Such construction proved to be inappropriate for the humid climate of New Orleans (with significant deterioration already apparent by 1745),[3] in addition to being a fire hazard.

Only the slightly arched window set in shallow moldings, the rusticated quoins at the corners and narrow central pedimented pavilion break the even rhythm of the fenestration.

The broad plain hipped roof, broken only by small low-set dormers contrasts well with the multi-windowed façade and completes the austere but not unpleasant, finely proportioned building.

Believed to have been salvaged from the original 1730s convent, a winding cypress staircase with cast iron handrail occupies part of the ground floor entry hall.

"This is the finest surviving example of French colonial public architecture in the country", states the National Park Service.

An old ground plan shows a chapel at the corner of Ursulines and Decatur Streets, dedicated to Our Lady of Victory.

Despite great interior alterations and decay, the Convent is considered one of the most important historical and religious landmarks in the United States and is one of the few remaining physical links with the French colonial period in Louisiana.