French Quarter repairs approved

French Quarter repairs approved

By Katie Gagliano/Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE — The Interim Emergency Board Monday approved a $945,862 emergency funding request from the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to repair water damage to the Cabildo and Presbytere in Jackson Square in the New Orleans French Quarter.
Mark Moses with the Division of Administration’s Facility Planning and Control, said a recent project to repair the buildings revealed extensive water damage to the stucco and plaster.
A waterproofing coating applied to the buildings in the 1990s, now banned by the U.S. Department of Interior for use on historical landmarks, trapped moisture and caused the deterioration of the buildings’ exterior and interior walls, he said.
The funding request was reduced from an initial $1.24 million estimate after additional funding was pooled from the Division of Administration’s roofing replacement fund, capital outlay, the Department’s current year major repairs budget and additional funds from the lieutenant governor’s office, Moses said. The project is estimated to cost $3.48 million.
Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said quick action is crucial to prevent further deterioration and damage to the buildings’ artwork and artifacts. Delaying action could lead to millions of dollars in future repairs to mitigate further water intrusion into the building, he said.
“These two buildings are the two most historical buildings we have in the museum system and with the 300 year anniversary of New Orleans approaching this next year it’s critical that we get this work done,” Nungesser said.
The Department Culture, Recreation and Tourism estimated the work will be completed by January 2018.