2022 | New Construction + Renovation | 180,000 sq. ft.
Lower Garden District
Second Line Stages Expansion
The project, undertaken beginning in 2021, looked to leverage the film industry’s growth in New Orleans by tripling the size and capacity of Second Line Stages, located in the Lower Garden District Neighborhood of New Orleans. A constrained site for a world-class local film-studio, the project consisted of renovating an existing 100,000 square foot warehouse into a sound stage and mill shop, construction of a new 60,000 square foot facility containing four sound stages, and renovation of the first-floor of an existing building into offices. Total construction cost for all three projects was $33M.
Expansion of an existing Sound Stage across two city blocks
The entire multi-building project was tasked to be completed from start of design to the end of construction in only 17 months. Studio West, working with the Architect of Record, Atlas Collaborative, and design-builder, Palmisano, was responsible for ensuring the permitting process proceeded without any delays. This complex project required coordination with the City Planning Commission for a zoning change and design approval, New Orleans East Bank Levee District, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal, and a host of City agencies.
Fast-track construction delivery in a complex regulatory environment
An existing 100,000 square foot warehouse consisting of three independent structures was re-roofed as part of the project. Studio West served as the Architect of Record for the re-roof, which required a careful evaluation of each of the three building’s geometry and existing support structure. Working carefully with the roofer and manufacturer, a suitable roof assembly capable of withstanding hurricane force winds of 145 MPH was successfully retrofitted onto the existing building.
