The Peoples Health New Orleans Jazz Market was featured on the cover of the March-April issue of Retrofit Magazine! The issue features a great article by Retrofit staff writer Christina Koch that describes many of the challenges faced and overcome over the course of the project. As a firm with strong New Orleans roots, we at KWA are very proud of our role in making the Jazz Market a reality.
Built around 1850 on what is now Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans, the building that currently houses the Jazz Market was originally a food market. The building went through several lackluster renovations before sitting dormant for a number of years. Under the leadership of local jazz musician and community leader Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, the building was acquired and the rehabilitation process begun. In conjunction with historic redevelopment experts Redmellon Restoration and Development, Kronberg Wall navigated a dense field of obstacles along the way, some typical of working with 150 year old buildings, others more connected to modern building and zoning codes. The end result successfully met the dual goals of creating a performance venue with superior acoustics and establishing a neighborhood engagement hub for members of the local community.