The historic Buddy Bolden house at 2309 First St. appears watertight after years of neglect. Windows and doors are secured with boards; the exterior is freshly painted; new gutters and downspouts are attached; and a new door is installed at the rear of the property.
After the Historic District Landmarks Commission cited the owners of the circa-1880 shotgun house several times over the last few years for its deteriorated state, it’s a step in the right direction that the house is finally getting repaired. In October 2023, city officials told the owners that they had to make substantial improvements to the building by January 2024. In February, NOLA.com reported that the roof had been replaced and significant progress had been made on repairing the wood siding.
Jazz legend Buddy Bolden spent his formative years in this house starting in 1887. In January 2023, Buddy’s House Foundation, a nonprofit established by Grammy-award-winning musician PJ Morton, bought the property for $1 from Greater St. Stephen Ministries, which had owned the building for years. The church is run by Morton’s parents, pastors Paul S. Morton and Debra B. Morton.
