Belfort Mansion
Belfort Mansion Information:
The 7,000 square foot, two-story Greek revival Mansion was built in the late 19th century and is located in the Garden District of New Orleans.
"This Southern Colonial Revival mansion was built between 1867 and 1873 as a one-and-a-half story home for Alexander Charles "A.C." Hutchinson and his wife Josephine Thomas Hutchinson. A.C. was a railroad executive from New York who married Josephine, an heiress from Algiers, Louisiana, just after the Civil War. Josephine was a great lover of gardens and flowers and by 1893, had purchased all adjacent lots fronting St. Charles Ave., between Third and Fourth Streets for abundant gardens with a greenhouse and stable in the rear. In 1903, the house was bequeathed to Joseph P. Blair and by 1909 had been raised to a two-and-a-half story home and redesigned in the Southern Colonia Revival Style with the massive columns and other elements added. In 1917, the house was sold to developers who sold off the gardens as lots and converted the house into a multifamily, known as The Belfort, from 1917-1995. In 1995 the home was purchased, and over several years, restored to a beautiful single family home with lush gardens." (Garden District Association)
In 1995, Jim Perrier and James Ashbee purchased the property from the estate of Edward Bilgrad. When the show's producers discovered the Mansion, it had been gutted to the studs and was in the process of being returned to a single family home. New Orleans based co-designers Monroe Kelly (Art Director) and Lee Ledbetter (Architect) were responsible for restoring the Mansion's original plan, and in doing so, converting the Mansion (interior and exterior) into a comfortable living environment and a functional production set.
After the filming of the series ended in May 2000, the Mansion sat in various stages of construction for nearly four and a half years while the owners completed the renovations to return the Mansion to a single family home. Upon completion of the extensive renovations, the property was rebranded from the "Belfort Mansion" to "Hutchinson House". In August 2005, the Belfort Mansion survived Hurricane Katrina as St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District escaped the massive flooding and suffered primarily from wind damage.
In November 2021, The Uptowner located at 438 Henry Clay Avenue, was used to film The Real World Homecoming: New Orleans.
Belfort Mansion Visit, September 2022
Driveway, Front, Front Door, Front Gate, Front Northeast Side, Front Southwest Side, Front Yard, Northeast Porch/Courtyard, Sidewalk, Southwest Porch
Belfort Mansion Visit, March 2004
Driveway, Front, Front Door, Front Gate, Front Northeast Side, Front Southwest Side, Front Yard, Rear Section, Northeast Porch/Courtyard, Scheinuk Florist, Southwest Porch
Post-Filming Pictures
Front, Front Door, Northeast Porch/Courtyard, Southwest Porch
Exterior
Driveway, Front, Front Door, Northeast Porch/Courtyard, Southwest Porch
1st Floor
Billiard Room, Confessional Room, Control Room, Hallway, Kitchen, Office, Living Room
2nd Floor
Bathroom, Hallway, Mardi Gras Bedroom, Music Bedroom, Stairs, Voo Doo Bedroom
Taping Dates
January - May 23, 2000
Photo Credit: Unknown
Updated - November 24, 2022