Toledano, Albert

Submitted by Mike Miller

Toledano, Albert, residence 2221 Esplanade avenue, New Orleans; was born at Reserve plantation, parish of St. John the Baptist, La., Sept. 27, 1858; son of Jules R. and Apolline (Boudousquié) Toledano, the former of whom was born in New Orleans, 1820, and the latter at Reserve plantation, parish of St. John the Baptist, 1832. A great-grandson of Manuel Toledano y Valenzuela, who was a son of Christobal Toledano of Cordova, Spain, and Antonia Valenzuela of Monte Mayor, Spain. Manuel Toledano y Valenzuela was born at Cordova, Spain, in 1763. He came to America and located at New Orleans in the latter part of the Galvez administration, and was later married to Marguerite Benoist, of New Orleans, Nov. 2, 1787. He was a Spanish officer and occupied many important positions under the Spanish domination, among others that of chief officer of the customs, department general, royal revenues of the Province of Louisiana. Albert Toledano was educated in private schools at New Orleans and later studied architecture in the office of the late James Freret, architect. After having completed his studies, he began the practice of his profession in 1883, and during the 10 years dating from that year to 1893 was a member of the architectural firm of Sully & Toledano. In the latter year he formed a new partnership, and during the 7-year period extending from 1893 to 1900 he was associated with Mr. F. Reusch, under the firm name of Toledano & Reusch. In the year 1900 the firm of Toledano & Wogan, architects, was formed, with Albert Toledano as the senior member, and under this name the business has continued to grow and expand from that then to the present. Mr. Toledano has designed many of the most splendid and impressive modern buildings that have been erected in New Orleans in recent years, as well as a number of similar structures in other cities. Among these substantial evidences of his professional ability that may be seen in New Orleans today may be mentioned the handsome structures of the Hotel Monteleone, the De Soto hotel, the Macheca building, the Werlein music house, the Lorrainne apartments, the Winter Garden (now conducted as the Hippodrome), the Union brewery, the New Orleans sanitarium (now the Presbyterian hospital), the Orleans Parish Medical Society building, and the beautiful Monteleone Memorial entrance to Citypark. Among the numerous palatial New Orleans residences that have been designed by Mr. Toledano should be noted those of Isidor Newman, W. T. Jay, Nicholas Burke, Henry P. Dart and Peter Fabacher. Mr. Toledano was also associate architect in designing the Pickwick club building and the magnificent new Grunewald hotel. Mr. Toledano is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and is affiliated with the following organizations: The Boston club, Louisiana Historical society, Athenee Lonisianais, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Louisiana Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. On Oct. 28, 1886, Mr. Toledano was married to Miss Anna Wogan, daughter of C. N. and Adeline Augustin Wogan of New Orleans.

Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 435-436. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.