As John and I began to narrow our home choices last night, eliminating options based on things like slab foundations (a possible plumbing nightmare), asbestos roofs and shoddy restorations, we came across this house on Second Street.
Yes, I realize that it’s smack dab in Central City. But it IS an area going through much revitalization and worthy of consideration. After all, when I first moved here 11 years ago, there were houses in the Marigny selling for under $100,000 and now, you’d be lucky to find a house in the same area (and Bywater for that matter) for under $300,000.
Normally, a house like this wouldn’t even be a blip on my radar, because the renovation destroyed every last architectural quality that literally says “New Orleans.” Features I so lovingly cherish like exposed brick, ceiling medallions and thick mouldings are nowhere to be found. Admittedly, they left a few transoms intact but, what the builders did do is an excellent job replacing the layout with an incredibly sleek and modern design that I simply could not ignore. I mean look at this place! It’s gorgeous!
So, as we were trying to decide whether or not to entertain the idea of taking such a big risk and moving to Central City, we took a little virtual trip to the house on Google Earth and guess what we found? Right across the street is a dive dubbed “Teddy’s Hole in the Wall.” Would you buy (and live in) this house listed for only $144,000?
