 eturn to Canal Street and turn right. Just before you cross Royal Street, look at the building on the corner here. This is another landmark building, the old: - Musson Building, at 633-37 Canal. This handsome Quincy-granite building is one of the oldest on Canal Street, constructed in 1825 by builders Felix Pinson and Maurice Pizetta, the partnership responsible for the structure previously covered at 507 Canal. This particular commercial structure was built for Germain Musson, the grandfather of artist Edgar Degas, as a row of six stores,
and were to be used as "house, stores, and buildings". It was the only building at the time that it was constructed, to use rough-cut granite for its facade. Cross over to the other side of Royal, then cross Canal Street. Make sure the crossing signals are with you; this wide street can be very hard ro cross at times. When you reach the opposite side, you will notice that the street has changed its name from Royal Street to St Charles Avenue. On this block of St Charles are several interesting buildings. At 115 St Charles, on the corner, is the old:
- Pickwick Club, a large Italianate structure with high arched windows and an elaborate cornice and railing at the roofline. The first building on this site was built in 1826 for Cornelius Paulding,
then purchased by another owner in 1858 and remodelled. It was then converted into the Crescent Billiard hall in 1865, and finally remodelled into its present appearance in 1875 by noted architect Henry Howard. The Pickwick Club, a social club began in 1857, moved into the building in 1950. Many of its members have traditionally been members of the Mystick Krewe of Comus, the oldest carnival organization in the city. Next door to the Pickwick Club is the old:
- Kolb's Restaurant/Louisiana Jockey Club/Hagan Building complex. These two buildings at 123 and 125 St Charles are a classic pair of Old New Orleans architecture, with two and three-story cast-iron galleries across their facades. The buildings were actually built at different times
for different purposes. The building at 125 was constructed around 1844, and served as an art gallery almost as soon as it was built; the building at 123 was probably built about 1850 as a commercial structure. In 1845 the Louisiana Jockey Club moved into number 125, and in 1899 German restauranteur Conrad Kolb opened his eating establishment at number 123. The restaurant later acquired the adjoining building at 125, and used it for expanding the then-popular Kolb's. Unfortunately the restaurant closed in 1996, but you can still see the marvelous illuminated sign on the front of the building that once lit up the block. Keep walking, and turn right on Common Street. This four-block area of the CBD bounded by Carondelet, Camp, Gravier, and Canal could well be termed
New Orleans' banking center, due to the plethora of banks here. The first of these banks can be found at the next intersection. When you get to Common and Carondelet, look to your left. At 200 Common Street is the:
- Old National American Bank Building, a New Orleans landmark ever since it was constructed in 1929, just before the Great Stock Market Collapse. Of steel skeleton construction, the 23-story building's facade is faced with polished black granite and Indiana limestone. A metal Art Deco tower with lightning-bolt designs graces the top of the tower, one of the most beautiful and important in the South. The National American Bank was first known as the Bankers Trust Company, then as the American Bank & Trust Company.
In 1944 it became the National American Bank. Today the building is occupied by Bank One of Louisiana. On the opposite corner at 201 Carondelet is the impressive:
- Maritime Building/Hennen Building. Resembling an upscale Chicago apartment building. it was designed by architect Thomas Sully, and erected in 1893-95 for Judge Alfred Hennen. At 11 stories, it was considered New Orleans' first "skyscraper" when it was built, and the first to use steel skeleton construction. Eight stacks of bay windows line the two facades, terra cotta covers the whole building, and medallion decorations with eagles, pelicans, and various birds are placed along the first level. In 1927 it was sold to the Maritime Building Corporation, whose name it still uses.
Turn your gaze to the right, across the street, to the monumental:
- Old Federal Reserve Bank at 147 Carondelet. This huge fortress-like building was built in 1923 to house the New Orleans branch of the Federal Reserve bank of Atlanta after it moved from its quarters in the Exchange Bank Building at Carondelet and Union (now demolished). Two massive Egyptian-style columns with acanthus-leave capitals adorn the granite and limestone facade of this steel-and-concrete behemoth. In 1966 the branch was moved to new quarters at the corner of St Charles and Poydras, and the building is called the Security Center today.
|
