US: Boutique hotel International House has acquired the 137-year-old Whitney National Bank building and the neighbouring Tulane-Newcomb Building, expanding in downtown New Orleans.
The Whitney National Bank building was designed in 1888 by Thomas Sully and features a historic safety deposit vault, glass cupola, and library.
The Tulane-Newcomb Building, built in 1902 by philanthropist Paul Tulane, is recognised for its ornate Beaux Arts terra cotta façade.
The two new buildings bookend the hotel.
International House owner Sean Cummings will collaborate with architects Brooks Graham and Williams Architects on the redesign, with plans to create “secret pathways and unique uses”.
Cummings said: “14 years in the making, this purchase creates perhaps the most impressive collection of architecture in the South, reaffirming International House’s reputation as a local institution, travel destination, and leading design voice in New Orleans.
“Our intention is to create unique uses… There are secret pathways that will conceal and reveal interesting spaces up, down, around and through these buildings, connecting our customers to a fantastic array of experiences and intriguing stories,” he added.
Full redevelopment details will be announced in autumn 2025.
Highlights:
- International House has acquired two landmark buildings in New Orleans.
- Properties include the 1888 Whitney National Bank and 1902 Tulane-Newcomb Building.
- Plans are underway to create secret pathways across the sites, with the redesign led by architects Brooks Graham and Williams Architects.
- Full redevelopment details to be announced in fall 2025.