NATCHEZ, Miss. –The Natchez Preservation Commission has approved alterations being done to three structures in the north Broadway Street area that moviemakers Tate Taylor and John Norris are developing as an entertainment district.
The commission on Wednesday also approved an addition to the restaurant at Dunleith, the antebellum mansion and estate that’s to reopen soon for overnight lodging, dining and events.
Structural changes in Natchez’ historic district are required to be reviewed and approved by the Preservation Commission to ensure they’re in accords with the city’s architectural standards.
The commission consented to the construction of a temporary deck at The Little Easy — the former Steampunk coffee bistro on High Street — that Norris and Taylor plan to reopen in February as a revamped eatery.
The nine-member commission also OKed minor alterations for Smoot’s Grocery, the bar and music venue on Broadway and High streets that the two developers reopened last year after being temporarily closed by a previous owner.
The largest Taylor-Norris development on Broadway is the renovation of the old train depot, which they’re planning to lease from the city and revive as the restaurant it once was. The commission on Wednesday approved exterior alterations drawn up for it.
For Dunleith’s restaurant –The Castle — that sits behind the main house on Homochitto Street, the Preservation Commission voted to allow the construction of a raised deck on the back of what used to be the estate’s stables. Co-owner Mike Blattner of Natchez said this will provide extra seating for the restaurant to be economically viable when it reopens. He told the commission that Dunleith was losing about $1 million a year before previous owner Mike Worley went bankrupt and was convicted of financial fraud.
Blattner and New Orleans hotelier Joe Jaeger bought Dunleith in 2019 and plan to soon reopen the 1856 mansion and its restaurant for overnight guests, diners and events. Jaeger heads the J Collection, a New Orleans-based company that operates 17 southern hotels and resorts that include the Maison Dupuy Hotel in New Orleans and nearby Nottoway Plantation.
They also plan to purchase the old city-owned Margaret Martin school, a state-designated historic landmark built 94 years ago as Natchez High School adjacent to the Dunleith estate. Negotiations are underway with city officials.
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