Developer plans five-story pencil building for lot on St. Charles Avenue

A local developer is moving forward with plans to build a five-story building with four apartments and ground-floor retail space on a vacant lot next to the old Emeril’s Delmonico’s in the 1300 block of St. Charles Avenue.

Work crews drove several test piles at the site last week in preparation for a groundbreaking that developer Curtis Lawrence hopes will be later this summer. Before that can happen, however, Lawrence needs the city to approve several variances, including a height waiver, so he can build nearly three feet above the 60-foot limit; a parking waiver, so the building does not have to provide off-street parking; and a density waiver, which will allow the building to have one additional apartment beyond what is permitted for a structure that size.

The pencil building proposed for 1304 St. Charles Ave. will be tall and narrow, constructed on a 3,000-square-foot lot that was formerly the site of Sarouk Rugs. Lawrence purchased the vacant storefront in October 2021 and demolished it to make way for the mixed-use building, which will have a rooftop bar and pool and be operated as a complex of short-term rentals.

“It’s going to be a nice rooftop with panoramic views of the city,” said Lawrence, who estimates his total development cost at $4 million. “I am connected with a lot of professional athletes and upscale business people. It’s going to be the kind of place they’ll want to come.”

Though the city currently has a ban on new commercial short-term rentals, Lawrence plans to apply for a hotel license.

Lawrence will go before the Board of Zoning Adjustment in mid-August seeking approval for the variances. No staff reports weighing in on his requests have yet been filed and no permits have been issued, according to the city’s OneStop site.

Lawrence met with neighbors in early May to unveil his plans and said he has their support. Documents show several neighbors who attended that meeting signed cards approving the development. But the Lower Garden District Association has not taken a position on the project and some nearby residents have concerns about the height and scale of the building.

“I’m not opposed to development,” said Adam Lambert, owner of Crescent City Auction Gallery, which is down the block from Lawrence’s proposed building. “But we have to respect the landscape around here. I do think the height variance mixed with the size of the lot could be problematic.”

Neighborhood redevelopment

The plans for 1304 St. Charles come amid a resurgence of activity along a roughly one-mile strip on the lower end of the historic thoroughfare between Interstate 10 and Jackson Avenue.

Wedged between Lawrence’s lot and Lambert’s auction house is the new headquarters for Baptist Community Ministries. BCM spent nearly $10 million buying and renovating the old Whitney Bank Building before moving in last fall.

At 1600 St. Charles, investors are renovating the former St. Charles Athletic Club building they bought in 2021. And several new restaurants have been attracted to the area, including Tito’s Ceviche and Pisco, which opened in 2022 in the former St. Charles Tavern space, as well as the high-end steakhouse, Gaia, which opened in 2023 in the former Melting Pot.  

“Our building is very attractive from the front and will be set back like the others on the street,” said Lawrence, who has developed several projects in Gentilly and also co-owns Ecology Beer Creative on Baronne Street. “I think it will fit in real nicely and look good.”

Size and scale

The proposed 15,000-square-foot building still needs to clear several hurdles, the most significant of which is the height waiver. Current law restricts building heights on that section of St. Charles Avenue to 60 feet. Lawrence and his contractor, Paul O’Connor of Fort Worth-based Qore Constructors, said the waiver they’re requesting is for less than 63 feet.

They note that several other structures on the avenue have received height waivers over the years or predated the existing laws. The Mid Century midrise at 1205 St. Charles is 145 feet. The former Jerusalem Temple and 1750 St. Charles are both 75 feet.

Still, the building would dwarf its immediate neighbors. The former Emeril’s Delmonico is just 35 feet, while BCM’s building is 28 feet.

BCM President and CEO Imran Houston said his board does not have enough information yet about the project to take a position on it.

“We certainly want the best for the 1300 block of St. Charles,” he said.

As for the parking waiver, current law requires one off-street parking space per unit, which would mean a minimum of four is required for the building. Lawrence’s plans call for providing two on-street spaces and is requesting a waiver for the other two, though he said he is hoping to work out a deal to lease parking from other neighbors.

City Councilmember Lesli Harris, who represents the area, declined to comment on the project.