DDA shares insight on developer, Lofts at 624 project

With the unveiling of The Lofts at 624 estimated for July 2015, those seeking a metropolitan urban lifestyle will be able to live and shop in downtown Shreveport.

The former Sears and Lerner stores, along with the Zodiag Building in the 600 block of Texas Street have a new owner, New Orleans developer Roland von Kurnatowski. Also the owner of the famed Tipitina’s Club and the Tipitina’s Foundation, Kurnatowski is restoring the three buildings, and will re-open the Sears building with retail on the lower floors and market-rate apartments above them.

Liz Swaine, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, said projects of this type have been happening in downtowns all across the country, but that for Shreveport, it took someone from outside the city to see the potential of these buildings.

“Roland von Kurnatowski is a first mover, a developer willing to take a serious risk on an expensive project,” Swaine said. “It will be a game changer to downtown by providing the residential that people need and want, and a premier location for retail that our residential will soon demand.”

A vibrant downtown shopping experience is nothing new to downtown Shreveport. By the 1920s, the oil and construction boom had provided so much prosperity that new stores and buildings were built to provide shopping and entertainment for the growing population. The Sears building at 624 Texas St. was one of those attractions, constructed in 1923 and the home of Feibelman’s retail store, which opened in 1925. Feibelman’s offered many firsts, such as the first escalator and the first store credit card for its patrons. Feibelman’s was scooped up by Sears in 1930, and the mega retail chain provided the ultimate shopping experience of its day until moving to area malls in the 1960s. That memory of shopping downtown remains for many long-time Shreveport residents.

Location, history and architecture all played a role in selecting the buildings for this project, but it was the sheer size of the Sears building, 70,000 square feet including six floors and a basement, that made the project really doable.

“Most developers who are interested in residential in downtown Shreveport will consider only properties that are 60,000 square feet and larger,” Swaine said, “so that enough units can be built to create a return on investment ... but the location along the historic promenade of downtown-Texas Street in the West Edge Arts District and across from Robinson Film Center, just up the street from artspace, is just about the best in downtown.”

There is also enough going on architecturally in the building to attract tenants and shoppers who crave modern design with a historic vibe.

“Almost the entire façade is being brought back to life just as it was in 1925,” Swaine said. “The interior columns, steel beams, walls and rear stairwell are all original. I think the vibe is going to be distinctly Shreveport but with a thoroughly modern flavor.”

The historic architect, Rick Fifield, is also from New Orleans, but Kevin Bryan from Shreveport is playing a role in the project, as are Kurnatowski’s “team of worker bees,” as Swaine refers to them. “These are people who could build a bridge to the moon if you give them enough LEGOs.”

Swaine said the limited number of units should be a highly desirable space for millennials because of the size of the studios and one-bedroom units.

“These modern spaces are for people who haven’t accumulated a lifetime of clutter,” Swaine said, “and for those who want a fun and funky place to hang their hats and walk downstairs to live music or across the way for an art house film or festival.”

Swaine also pointed to interest from retirees who no longer want the hassles of a big house and yard, to dual income, no kids or young singles.

“What we need downtown is a variety of styles and sizes of housing to fit all needs.”

As for the retail offerings, Swaine said Kurnatowski is committed to getting the right mix of retail in his spaces that will add value to both downtown and his residential tenants, such as a popular local coffee shop, a sushi restaurant and a well-known New Orleans restaurant. In addition to shopping and dining, the basement of the Sears building will also be a live music venue so there will be a special synergy with Tipitina’s Co-op just across the street and the Tipitina’s music club in NOLA.

Swaine said the revitalization of these buildings for modern living demonstrates the potential for the future of downtown Shreveport.

“As recently as 10 years ago, the No.

2 building with the white tile front was on the city’s demolition list,” Swaine said. “The roof had caved in, the front façade was barely hanging on. The city was delaying pulling the plug on the building hoping that someone would step up and save it. It took a guy from out of town with no connection to Shreveport to realize what a treasure those buildings were – and are – and to come to their rescue.”

History aside, these are exhilaratingly modern spaces. “Only trendsetters need apply,” Swaine said. “Because you will be one of fewer than 60. Because you will be living in a fabulous building that simply reeks of history. You will discover things every day that will tell the story of Shreveport.”

– Susan Reeks