Buying and adding onto New Orleans Properties? Construction barriers/restrictions?

[horn4life 3838]

My daughter and her husband are looking at buying in New Orleans and I have seen a few properties of interest, that were smaller footprints but with larger lots that have potential.  A lot of the houses they have been looking at were in areas that flooded in Katrina, but are nice remodels and I certainly see the appeal.  But I started to look more and more closes at areas that reminded me more of "South Congress/ Travis Heights" vibe that were high and dry.  I think the 1.5 multiplier on Square footage is a premium is probably worth  paying in the event of a worst case scenario in NO again.  

They qualify for $400K now and that's without her adding income to the pool yet, as she's graduating Pharmacy school, and they are going to be damn liquid for young kids in New Orleans this time next year if all goes as planned.  My thought is try to find a smaller house 1000-1200 non shotgun, and do an addition onto the back to give them new modern living space, and open up some walls to give the entire place an updated look. This house profile is not the norm, as most homes in NO fill a large portion of the lot and additions that are largely limited to vertical expansion. 

There is a shit ton of remodeling and new construction that ranges in in the $200+ sq foot new construction, but the areas I am looking at that are in the $300-350/sq ft on the smaller homes with lots that would allow for additions. So it would seem that an adding premium square footage at $300+ a square foot might net a large return on investment, or give my daughter and her husband their dream home in a better location than they have been looking.  The NOLA.gov website is fubar right now so I am having a hard time finding out information like impervious cover limitations, and other zoning restrictions.  The cost of what looks to be a pretty high end builder is $160/ sq ft, for two story construction and We would do nearly all the finish out ourselves so I am guessing $100-120/ sq ft. to get the place wired, plumbed and dried in.  

Anyone have any forums or other places beyond the shut down nola.gov website?  I'm just having a really difficult time finding any solid information on limitations and potential zoning concerns in the New Orleans area, in particular the Uptown are.

Thanks in advance