Most New Orleanians who've tooled along I-10 East have noticed the curious, head-turning, white castle-like structure set back from the roadway near the Irish Bayou exit. Now for the first time since 1995, when it sold for $62,000, this baby is on the market! For those who haven't experienced this architectural oddity on the edge of New Orleans East, here's a little background. Built in 1981 as a fishing camp (also known as a cabin, cottage, vacation get-away, or second home for those not familiar with the Southern lingo), the two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath digs is known as "Fisherman's Castle" and thanks to the steel rods throughout, it has stood strong through Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac. According to The Gambit's Blake Pontchartrain column, the builder and original homeowner, Simon Villemarette, was "tired of building rectangular structures" and hoped to rake in some tourist attention from the 1984 World's Fair (he didn't have much luck). In a video tour with WGNO last summer, the current homeowners said they had no plans to sell their "bayou medieval" designed home and wanted to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast after a much-needed renovation. Clearly someone changed their mind and the Highway 11 home, which hit the market last week, comes with a separate "neat and cozy camp with covered dock," all for $150,000. Sadly, the listing photos don't feature the castle's interior, perhaps because of its leaky fixer-upper status, but this inside look does showcase the Middle Ages-inspired home in all its glory.
· Listing: 3262 Ridgeway Blvd. (Highway 11) [Gardner Realtors]
· What's the story with the castle-looking building near Irish Bayou? [Gambit]
· The story behind the little white castle off I-10 on Irish Bayou [WGNO]
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