By Andrew Valenti, Reporter
Rendering courtesy Concordia Architects
A development proposal in Bywater that started as condos and
transitioned into a hotel has received unanimous support from city planners.
The City Planning Commission voted 6-0 on Tuesday to
recommend approval for the project at 3220 Chartres St., where
developers need a conditional use permit for an 18-suite hotel and commercial
space. The vacant property fronts Chartres Street between Piety and Louisa
streets at an entrance to Crescent Park along the Mississippi River.
The five-story hotel would offer suites with kitchenettes
and living space ranging from two to four bedrooms. The rooftop area, which
would be accessible to the public, would consist of a swimming pool, bars,
lounging areas and outdoor dining. There would also be space for three
commercial tenants on the ground floor ranging from 1,447 square feet to 1,789
square feet.
A summary of the work lists the construction value of the
67-foot-high building at $6 million, with construction expected to start early
next year.
CPC members deferred on making a recommendation at their July 23
meeting because because staff wanted the developers, listed in records as an
entity known as Schoen Fuselier & Balzebre LLC, to revise height and
setback requirements, add egress stairwell step-backs and comply with the
minimum permeable open space. According to a preliminary staff report,
developers submitted revised architectural plans on Aug. 12 that addressed
these concerns, which were approved by the the Historic District Landmarks
Commission’s Architectural Review Committee in July.
CPC action is required because a hotel is a conditional use
in the HM-MU Historic Marigny/Treme/Bywater mixed-use district. The final
decision rests with the City Council.
One issue city planners had was with the off-street parking situation. David Fuselier, one of the developers of the
proposed development, said his team has a letter of intent in place and is finalizing an agreement with the French Market to lease 30 spaces at a lot
downriver at Crescent Park even though staff recommended only 19 parking spots.
“We wanted to go above and beyond so we didn’t overflow into
the neighborhood,” he said.
CPC member Kyle Wedberg said the French Market is a public
corporation, and leasing these spots would take away free parking from the
public use. Wedberg suggested leasing the recommended 19 spots and utilize more
public transportation options such as taxis, ride sharing services or Blue
Bikes.
Another concern Wedberg had was a lack of dedicated
loading or pick-up and drop off spaces on site, which could cause additional
traffic in the area. He wanted to see the developers work with other property
owners upriver on the Chartres Street side of the development to address this.
The project has undergone some changes since it began. A previous iteration was the $5
million Piety on the Park, with 1,500 to 1,700-square-foot condos priced
between $475,000 and $850,000 and two commercial spaces on the ground floor.
That proposal received CPC approval two years ago.
Fuselier and his team determined that “a long-term project that
provided needed amenities that could be a draw for locals and visitors alike
seemed to fit the site’s best and highest use.”
Other developers who have partnered with Fuselier on the
project include Patrick Schoen, Robert Balzebre and Andrew Coleman. Schoen is
the managing partner at Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home at 3827 Canal St.
and has also partnered with Fuselier on other projects in the city. Balzebre
has helped develop mixed-use and other commercial properties in New Orleans,
Lafayette, Dallas and Miami.
