats tantamount to an additional benefit, which is subject to taxation, but thats not the purpose, said Morial. At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. These are matching red-brick one-block-long fourstory buildings built in the 1840s by the Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba. A group is calling for a probe of whether New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been living in a city-owned apartment in the building on Jackson Square Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Cantrell spokesperson Gregory Joseph didnt dispute the idea that the mayor hasnt paid rent at the Pontalba, and French Market Corporation rent rolls show that the city hasnt paid either. The listing data on this website comes in part from a cooperative data exchange program of the multiple listing service (MLS) or additional real estate data sources in which this real estate Broker participates. There is no public purpose in this. Who gets to stay at that apartment?. The detailed listing page about such properties includes the name of the listing Brokers. Through a major interior renovation in 1935, the improvements were interconnected and the upper floors were converted into 50 individual apartments and the ground floor was divided into 14 commercial units. No matter what your wants or needs, we are confident that you will find your dream condo in Upper Pontalba or one of many other great Metairie communities. Click Here to report it. Today, the ground floors house shops and restaurants, and the upper floors contain apartments that are the oldest continuously rented apartments in the United States. They were originally built as row houses, not rental apartments. The Baroness de Pontalba is shown in a copy, from between 1950 and 1973, of a photograph taken around 1870. The four living former New Orleans mayors contacted by The Times-Picayune on Thursday did not immediately respond to requests for comment on their use of the Pontalba apartment. Listed is all Upper Pontalba real estate for sale in Metairie by BEX Realty as well as all other real estate Brokers who participate in the local MLS. Furthermore, he said she has done nothing wrong. The Upper and Lower Pontalba buildings flanking Jackson Square were declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. Included in its letter to the council were several photos of Cantrell walking near the building as recently as this month and images of a city-owned SUV parked outside the Pontalba. Apartments | New Orleans' Historic Upper Pontalba Building However, FOX 8 reported through sources that other mayors used the apartment to entertain guests, hold meetings, and to occasionally spend the night if they needed to be in the French Quarter for city business. Information contained on this site is believed to be reliable; yet, users of this website are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability of all information. The sharing of MLS database, or any portion thereof, with any unauthorized third party is strictly prohibited. Its an extension of her house, in her opinion, Goyeneche said. ZURIK: Cantrell's calendar raises more questions about time spent The user of this site is granted permission to copy a reasonable and limited number of copies to be used in satisfying the purposes identified in the preceding sentence. Pontalba Apartments These emails and communications just basically document that. Each office independently owned and operated. In 1995, an $8.1 million renovation to upgrade the buildings mechanicals was completed; great care was taken to retain the integrity of the buildings unique interior and exterior appearance. about; leasing; tenant forms; shopping & dining. When it came, for example, for other things, theres all these developed policies, you can go on the citys website and see what all the policies are for employees. While they may not be of major historical or architectural significance alone, these one-block long buildings frame the upper and lower sides of Jackson Square and add significantly to the historical and architectural . The Upper Pontalba Apartments | The McEnery Company (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate). The city-owned Upper Pontalbas oversight has passed through various boards and commissions before landing in the French Market Corporations lap. She constructed two Parisian-style row house buildings between 1849-1851, at a cost of over $300,000. The Upper Pontalba sits on the threshold of important landmarks and the one-of-a-kind sights and sounds of the French Quarter. Erected in the 1840s by Baroness Pontalba, these matching four story red-brick buildings house shops and restaurants on the first floor and apartments on the upper floors. But she didn't stick around long. A Big Easy battle over rent in historic apartments A letter from the OIG to the mayor and the French Market Corporation says the upper Pontalba Apartment can be rented for about $2,900 a month, which would generate more than $36,000 in. The Pontalba Apartments at Jackson Square, French Quarter NOLA New Orleans mayor faces scrutiny for her use of Jackson Square residence, Cantrell must reimburse city for $30,000 in travel expenses, says city CAO, Cantrell under 'no obligation' to pay for Pontalba apartment use, mayor's office says, South Carolina woman killed in rear-end wreck on I-12 near Mandeville, New Orleans should give up mayor's apartment in Upper Pontalba Building, IG says. On June 29, 2021, Mayor Cantrell emailed the head of the French Market Corporation writing that she had water damage in the apartment and that the floor in the entrance to the bedroom had buckled. There was a problem saving your notification. Zurik: Mayor Cantrell allowed family members to use city-owned Upper Pontalba apartment, emails show, Two killed in St. Tammany Parish crash, authorities say, ZURIK: Environmental scientist questions asbestos remediation in Jefferson Parish Subdivision. Copyright 2023 New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS, Inc. All rights reserved. They specifically disclaim any and all liability for all claims or damages that may result from providing information to be used on the website, or the information which it contains, including any websites maintained by third parties, which may be linked to this website. Email Gabriella Killett at GKillett@TheAdvocate.com or follow her on Twitter, @GEKillett. That included a light bulb that needed to be replaced, a window that needed caulking, an issue with the water heater, and having someone call Cox Cable to have the cable box in the master bedroom turned on. I used it to entertain and several dignitaries stayed there. I used it for city occasions, special occasions, things like that, former mayor Barthelemy told FOX 8. RE/MAX, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports the Fair Housing Act and equal opportunity housing. It is not meant to be a residence for the mayor, Morial said. Three years later, the philanthropists who owned the Upper Pontalba transferred ownership to a nonprofit they established, which in turn gave the building to the city of New Orleans. PDF Edward Michel, CIG Inspector General The foundation turned the upper building over to the City of New Orleans, which has owned it since the 1930s. Upper Pontalba Apartments, New Orleans, LA Real Estate and - RE/MAX Shes also claimed it is her apartment that she has a right to utilize. Jeffrey Vappie arrives at the Upper Pontalba Apartments while on the clock for the NOPD (French Market Corporation) Vappie spent five hours and 40 minutes of his workday inside the apartment that day. She also persuaded city officials to rename the Place d'Armes for Andrew Jackson, the hero of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, and to convert the square into a formal garden. Mayor Cantrell has repeatedly claimed her use of the apartment is in line with past mayors. Nearby Listings Virtual Tour 620 DECATUR ST # PHB, New Orleans, LA 70130 $3,600,000 4 Beds 4 Baths 1,954 Sq Ft Copyright 2023 New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The sharing of MLS database, or any portion thereof, with any unauthorized third party is strictly prohibited. The Apartments are referred to as Upper and Lower Pontalba and received these names in reference to the directional flow of the Mississippi River. Fox 8 reached out to Mayor Cantrells office and asked if family members stayed at the apartment, as well as about the campaign contribution made by Brousseau. We recommend viewing REMAX.com and it's affiliated sites on one of the following browsers: Upper Pontalba Apartments, New Orleans, LA Real Estate and Homes for Sale. This should be done externally.. The McEnery Company has performed several market rent studies pertinent to the surrounding French Market Corporation owned real estate, and also related to the commercial spacesin the Upper Pontalba. I think this is confirmation of the distorted sense of entitlement that she has, Goyeneche said, that a public asset can be used by her personally and for her own family members. (See HISTORY for more information about the history of the building and its namesake, Micaela Leonarda Antonia Almonester, Baroness Pontalba). FOX 8 reached out to the administrations of all former living New Orleans mayors to ask about how the city-owned Pontalba apartment was used during their times in office. This information is not verified for authenticity or accuracy and is not guaranteed and may not reflect all activity in the market. They are historically significant because they are the oldest continually rented apartment buildings in the United States. The Upper Pontalba Building Armed with photos of Mayor LaToya Cantrell hopping out of a city-owned SUV and claims that it has "cooperating witnesses," a watchdog group has asked the New Orleans. a position that has been seized upon by organizers of the month-old push to recall her. Cantrell has also claimed the taxpayer-owned apartment belongs to her, calling it my apartment in her recent state of the city address. Neither the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS, Inc. nor the Gulf South Real Estate Information Network, Inc. makes any representation, guarantees, or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability of the information provided. A couple weeks later, Cornelison described waiting at the apartment for hours for a Cox communications service worker. Upper Pontalba Building Renovation - New Orleans LA The city has an apartment there. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? That is just an apartment thats available for occasional use, not in the method that shes used it, Goyeneche said. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Even in the language, the whole language is problematic. The Lower Pontalba is controlled by the Louisiana State Museum, which since 1996 has set aside one apartment for the museums use. What does the reinstatement of Officer Vappie mean for the consent decree? FOX 8 also spoke with Mayor Ray Nagins city attorney, who said she didnt recall Nagin using the apartment to live out of. And lets start to use the funds generated from this for the maintenance of the building and for other official public purposes, not for the private benefit of the mayor or her immediate family members, Goyeneche said. All rights reserved. All Rights Reserved. They specifically disclaim any and all liability for all claims or damages that may result from providing information to be used on the website, or the information which it contains, including any websites maintained by third parties, which may be linked to this website. These days, the ground floor of both buildings are commercial space, with apartments on the second and third floors. According to a 1997 article in the Times-Picayune, its 50 residential units were once a low-rent bohemia favored by artists and musicians before a renovation sent rents soaring. Information contained on this site is believed to be reliable; yet, users of this website are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability of all information. The Upper Pontalba Apartments are known to be the oldest continuously occupied multi-family apartments in the United States. [2][3], Last edited on 12 December 2022, at 09:48, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, List of National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana, National Register of Historic Places listings in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Pontalba Buildings", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pontalba_Buildings&oldid=1126995861. There were some other dignitaries who spent the night there, but generally it was a place used to entertain during French Quarter Fest, during Mardi Gras, during Essence fest, that was its primary use. The group says they too received credible information and documentation from multiple independent sources that Mayor Cantrell has been inhabiting and/or personally utilizing the Jackson Square apartment. board and staff; public notices; visitors. Shes not the president of the United States. If a public agency is charged with maintaining and possessing public property, it is that public agencys job, responsibility, to formulate a set of rules and regulations for the use of that public property to make sure that taxpayer assets are used in an efficient manner.. website, call to receive alerts when results become available. Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: You have permission to edit this article. You know, I can have guests in my house, but I can also give them use of an apartment in the most historic building with one of the greatest views in the city of New Orleans, overlooking Jackson Square. And she doesnt own it. Eli Brand Reporter Show Transcript Documents show that the Pontalba Apartment in the French Quarter is owned by the city of New Orleans and not the French Quarter Market Corporation, contrary. NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Newly obtained emails show New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell may have crossed an ethical line and possibly violated state law by letting out-of-town family members stay at a. Emails independently obtained by The Times-Picayune show that Cantrell has been personally involved in maintenance requests for the apartment dating back at least to January. The listings displayed may not be all of the Condos in the MLS's database, or all of the properties listed with Brokers participating in the cooperative data exchange program and properties that are listed by Brokers other than this Broker are marked with either the listing Broker's name or the MLS name or a logo provided by the MLS. Just after 8 a.m., she left for a walk toward the river. The buildings were designed to have shops and retails space on the ground floor, with the upper floors as apartment units. Each office is independently owned and operated. Days after Cantrell sent the email about her Aunt Donna and Uncle Mike staying at the Upper Pontalba apartment over Essence Fest weekend, Cantrells relative Donna Brousseau made a $100 contribution to Cantrells campaign. ZURIK: NOPD investigating officer frequently inside Cantrell's city New Orleans mayor defends living rent-free in city-owned apartment New Orleans owns Pontalba Apartment The building on the other side, fronting Rue St. Ann, is the lower Pontalba Building. I was with the Mayor at the Apt on Saturday and she says it still does not provide her with a hot shower, Cornelison said in a January 24 email to a French Market Corporation official. However, it did zero in on the question of whether she has paid necessary rent and taxes on the use of the unit, which could be considered an employment benefit for tax purposes. The mayors office owns it and the mayor works for the people of the city of New Orleans. (See. They didnt respond. Goyeneche says the emails show Cantrell is utilizing the apartment like a hotel or guest home. The one fronting Rue St. Peter, upriver from the Place d'Armes, is the Upper Pontalba, and the building on the other side, fronting Rue St. Ann, the Lower Pontalba. This is not being used for public purposes. Board and Staff | New Orleans' Historic Upper Pontalba Building What is the purpose of that apartment? She constructed two Parisian-style row house buildings between 18491851, at a cost of over $300,000. The owner of the Lower Pontalba,William Ratcliffe Irby, bequeathed that building to the Louisiana State Museum upon his death in 1927. The property is situated on the St. Peter side of Jackson Square in the French Quarter, with frontage along St. Peter Street, Chartres Street and Decatur Street. The Upper Pontalbawas originally a collection of sixteen individual four-story row houses. Fox 8 filed a public records request and obtained emails sent by Cantrell regarding the apartment and family members and other guests staying there. Expand your search parameters, or consider saving this search to receive alerts when results become available. I am utilizing the Pontalba apartment consistent with the guidelines as well as the uses, not only of previous mayors but also in my stead as the mayor of the city of New Orleans, Cantrell said. If the mayor wants to do the right thing for the people of the city of New Orleans and remove any appearance of impropriety, I believe that it should be under her leadership that she goes out and says, Were going to stop using this and were going to return this unit back into commerce. And lets offer it for rent and let the market set its market rate. The sharing of MLS database, or any portion thereof, with any unauthorized third party is strictly prohibited. Formally, the unit carries a fair market rental value of $2,991 per month, according to the French Market Corporation. NOLA History: The Pontalba Apartment Buildings At Jackson Square The Pontalba apartments. St. Peter Street and St. Ann Street. That Pontalba apartment that LaToya Cantrell visits? That camera was installed right outside the door to the apartment during Cantrells term. Often referred to as the "oldest apartment building in the U.S.", the residential apartments offer an unparalleled living experience in New Orleans - one that combines the building's fascinating history and unique design with classic modern elegance. Two years later, however, Nungesser changed policy to allow the lieutenant governor and that department to use the apartment, and an audit found Nungesser was raffling off stays in it. They are matching red-brick, one-block-long, fourstory buildings built between 18491851 by the Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba. Pontalba Buildings The buildings became known as the Pontalba Apartments. Upper Pontalba condos for sale range in square footage around 1,400 square feet and in price at approximately $515,000. Baroness Pontalba, an accomplished businesswoman, invested in real estate, purchasing the land on the upriver and downriver sides of the Place d'Armes. Its not meant to be a residence for the mayor, period, said Morial, who served as mayor from 1994-2002. about; tenant forms; history; about us. Fox 8 reached out to the Brousseaus, to ask if they stayed at the apartment and gave a campaign contribution after one stay. The row houses were turned into apartments during the 1930s renovations (during the Great Depression). Pontalba Buildings - Wikipedia The ground floors house shops and restaurants; and the upper floors are apartments which, reputedly, are the oldest continuously-rented such apartments in the United States. The video showed Cantrell spending many hours during the workday inside the apartment. The group did not cite any specific policies that it believes Cantrell may have broken. More requests for public records showed she was doing little work during that time. The flat lock copper seam roofing structure enabled the historic continuity of Jackson Square to remain in place. The New Orleans City Council will outline how the Upper Pontalba Apartment can be used after the New Orleans office of Inspector General concluded its current use could violate city ordinance and . Mayor LaToya Cantrell is under "no obligation" to pay for her use of a city-owned apartment in the Upper Pontalba building, a spokesman said T. The Mayors Office didnt answer a question about whether Cantrell is living in the apartment. Officer Vappie returns to mayors security team following close of investigation, he never stayed at the apartment overnight. The Louisiana Association of Realtors and its cooperating MLSs do not create, control or review the property data displayed herein and take no responsibility for the content of such records.
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