The New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission (HDLC) voted Nov. 4, 2026, to study three properties for potential local landmark status: Ted’s Frostop at 3100 Calhoun St., the former Sea-Saint Recording Studio at 3809 Clematis St. and the residence at 2315 Washington Ave.
The Preservation Resource Center (PRC) spoke enthusiastically in favor of the Frostop nomination, submitted by the Louisiana Landmarks Society, which covers the existing building’s exterior and signage.
Designation would not extend that protection to the rest of the site, where the current owners are proposing a new residential complex, sparking concerns among neighbors and residents.
The most recent plans call for retaining the historic diner, adding a new kitchen and connecting the rear of the building to the residential development. Any substantially complete plans that were submitted for a permit prior to the nomination are considered exempt from the landmark nomination.
Ted’s Frostop is New Orleans’ best, if not only, example of Googie-influenced architecture, the eccentric and imaginative style of mid-20th-century roadside design. A 2024 article in The New York Times described Googie buildings as an “endangered species, facing redevelopment, demolition and restrictive design codes.” Advancing Ted’s Frostop for landmark study is a necessary step toward protecting this architecturally and culturally significant site.
The owners, who requested a deferral of the nomination, have 10 days to appeal the HDLC’s decision to the New Orleans City Council.
Sea-Saint and Cousin Joe’s home advance for study
The commission also approved studying the final residence of blues and jazz guitarist Pleasant “Cousin Joe” Joseph on Washington Avenue and the former Sea-Saint Recording Studio in Edgewood Park. Founded by Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn, the studio produced music with an extraordinary national and international influence. It hosted artists including Paul Simon, Rod Stewart and Elvis Costello, as well as local legends like Professor Longhair, the Neville Brothers and the Wild Tchoupitoulas.
PRC also enthusiastically supported the Sea-Saint nomination. Architecturally modest but culturally significant buildings can be easily overlooked, making it particularly important to document the studio’s history and bring attention to its cultural significance.
Demolition denied for a Parkview corner store
The commission denied demolition of 3101 St. Peter St., an early-20th-century corner store with an attached dwelling in the Parkview Historic District. The HDLC staff inspection determined that the building was not a suitable candidate for demolition. At the meeting, the owner expressed concerns about the financial challenges of restoring it.
The PRC provided comments offering a potential path forward using state and federal historic tax credits, because the building is in the National Register-listed Parkview Historic District. Its commercial use is particularly suitable for these credits, which are limited to income-producing properties and could offset up to 45% of qualified construction costs. Numerous corner stores around the city of corner stores that have been rehabilitated using this financial incentive.
In New Orleans, corner stores serve as architectural and cultural anchors and have long been essential to daily neighborhood life. Although corner stores were once ubiquitous, New Orleans has lost many of these buildings.
Baudin Street demolition denied again
The commission also denied demolition of the double shotgun at 4025-4027 Baudin Street, owned by Seattle-based Seattle Chartres Properties LLC. Since 2022, that company and a previous owner, another LLC, have applied to demolish the house four separate times, letting the property fall further into disrepair with each year. HDLC rules state that an application cannot be re-heard by the commission within one calendar year.
The HDLC staff report noted that the building had significantly deteriorated since the commission last denied demolition in October 2025. Based on a visual inspection, staff reported that the owners had made little to no effort over the past year to weatherproof the building or make any substantial improvements.
PRC asked the commission to deny the application because a clear pattern of neglect should not be rewarded.
$25,590 fine for unpermitted demolition on Patton Street
The commission issued a hefty fine of $25,590 for the unpermitted demolition of the entire rear portion of a circa-1890 Creole cottage at 5818 Patton St. in the Uptown Historic District. The demolition deviated from renovation drawings approved by HDLC and the Department of Safety & Permits. The HDLC staff stated that they were confident in the structural integrity of the original building prior to the illegal demolition.
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