Children’s Hospital New Orleans dedicates newly restored Hales Cottage in honor of Nancy and Dr. Stephen Hales

The cottage, believed to be one of the oldest residential structures in Uptown New Orleans, was restored on the hospital’s State Street Campus thanks to a gift from the Hales family.

NEW ORLEANS –This summer, Children’s Hospital New Orleans unveiled the historic restoration of the Hales Cottage and dedicated the space in honor of longstanding board member Dr. Stephen Hales, and his wife, Nancy. For more than four decades, the Hales’ have been generous supporters of the community, and of Children’s Hospital. They also chose to give back through a generous gift that helped support the restoration of the cottage, located on Children’s State Street campus.

“The investments Children’s Hospital is making to its main campus stretch far beyond improving clinical care,” says Dr. Stephen Hales. “Children’s philosophy of care is one that is focused on the whole family to create an innovative environment of healing, and Nancy and I are so very proud to support that vision through restoration of the cottage.”

The cottage restoration, which began in October 2019, was made possible thanks to many project partners, including Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, Davie Shoring, Matthews Construction, and the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans. The cottage, portions of which date to the late 1700s, now serves as a coffee shop and beautiful place of respite for Children’s Hospital’s patients, families, team members and the community to enjoy.

"Children's Hospital's renovation of Hales Cottage is a perfect example of how to save a historic structure and adapt it for modern use while remaining thoughtful and sensitive to the historic fabric of the building," said Danielle Del Sol, executive director of the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans. "Dr. Hales and the talented team at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple carefully researched every aspect of this building, including receiving historical guidance from the Tulane University School of Architecture's Preservation Studies Program, which led to a stunning renovation. As part of the former U.S. Marine Hospital site and one of the oldest buildings in Uptown New Orleans, Hales Cottage shines as an example of the best practices in historic preservation — a significant historic property restored with utmost care and intention, now to be used in a way that will enrich the community for generations to come."

Alongside the rebirth of this historic cottage, Children’s Hospital New Orleans also proudly announced the launch of the Hales Fund in support of the hospital’s Community Benefit Programs.

“Dr. Hales has served the greater New Orleans community as a beloved pediatrician for more than 40 years and has served on the Board of Trustees for Children’s Hospital since 1981,” says Children’s Hospital New Orleans President and CEO, John R. Nickens IV. “It is because of his leadership in the 1990s that Children’s Hospital first invested in Community Benefits Programs to best serve the needs of our community – a mission that continues today.”

Currently, Children’s Hospital New Orleans invests more than $15 million annually into its Community Benefits Programs to ensure the hospital can best meet the needs of the community with programs essential for the well-being of children and families. Some of these programs include the Audrey Hepburn CARE Center, The Parenting Center, Immunization Program and the recently developed ThriveKids Student Wellness Project. The program also provides financial support to important community partners such as the Miracle League and The 15 White Coats, which provides scholarships to minority students applying to medical school.

The Hales Fund for Community Benefit Programs will continue the legacy of service to the community and help ensure that all children, including the vulnerable and the underserved, have access to the care and services they need to thrive. When guests enjoy coffee at the Hales Cottage, they will have the opportunity to give in support of the Hales Fund at the register, in addition to larger scale fundraising for the fund which will be ongoing.

Additionally, Richard Campanella, award-winning professor, author, and geographer has written a historical monograph published by The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans in partnership with Children’s Hospital. The Cottage on Tchoupitoulas recounts the history, geography, architecture, and people of this fascinating site, from prehistoric times to its recent incorporation into the Children’s Hospital New Orleans campus. The book is available for purchase in the Hales Cottage, at Octavia Books, and at the Garden District Book Shop, which proceeds benefiting the Hales Fund.

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About Children’s Hospital New Orleans

Children’s Hospital is a 257-bed, non-profit academic pediatric medical center that offers comprehensive healthcare services, including over 40 pediatric specialties, delivered just for children. With more than 600 pediatric providers, Children’s offers a comprehensive array of pediatric healthcare services in Louisiana and the Gulf South. In addition to its main campus located in New Orleans, the hospital operates a network of specialty clinics across Louisiana, including in Covington, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Lafayette, and Bay St. Louis, MS. Children’s offers primary care services at 12 convenient locations and remotely via its Virtual Care for Kids program. Children’s is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, and East Jefferson General Hospital. Learn more at chnola.org