Dorgenois Lofts saw the development of the Brewhouse and Silo buildings, which had been removed from the original Falstaff development effort in order to cut costs. Featuring some of the most interesting spaces and elements in the complex, including the iconic neon “weatherball” sign tower, the Falstaff project would not be a complete success until these buildings were also redeveloped.
In 2009, Renaissance Property Group obtained a LIHTC award and additional HOME funding from the City of New Orleans, but was unable to find an investor in the wake of the financial crisis. Finally, with the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, the stars aligned for Dorgenois Lofts. In October 2010, using a novel financing package of 1602 and TCAP funding, along with Federal and Louisiana Historic Tax Credit equity provided by CityScape Capital Group and Stonehenge Capital, respectively, the closing occurred and construction commenced.
By Mardi Gras 2012, RPG’s epic Falstaff campaign was concluded with the re-illumination of the neon Falstaff weatherball tower, to the delight of thousands of New Orleanians.