4 Units Remaining

The St. John Masonic Temple Building to be Converted into 10 Condominiums

Opelousas Temple Group, LLC has agreed to acquire the St. John Masonic Temple building located on Opelousas Street in Algiers Point. Plans call for the conversion of the 1925 era building into ten high end condominiums.

Under used in recent years, the building was originally built by the Masons and served as the group’s meeting hall and later as a Post Office. The original design of the building divided it into two main floors each with more than 20 foot ceiling heights. The project architects have taken advantage of this and other historic features of the building in the plans for the conversion. Most of the loft style condominiums will enjoy soaring in unit atriums, exposed brick and tile ceiling work and other unique architectural features. With most of them over 1,300 square feet the units are also larger than other typical historic conversions.

Opelousas Temple Group plans an early August, 2005 acquisition of the property with renovations beginning as early as September or October. Located in the Algiers Point Historic District the renovation is subject to HDLC approval, although exterior changes to building have been kept to a minimum and mostly involve reintroducing windows that had at some time in the past been bricked over. Off street parking for the future condominium owners is being provided in a lot adjacent to the building.

One of the building’s key features is the fantastic roof top view. The St. John Masonic Temple Building is unusually tall for Algiers Point. From the rooftop, which is being transformed into an observation and party deck, owners and guest will have a clear view of the St. Louis Cathedral and other parts of the French Quarter and the downtown skyline seems to be designed especially for viewing from this vantage point. Of course the Crescent City Connection is prominent, but even the Paris Avenue bridge is visible. In addition to these views, the building also is uniquely position relative to most of the Point’s church buildings, providing visions of several bell towers and copulas sneaking out from among the trees.

Although marketing of the units has not really begun, several units are already spoken for. Opelousas Temple Group expects the remaining units to find buyers fairly quickly. Occupancy is targeted for the Spring or early Summer, 2006.

For more information about the Historic Building Condominium conversion contact Stephen Bandi or JoAnna Boesch (504) 365-7044. Additionally, this project is featured on the cover of the July 26, 2005 special Gambit pull-out.