The Louisiana Landmarks Society has announced the 2026 winners for their Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation. According to a news release these awards honor projects completed in Orleans Parish in 2025 that “represent outstanding examples of the restoration and rehabilitation of historic buildings.”

Nineteen projects were selected as honorees, including the Historic New Orleans Collection rehabilitation of the former K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen building. Holy Cross School apartments and Richardson Memorial Hall at Tulane University have also been selected.

“From the Lower Ninth Ward to Uptown, these projects prove that preservation and progress go hand in hand,” said Sandra Stokes, Chair of the Preservation Awards Committee. “Holy Cross School, once facing total loss, now stands as a testament to new vision and what community advocacy can achieve.”

The Louisiana Landmarks Society 2026 Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation will be presented with a program and reception on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 5:30 -7:30 p.m. at Gallier Hall, 545 St. Charles Ave. The event is open to the general public. For ticket information visit https://www.louisianalandmarks.org/events.

The winners for 2026 are:

416 Chartres Street – The Historic New Orleans Collection
Team: The Historic New Orleans Collection, Trapolin-Peer Architects, Ryan Gootee General Contractors, Schrenk Engineering, Moses Engineers, Rick Fifield.

Originally constructed in 1834, 416 Chartres Street is a contributing building within the Vieux Carré Historic District. Most recently home to K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, the building had been heavily altered by decades of restaurant build-out, obscuring much of its historic fabric and limiting natural light. The rehabilitation transformed the structure into a fabrication and studio facility for The Historic New Orleans Collection, guided by a strategy of revealing historic masonry and restoring openness.

300 St. Charles Avenue
Team: Welty Architecture, Ryan Gootee General Contractors, Roth Law Firm

Completed in 1855, the historic Bank of Louisiana building is a four-story masonry landmark designed by Gallier, Turpin & Co. in the Italian Renaissance style. The recent restoration focused on preserving the building’s deteriorated exterior and selectively rehabilitating the previously vacant fourth floor. Extensive stucco repairs, conservation of cast-iron architectural details, and careful stabilization of the façade addressed conditions more severe than initially anticipated. Inside, original wood flooring was retained, intrusive drop ceilings were removed, and new systems were integrated for commercial use.