A campus that consisted of the shuttered St. Rose de Lima Church and two brick-and-wood school buildings ruined by Hurricane Katrina is now a venue that supports New Orleans’s cultural arts and education sector.
The church is now home to the Southern Rep Theatre, an award-winning regional troupe. The larger of the remaining buildings is now the Waldorf School, a pre-K through 8th grade private school. The smaller building was repurposed as office space.
Retrofitting the church necessitated the construction of a building within a building to accommodate a new 120-seat theater box and other accoutrements. There were stringent requirements regarding plywood types and drywall layers. All penetrations had to be caulked. Creativity was needed to install ductwork and new sprinkler, plumbing, and electrical systems.
The project team also had to address extensive termite damage in the church, which was built in 1915. Where possible, the team preserved the buildings’ historical and architectural elements.
HONORABLE MENTION
BUILDING TEAM Ryan Gootee General Contractors (submitting firm, GC) Bayou Treme Center (owner/developer) METROstudio (lead designer) Linfield, Hunter & Junius (SE) APEX Engineering Corp. (MEP) DETAILS 78,000 sf Total cost $7.6 million Construction time July 2017 to June 2018 Delivery method Design-assist
Related Stories
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 25, 2019
The University of Chicago Harris School at the Keller Center
Project team goes all out for LEED Platinum and the Living Building Challenge.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 22, 2019
Let there be light: Union Station Great Hall
What’s the cure for a leaky skylight? Another skylight built above it, of course.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 21, 2019
Temporary quarters: Senate of Canada Building
Canada’s Senate gets an interim home in what was once the capital’s main train station.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 19, 2019
Springfield Technical Community College: Goodbye to 'the shuffle'
College unites student services under one roof.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 18, 2019
The Paint Factory: Not just a new coat of paint
An enlightened A/E firm is spurring redevelopment in an old industrial section of Little Rock.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 15, 2019
Back on track: Union Terminal renovation and restoration
Painstaking care went into restoring Cincinnati’s train terminal/museum complex.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 14, 2019
Museum at the Gateway Arch: Subterranean sensation
The project team used its creativity to overcome floods and other obstacles to construction.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 13, 2019
Zachry Engineering Education Complex: Rethinking engineering education
Texas A&M’s engineering school builds for future growth.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 12, 2019
Linode Headquarters: High-tech + historic
New headquarters mixes old and new to help this fast-growth company attract top talent.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 11, 2019
Woolworth Tower Residences: What a view!
The one-time tallest building in the world is now home to an exclusive residential clientele.
