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Louisiana Capitol Park Lasalle and Galvez Parking Garages

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The architectural firm, Kessels Diboll Kessels (KDK), acquired by VergesRome, designed numerous multi-story parking structures in south Louisiana. Architect Tony Taffaro Sr., now part of the VergesRome team, brings extensive experience in designing parking structures that are not only safe, functional, and provide the needed parking capacity, but are also respectful of the architectural scale and style of the adjacent facilities.

The two parking structures at Louisiana Capitol Park provide nearly 4,000 parking spaces for workers and visitors to the State Capitol and other nearby government buildings. Both garages were designed to complement the Art Deco style of the State Capitol Building and the other adjacent State buildings.

The Galvez Garage contains 10,000 sf of Farmer’s Market and retail spaces on the first floor, and the first floor of the LaSalle Garage offers an 8,000 sf YMCA facility plus 2,000 sf of retail space, providing a mix of uses and activities for pedestrians.

400 Royal Street Courthouse Interiors

New Orleans, Louisiana

In 1997, Steven H. Rome was retained by the Governor’s Advisory Board and the Louisiana Supreme Court to assist in determining the most feasible location for Louisiana’s highest court to call home–after fifteen years of governmental indecision on the issue. Historical documents were accumulated to create a booklet that was presented to the legislative assembly as an impartial recommendation to keep the Supreme Court in New Orleans and return it to its former home and original splendor at the historic Beaux Arts courthouse at 400 Royal Street.

In 2004, under a separate Phase, VRA developed and implemented the Interiors, Furniture, and Furnishings Program for multiple End Users including Supreme Court of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, Law Library of Louisiana, Judicial Administrator’s Office, and Attorney General’s New Orleans office, all of which relocated to 400 Royal Street upon completion of the 200,000 SF, $32 Million renovation.

The Investment Group

Houma, Louisiana

This 1968 Mid-Century Modern classic underwent complete renovation to restore its original character and accommodate new executive offices for a global financial firm.

Returning to the original open plan that combines a concrete waffle ceiling slab, perimeter glass storefronts, skylights above a center court, and rear utility zone, the new design solves several compromises in the building’s image and function after three decades of use. Primary programmatic solutions such as repositioning the entrance to face the main street and locating the conference space at the center court to capitalize on the skylights help anchor the planning strategy. Demising office partitions that correlate with the waffle slab and create a 10-foot datum with solid panels extended with glass allow the ceiling to ‘float’ above.

The renovation earned an Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects Louisiana Chapter in 2005. The awards jury noted that the project is “simple and direct with a creative orientation in plan” that “carefully analyzed the existing structure and exploited all the elements found.”

First NBC Bank

New Orleans, Louisiana

VergesRome Architects is proud to have been selected to work with First NBC Bank, chartered in Louisiana in May 2006, to design its first branch offices in the greater New Orleans region. The new bank’s entry into post-Katrina New Orleans was a welcome boost to the community, due to the bank’s extensive local ownership and commitment to the rebuilding of the city. The first branch facility, completed in September 2008, is in the Elmwood area to serve Orleans and Jefferson Parishes.

Design for this state-of-the-art banking facility utilized the conversion of a former restaurant building. The interior columns and elegant floor pattern of matte and polished marble reflect the grand banking lobby of First NBC Bank’s headquarters in the New Orleans CBD. VRA worked with the bank’s team in designing a flagship branch to brand the First NBC image, with traditional New Orleans influences: the hipped roof and working shutters.

5th Circuit Court of Appeal

Jefferson Parish, Louisiana

VRA designed a 40,000SF courthouse located in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The three-story facility incorporates grade level parking with two floors above for judicial functions.

The facility contains two courtrooms, the Clerk of Court and administrative offices, and outdoor courtyard spaces. Individual suites accommodating each of ten judges, as well as conference rooms and dining room, are located on the third floor, with extensive glazing offering sweeping views of the Mississippi River and the New Orleans city skyline.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal Court House earned an AIA Committee on Architecture for Justice Design Award, as well as being featured in Retrospective of Courthouse Design, 1999-2001, published by the National Center for State Courts. The facility was also honored with a People’s Choice Award sponsored by a New Orleans weekly newspaper.

Baldone-Reina Dermatology Office Building

Covington, Louisiana

The design for this 6,000 square foot state-of-the-art dermatological medical office building with clinical spa facilities, located on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, adheres to strict design criteria established by the Lakeview Regional Medical Center Office Park.

Contrasting with the building’s gently pitched, shingled roof and transomed windows, the wraparound entry with fixed glazing and matching doors frames an open, light-filled reception/waiting area.

A stand of trees on the property, set back from the clinic building, is retained for privacy and the scenic view, while also serving as a buffer between clinic/parking and the residential area beyond.

VergesRome Architects designed custom casework to fulfill the operational requirements of the doctors, nurses, and staff, and selected the furnishings for the reception and waiting area.

Delgado Student Life Center

New Orleans, Louisiana

VRA has completed several projects for the Delgado Community College’s City Park campus. A notable project is the Student Life Center, completed in 2001 at a cost of $5 Million.

The two-story, 43,000 square foot facility centralized all student activities that had previously been scattered throughout the campus. A spacious Food Court occupies the first floor, and the second level contains meeting facilities, with rooms that can be adapted for various functions.

Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation Parking Garage

Jefferson, Louisiana

The 1,250-car parking garage, situated on the Main Campus of the Ochsner Medical Foundation, sits adjacent to the Hospital and Clinic, and is accessible from either Jefferson Highway or River Road. Kessels Diboll Kessels was the Prime Architect for this facility.

Over 25 years old, the garage still functions, as designed, as the primary parking facility for patients and staff of the Ochsner Hospital and Clinic. A column-free, state-of-the-art parking garage design, the Ochsner Parking Garage, pictured on this page, has truly stood the test of time.

Tulane University Parking Garage

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Tulane University Parking Garage, part of the Collins C. Diboll Complex on Tulane’s Uptown Campus, is an 820-car parking structure. Housed between the Reily Recreation Center and Aron Student Housing complex, the parking garage is a heavily used asset on a campus with restricted and limited street parking.

The exterior was designed to reflect the proportions and scale of the adjacent campus buildings, with its use of circular columns, split-faced concrete block, synthetic plaster, and wrought iron railings. Incorporated into the design was 15,000 square feet of first floor space, used for campus security and administrative offices, and a conference center.

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