Race & Religious

Race & Religious is located along the riverfront of the Lower Garden District, between the Convention Center and Magazine Street. Offering 6,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor floor-space (4,000 indoor), Race & Religious is comprised of three structures on the property. Built in the 1830’s, a two-story Creole cottage facing Religious Street was purchased by owner Granville Semmes in 1977 in complete disrepair. He spent nearly thirty years gutting the property, restoring its original beauty and adding hand-picked antiques and layers of decor. Years later, Semmes became eager to acquire the neighboring corner property at 510 Race Street, which he eventually purchased in August of 2003. The addition was a three story Greek Revival Rowhouse accompanied by a dependency, a hallmark of the property. The labor of love required extensive renovations, including his decision to re-imagine the space by merging the separate homes together with a lush brick courtyard and swimming pool lit by the flicker of gas lamps. The unified space includes two commercially-equipped kitchens, working fireplaces, interior and exterior speakers, balconies overlooking the courtyard and downtown New Orleans.