George T. Bishop Building takes 2013 Louisiana Design Award

The American Institute of Architects has chosen 601 Spring St. as the recipient of their 2013 Louisiana Design Award. The building was purchased and renovated by Prevot Design Services APAC, which moved into the space in late December of 2012.

Prevot was commended in the award for their attention to detail, overall restoration, juxtaposition of new construction within a historic building, the use of color, exposing the ductwork and even the choice of furniture within the space.

Downtown architect and president of Prevot Design Services Mark Prevot along with his wife, Paula; partners Lori and Doug Arnold; and design team Ashley LaBauve, Ronnie Duvall, Caitlin Lamonthe and Sarah Delphin, worked to create a space that honors the historic value of the property while also bringing in modern elements.

The building is actually the George T. Bishop Building, named by Bishop himself in 1925, who remodeled it as a Graham car dealership. Over the years it was home to a number of automobile-related businesses, but sat vacant and unused until now.

Of particular challenge at the location was an already-existing concrete ramp that led to the roof. Rather than demolish the ramp, the Prevot team created new offices on it that allow tiered, stadium-seating views out west over each consecutive, lower rooftop.

To highlight their architecture and design business, the Prevot team creatively re-purposed other square footage of the property for an upscale look using modern material and finishes. Prevot Design Services is using about 4,000 square feet of the space for their offices.

The old, ornate lobby area of the building is now known as “601 Spring” and is available as an event venue, and more than 11,000 square feet in the back of the building is available for build out.

“We wanted a historic building for our main office, and became even more interested in preservation after learning how prevalent it is in south Louisiana,” Mark said. “This was the perfect structure and the right project. We’ve had great reception to the new look, and some of our clients are talking about having a wedding in the front and reception in the back. The style mixes up the old and new, the refined and ornate with rustic and raw.”

Mark added that the state tax credits program for historic renovations makes projects like this well worth it.

“It pays to do these sorts of projects here,” he said. “Not all states have it. ... The Downtown Development Authority has been very helpful in partnering with us and all the downtown merchants and building owners. When there was talk of canceling the tax credits program this year, the DDA was instrumental in rallying the troops and making sure representatives knew how important it was to the economy and marketplace downtown to keep these kinds of properties. Now they’re being preserved, put back into commerce and are creating a tax base.”

The renovated building is a sign of good things to come downtown, Liz Swaine, executive director for the DDA, said.

“The work that Mark and Prevot Design Services have done is gold standard,” she said. “They’ve set the bar so high.

“Several buildings downtown have been historically re-adapted that started out as something vastly different. These are open now as living spaces, offices, you name it, and they are examples of what you can do and how versatile historic properties are.

“What Prevot did with that parking ramp alone is just so clever and creative. I would have looked at that ramp and wondered how we were going to demolish 10 tons of concrete, but Mark and his team saw it and said, ‘Whoa, here’s an opportunity to have three offices with great views.’ They’ve taken the building as a whole and allowed it to retain that historic presence that makes it important, along with modern décor.”

Swaine said there are a number of other historic redos in the works all over downtown, including the Johnson building, which is being converted to executive apartments; the Sears building, which has been remediated and is being prepped now for commercial and retail  on the first floor; and other locations such as the Petroleum Tower, which is under initial contract for the Petroleum Lofts, a section of market-rate, sleek, modern, downtown apartments.

“The development is everywhere you look,” she said. “You want to know what a great rehab looks like? Look on the far east side at Ogilvie Hardware and 601 Spring; look central to Petroleum Lofts, the Johnson building and the Sears building; look west to the Central Arts Station and Shreveport Common. You see that kind of effort, and it’s remarkable.”

If you’d like to see the space at 601 Spring St., contact Prevot Design Services at 227-9244.

–Eric Lincoln