The Jackson Apartments

The Jackson transforms a long-vacant 2.3-acre former hospital complex in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District into a vibrant mixed-use residential community. The project combines adaptive reuse and historic restoration with contemporary new construction to create over 200 apartments, ground-floor retail, structured parking, and a wide range of resident amenities within a cohesive urban campus.

This site was the home of the former Sara Mayo Hospital, founded and run by women to provide free healthcare to underprivileged women and children. Because it was designed as an inward-facing institutional structure, extensive reconfiguration was required to support residential living. The design team restored and stabilized significant portions of the historic building while carefully preserving the character and scale of the original architecture. New interventions introduce transparency, natural light, and stronger connections to the surrounding neighborhood.

A new residential tower and parking structure expand the development while framing a central courtyard anchored by mature live oaks. A new penthouse addition and rooftop pool offers views of Downtown and the Mississippi River. Shared amenities and activated street edges create a connected residential environment that reestablishes the site as an active part of the city fabric. The Jackson demonstrates how adaptive reuse can revitalize a historically significant property while supporting the continued urban expansion.