Walker-Wynn Residence

Located on historic St. Charles Avenue in the Lower Garden District, the project is a renovation of an Greek Revival existing mansion–the Walker-Wynn House–which had been partially renovated by the previous owner. Built as a single-family home by Felix Walker in 1861, the building’s last occupant was Kung’s Dynasty restaurant. (On the private outdoor terrace, the current owner has installed the iconic Foo Dogs that once guarded the building’s front door.)

On the first floor, the building houses a design showroom for high-end antiques dealer Jon Vaccari. The upper two floors contain a single family residence. From the generous porch along St. Charles Avenue and the grand entry foyer, an existing, historic stair connects the three residential levels of the house, which contain multiple living, bedroom and bathing spaces and a roof deck for outdoor living.

The commercial space is accessed through a side entry from the parking lot and highlighted with a modern vestibule treatment that sets off and highlights the historic details of the building. Existing windows were repaired, front steps replaced and landscaping along the front and sides of the building was added.

The project received Historic Tax Credits from the National Park Service.

Location St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans Completed 2009 Size 8,328 sf