The Sazerac House, located on the edge of the French Quarter, is the home-place for the Sazerac Company to showcase their brands and New Orleans roots. The late 19th-century buildings house 3 floors of retail, exhibits, and micro-distillery. The upper floors will house an event space and the Sazerac Company offices.
The Italianate buildings last served as a department store for the prominent Katz family and have sat vacant for the past 30 years. Despite being neglected for so long they have maintained a significant amount of their historic character which contributed to their designation of a Landmarked Status by the National Park Service.
Trapolin-Peer sought to preserve the existing historic character of the building by highlighting the historic fabric throughout. By utilizing contemporary interventions where new elements are introduced, were able to make significant modifications and additions while adhering to the Secretary of interiors Standard for Rehabilitation.
The central space circulates around a three-story bottle display wall with a monumental stair. The stair railing incorporates subtle references to the Sazerac Brand and the stair treads are fabricated from the beams removed to create the three-story opening.