Press Release
December 10, 2014
Contact: Liz Swaine
(318) 222-7403
Major Announcement: New Retail & Residential Coming to Downtown Shreveport!
On Wednesday, December 10 at 11 am, the developer of the Lofts @ 624 (the old Sears building) will announce details about new retail stores and leasing opportunities in a project that has been called a ‘game changer’ for downtown Shreveport.
The three historic buildings that comprise the development are being completely rehabilitated into space for live, work and play. When all is said and done, more than 120,000 additional square feet of space in downtown will be back in use in the heart of the Central Business District and the West Edge arts and entertainment area. How big is this? “Huge,” says DDA executive director Liz Swaine.
Developer Roland von Kurnatwoski, a successful businessman from New Orleans, was enamored of the buildings the first time he ever saw them, even though the structures had been vacant for years and one was on the city of Shreveport’s demolition list. “These buildings are part of the story of Shreveport,” says von Kurnatowski, “and I didn’t want that story to be over. Now they can move into the next chapter.”
“It takes vision of this sort to see the potential in buildings that have been sitting untended for years” says the DDA’s Swaine.’The reason we called Roland when these buildings came available is that we felt he would have the desire and ability to do what needed to be done to achieve success. That faith was well placed!”
On Wednesday, von Kurnatowski and others on his development team will share details and future plans including a timeline for the finish of the buildings, opportunities to pre-lease and other news.
-End-
