A historic monastery in New Orleans could become apartment housing under a proposal heading to the City Planning Commission—and a companion zoning change could reshape how adaptive reuse projects work across the entire city.
The Franciscan Poor Clares have asked the commission to approve a request allowing the conversion of their monastery at 720 Henry Clay Avenue into multi-family dwellings, according to the commission’s public hearing notice. The property is bounded by Magazine Street, Henri Clay Avenue, Constance Street, and Calhoun Street, in the Sixth Municipal District.
A local case with citywide stakes
Paired with the monastery request is a separate text amendment—Docket 072/26, initiated by City Council motion—that could carry broader consequences.
That amendment would change Article 5 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance to allow new structures to be built as part of adaptive reuse projects involving existing industrial, commercial, or institutional buildings, within any planned development citywide…