Sacred Heart at St. Bernard gives a beloved historic Seventh Ward landmark new life. Within the church’s sanctuary, light, volume, and memory are preserved–reimagined as distinctive loft homes and shared spaces. Along St. Bernard Avenue, a new companion building reflects historic neighborhood architecture, shaped by community voices and local character. Together, old and new create mixed-income homes and a renewed presence that feels both familiar and forward-looking–where preservation, opportunity, and neighborhood pride meet.
Sacred Heart at St. Bernard
Project Details:
Client:
Columbia Residential
Location:
New Orleans, LA
Project Data:
- 53 units
- 1.3 acres
- 40.70 units per acre
Challenge
The Sacred Heart at St. Bernard site required a redevelopment approach that honored the historic church while responding to community priorities for high-quality, mixed-income housing. The project needed to adaptively reuse the sanctuary, introduce compatible new construction within the neighborhood’s historic context, and reflect extensive local input and expectations for reinvestment.
Solution
JHP designed a hybrid community that balances preservation with new development. The former sanctuary was adaptively reused as loft-style apartment homes with shared amenities, while a new building along St. Bernard Avenue was designed in a historically compatible architectural style. Together, the buildings deliver a range of mixed-income housing shaped through community engagement.
Impact
Sacred Heart at St. Bernard reactivates a prominent neighborhood corner by revitalizing the streetscape, expanding housing choice, and preserving a valued historic structure. The development supports long-term community stability through high-quality homes, reinforces neighborhood character, and demonstrates how adaptive reuse can serve as a catalyst for resident-informed reinvestment.
