For more than 60 years, Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans has maintained an almost mythical status as one of the nation’s great culinary landmarks. Every setting within the establishment honors a distinctive element of New Orleans’s traditions, history, and cultural influence. The 16,400 square foot wood and masonry-framed building was gutted and carefully restored to accommodate a different floor plan. The project called for renovating the first two floors for dining, private parties, three new kitchens, and a wine room/storage space with a capacity of 15,000+ bottles, and the third floor for the restaurant’s business offices.
Two elevators were installed, along with new plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems, and new plaster exterior and interior surfaces. Bathrooms were relocated, existing millwork restored, and a new grease trap was added. The construction team installed trellis millwork in the Trellis Dining Room, marble toilet partitions, custom wood door and frames, and custom wood windows to match the original of the building. A Slimpact curtain wall system was installed between the courtyard and Trellis Dining Room. Also added was a custom copper top bar and bluestone and cement tile in the Royal Dining Rooms. With new ownership and the completion of a 14-month renovation, Brennan’s now has a new lease on life.
The renovation of the Brennan’s building – which dates back to the 1800s – was a daunting challenge, but Landis did a fabulous job at bringing it back to life. When faced with extensive obstacles, including structural issues and our architect unexpectedly being called up to active military duty halfway through construction, their team consistently acted in a knowledgeable, professional, and timely manner, providing the necessary guidance to ensure we still made our opening deadline. We are so appreciative of Landis’s level of commitment, attention to detail, and direct, open and honest communication, all of which proved vital in accomplishing a project of this magnitude.
Charlee Williamson
Executive Vice President / Brennan Restaurant Group