Just off Freret Street, a contemporary renovation of a historic home asks $445K

Changes brought by gentrification can be as gradual as the slow creep of cat’s claw—one day, there’s a yellow bloom where none existed before, and the next, an entire block is engulfed in clawed tendrils. When it comes to Freret Street, though, a clear demarcation exists between the old and the new. The changes started in 2007 and 2008, when a comedy theater and a craft cocktail bar opened on a Freret Street still dark and mostly shuttered in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Today, yoga studios, fair-trade coffee shops, and vegan brunch spots dot the once working-class corridor, which is close enough to Tulane and Loyola universities to enjoy convenient access to their amenities, but far enough away that the neighborhood doesn’t feel like fraternity row.

This two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bathroom home sits a block off Freret Street and has undergone two renovations, most recently in 2018. The result is a contemporary home whose changing face echoes that of the neighborhood. Downstairs, an open living area includes a den and dining room, where an exposed ceiling beam visually separates the kitchen. There, subway tiles, stainless-steel appliances, a butcher block island and polished concrete floors lend the space an industrial edge.

In the master bedroom, floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass door provide ample sunlight and balcony access. Combined with the original wood floors, they give the home an expansive feel, so it lives larger than its 1,486 square feet. The asking price for 4926 Lasalle Street is $445,000.