La. Realtors group to save, renovate historic house

Louisiana Realtors will withdraw its request for a demolition permit and instead renovate and add on to the historic home at 821 Main St. downtown that will be the site of its new headquarters. The association announced its decision this morning, after spending three months evaluating the site to determine whether an adaptive reuse of the 1920s-era structure was economically feasible. “We felt an adaptive reuse was the best way to move forward and to make an investment in downtown Baton Rouge,” says Norman Morris, the association’s executive director. In February, the group filed with the Planning Commission for a permit to demolish the 90-year-old structure and develop a new office building on the site. It agreed to reconsider those plans after preservationists objected. Morris says the group’s board looked at several alternate sites as well as the Main Street location and determined an adaptive reuse made the most sense. Construction on the house, often referred to as the Cangelosi Home, should begin this fall and take between 15 and 18 months to complete. The original structure will remain intact and will be renovated using state and federal historic building tax credits. A later addition in the rear of the house will be removed and replaced with a larger addition. When completed, the new headquarters will total some 8,500 square feet. —Stephanie Riegel