Like the Musee Conti Wax Museum and Gargoyles Clothing store, another business that was not quite iconic, but still evocative of a place and time in the French Quarter, has become luxury condos. The building at 618 Rampart Street, which previously housed Mama Rosa’s Slice of Italy, is now a four-condo development.

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Inside this three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit, there’s very little to remind one of the hole-in-the-wall pizzeria that once occupied the space. (The brick walls look the same, and that’s about it.) During its heyday in the 1980s, Mama Rosa’s was known for $5 pies and late-night delivery options that includes beer and cigarettes—it even garnered a mention in People magazine. By the early 2000s, the restaurant’s reputation had declined, and its upstairs launched a second life as a venue for live music, circuit parties, and raves.

 

Rampart Street’s development since then, which includes a new streetcar line, craft cocktail bars, and a revitalized Armstrong Park, has spurred the condo market. This modern development is very emblematic of the new Rampart Street. Its clean-lined, minimalist facade starkly contrasts the neighboring cast-iron balconies.

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The 2,160-square-foot condo’s interior is equally sleek, thanks to high ceilings, recessed and pendant lighting, and hurricane-resistant windows that offer skyline views. The townhome’s first floor is devoted to an open living area, dining area, and kitchen. On the second floor, find two bedrooms and a bathroom. The master bedroom suite sits on the third floor and features a balcony accessed by twin sets of glass doors.

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At $1,399,000, this condo is one of the spendier units in the development, where prices start at $925,000. Heads up to vendors: the ground floor commercial space is for lease.