NEW ORLEANS — Liberty Senior Living has opened The Carrollton, a seniors housing adaptive reuse of a former courthouse in New Orleans.
The community features 73 assisted living and 20 memory care units. The project renovated 16,000 existing square feet, while adding 85,000 more.
Construction of Carrollton Courthouse and the adjacent jailhouse were commissioned by Jefferson Parish in 1854 and completed in 1855. Architect Henry Howard designed the property in the Greek Revival style.
The Carrollton Courthouse served as the seat of government for Jefferson Parish until it was annexed by the City of New Orleans in 1874. Because New Orleans had its own courthouse, the Carrollton Courthouse building was deemed unnecessary and was mostly vacated. It was used by the community for some public events.
In 1889, the building started its second life as an educational building. For the next 50 years, it hosted schools of notable charter and preparatory programs, including public school McDonogh No. 23, Benjamin Franklin High School, Lusher Middle School and Audubon Charter School. In 1963, Benjamin Franklin High School became the first integrated public high school in New Orleans.
The building became vacant in 2013, and in 2015 was named one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“I consider this to be one of the most iconic projects Liberty has been associated with. It is our first community that has involved a historic renovation,” says Will Purvis, president of Liberty. “We are thankful to Felicity Partners for the leadership, local knowledge and oversight they brought to turning this treasured landmark into the beautiful community it has become today.”
Liberty Senior Living operates or is developing 22 senior living communities throughout the Southeast.