1773 Sere St., New Orleans: two years later

Since Miss July was busy all day and evening and there wasn't anything I had to do today that I couldn't put off till tomorrow, I decided to make a spontaneous day trip to New Orleans. In fact, I'm writing this from my table at lunch in the French Quarter. But my first stop in the Crescent City today was to a house that is special to me and some friends of mine, but which I'd wager no tourist ever sees.

The last time I was here was April Fool's Day weekend in 2007, just over two years ago, when I joined up with Athenae (and Mr. A.), Racy Mind, Spork Incident, dear Grandmére Mimi, scout prime, and others, all of whom I was meeting for the first time, to assist in some small way with the massive rebuilding process New Orleans then was (and still is) undergoing following Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing malfeasance of the Bush crime syndicate. So upon arriving in town today, I headed directly for 1773 Sere Street.

The last time I saw it, I was helping to gut it from the inside out (as part of a group organized by those horrible Communists, ACORN). Situated immediately beside the London Avenue Canal, the house was completely submerged when the canal overtopped the levee wall during the storm. I was profoundly moved by the experience, as I shared here, but I never knew the Rest of the Story. Until today.

1773 Sere St., New Orleans, and its Gutting Crew, March 31, 2007

I forgot my camera card that day, but Spork has some more pictures and memories of the house two years ago, as does Athenae. Please go look at them first before you see how it looks today ... when I remembered to bring my camera, my memory card, and extra batteries.

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For all pictures from this point forward, click on images for larger versions.

Today I went back to 1773 Sere for the first time since that day in '07. I can't even describe my feelings upon seeing the house as it is today. Here, let me show you:

Landscaped, painted, fully restored, and up for sale. But I didn't even know the whole story yet -- not until I met the owner of the house.

Bianca was heading out to her car when I approached and introduced myself. She explained that she and her husband, a local attorney, owned several properties in the area and were renovating them for resale. In fact, she had purchased this home from the people who owned it at the time we did the gutting work, and when they saw it after the renovation, they cried. It's that good.

Bianca delightedly explained that there was a contract on the house right now, a young family eager to make it their home. Then, to my surprise, she invited me to view the inside. Remembering how it looked the last time I saw it, I readily agreed, and we stepped through the door.

It was nothing short of spectacular. To go from moldy, rotten, well, everything to this was awe-inspiring. If you didn't know the story, you'd think it was just another modest three-bedroom house like so many others. But this one -- oh, this one does have a story.

This was my first sight upon entering. The wall to the right has been moved forward a couple of feet; it used to be basically flush with the doorway behind it. I vividly remember pulling out the walls and pipes in the old kitchen. And check out the new tile flooring! But, boy, does the kitchen look different now.

Did I mention that the kitchen looks different now? I wish there were pictures from before so you could see the difference. It's just breathtaking.


This is the Great Room or living room at the front of the house. The only things I really recognize from 2007 are the fireplace and the window (you can see the window and chimney in the 2007 pic above). I clearly remember ripping the sodden drywall out of this room -- walls and ceiling -- and taking it right down to the studs. Bianca said she and her husband essentially rebuilt the entire house -- and it shows.


Here's a look at the house (on the left) from a short distance up the street. The gray wall in the background is the levee wall at the London Avenue Canal, and the brown roof just visible above the wall on the right is the chapel at Dillard University, on the other side of the canal.


Bianca graciously allowed me to photograph her in front of the house. We may have taken the house apart, but she's the one who put it back together again so beautifully. This view of the house also shows the stonework around the front door, which Bianca said they pressure-washed and painstakingly restored to as good as new.

I've seen a lot of devastation still painfully evident as I've driven around New Orleans today; perhaps I will take some pictures to post here later. There still is a tremendous amount of work left to do and, indeed, it is not hyperbole to say that New Orleans never will be as it was before The Storm. But through the work and determination of people like Bianca, New Orleans is recovering, slowly but surely.

I rejoice to see that the work we did two years ago is turning into a pristine new home for a young family. And, after all, isn't that what "urban renewal" is all about?

UPDATE (10:28 pm 4/28/09): Too tired to put together a coherent post tonight, but tomorrow I will post some pics that I took in Chalmette, in St. Bernard Parish, one of the hardest-hit areas. It's difficult to absorb ...

I'll also describe what I saw as I drove eastward along the Mississippi Gulf Coast this evening, viewing the damage that's still visible all the way to Biloxi. (No pictures, unfortunately, as it was too late in the day to get decent shots ...) So, kindly stay tuned tomorrow. Thanks.

UPDATE (11:51 am 5/4/09): Whoa. I totally forgot to post the pictures from Chalmette and environs. Sorry. Will get to it ASAP, hopefully today or tonight.