national register of historic places registration form · 2021. 7. 15. · some were two over two,...

NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions.

1. Name of Property Historic Name: Touro-Shakspeare Home Other Names/Site Number: N/A Name of related multiple property listing: N/A

2. Location Street & Number: 2621 General Meyer Avenue City or town: New Orleans State: LA County: Orleans Not for Publication: Vicinity:

3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance:

national state local Applicable National Register Criteria: A B C D

_______________________________________________________________________________Signature of certifying official/Title: Kristin Sanders, State Historic Preservation Officer Date

Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism

State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria.

Signature of commenting official: Date

Title: State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Touro-Shakspeare Home Orleans Parish, LA Name of Property County and State

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4. National Park Certification I hereby certify that the property is: ___ entered in the National Register ___ determined eligible for the National Register ___ determined not eligible for the National Register ___ removed from the National Register ___other, explain: ___________________________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action

5. Classification

Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply.)

Private

X Public – Local Public – State Public – Federal

Category of Property (Check only one box.)

X Building(s) District

Site Structure object

Number of Resources within Property (Do not include previously listed resources in the count)

Contributing Non-contributing 1 Buildings Sites 1 2 Structures 2 Objects 4 2 Total

Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register: 0

6. Function or Use

Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions.): DOMESTIC (institutional housing); HEALTH CARE (sanitarium)

Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.): VACANT / NOT IN USE



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7. Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions.): Classical Revival (Neo-Classical Revival); Tudor Revival (Jacobean Revival)

Materials: (enter categories from instructions.) foundation: Concrete walls: Brick; stucco; stone roof: Other (tile shingles) other:

Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.) ______________________________________________________________________________ Summary Paragraph The Touro-Shakspeare Home is located in New Orleans, LA on the West Bank of the Mississippi River in Algiers, a historic neighborhood within the city limits. Touro-Shakspeare Home was designed and constructed between 1927 and 1933 as an almshouse for people in need, with the ability to accommodate 175 residents. The Touro-Shakspeare Home was designed by a well-known local architect, William R. Burk, in Neo-Classical Revival and Jacobean Revival styles. Its building materials are brick, stucco, and stone, and it has a tile roof. Its most recognizable exterior feature is its diapering brickwork pattern, indicative of its Jacobean Revival style. The building footprint is square in shape, with two central cloister gardens that allow light to soak the interior spaces and reach all of the former residents' rooms. Inside the cloister gardens are two contributing objects in the form of cast stone fountains. The Touro-Shakspeare Home sits upon a large, long grassy plot of land that is extremely lush, albeit now overgrown. The building is set back from the busy thoroughfare of General Meyer Avenue. There is a contributing structure in the form of a shelter on General Meyer Avenue at a former bus shelter, which was part of the original architectural plans. There are also two non-contributing shed structures behind the main building that have fallen into disrepair and are in a ruined state. Although the Touro-Shakspeare Home has been abandoned for 15 years, it still retains its historic integrity of location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. _____________________________________________________________________________ Narrative Description EXTERIOR According to architect William R. Burk's original plans from 1929, the Touro-Shakspeare Home’s footprint measures 194 ft by 204 ft. The building totals approximately 65,000 square feet. The Touro-Shakspeare Home is primarily two stories except for a small third level situated above front entrance. The grand entrance has a prominent protruding portico with four Temple of the Winds columns, hearkening back to its Classical architectural association. The north-facing main entrance used to have a walkway flanked with decorative lampposts, which were visible in historic photos as well as in photos prior to Hurricane Katrina, but these lampposts are no longer extant. However, the low brick walls on either side of the walkway remain underneath the overgrown shrubbery.



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The building is mostly symmetrical, has 25 bays on the front facade, and 19 on each side. There are taller roof heights in some areas, such as the front entrance and the chapel, which has a 20-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling. In the center of the eastern and western elevations are projections that span three bays, and rise two and a half stories. At the top of this projection is a decorative parapet. The building has a cement foundation, upon which are brick walls punctuated by cast stone detail elements. The front entrance façade, behind the columns, is stuccoed in the same place as its design plans, by the office of architect William R. Burk in 1929 from the Southeastern Architectural Archive showed. These plans also illustrated metal down spouts on the building's perimeter corners, but these are no longer extant. The exterior walls of the chapel and boiler room, which form the central core between the two cloister gardens, are stuccoed with brick quoining details between window openings and on wall edges. Cast stone and tile shingles make up the components of the gable roof. There are 56 window openings visible on the front façade, and 39 on the east and west elevations. Although the fenestral openings are all boarded up now to keep the interior secure and none of the original windows are extant, they were once primarily steel casement windows. According to the historical plans, windows were multi-lite casement with a three over three pane pattern, but some were two over two, and windows with smaller panes were eight over twelve, or eight over sixteen. Fenestral openings either have cast stone pointed lintels or brick arches. The original windows shown in the construction documents and in historic photos were replaced at a later date with aluminum framed windows, which were all stolen when the building was abandoned after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Touro-Shakspeare Home is built symmetrically around a central core, inside which is a grand nondenominational chapel, boiler room, and kitchen. On either side of this central core are two cloister courtyards that connect the interior to the exterior spaces. These gardens were placed strategically in central areas to allow light to soak the surrounding rooms, ensuring every area in the building – especially the dormitory rooms for the Home’s former residents – had equal access to natural sunlight. With multiple entry points to the courtyards from all sides as well as on both the first and second levels, these spaces were universally accessible and at the heart of the Home. On the ground level of the gardens have shaded walkways on the eastern and western ends underneath a second-floor balcony level, which is situated off of the dormitory rooms, thereby increasing the accessibility of the gardens and creating additional communal spaces and connecting pathways. The Touro-Shakspeare Home has many distinct exterior architectural details that exemplify exceptional workmanship. A diapering brick pattern, which the original plans describe as a “diamond bond brickwork pattern,” composed of locally-sourced St. Joe Bricks with raised red brick crosses at the center of each diamond creates stylistic unity and visual captivation. Cast stone details are plentiful on each elevation, with delicate crosses above certain fenestral openings and elegant details at the roof line of the raised entrance area. Cast iron balustrades are another repeating component seen on each elevation of the building. Within the now-overgrown interior cloister gardens, twisted Corinthian columns (a variation of Solomonic columns), St. Joe brick arches and quoining, cast stone balconies, and parapets endow these areas with a unique smorgasbord of architectural intrigue and create a space for respite and community. In each of the two courtyards are cast stone quatrefoil-shaped fountains with two smaller interior tiers which each have zig-zag ornamentation. NORTH ELEVATION

On the north elevation of the building is a grand three-story entrance, which has striking Temple of the Winds columns and an entablature with "Touro-Shakspeare Home" inscribed therein. These Neo-Classical elements mix beautifully with the Jacobean details. The front entry has double oak doors surrounded by an oak frame, and a transom with a fan light. Sitting atop the grand two-story entry columns is a balcony that once had a cast iron balustrade which no longer exists today, and a cast stone Baroque-inspired split pediment over the doorway. This split pediment pattern is repeated on each side of the building over the main center doors. On either side of the front entrance, the building height steps down to two stories symmetrically. There are 56 boarded-up window openings on the entire north façade. On each end of the front elevation, two slightly-



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darker-in-color brick additions containing stairwells have extended the building footprint out slightly, and accessibility ramps extend out from each of these stairwell additions towards the north. The brick patterning in these additions attempted to match the original design, with a line of headers at the same heights as the historic building; however, the brick in the additions is all one color, whereas the original brickwork has darker accent bricks. An attempt was made, though, to camouflage and integrate the new additions into the historic building fabric. On the front entrance path, the once-neatly-groomed trees, shrubs, and plantings are now heavily overgrown and partially obscure the large building depending on the angle of viewing. WEST ELEVATION The west-facing side of the Touro-Shakspeare Home echoes the north-facing elevation, but instead of a grand Neo-Classical entrance at the center, there is an elaborate central Baroque-style parapet that projects above the gable roof, and the projecting central portion of the elevation spans three bays. The diapering brick pattern is reinforced on this piece of the west elevation. The central projection has a first-floor central fenestral opening that once led to a cast stone balcony, but was sealed with bricks. Above this doorway is the same Baroque-style cast stone split pediment as seen on other elevations of the building. The second level of this part of the building also has three windows, with the central window opening encased with a unique arched brick pattern. Between the top of this window opening and the brick arch is a parquet brick design. Centered above this brick arch, and immediately beneath the single third-story window, is a cast stone insignia with the letters “T” and “S.” The building on either side of the central parapet is simpler and more uniform, with just two stories. There are still decorative elements such as cast stone details above every other first-floor window, and red brick details that stand out among the primary brick material. There are 39 windows in total on the west elevation, and towards the northwest corner, one of two total stairwell additions is visible as it protrudes out to the west, and a ramp extends out to the north. This addition, while it increases accessibility and safety, breaks the symmetry that was part of the original design. A second doorway opening is located between the central projection and the southwest corner of the building. This doorway is marked by one-story tall Temple of the Winds columns (two on each side of the door), with a small wrought-iron balustrade above the doorway opening. The cast-iron balustrade is present and intact here, unlike at the front entrance. An arched fenestral opening, rather than the usual rectangular opening, leads to the balustrade on the second level. SOUTH ELEVATION The south elevation of the Touro-Shakspeare Home has been renovated and added to over the years – mainly in a renovation that took place in 1973 to add a garage. This addition was built of concrete blocks, and was added at the center of the south elevation. It has since fallen into a state of disrepair. On the western side of this garage are rusty pipes and electrical boxes. On either side of this addition, the original two-story brickwork remains completely intact. There are 22 windows in total on the south elevation – 11 on either side of the garage addition. Two of these are small circular windows that are centered above the ten windows below each. On each side of the addition where the brickwork is, there is a less ornate, linear parapet, without any curves or arches. EAST ELEVATION The east elevation is virtually the same as the west elevation, with an elaborate central projection spanning three bays, parapet, and the diapering brick pattern. There are also cast stone details above every other first-floor window. Like the west elevation, there are 39 windows on the east side. Towards the northeast corner of the building, the second stairwell addition juts out towards the east, and a ramp extends out towards the north side. INTERIOR Inside the Touro-Shakspeare Home through the front entrance, one steps into the entry foyer, on either side of which are the parlor and office rooms. Graffiti is immediately apparent, and some of the interior walls have been stripped of portions of their drywall. Stepping through the doorway on the far side of the foyer, one enters



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the main circulation hallway, and it is at this point where the entryway to the grand-nominational chapel is located. Originally, two staircases were situated in this part of the hall for residents to access the chapel’s balcony level with ease, but those staircases were removed in the 1965 renovation. Now, this entry area is more open and provides easier circulation. An elevator, added in the same 1965 renovation, is situated just past the right side of the chapel entrance. The original floor plans indicated that the flooring throughout the Touro-Shakspeare Home was terrazzo, although this no longer seems to exist on the first and second levels. Instead, there are pieces of old, loose linoleum or vinyl tiles underfoot. Overhead throughout the building, pieces of the ceiling ductwork and metal elements have come partly unattached, with pieces of metal, wiring, and other debris hanging down from the ceiling in certain areas Entering into the non-denominational chapel, its 20-foot domed ceiling is immediately apparent, with high-relief circular plaster patterns and graceful ornamentation. Intricate domed ceiling panels are still clearly intact and painted, situated in groups of nine smaller squares. Each corner of these panels contains matching rosettes, while center rosettes have their own unique pattern. Trefoils are placed in the remaining four alternate squares. The chapel’s original stained glass windows were stolen at an unknown date after Hurricane Katrina, and the portions of the walls and ceiling closest to these window openings were damaged due to their prolonged exposure to the elements. The original altar is still there, although it has been subjected to graffiti. The architectural design details around this altar, such as cast-stone fluted Corinthian columns, decorative plaster trimwork, paneling, and arched openings remain intact. The ceiling detail at the altar is still extant, with its high relief plaster design and green circular stencils. The chapel no longer has any pew seating or its original cast iron communion railing. The second-level balcony towards the back of the chapel no longer has its original wrought iron balustrade with cast iron ornamentation, and is instead now an open ledge. Behind the chapel balcony is a staircase that leads to the small third floor, which contains a stair landing, couple of dormitory rooms and a storage area. There is a portion of the original terrazzo flooring that remains on this level, which likely would have been the same pattern throughout the building. Exiting the chapel from its first-floor entrance and continuing west past the entrance to the western central cloister garden, then south to follow the turn in the central corridor, similar rooms one after another on either side of the corridor are visible – these were the former dormitory rooms, which were also originally intermixed with a handful of bathroom facilities that were shared among residents, numbering five and six on the first and second floors, respectively. Dormitory rooms for residents were on both the first and second floors, in east and west wings. Following the same central corridor towards the eastern side of the building would yield the same result – a former dormitory wing and with an entrance to the eastern central cloister garden. When Touro-Shakspeare Home was in operation as an almshouse and a nursing home, historic floor plans indicated separate wings for male and female residents. Additional rooms on these historic plans included a refectory (dining room), kitchen, solariums on each side of the building, offices, and a medical dispensary. There are pathways on either side of the chapel to enter the interior cloister gardens. The central circulation corridor makes a loop around the entire building, continuing through the former refectory at the rear, originally one of the largest rooms in the entire building, but now is not as open of an area as it once was, as it was divided into smaller rooms in a mid-century renovation. In the southeastern corner of the building is the second elevator. On either corner of the northern hallway are two stairwells, added in 1965, that lead to the second level which largely mirrors the layout of the first level, with many former dormitory rooms on the east and west wings, and a central circulation corridor. A main difference on the second floor is that instead of doorways off of the dormitory rooms that lead directly to the cloister gardens, they open up to a shared balcony level, where residents enjoyed the fresh air and garden from above. On the second floor, the dormitory rooms and central circulation hallways have less damage overall, although they are still heavily graffitied. The dormitory rooms are still easily recognizable, though, as most still have closets and cubbies, which were added in the 1965 renovation to modernize the building. Another difference on the second floor from the first is the addition of a hallway connector between the southernmost points of the east and west wings. This connector is built on top of the first-floor rear garage addition, and improved accessibility and circulation on the second floor, creating a continuous loop on the second floor.



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As the interior of the building is now largely emptied of its original furniture, the historic room designations, particularly for common areas, are no longer as evident. However, the architectural details of the dormitory rooms and chapel spaces are largely intact. Typical doors for main entryways inside are 12 feet high, have six wood panels, and transom windows above with four over four glass panes. The doors and framing are made of oak. Other doors to dormitory rooms and offices are shorter and have metal trim, wood panels, and transom windows above with one row of four panes of glass. The primary changes in the mid-century renovations to the Touro-Shakspeare Home were the additions of wall partitions to split larger dormitory rooms into smaller, more private-feeling shared rooms with new cubbies and closets, the two new stairwells, two elevators (one to the right of the chapel, and one towards the back of the east wing), and ramps outside exit doors for improved accessibility. Two staircases on either side of the chapel entrance that once made the second-floor chapel balcony level easily accessible from the first floor were removed in favor of the new north elevation stairwell additions, and made the path of circulation outside the chapel wider. There were also originally two stairwells on either side of the beginning of the east and west hallways, but these were removed when the stairwell additions were constructed as well, which created more space for storage in an easily accessible, central area. There was also an garage addition to the back of the building, as well as a brick hallway on the second floor which was added to connect the east and west wings at the southern-most points for increased circulation, as they were once isolated from each other. Most of the original “toilet rooms” were converted in 1965 to additional dormitory rooms, and smaller bathrooms with one toilet stall, shower, and sink were added between two dormitory rooms, creating suites throughout the building that were in line with more contemporary living standards for the elderly. SITE / OTHER BUILDINGS The Touro-Shakspeare Home sits set back from busy General Meyer Avenue in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, and the greenery around the building, especially on the front façade, is overgrown in a way that may not make it immediately noticeable to passers-by, although the front (north) elevation and portions of the side elevations (east and west) are partially visible from the main road. The property is now cordoned off with a chain-link fence located at approximately the legal property boundaries. The building is still easily accessible through a long gravel driveway that loops completely around the property. Visitors can access the driveway by heading eastward on General Meyer Avenue, and turning right (south) into the driveway loop. The chain link fence has a gate here that is locked by the City of New Orleans. Continuing through this gate in the driveway loop from this direction enables you to see the front (north) façade of the building to the visitor’s lefthand side. The driveway loops around the west elevation, then the south, then finally ends at the east elevation. The driveway loop originally exited at the northeastern end of the property, parallel to its northwestern entry point on General Meyer Avenue, but this part of the driveway is now fenced off, so the only way back out at the present is to retrace the loop and exit through the same northwestern access point. On the west side of the site is Berhman Memorial Park, and on the east and south sides of the property are a mix of different styles of residential homes. Across General Meyer Avenue to the north is Delgado Community College. A contributing shelter, located at the north end of the site, directly on General Meyer Avenue, serves as a recognizable visual marker for visitors looking for the site, and was created so that for former residents of the home could safely utilize public transportation. This small, elegant shelter building still stands, but is not fully intact as it originally was. This shelter has a cement base, brick walls, and a shingled roof. A wrought iron gate and cast stone seating, both of which are shown in the original 1929 building plans, no longer exist. Just behind the building to the south are two shed structures that are rotting and falling down. Though their structural shells remain, trees branches and vegetation are visible growing inside these structures. Because of their ruined, non-historic state, these two small pre-engineered sheds are counted as non-contributing structures. INTEGRITY Though it has been vacant for some time, its integrity in all major areas still shines through, especially with regard to design, materials, workmanship, and feeling. The major losses of materials are primarily the loss of



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the original windows, various cast and wrought iron details throughout, and damage to the building’s interior due to having been open to the elements for 14 years and subjected to theft and vandalism. For the most part, interior rooms are structurally in the same place as they originally were, although most have additional walls dividing the dormitory rooms in half, which were part of a midcentury renovation in 1965 to create more private-feeling rooms, and added closet space to accommodate modern living standards. These rooms are all off of a central circulatory hallway that loops around the building on the first and second floors, which is still also intact. Although some of the interior walls in the rooms have shifted slightly, the original intent of the design is still upheld with these renovations. One area on the first level towards the southwestern corner seems to have had about two interior walls removed, so instead of being three dormitory rooms, is now one large space. Although it is clear the interior spaces have suffered damage, the simple detailing and drywall in many of these spaces was not particularly important to the building’s overall significance. Graffiti is present on virtually every wall on the interior of the building, but this can be removed. Water damage has been pervasive, but with proper sealing of any exposed openings, this can continue to be mitigated. In 2019, the building was boarded off and secured by the City of New Orleans, a step towards stabilization. LOCATION: The Touro-Shakspeare Home remains at the same location as when it opened in 1933. General Meyer Avenue continues to be a heavily-travelled thoroughfare through the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans. Although the property was damaged by Hurricane Katrina, it is not located in an area that is particularly prone to severe flooding. The Touro-Shakspeare Home’s survival after Hurricane Katrina and countless other hurricanes almost a century after its opening underscores that its location maintains its full integrity. SETTING: Although areas of the property have been overgrown in the years since the Home was abandoned in 2005, most notably at the entrance and in the interior cloister gardens, the vicinity around the building has for the most part been kept clear by the City of New Orleans, the owner of the property. The Touro-Shakspeare Home maintains its original integrity of setting on its large, set-back parcel of land, and although undoubtedly there has been development in its vicinity to the north side with the construction of a community college, and to the east and south in the form of houses built since it opened in 1933, the consistency of Behrman Community Park’s existence and recent revival on the west side of the property has helped maintain the Touro-Shakspeare Home’s integrity of setting. The property itself has not changed much since its inception, and absolutely maintains the peaceful setting that it was designed to have. DESIGN: The exterior of the Touro-Shakspeare Home and its eclectic mix of Jacobean Revival and Neo-Classical details, designed by the office of William R. Burk, a well-known New Orleans architect, are in excellent condition. The distinctive diapering brick bond pattern, Baroque-style split pediments, fenestral patterns, grand entrance portico, and symmetric, stepped-up massing all convey the building’s grandeur and high-quality design. The local St. Joe Bricks used as focal points are immediately noticeable, as are the various cast-stone detailing on each side of the building. The original elevation drawings look almost exactly the same as the Home’s present-day exterior. With the two stairwell additions on either side of the front elevation, the two elevators inside, as well as the south-facing garage addition, there have been some minor changes primarily between the 1950s and 1970s, but these changes had a very minimal effect on the historic integrity of the building – if anything, they helped the building run more efficiently as the only city-run nursing home when it was in operation. The stairwell additions are built from brick masonry, and although the brick coloring does not exactly match the original color of the bricks, it is close. This helps maintain the original design integrity. Although small ornamental cast iron detailing in the form of balustrades around the building are no longer extant, the current state of the building without a doubt still reflects William R. Burk’s original architectural vision and maintains its integrity of design.



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MATERIALS: The Touro-Shakspeare Home was constructed of high-quality, durable materials, primarily brick masonry, stucco, cast iron, and cast stone. The survival of most decorative architectural elements and objects on the exterior as well as within the cloiser gardens, such as the stone fountains, balconies, and brick quoining exemplify the quality and integrity of the materials chosen by the architects. If the same materials and equivalent amounts of of them were used today in construction, they would be prohibitively expensive. WORKMANSHIP: Construction of the three-story, 65,000-square-foot Touro-Shakspeare Home began in December 1932, with Caldwell Brothers and Bond Brothers as the contractors. It cost $228,000 to build, and the entire process was during the exact years of the Great Depression – 1929 to 1933. About 200 men were employed in the construction of the building, and even with the economic crisis, the team’s dedication to the realization of this design, and their ultimate success under those difficult circumstances, is astonishing. The building’s continued relevance and originality among its neighbors as well as in the City of New Orleans as whole demonstrates its high level of integrity with regard to workmanship. The degree of skilled craftsmanship required to construct such an intricate, ornate building reflecting two architectural styles underscores the impressiveness of this feat, and this level of workmanship is hard to come by today. FEELING: It is in the Touro-Shakspeare Home’s non-denominational chapel space, former dormitory rooms, and in the two cloister gardens where this building’s sense of feeling is immediately recognizable. These were some of the most important spaces in the original almshouse, and were where residents spent most of their time. The Touro-Shakspeare Home was a sanctuary for its impoverished and elderly residents, who had very few resources at hand and no other place to live. It provided them with a secure, dignified, peaceful, and beautiful environment to live out their days. The chapel is a grand, mesmorizing space, and although the cloister gardens are overgrown, it is clear that these spaces still maintain their integrity of feeling and would absolutely be able to be restored. Within the dozens of dormitory rooms, the vast majority of which still have their closets and cubby spaces from a midcentury renovation, it is easy to imagine the former bed placements, living arrangements, and daily lives of the residents. ASSOCIATION: Although elements of the original interior of the Touro-Shakspeare Home have been damaged, it is still an exceptional specimen for its social history under Criterion A, and its exterior is still beautifully intact. The Home’s current state still clearly reflects its association with and history as being an almshouse, and later the only city-run nursing home in New Orleans. Its name, Touro-Shakspeare Home, combines the associations of its two namesakes – Judah Touro, a well-known local philanthropist in 19th century New Orleans, and former Mayor Joseph A. Shakspeare of New Orleans, whose 1886 gambling tax measures enabled this third iteration of the “Touro Almshouse” to be funded. No matter how much time passes, their names are memorialized on the building’s prominent Neo-Classical entrance entablature, ensuring their legacy is not forgotten.

8. Statement of Significance

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.)

X A Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the

broad patterns of our history. B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.



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C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.

D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history Criteria Considerations: A Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes B Removed from its original location C A birthplace or grave D A cemetery E A reconstructed building, object, or structure F A commemorative property G Less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years

Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions.): Criterion A: Health/Medicine; Social History

Period of Significance: 1933-1971

Significant Dates: 1952 (year when legislation was passed to expand the Touro-Shakspeare Home’s services so that the aged or indigent eligible for old age or disability assistance can remain there and use their grants to help pay their board); 1965 (building underwent a renovation to add an elevator and other updates)

Significant Person (Complete only if Criterion B is marked above): N/A

Cultural Affiliation (only if criterion D is marked above): N/A Architect/Builder (last name, first name): Burk, William R. (architect); Caldwell Brothers and Bond Brothers (contractors/builders)

Period of Significance (justification): The period of significance begins with the Touro-Shakspeare Home’s opening at this site as an almshouse and ends in 1971, the current 50-year cut off.

Criteria Considerations (explanation, if necessary): N/A Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance, applicable criteria, justification for the period of significance, and any applicable criteria considerations.) The Touro-Shakspeare Home is significant locally under Criteria A, in the areas of social history and health/medicine. Constructed between 1932 and 1933, the Touro-Shakspeare home provided the only publicly-funded residence for New Orleans's indigent and homeless in the 1930s. Later, as the concept of group homes for the needy became obsolete, the facility served as the city's only publicly-funded nursing home for its low-income elderly and chronically ill citizens. It operated in this capacity until 2005 when the home



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permanently closed following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The period of significance spans from 1933, when the Touro-Shakspeare Home first opened, to 1971, fifty years ago as of the writing of this nomination. During this period, the home's administrators witnessed society's changing attitudes towards the elderly, sick, and impoverished and the government's changing strategies for funding their care, and took steps necessary to adapt to them. In the meantime, the facility underwent renovations needed to accommodate increasingly sophisticated care methods for those in need. Overall, the home retains its character-defining features designed to facilitate communal living and provide a safe and healthy environment for those whose financial and medical circumstances were insufficient for independent living. It retains those essential features today, despite being vacant for more than 15 years. ______________________________________________________________________ Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.) Brief history of almshouses and elder care in the United States The word "almshouse" is synonymous with "poohouse." Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as "a private house built in the past where old or poor people could live without having to pay rent." Although society no longer uses this term, charitable organizations and individuals in the United States constructed almshouses during the 18th and 19th centuries to shelter a community's lower-income, underprivileged population. Americans modeled their almshouses after those in Great Britain, where local authorities administered "Poor Laws," which came to the United States via English settlers in the 1620s.2 Colonial legislatures and later state governments adopted legislation patterned after these English laws. This legislation established the American tradition of public responsibility for the care of the destitute while also requiring evidence of legal residence in a particular geographic locality (i.e., town, municipality, county) as a prerequisite for receiving assistance.

Public responsibility for a community's poor became a significant issue in the U.S. during the 18th and 19th. Before then, families took in and cared for their relatives who were unable to care for themselves. However, the Industrial Revolution forever changed this dynamic by displacing many older Americans who could not hold mechanized jobs and bringing more people to cities, which spread families out from one another. Often, those who were displaced or fell on hard times found no local extended family to rely on for aid. The Civil War also played a role in these changes; many families found themselves unable to care for each other following the decimation brought on by four years of war. The result was a growing number of single and widowed people who had no one to take care of them in their old age.

To combat this problem, local governments favored group housing instead of what was called "outdoor welfare," consisting of donations of food, clothing, wood, and other essentials to individuals living independently. As a result, diverse groups of people, including the physically incapacitated, orphans, and mentally ill, shared space in Almshouses. These homes provided the only aid and housing available to the poor, elderly, disabled, widowed, orphaned, or otherwise needy.

As the 19th century progressed, women's groups founded "Homes for the Aged" for widows and single women who possessed limited resources. Homes such as the Indigent Widows' and Single Women's Society in Philadelphia and the Home for Aged Women in Boston represented a far better option for women than an almshouse if they were fortunate enough to reside there. But these early homes were not open to all. Many of them required entrance fees, and some asked for certificates of good character. Requirements like these shut out the neediest, who were still relegated to the almshouse.

Following in the footsteps of these women's groups, churches, and other organizations began to establish homes for individuals of their own ethnic or religious background, children, or those who suffered from specific impairments, such as blindness or insanity. These efforts essentially "rescued" worthy but less privileged or able citizens from having to spend their twilight years in the company of "lesser" members of society, which in many cases included "foreigners" or immigrants. As a result of this stratification, the elderly poor comprised



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most of the residents in almshouses. By the 1920s, nearly 70% of all residents in American almshouses consisted of elderly, indigent individuals.

Homelessness in New Orleans, Judah Touro, and Mayor Joseph A. Shakspeare

During the 19th century, New Orleans witnessed homelessness and lack of resources unfold among its citizens just as other large cities in the United States had. To combat this problem, philanthropist Judah Touro set aside money in his will to create a home for the needy homeless.5 Touro, a Rhode Island-born merchant of Sephardic Jewish origins born in 1775, amassed a fortune in New Orleans through his shipping and real estate businesses.6 A lifelong philanthropist, he worked to make a difference in the city of New Orleans throughout his life, supporting education, orphanages, healthcare, and places of worship. When Touro died in 1854, Item No. 20 of his 60 bequests allocated $80,000 to establish an "Alms House' (for) the prevention of mendacity" and $50,000 in cash to maintain the property.7 He further stipulated that control of this institution would eventually pass to the Mayor of New Orleans. Touro had planted the seeds for public-sector social welfare through his private gift in an era when private organizations and organized religion funded most of this work.8 Builders completed the home created from Touro's funds in 1862 as the Civil War raged throughout the nation3. Located in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans on a parcel of land donated by Touro's friend Rezin Shepard, the almshouse was supposed to serve as a home for the elderly and what was then called the "honest poor." The building, located on Chartres between Desire and Piety Streets, served as one of only such "poorhouses" in the entire city.9 Famed local architect, William Alfred Freret, Jr., designed the facility and built it to last, constructing the three-story castle-like Gothic structure featuring two four-story towers mostly of stone. The building hardly got the chance to serve its intended purpose, though. Shortly after completion, the Union Army under General Butler occupied New Orleans. It took over the Touro Home, using it as a federal base and a shelter for emancipated African Americans. In 1865, a fire broke out in the home's makeshift kitchen, causing flames to engulf the building.10 The fire destroyed Touro's Almshouse a mere three years after its construction.

Thirty years later, New Orleans, which had never rebuilt the almshouse, still needed a home for its poorest citizens. Earlier, in 1867, the city had been handed control of Touro's fund with the stipulation that administrators use the money to construct a new version of the Touro Almshouse. Eventually, city officials faced the problem head-on and began construction of a new home for the needy in 1894. Completed the following year, in 1895, this second version of the Touro Almhouse sat at what is now the intersection of Arabella and Danneel (formerly South Rampart) Streets in Uptown, which was then considered the "country" – a peaceful setting far away from the bustling metropolis of downtown New Orleans. Also built in the gothic style, this building was called the Touro-Shakspeare Almshouse in honor of both the late Judah Touro and Joseph A. Shakspeare, who served two terms as Mayor of New Orleans, from 1880-1882 and 1888-1892. A combination of interest earned on Touro's original bequest and proceeds from a gambling tax implemented by Shakspeare during his first administration funded the building. Shakspeare's tolerance for and capitalization on gambling in the city is a fascinating story in its own right, but further exploration of it is beyond the scope of this nomination. At any rate, the Uptown almshouse, funded in part by illegal gambling proceeds, housed between 150 and 175 individuals and operated for the next few decades on funds provided by city appropriations, property revenues, and donations. By the 1920s, annual appropriations from the city grew to such a small amount that the building fell into disrepair, and the residents began to suffer from a lack of care.14 At the same time, the Uptown neighborhood in New Orleans continued to grow, and so did its property values. Finally, as the 1930s commenced and the Great Depression held the nation in its grip, the Touro-Shakspeare Home simply became too small to accommodate the ever-increasing elderly and indigent population of New Orleans. Once these forces converged and came to a head, city officials decided to construct a new version of the Touro-Shakspeare Home in a different area of the city, namely Algiers, on the west bank of the Mississippi River. As plans unfolded for this new facility, the Uptown building continued to deteriorate. By 1937, the Touro-Shakespeare Almshouse, which residents had already vacated, was set to be demolished. It was razed a year later in 1938 after having been declared an "eyesore." The property on which it stood was subdivided and sold, and the city



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used bricks and other materials from the building to repair various public buildings. The iron fence which once surrounded the property was sold and now adorns the picturesque Orleans Club grounds at 5005 St. Charles Avenue. After 30 years in service to the elderly and impoverished population of New Orleans, the second Touro Shakespeare Home was gone.

Brief History of Algiers

Algiers, located across the Mississippi River from downtown New Orleans, is the second-oldest neighborhood in the city after the Vieux Carré (French Quarter). Its main historic district, Algiers Point, sits immediately across from the French Quarter and is a Historic District on the National Register. Established in 1719, the community was initially part of a large plantation owned by Jean Baptiste le Moyne, and this land was used as a holding area for enslaved people before they were sold in the French Quarter. Algiers' development as a town in its own right, separate from its plantation beginning, began around 1800.52 Algiers' name is the French word for Algeria's north African country, derived from the parallel between France and Algeria, divided by the Mediterranean Sea and the east and west banks of the Mississippi River.53 According to information from the Algiers Historical Society's website, the area's first Europeans consisted of French and Spanish settlers, who cleared the land with the help of enslaved people. Later immigrant groups included "les Americains" from the eastern seaboard following the 1803 Louisiana Purchase and other Europeans, namely Germans, Irish, Italians, and Sicilians. Before 1803, Catholicism was the only acceptable religion in Louisiana, but after that date, Algiers, and the rest of Louisiana, were infiltrated by Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Baptists. Algiers was built up along the riverfront from 1819, with large shipbuilding and ship repair interests. Dry docks, sawmills, lumber yards, and an iron foundry adorned the commercial corridor on the river. Most of the inhabitants in the mid-19th century held jobs related to shipbuilding. The establishment of the U.S. Naval Station in Algiers, which took several decades following the Louisiana Purchase, would eventually provide more jobs for locals. Today this area is called Federal City, and the buildings comprising this area are also listed on the National Register as the U.S. Naval Station Algiers Historic District. Other early commercial interests in Algiers included lumber, wax, and sugar. The area also served as the home to truck farms, citrus groves, dairies, and plantations into the early part of the 20th century. Later, the railroad arrived in Algiers and brought thousands of jobs; the railroad industry employed as many as 4,000 men at one time while a ferry for the railroad trains connected the East Bank to the West Bank and onward to the Pacific Coast. Algiers thrived for most of its existence, even recovering successfully from large fire, which, in 1895, destroyed approximately 200 homes and businesses. However, the neighborhood hit hard times in the 1970s when the railroad closed. Its closure, combined with the oil bust in the 1980s, left many of the area’s residence scrambling for employment and facing the need to relocate. However, Algiers rebounded in the latter part of the 1980s and early 1990s. Today is once again thriving. Developers use lands that once housed machine and paint shops, storage facilities, lumberyards, coal and oil depots, and stockyards to create housing for those who continue to live in and relocate to the neighborhood. Unlike some areas of New Orleans, which grew as overflow or bedroom suburbs, Algiers and its main historic district, Algiers Point, grew and prospered as a separate town. The community's relative isolation from the remainder of the city for most of its existence likely attributed to its development in this way. Until engineers built the Crescent City Connection Bridge in 1958, Algiers was primarily accessible by ferry. Ferries have operated in Algiers since the 1820s, providing access to the remainder of New Orleans. But Algiers developed as a self-reliant community where residents could obtain almost any consumer good they needed without crossing the river. Consequently, Algiers and Algiers Point, feature a mixed land-use pattern and have maintained this total urban community experience today. Algiers Point comprises all the components found in any small town and consists of a mixture of commercial, industrial, educational, religious, and residential properties.



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Touro-Shakspeare Home, Algiers As the Uptown Touro-Shakspeare Almshouse began to deteriorate and land values rose, New Orleans's leaders determined it was necessary to build a new home for the needy further away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Consequently, in 1927, city officials purchased 42 acres of land across the Mississippi River in Algiers for $40,000, which would be the site of the new almshouse.16 New Orleans Department of Public Property Commissioner Joseph P. Skelly, a resident of Algiers, is described in contemporary accounts as instrumental in relocating the home to the Westbank. But these accounts do not offer any additional information to explain what specific actions Skelly took to implement this change or why city officials specifically chose the lot next to the Martin Behrman Gymnasium as the new home's location.

In 1929, New Orleans's city finance officer T. Semmes Walmsley, who became mayor in July of that year, hired local architect William R. Burk to design the new Touro Shakspeare Almhouse. The new building was supposed to accommodate a greater number of inmates than the Uptown facility.17 Construction began in 1932 on Burk’s second plan for the new facility; the first plan had been rejected because it was too expensive to build. The following year, in 1933, the new facility, which could accommodate between 300 and 350 residents, was completed for a cost of $228,000 (roughly $4.7 million today), which was more than the $150,000 budgeted by the city, but much less than the estimated $421,000 estimated cost of Burk's initial plan. City officials dedicated the new residence on October 26, 1933, in a ceremony attended by numerous New Orleanians and covered by local newspapers.18 Residents of the home didn't move in until the following year, though, because no funds existed immediately after construction to furnish or equip the facility. It should be noted that city documents and more recent online stories commonly spell the home's name as "Shakespeare." But "Shakspeare" is the historically accurate spelling; one can see the correct spelling of the word carved on the building. Also, various historical documents, including Sanborn maps and newspaper articles, refer to the building by different names, including the "Touro-Shakspeare Home for the Poor, "Touro-Shakspeare Almshouse," and "Touro Shakespeare Home for Aged People." Upon completion of the facility, reporters wrote favorably of Touro-Shakspeare's new location in the "country," which they credited as being beneficial to the health and well-being of its residents who could "receive the full benefits of fresh air and sunshine." Though some inmates expressed concern about living on the other side of the river because the city was largely inaccessible except by ferry, most of them indicated they were pleased to move into a new space, free from any infestation which plagued the previous home19. The day after the dedication ceremony for the building, the Times-Picayune quoted one resident as saying, "Finest thing I've seen. We sure won't know ourselves in it." Another publication stated the first inmate to cross the threshold of the new facility exclaimed, "Ah! I am so happy to be in this clean place." Algiers's separation from New Orleans proper proved not to be a significant issue in the end, as there was a bus line on the north side of the property that would have allowed visitors and residents alike to travel in the vicinity and to the ferry to access the rest of the city. Local news sources praised the new home's grand appearance. In an article published the day after the dedication ceremony, the Times-Picayune noted the reinforced concrete structure was "built along Dutch colonial lines, with buff colored bricks," while the New Orleans Item newspaper described the building as "a handsome three-story brick dwelling," occupying a frontage of 409 feet on General Meyer Avenue and extending back 600 feet, which would soon undergo "attractive landscaping." Both newspapers provided details about the interior features of the building, indicating that the home included a chapel, dining room, and recreation center in addition to dormitories for the residents. Other sources described the chapel as "beautiful in every respect" and the dining room as "large and spacious." The Times-Picayune further described interior elements in the following manner: "The flooring of the corridors is of terrazza (sic) and cement. The flooring in the dormitories is of mastic tile. The walls are of cement and plaster. An interesting feature of the structure



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is the sun porch which opens on an interior court with a bubbling fountain in the center." The paper also described the exterior grounds, which would soon be the site of several outbuildings, including a garage, barn, stables, and land that would be used for cultivation so the home could "produce much of its own food supplies." The new building's reception in the local news media made it clear that Burk achieved his design goal, which was for "a building that is as beautiful and dignified as a private residence, but which also bears the stamp of being a municipal building." To coordinate the care of the residents, the home’s administrators initially employed a staff of 13, five of whom were also residents. These employees included a superintendent and his wife, who was the matron, attendants in the men's and women's infirmaries, a cook, yardman, chauffeur, two maids, three orderlies, a fireman, and a laundryman. The institution also employed a visiting physician.20

As mentioned earlier, historical documents refer to Touro-Shakspeare by various names, which was partly because establishment of the new facility coinciding with societal shifts occurring at the time. In the early 1930s, the public's attitude toward the less fortunate was changing, and the term "almshouse" fell out of use. While newspapers and other historical documents from the 1930s and beyond varied how they referred to the facility, Touro-Shakespeare's board members officially renamed the building, changing it from the Touro-Shakspeare "Almshouse" to the Touro-Shakspeare "Home." 22 This moniker is reflected in New Orleans city directories spanning from 1938-1959, which invariably provided the institution's official name, despite listing it under different headings throughout the years to reflect what type of business it was. For example, in 1938, the "Touro-Shakespeare Home" appeared under the title "Homes and Asylums" in 1938, 1942, and 1945. But it appeared under the heading "Hospitals and Dispensaries" in 1954 and 1956 and under "Rest Homes" in 1959. Upon completion in 1933, the Touro-Shakspeare Home required its inmates to be low-income elderly residents of Orleans Parish who had no family who could take them in and nowhere else to go. However, by the following year, the building was still not at full capacity. The Department of Public Welfare, which had taken over management of the facility that year, determined the home should start taking in chronically ill persons in addition to those who were simply elderly or needy because the city had no public facility for the sick. Consequently, the Touro-Shakspeare Home, after operating only a couple of years, changed its admittance policies and requirements. Now residents could be non-disabled, dependent, older adults who sought the safety and security the institution could provide, chronically ill people of any age who needed temporary or convalescent care, or anyone needing long-term or terminal care. The only people not permitted were those suffering from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis or psychosis.21 The Orleans Parish residency requirements were also relaxed, which eventually led to nearly half of the residents in 1940 being from other states or countries. Taking in and caring for the chronically ill meant that costs to run the Touro-Shakspeare Home skyrocketed. The home operated on an allocation from the City of New Orleans' budget. To keep the facility running, the city's Department of Public Welfare sent requisitions to the Auditing Division, which would administer funds.23

In 1939, a few years after Touro-Shakspeare started caring for the chronically ill, the home, which housed 177 residents, required annual funding of $49,500.24. In previous years, the operating costs had been almost half this amount. This increase in operating expenses also reflected the need for more staff to administer more specialized care to ill patients, including physicians and nurses. The home continued in this manner for approximately another decade. Other facilities that provided care for those in need existed within New Orleans. But in keeping with traditions found throughout the United States, these facilities were privately funded and catered to those who could either afford the fees charged by these facilities, met the stricter admittance requirements, belonged to a particular gender or age group, or fell into some other specific category. In the 1938 New Orleans City Directory under "Homes and Asylums," 36 such institutions were listed. These included: the Baptist Mission Home, Bethany Protestant Home, Camp Nicholls LA Soldiers Home, Children's Home of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Colored Convalescent Home, Evangelical Lutheran Bethlehem Orphan Asylum, German Protestant Orphan Asylum, Home for Homeless



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Young Women, Jewish Children's Home, New Orleans Female Orphan Asylum, Protestant Home for Babies, St. Margaret's Daughters Home, Warrington Home for Boys, and Widows Faith Home. In a 1940 thesis, Tulane University student Yetty Streiffer Sear compared various institutions in New Orleans with Touro-Shakspeare and concluded that these private homes and asylums had much more rigorous admittance requirements. Sear implied that individuals who could afford or would like the option of living in a private facility chose to relocate to Touro-Shakspeare because of its relatively relaxed admission requirements. Sear stated, "A further investigation into the requirements for admission and the present population of the several private institutions for the aged, as well as the Home for Incurables, which is the only private institution for the care of the chronics, will give an idea why so many patients have accepted public care." Sear compared a total of nine institutions to Touro-Shakespeare, all of which were private homes for "white aged patients" except for the previously-mentioned Home for Incurables, a private institution for those with chronic illness, and found that:

“In six of the homes admissions are controlled by the Board, which makes a social investigation. In three of these institutions the applicants must be 'of good character' and present letters of reference. In the Little Sisters of the Poor Institutions, admitting is done by the Mother Superior. Four of the Homes require medical examinations. Of the eight Homes for the aged three have an age requirement of sixty years, one of sixty-five, the other four have no age requirements . . .Three of the Homes accept only ambulant patients, and definitely say that the applicant must be free of chronic and infectious diseases. Although the other private institutions report that all types of patients except those with infectious diseases are eligible, seldom are any but ambulant patients accepted . . . If they leave the institution they are not re-admitted . . . From this brief resume of admission policies of private institutions, caring for the aged and chronic sick, we see that all have more exacting stipulations in regard to admission than Touro Shakspeare Home."

Research of the Touro-Shakspeare Home does not reveal the facility's admittance policies toward New Orleans's African-American citizens. No contemporary or later accounts found by the researchers of this document directly address whether African-Americans were admitted into the facility or not. Newspaper articles from the 1930s describe that women and men resided in separate dormitory wings, but no mention of segregation by race exists. Since other public buildings erected during the time featured separate areas for blacks and whites, including Charity Hospital of New Orleans (1939), which segregated patients into "colored" and white waiting rooms, it stands to reason that the Touro-Shakspeare Home would have had different dormitories or at least segregated intake areas with its residents. But no mention of that exists. Also, 1940s admittance and medical forms for home residents do not include a single question asking for a person's race. Forms include lines to provide a resident's name, date of birth, sex, marital status, address, previous occupation, and church affiliation in addition to several other questions about medical history, residency status, "personality," and insurance, but a question regarding a person's race is noticeably absent. Given the state of black-white relations in New Orleans at that time, one may conclude that the only explanation for the lack of attention devoted to race within the Touro-Shakspeare home is because no African-American citizens were allowed to reside there until the 1960s after the passage of the Civil Rights Act effectively ended Jim Crow laws in the south. A further study comparing how African-American and white citizens cared for their elderly and sick family members in the Jim Crow south would improve the historical record. By the middle of the 20th century, the care of aged and chronically ill persons in the United States underwent significant changes. Starting in 1950, amendments made every other year to the federal Social Security Act of 1935 and other "old age" laws, and the enactment of new laws, substantially expanded the benefits and housing available to older citizens. For example, in 1954, Congress passed legislation that allowed for the development of public institutions for needy older adults and provided federal assistance to both public and private nursing home residents. These laws essentially created a new institution out of the Touro-Shakspeare Home by allowing it to officially shed its almshouse association and begin to serve as New Orleans's only public nursing home. As such, administrators adapted the home to meet 1953 federal regulations which set standards for nursing home facilities. Once Touro-Shakspeare met these standards, its services expanded,



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and the elderly and indigent who were eligible for old age or disability assistance could use their grants to help pay their board at the home. These changes proved to be advantageous because the money generated from the gambling tax instituted by former Mayor Joseph A. Shakspeare was gone by this time and the home received the final installation of money from Judah Touro's original endowment in 1952. The latter was used to make minor interior renovations such as a new heating system and updates to kitchen equipment.30 Instead of Touro’s and Shakspeare’s funds, an “amusement” tax levied on football games, horse races, and movies supported the home’s operation in addition to residents’ old age insurance and other federal payments.29 Interestingly, social work scholars at Tulane University thought way ahead of city administrators and the federal government concerning the elderly and chronically ill. According to Sear, back in 1931, well before the contractors ever broke ground on the Touro-Shakspeare Home, the facility's auxiliary and the New Orleans Council of Social Agencies succeeded in getting permission from the city to commission a study of the almshouse under the director of the Tulane School of Social Work. The study, which concluded in December of that year, recommended the Algiers facility not be built. The social work scholars thought "care for the aged should be provided along modern lines and plans, and not along the outwork and socially antiquated lines of institutional care." City officials ignored these findings and proceeded with plans for the almshouse anyway. However, the council persisted in its efforts to have the city construct a building that would "incur a larger initial expenditure for the building of the Home and have, thereby, an institution which would come nearer meeting the need of the chronically ill aged than to spend less and have as a result an institution lacking some of the essential features necessary for proper care." As such, the council held meetings with the city to come to some agreement about building a more modern facility. But, in the end, the city would not compromise, and the Touro-Shakspeare building was constructed in the traditional almshouse fashion. It would not undergo rehabilitation to improve the quality of service to its residents until nearly 30 years later. By the mid-1960s, the Touro-Shakspeare Home offered several services for the aged and ill beyond medical care, including social casework, recreational, and rehabilitation resources.31 To accommodate these expanded services, the Touro-Shakspeare Home began undergoing significant renovations to modernize the building. In 1965, one of the substantial changes included installing a new elevator which facilitated greater accessibility throughout the home for its elderly residents whose dormitory rooms were primarily on the second floor. These modernizations followed a 1963 investigation into the home by a grand jury which concluded that the home was in "considerable disrepair and sloppiness." The group reported that it saw "broken windows, floor tiles missing, cracks in the building and plumbing in disrepair at the Touro-Shakspeare Home" and recommended, "that immediate attention be given to the items listed above as the correction of these conditions is extremely important to elderly people." However, city officials defended the home asserting it was "in quite good condition" and that it was "clean and adequately staffed." At that time, the Touro-Shakspeare home employed 54 employees to care for 103 residents, and its resident capacity was 140. It is assumed the facility's reduction in capacity from approximately 300 residents in the 1930s was due to new building codes and more equipment needed to care for the chronically ill. About one year after the grand jury concluded the facility needed improvement, New Orleans officials at a city council meeting declared the Touro-Shakspeare home to be "well run." In 1967, following another investigation into the conditions at Touro-Shakspeare, a grand jury recommended the building undergo more renovations to make the third floor, which had "been closed because of a lack of fire escapes," more accessible and that administrators hire additional registered nurses. Two years later, the New Orleans City Planning Commission voted to request approximately $525,000 in federal funds to renovate the home further. However, the Times-Picayune did not specify what specific renovations the building required at that time. The following year, in 1970, the home was scheduled to undergo $1.3 million in renovations. By 1973, all upgrades, including the garage addition to the back of the building, were completed. Funding for these various alterations during the 1960s and 1970s was made possible, in part, by voters, who approved a bond measure in May 1968. Along with this source of finance, the home received matching funds from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the State of Louisiana, plus additional funds from the city32 The late 1960s and 1970s changes coincided with and were likely required by the federal government, which created legislation and licensure procedures starting in the 1970s to improve nursing homes.



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Criterion A: Social History and health/medicine The Touro-Shakspeare Home is locally significant under Criterion A in the area of social history and health/medicine as the only publicly-funded almshouse and nursing home in New Orleans during the period of significance (1933-1971). The facility provided a home for the city's aged and indigent and, later, served as a healthcare center for its elderly and chronically ill. The building bears witness to society's changing attitudes towards those in need and the government's changing strategies for funding their care. In that time, the Touro-Shakspeare Home has adapted to those changes by undergoing renovations. Yet despite its physical changes, the building has retained its primary spaces such as corridors and main assembly spaces, including its chapel and courtyard, which were considered the property’s most notable spaces. The Touro-Shakspeare Home's historical significance as an almshouse and a nursing home remain highly relevant to the city of New Orleans, and the property retains its original integrity of location, setting, and most prominently, association and feeling.

Developmental History/Additional historic context information The neighborhood of Algiers was established in 1719, and is the second-oldest neighborhood in what is now New Orleans after the Vieux Carré (French Quarter). It was first part of a large plantation, owned by Jean Baptiste le Moyne, and this land was used as a holding area for slaves before they were sold in the French Quarter. Algiers’ development as a town in its own right, separate from its plantation beginning, began around 1800.1 The Algiers area suffered a large fire in 1895. Algiers’ name is the French word for the north African country of Algeria, is derived from the parallel between France and Algeria, divided by the Mediterranean Sea, and the east and west banks of the Mississippi River.2

Algiers Point, a smaller part of the neighborhood immediately across from the French Quarter, is a Historic District on the National Register. The Touro-Shakspeare Home is located outside the historic neighborhood boundary, a few blocks to the west. Algiers was accessible mainly by ferry until the Crescent City Connection bridge was built in 1958. Algiers’ relative inaccessibility was one reason why some residents of the Touro-Shakspeare Home were apprehensive about moving from the second location to its present spot in 1933 and 1934. It proved not to be a large issue, as there was a bus line on the north side of the property that would have allowed visitors and residents alike to travel in the vicinity, and to the ferry to access the rest of the city. In 2009, under New Orleans' Mayor Nagin administration, local firm Jahncke & Burns Architects was contracted to design a restoration plan for the building.3 Soon after, in 2010, a contract was extended to include review and supervision of the construction phase of the project, but restoration was never completed and the city abandoned the project.4 Since its abandonment 15 years ago, the building has fallen into disrepair, but there is a lot of public interest in the property and massive potential for revitalization. A recent zoning docket (ZD077-19) in October 2019 from the New Orleans City Planning Commission describes a motion to re-zone the site to enable the building and site to be used as Judah Touro would have wanted – with modern-day equivalents being affordable residential units, age-restricted ("senior") residential units, or permanent supportive housing. On March 5, 2021, the city of New Orleans issued Invitation to Bid #1086 to spur developer interest in revitalization of the building and property. There is a great amount of community interest in revitalizing the Touro-Shakspeare Home and giving it new life. Local residents of the community of Algiers and the city of New Orleans are concerned that the building could be at risk for demolition by neglect if it is not saved in the near future. 1 “History of Algiers Point, New Orleans, Louisiana.” Algiers Historical Society. Accessed October 28, 2020. http://algiershistoricalsociety.org/algiers-history.html 2 Algiers Historical Society, “History of Algiers Point.” 3 Veneziano, “A Glimmer of Hope for Touro-Shakespeare Home.” 4 Ibid.



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9. Major Bibliographical Resources

Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.)

“Bastrop High School.” National Register of Historic Places Database, September 2002, accessed November 27, 2020. https://www.crt.state.la.us/dataprojectsVS/NRHP/PublicForms/ViewProperty/1212.

Brown, Shelley. FOX 8 Defenders: Some worry if not fully secured, Touro Shakspeare Home could be lost. Fox 8 News, May 10, 2019, accessed August 30, 2020. https://www.fox8live.com/2019/05/10/fox-defenders-some-worry-if-not-fully-secured-touro-shakspeare-home-could-be-lost/.

“C. E. Byrd High School.” National Register of Historic Places Database, March 1991, accessed

November 27, 2020. https://www.crt.state.la.us/dataprojectsVS/NRHP/PublicForms/ViewProperty/79.

Campanella, Richard. “A Gothic Castle in Bywater? Ill-Fated Almshouse Was Once a New Orleans

Landmark.” NOLA.com, August 10, 2016, accessed August 30, 2020. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/home_garden/article_37813116-fe43-5c41-8521-58df43777f85.html.

“History of Algiers Point, New Orleans, Louisiana.” Algiers Historical Society. Accessed October 28,

2020. http://algiershistoricalsociety.org/algiers-history.html. “Jacobean (1890-1940).” City of Urbana, 2016, accessed October 28, 2020.

https://urbanaillinois.us/residents/historic-urbana/100-most-significant-buildings/architectural-styles/jacobean.

“Jacobean Revival.” Society of Architectural Historians Archipedia. University of Virginia Press, 2020, accessed November 1, 2020. https://sah-archipedia.org/Styles/Jacobean-Revival

“National Register Database, Louisiana.” National Register of Historic Places Database, 2020. https://www.crt.state.la.us/dataprojectsVS/NRHP.

New Orleans Item (New Orleans, Louisiana), January 16, 1905: 7. “Ouachita Parish High School.” National Register of Historic Places Database, December 1980,

accessed November 27, 2020. https://www.crt.state.la.us/dataprojectsVS/NRHP/PublicForms/ViewProperty/620.

Paradis, Tom. “Neoclassical Revival.” Architectural Styles of America and Europe, March 15, 2012,

accessed October 28, 2020. https://architecturestyles.org/neoclassical/.

“Pecue House.” National Register of Historic Places Database, January 1994, accessed November 27, 2020. https://www.crt.state.la.us/dataprojectsVS/NRHP/PublicForms/ViewProperty/243.



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Sear, Yetty Streiffer. 1940. A study of the Touro Shakspeare Home as a facility for the aged and chronically ill in New Orleans.

“Slagle House.” National Register of Historic Places Database, December 1994, accessed November

27, 2020. https://www.crt.state.la.us/dataprojectsVS/NRHP/PublicForms/ViewProperty/624. Veneziano, Heather. “A Glimmer of Hope for Algiers' Touro Shakespeare Home.” Preservation

Resource Center of New Orleans, February 11, 2018, accessed August 30, 2020. https://prcno.org/glimmer-hope-algiers-touro-shakespeare-home/.

Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), March 10, 1929: 24.

Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), December 9, 1932: 6. Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), October 22, 1933: 6. Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), January 18, 1953: 138.

Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), April 28, 1968: 15. Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), September 20, 1973: 88.

Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), October 16, 1986: 10. Wagner, David. “Poor Relief and the Almshouse.” Social Welfare History Project. Virginia

Commonwealth University, April 17, 2017, accessed October 5, 2020. https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/issues/poor-relief-almshouse/.

“Women's Gymnasium, Northwestern State University.” National Register of Historic Places Database, May 1984, accessed November 27, 2020. https://www.crt.state.la.us/dataprojectsVS/NRHP/PublicForms/ViewProperty/475.

Zoning Docket 077/19, City Planning Commission Meeting, October 8, 2019, accessed October 24, 2020. City of New Orleans. https://cityofno.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=42&clip_id=3481&meta_id=467388

___________________________________________________________________________

Previous documentation on file (NPS):

____ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested ____ previously listed in the National Register ____ previously determined eligible by the National Register ____ designated a National Historic Landmark ____ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #____________ ____ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # __________ ____ recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey # ___________ Primary location of additional data:



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____ State Historic Preservation Office ____ Other State agency ____ Federal agency ____ Local government ____ University ____ Other Name of repository: _____________________________________ Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned): ________________ 10. Geographical Data

Acreage of Property: 7.7 acres (336,065 square feet)

Latitude/Longitude Coordinates Datum if other than WGS84:__________ (enter coordinates to 6 decimal places) 1. Latitude: 29.942629° Longitude: -90.027930° 2. Latitude: 29.943048° Longitude: -90.029047° 3. Latitude: 29.940398° Longitude: -90.029257° 4. Latitude: 29.940375° Longitude: -90.028102°

Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.)

The property is bounded by General Meyer Avenue on the north side, private properties on the east side, Lawrence St on the south side, and Berhman Park on the west side. The site has 409 feet of frontage along General Meyer Avenue. The property is trapezoidal in shape, with its depth varying between 951 feet along its western boundary and 806 feet along its eastern boundary, where its width is 382 feet (relative to its western boundary). Its legal boundary description is as follows:

1. PLANTATION PROP SQ 5(EXEMPT) 2. RR PT 9 OR A 409/382X951/806 3. 2621 GEN MEYER AVE 4. PT RR PT 9 382/411X2776/2991 5. MAGELLAN TO GEN DEGAULLE DR

Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.) These boundaries are the legal property lines for the Touro-Shakspeare Home, currently owned by the City of New Orleans. 11. Form Prepared By

name/title: Laurel M. Fay, Graduate Research Fellow and Krystal Cox (Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation) organization: Tulane University School of Architecture street & number: 4910 S. Saratoga St. city or town: New Orleans state: LA zip code: 70115 e-mail: [email protected]



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telephone: 203-253-2625 date: May 21, 2021 ___________________________________________________________________________

Additional Documentation

Submit the following items with the completed form:

Maps: A USGS map or equivalent (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.

Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources.

Key all photographs to this map.

Additional items: (Check with the SHPO, TPO, or FPO for any additional items.)

Photographs Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 3000x2000 at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer, photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and doesn’t need to be labeled on every photograph. Photo Log Name of Property: Touro-Shakspeare Home City or Vicinity: New Orleans County: Orleans Parish State: LA Name of Photographer: Laurel M. Fay Date of Photographs:

1-14: 9/22/2020 15-25, 29-30, 32, 34-35, 38, 41-47, 49-51, 57: 3/25/2021 26-28, 31, 33, 36-37, 39-40, 48, 52-56, 58: 3/11/2021

1 of 58: Camera facing southeast and showing view of front (north) façade. 2 of 58: Camera facing south and showing front entrance. 3 of 58: Camera facing south and showing wrought iron railing detail. 4 of 58: Camera facing south and showing cast stone masonry detail. 5 of 58: Camera facing southeast and showing north (front) and west elevations. 6 of 58: Camera facing east and showing center of west elevation. 7 of 58: Camera facing northeast and showing west elevation. 8 of 58: Camera facing east and showing garage addition on south elevation.



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9 of 58: Camera facing northwest and showing garage addition on south elevation. 10 of 58: Camera facing northwest and showing south elevation. 11 of 58: Camera facing west and showing left half of east elevation. 12 of 58: Camera facing west and showing the center of east elevation. 13 of 58: Camera facing west and showing the right half of east elevation. 14 of 58: Camera facing southeast and showing front entrance portico detail. 15 of 58: Camera facing south showing contributing shelter structure. 16 of 58: Camera facing south showing the first non-contributing shed in the rear of the property. 17 of 58: Camera facing east showing the second non-contributing shed in the rear of the property. 18 of 58: Camera facing south showing the right-hand stairwell addition with accessibility ramp. 19 of 58: Camera facing south showing the right-hand stairwell addition with accessibility ramp. 20 of 58: Camera facing south showing front entrance of Touro-Shakspeare Home head on. 21 of 58: Camera facing south in interior entrance lobby. 22 of 58: Camera facing north in interior entrance lobby. 23 of 58: Camera facing northwest in former office off of entrance lobby. 24 of 58: Camera facing northeast in former parlor off of entrance lobby. 25 of 58: Camera facing west in corridor that used to be an open staircase outside chapel doors. 26 of 58: Camera facing south inside nondenominational chapel. 27 of 58: Camera facing south showing altar inside chapel. 28 of 58: Camera facing southwest showing ceiling and molding details in chapel. 29 of 58: Camera facing southwest inside second-floor balcony space of chapel showing damage to window spaces where stained glass windows once were. 30 of 58: Camera facing south showing front elevator, one of two total elevators added during renovations in 1965. 31 of 58: Camera facing south showing entrance to eastern cloister garden. 32 of 58: Camera facing north showing pathway in western cloister garden. 33 of 58: Camera facing north showing the fountain, a contributing object, in the eastern cloister garden. 34 of 58: Camera facing north in center of western cloister garden.



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35 of 58: Camera facing south showing pathway under balcony in western cloister garden. 36 of 58: Camera facing south showing the fountain, a contributing object, in the western cloister garden. This is the second of two total fountains in both gardens. 37 of 58: Camera facing northeast showing western cloister garden. 38 of 58: Camera facing west into the boiler room, behind the chapel. 39 of 58: Camera facing south in former kitchen. 40 of 58: Camera facing west in former kitchen. 41 of 58: Camera facing west towards exit doors in space that used to be the refectory. 42 of 58: Camera facing northwest in a space that was formerly dormitory rooms. 43 of 58: Camera facing west in eastern stairwell addition. 44 of 58: Camera facing east at top of staircase on second floor in eastern stairwell addition. 45 of 58: Camera facing west at top of staircase in western stairwell addition. 46 of 58: Camera facing south in the eastern-side second-floor corridor. 47 of 58: Camera facing south in a second-floor dormitory room with closet and cubby additions which were added in 1965. 48 of 58: Camera facing southwest in another second-floor dormitory room. 49 of 58: Camera facing east in the second-story balcony area of chapel. 50 of 58: Camera facing south in a former dormitory room on the western-side second floor. 51 of 58: Camera facing northwest in second-floor former dormitory room. 52 of 58: Camera facing west towards the second-floor 1965 east-to-west hallway connector addition on top of the first-floor addition. 53 of 58: Camera facing southwest towards the staircase leading to the third floor. 54 of 58: Camera facing west on the third floor. 55 of 58: Camera facing southwest in one of the few rooms on the third floor. 56 of 58: Camera facing northeast in the same room on the third floor. 57 of 58: Camera facing west on the third floor, showing a portion of the roof. 58 of 58: Camera facing northwest on the third floor, showing a portion of the original terrazzo flooring.



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Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.). Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 100 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.

0 150 30075Feet

Site Boundary

Contributing Buildings/Structures Touro-Shakspeare HomeNew Orleans, LA

Site Plan and Photo Key

Non-contributing StructuresN

Contributing Objects

15

# Photo Number

Touro-Shakspeare HomeNew Orleans, LA

Site Plan and Photo KeyNational Register Nomination - 2021Laurel M. Fay

N

## #

## #

##

## #

## #

## #

## #

## #

Floor plans courtesy of Jahncke & Burns Architects, LLC.

N

1

18

3

2

4 5

6

78

9

10

11

1212

1213

1214

1219

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

2728

30

31

32


Photo Key - First FloorNational Register Nomination - 2021Laurel M. Fay

33

34

35

36

37

38

3940

41

42

43

NOTE: For photo #15 of the contributing shelter structure on General Meyer Avenue, please see the Site Plan.

17

16

15

N

29

4544

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

5657

Floor plans courtesy of Jahncke & Burns Architects, LLC.


Photo Key - Second and Third FloorsNational Register Nomination - 2021Laurel M. Fay

58

26

eardoin

Rectangle

27

eardoin

Rectangle

eardoin

Rectangle

national register of historic places registration form · 2021. 7. 15. · some were two over two,...

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