James Gallier designed the row house style Pontalba Buildings. Micaela who inherited a fortune commissioned the project, and her son Gaston is thought to have designed the notable ironwork around the balconies. This is a great example of architecture which was declared a national historic monument and is located around Jackson Square in New Orleans. There are 4 levels to the buildings, with the ground floor dedicated to shops and the upper to residential apartments. The 4th floor was the attic until converted to more apartments in 1993. Over the years the ground floor has been converted back and forth from residential and commercial; its been commercial since the 1970s.

The buildings have gone through several rebuilds and major renovations. Storms have damaged the buildings over the years along with the rest of New Orleans. The fire of 1788 destroyed much of the city and also these buildings. In 1993 massive renovations were started to upgrade the electric, plumbing, and HVAC. The original style and façade have maintained the original appearance since initial construction. The interior has only gone through minimal changes to keep the historic appearance.