ARCHITECTURE EHLINGER & ASSOCIATES FIRST QUARTER 2012 actually divest Micaela of her fortune because attached to he felt the agreed upon dowry was too the build- small. She resisted his avariciousness ing con- strenuously over many years. She made tract with numerous attempts to obtain a legal Builder separation (a type of divorce) to no avail, Samuel as French law had a “Master and Head Stewart. of Household” status for the husbands But the Ba- at the time, to the detriment of the wives roness de as the husbands made all decisions with Pontalba no wifely input, even on the wife’s fired him, separate property.. and then Life became so acrimonious for hired Henry Micaela, especially with her father-in-law, Howard, the Baron, that in a fit of rage over her who execu- refusal to turn over her fortune to him ted the final on October 19, 1834, using a pair of plans and dueling pistols he shot her four times in took credit the chest at point blank range, with one Lower Pontalba Apartments, Jackson Square for the de- of the shots also passing through her The Lower Pontalba Apartments is sign in his autobiographical sketch, yet upraised hand. Her hand was the subject of this issue’s limited edition he too was fired by the Baroness, who permanently damaged and scarred. Later print of a sketch by Ladd P. Ehlinger. seems to have modified what Gallier and that day, the Baron turned his pistols on This building and its twin flank Jackson Howard did to her own preferences and himself and succeeded in committing Square in the heart of the Vieux Carre aesthetics. She was a very strong willed suicide. Micaela survived this attack (French Quarter) in New Orleans. The woman who put on men’s pantaloons to with a mutilated left breast and two Pontalba Buildings are named Upper and climb the ladders and scaffolds of the fingers of her left hand. She Lower with respect to the flow of the construction during the period 1849-1851. subsequently obtained her legal Mississippi that they frame along with Micaela Leonarda Antonia separation, and the title Baroness. the square. These buildings have an Almonester, Baroness de Pontalba, was She then commissioned the noted ambiance very similar to that of Place born November 6, 1795 in New Orleans French architect, Louis Visconti, to des Vosges in Paris (See E&A Newsletter and died April 20, 1874 in Paris. She was design her a mansion on the Rue du 3rd Qtr. 2001), and the Palais Royale, and the only surviving child of her Spanish Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris which the apartment of the main square in father, Andres Almonester y Rojas, and she used to entertain lavishly, hosting Madrid. The Pontalba Buildings frame when he died in 1798, inherited a many parties and balls. This mansion is the Cathedral and Jackson Square. considerable fortune as the sole heir. known today as the Hôtel de Pontalba They were originally row houses Andres Almonester was a city Councilman and serves as the official residence of over shops below with a common facade and very astute businessman who the U.S. Ambassador to France. of red brick with light colored stone acquired the properties flanking the Place In 1848, Micaela and two of her sons accents, and occupy the entire block d’Arms main square in front of the departed Paris for New Orleans because from the St. Louis Cathedral, Cabildo & cathedral, later renamed by the Baroness of the outbreak of the revolution. She Presbytere to the river. They have as Jackson Square. Micaela was only 2- immersed herself in her native city that porticos of cast iron, the delicately 1/2 years old when he died, so her mother she hadn’t seen in years, and observed designed details of which were done by controlled the estate until she was married that many of her properties had the Baroness de Pontalba herself. These to her French cousin, Xavier Célestin deteriorated to the point of disrepair, galleries began the vogue of cast iron Delfau de Pontalba, at age 15. Micaela especially those fronting on Place galleries in New Orleans. The style is an was then whisked off to France. d’Arms. She demolished them, and agglomeration of Greek Revival, Micaela’s husband was a weak, began the row house project. She Renaissance, and Micaela’s taste. effeminate man, yet she bore him five negotiated with the city and obtained a The design of the Pontalba children, three of whom survived into twenty year tax break, permission to Buildings is credited to James Gallier, Sr., adulthood. Her father-in-law, the Baron build the galleries over the sidewalks, whose preliminary drawings were de Pontalba continuously schemed to and converted Place d’Arms from a 2200 Houma Blvd., Metairie, LA 70001-1399 (504) 455-8911 • 3109 Ivy Ave. SW, Huntsville, AL 35805-4698 (256) 534-1900 © 2012 Ehlinger & Associates, P.C. Architects, A Professional Corporation military parade ground to a beautiful The new ADA now allows for an Liberty Learning Foundation garden, enclosed by a cast iron fence. entirely different set of dimensions when She supervised the construction from the facility or area in use is being used Ehlinger & horseback. The rest is history. Shortly primarily by children. Unfortunately, Associates is after their completion, she entertained some of these considerations are to be proud to be a sup- singer Jenny Lind in her row house there, implemented in addition to the standard porter of the Lib- and in 1851, left for Paris with her two accessibility requirements, but many can erty Learning sons, never to return. be considered substitutive. Foundation, a The Pontalba heirs in Paris let the For example, if a stairway is to be non-profit, non- property deteriorate, and sold the used primarily by children, then a second partisan educational group which focuses buildings to the state and the city in the set of handrails should be installed at a on teaching students the fundamentals 1930s. The row houses were then lower height, but the first set must also of being a citizen. converted into apartments, the entire be there, at standard adult height. Liberty Learning provides free edu- buildings renovated, and rented to the However, if a restroom is to be used cational materials to classrooms across public. primarily by children, then only one the country. It is geared towards educat- Micaela is the subject of Thea accessible toilet is required under the new ing and inspiring youth in the 3rd-5th Musgraves opera, Pontalba, a requirements, and it may be designed to grade range on the foundations of Ameri- Louisiana Legacy which is based upon age appropriate dimensions. can Civics and History, upon which the Dr. Christina Vella’s biography, Intimate Before the revisions, an adult sized three fundamental pillars of being a citi- Enemies: The Two Worlds of the accessible toilet was required, regardless zen are built: character, financial literacy, Baroness Pontalba. There have been of the inability of children to use it. This and career. many novels written about this was primarily a concern in smaller Character development focuses on extraordinary woman who persevered facilities, where no more than one toilet learning the nature of liberty and freedom, and endured when others would have would be required, except for the ADA how they empower us, and the personal failed. required toilet being unusable by younger and social responsibilities that they re- children due to its height; so to be “legal” quire of us as citizens. ADA 2010 Revisions and functional, a second toilet was added Financial literacy focuses on a ba- for actual use. sic understanding of financial manage- Recently, the American’s With For the most part, however, the ADA ment and responsibility, and how achiev- Disabilities Act (ADA) received an 2010 revisions are a welcome set of ing this helps empowers you as an indi- official update on its Design Guidelines. corrections to a litany of ill-planned, well- vidual and a citizen. For the most part, the revisions are well meaning regulations, and they are Choosing a career where one is pas- received in the design and construction revisions that should help ease unwanted sionate and devoted is an important part industry, as the revisions primarily deal litigation and wasteful officiating over of becoming an empowered citizen, and with clearing vagaries between specific minor and meaningless infractions. Liberty Learning’s goal in this respect is dimensions, and what constitute As with all things, there are to help bridge the gap between what is acceptable tolerances. exceptions to prove the rule, as with one learned in school, and how it is applied For example, prior to the revisions, costly and specious change in the ADA and affects their career choice and devel- an accessible toilet had to be located 18” that is now being termed opment path. from a wall, but there was no indication “Poolmageddon”. The requirements for I would like to personally encour- as to what an allowable tolerance was, so public pools and spas have been age our readers to get involved in this any variation, 1” or 1/16”, could be changed, requiring spas to be accessible, program. If you would like to find out unreasonably argued as a “violation”. and for pools over 300 feet in perimeter to more on how to donate or volunteer, The new version specifies a range of have two means of accessible entrance, please visit: www.libertylearning.org acceptability in such instances. The toilet instead of one. Facilities with public pools I know many of our readers are in- in the above example is now considered across the nation have been scrambling volved in the education system both di- within tolerance if between 16”-18”.