KEY TAKEAWAYS: Five New Orleans center-hall homes built between 1848 and 1920 are on the market, with prices from $1.995 million to $8.5 million. The most expensive is 2423 Prytania St., a 7,995-square-foot Garden District mansion listed at $8.5 million. It has a pool, gardens and two 200-year -old live oaks. 2912 Prytania St., an 1848 villa on a rare triple lot, and 3435 Camp St. are under contingent contracts. 2236 Prytania St. is pending. Agents say buyers are drawn to the homes’ symmetry, high ceilings and historic craftsmanship.   Built for another era, New Orleans center-hall homes have proven timeless, continuing to attract buyers more than a century after many first took shape. Today, there are several center hall homes that have come on the market. The homes span more than 70 years of New Orleans residential architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries, from an 1848 Classical Revival villa in the Garden District to a 1920 center-hall residence on Prytania Street. The five properties range from roughly 4,200 to nearly 8,000 square feet, with asking prices starting just under $2 million and reaching $8.5 million. As of Oct. 19, the group includes 2423 Prytania St. at $8.5 million; 2912 Prytania St. at $5.695 million; 3435 Camp St. at $2.65 million; 1419 Nashville Ave. at $1,999,900; and 2236 Prytania St. at $1.995 million. The Prytania property at 2912 and the Camp Street home are under contingent contracts, while 2236 Prytania is pending. “There’s something about walking into a grand New Orleans center hall home that really makes an impression,” said Tracey Moore with Rêve Realtors and the listing agent on 2912 Prytania St. “The symmetry, the soaring ceilings, the beautiful architectural details, and the way the rooms flow from one to another create a sense of elegance that’s difficult to replicate in newer construction.” Center-hall homes are defined by a central hallway flanked by principal rooms, creating the balanced, symmetrical layouts associated with the style. Popular in 19th-century New Orleans, many also feature tall ceilings, broad porches or galleries, columns, and formal entertaining spaces that have been adapted over time for modern living. “These homes were designed for entertaining, but also for comfortable everyday living, and that still appeals to buyers today,” Moore said. “I think people are especially drawn to the craftsmanship and authenticity. You simply can’t recreate 175 years of history and character.” 2423 PRYTANIA St [see the SlideDeck] 2423 Prytania St. is an 1850s-era Garden District mansion listed at $8.5 million. With 6 bedrooms, 5½ bathrooms, and 7,995 square feet of living space, the home sits on a half-acre corner site and is surrounded by landscaped gardens, a raised front porch framed by Grecian columns, and a cast-iron fence. The center hall itself is a major architectural feature, extending 27 feet beneath 14-foot ceilings. “You walk into that wide entrance hall and immediately feel the elegance and warmth. Then you have the magnificent grounds, the pool, the entertaining spaces, and the gardens,” said Eleanor Farnsworth with Latter Blum | Compass and the listing agent on the property. Local philanthropist and art patron Sarah Dunbar and her late husband, Prescott N. Dunbar, owned the property since the 1970s and restored and modernized the historic Greek Revival residence. The house was originally built for grocer John Adams to show off his wealth. A circular spiral staircase sits just off the hall, which divides the primary reception spaces: a double parlor and dining room with original Italian marble pieces on one side, and a library, Chinese Room, and bedroom suite on the other. The primary suite includes an Art Deco marble bathroom, while the grounds include a swimming pool, cabana, veranda, and extensive gardens beneath two 200-year-old live oaks. The Dunbars used the residence extensively for entertaining, hosting gatherings that flowed from the interior rooms onto the grounds. 2912 PRYTANIA St [see the SlideDeck] 2912 Prytania St. is just a few blocks away and is an 1848 Classical Revival center-hall villa with 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and 7,950 square feet of living space on a rare triple lot in the Garden District. “The triple lot is a real rarity in the Garden District,” Moore said. “It’s a house that celebrates everything people love about New Orleans — beautiful architecture, gracious living, and bringing people together.” A broad covered gallery opens into a 45-foot center hall anchored by a mahogany staircase. The house features 14-foot ceilings, original pine floors, elaborate plaster moldings, ornate ceiling medallions, and marble mantels throughout its double parlors and formal dining room. The interiors were recently reimagined by designer Ware Porter, including one of the home’s more distinctive spaces: a billiard room and bar finished in deep British racing green with mahogany millwork and vintage lighting. The main floor also includes the primary suite, while the kitchen and family room lead toward covered galleries, gardens, and a pool. “What makes 2912 Prytania so special is that it has all the grandeur and architectural significance you would expect from an important Garden District home, but it also has an incredible sense of warmth and personality,” Moore said. “The scale of the house is impressive, particularly the 45-foot center hall and 14-foot ceilings, but the interiors designed by Ware Porter make it feel inviting rather than formal or intimidating.” The property is currently contingent, or active under contract, at $5.695 million. A contingent status means the seller has accepted an offer, but the sale remains subject to one or more conditions being satisfied, which could include financing, inspections, appraisal, or other contractual requirements. Depending on the terms of the listing, a seller may continue showing the property or consider backup offers while those conditions are being resolved.   3435 CAMP St [see the SlideDeck] 3435 Camp St. is a Greek Revival center hall dating to 1867, and the Uptown property sits beneath mature oaks on an oversized corner lot. The $2.65 million property includes five bedrooms, 5½ bathrooms, and 5,150 square feet of living space. Original hardwood floors, moldings, ceiling medallions, pocket doors, and antique chandeliers remain throughout the house, while a lead-glass front door opens into a foyer with custom-painted floors. The first floor includes a formal living room, dining room, solarium, library, den, and an updated kitchen with marble countertops, stainless-steel appliances, a bar, and its own gas fireplace. The home is unusual in offering primary-suite options on both the first and second floors. “Many center halls offer main-floor primary suites with high ceilings and easy access to living areas,” said listing agent Rachael Kansas of REMAX N.O. Properties. “We often see cozy extra bedrooms on the upper floor with angled ceilings that mimic the roofline. At 3435 Camp, we were lucky to have primary suite options on both floors.” Outside, the property includes formal gardens, several porches, a heated saltwater pool, outdoor shower, large turf yard, gated parking, and an English garden with a fountain. A separate apartment with a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom provides additional guest or rental space. Kansas said the symmetry and sense of arrival remain among the defining qualities of the style. “Classic center halls are highly sought after because of their stunning symmetrical façades,” she said. “They have such a presence from the street. The floorplans of these historic homes have changed over time with different owners and renovations, but one thing remains consistent — the grand hallway makes quite an impression upon entry.” Like 2912 Prytania, 3435 Camp is contingent, meaning an offer has been accepted but the transaction remains subject to contractual conditions before the sale can close.   1419 Nashville Ave. is a center-hall home built in 1906 and is priced at $1,999,900. The historic home includes 4 bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms, and 4,498 square feet of living space. Original heart-pine floors and pocket doors remain throughout the main level, where the floor plan moves from formal living and dining rooms into a den, private study with a wet bar, and an expansive kitchen with quartz countertops, a center island, and Viking appliances. All four bedrooms are on the second floor along with a dedicated office. The primary suite includes a sitting area, cedar-lined walk-in closet, marble shower, and soaking tub, while a third-floor bonus room can serve as a media room, gym, or additional living area. The property also includes a Spanish tile roof, gated off-street parking, and a heated in-ground swimming pool. 2236 Prytania St. is a 1920 center-hall residence on a large corner lot in the Garden District. The property is currently pending at $1.995 million. Pending represents a later stage of the transaction than contingent: the seller has accepted an offer, and the major contingencies have been satisfied or waived, leaving the property headed toward closing. The historic home has 4 bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms, and 4,239 square feet of living space. Oversized double front doors open from a broad porch into a central foyer flanked by two large parlors with 12-foot ceilings, original mantels, and pocket doors. Original hardwood flooring and intricate moldings run throughout the house, accompanied by a mix of antique chandeliers and contemporary lighting by New Orleans designer Julie Neill. A recently created office beneath the staircase features House of Hackney wallpaper, leaded-glass windows, custom French doors, and brass hardware. Upstairs are four bedrooms, including three with ensuite bathrooms, along with a large landing and laundry room. A finished staircase leads to an unfinished third-floor attic that could become additional living space. The backyard includes an air-conditioned accessory building that could function as an office, guest suite, or pool cabana, along with enough yard space for a future pool. ...read more read less