A tipster threw some insight our way concerning the old firehouse/possible coffee house-apartment conversion on Laurel and Upperline Streets Uptown. In case you missed it, the structure was purchased at auction last year and the new owners want to turn it into a coffee house with three apartments. From the get go, parking woes popped up and one neighbor told The Advocate that "there's going to be a problem" if he can't park in front of his house. A tipster tells us there was a petition going around that is against a zoning change and it seems to center around parking. One neighbor has already "decided to claim her own parking spot (on the public street). She carved out a nice plot for herself, lined it with white bricks, and filled it with gravel. She leaves notes for anyone who dares park in it."
As you may recall, plans include turning the old stables behind the firehouse into an efficiency apartment. Our tipster says: "The neighbors would be far happier if that space [behind the firehouse] was utilized as a parking lot for the coffee shop, which seems reasonable as the coffee shop would make parking in that area absolutely impossible." The Board of Zoning Adjustments already gave its okay and tomorrow's City Planning Commission meeting will determine if the site gets a yea or nay recommendation before heading to City Council. It should be noted that because the space is less than 5,000-square feet, "no minimum off-street parking would be required."
· Uptown firehouse could be coffee shop, apartments [Curbed NOLA]
· Zoning lords smile upon Marigny theatre, Uptown firehouse [Curbed NOLA]
· Parking wars, Uptown Style [We Love NOLA]
· 4877 Laurel Street [City of N.O.]
· photo: Preservation Resource Center of N.O. via flickr
Loading comments...