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Appraisals of Properties on the Site of the Proposed Civic Center, 1947
Date Range: 1947 Size of Collection:.5 cubic feet Terms of Access: Available to registered researchers by appointment Acquisition: Donation of Marcus LeBlanc, 2013
Sometime prior to World War II, Brooke H. Duncan, a local real estate expert (he served as manager of the City's Real Estate Utility Department), identified the area generally bounded by Tulane Ave., Saratoga St. (now Loyola Ave.), Poydras St., and LaSalle St. as a desirable location for a new center for the New Orleans municipal government. Mayor deLesseps S. Morrison adopted Duncan's plan following his inauguration in May 1946, and the process of acquiring the needed land began soon thereafter. Part of that process involved the appraisal of each parcel within the area designated for the new Civic Center.
The appraisal records comprise individual single sheets for each parcel. Each sheet records all or a portion of the following: address, date, grade (of the subject lot of ground), type of street paving, availability of gas and water service, 1947 assessed value of land and improvements, a brief description of the improvements, size of building, type of construction, type of roof, number of rooms, amount rented for, amount insured for, occupancy, condition rating, name and address of property owner, and a statement of the appraised value of the property (land, improvements, and total). Each sheet includes a small plan showing the location of the parcel within the city square, with measurements indicated. One or more photographs were attached to each sheets, except in the case of some unimproved parcels. Each sheet is signed by the appraisers, S. M. Lemarie and Joseph E. Blum. Also included, for square #340 only, is a map showing some of the above-noted information for all parcels within the square. The records were donated to the City Archives in 2013 by Marcus LeBlanc, who obtained them from Mitzie Calongne. Ms. Calongne held clerical positions in city government from the mid-1940s until at least 1960. It is unclear as to whether or not Ms. Calongne was directly involved in compiling the appraisal records. The appraisal sheets and the photographs have been digitized; images can be viewed in the attached pages. Click on a square number in the list below for access to the appraisal sheet and attached images for each parcel.
Square 299
Square 303
Square 304
Square 305
Square 332
Square 333
Square 340
Square 341
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