New Basin Canal Lighthouse Re-Lit

After seven years of deconstruction, design, fund-raising, and almost exactly seven months of construction, the New Canal Lighthouse beacon has been re-lit on September 26th, 2012.  The lighting was originally scheduled to be on the anniversary of Katrina, but was postponed due to Hurricane Isaac, which the new lighthouse survived with relatively little damage, despite the site being flooded.  The light had been extinguished since the old lighthouse collapsed in a storm in 2005, after being knocked off its foundation by Hurricane Katrina.  That lighthouse had stood in its present location since 1890, pre-dating even the land around it.

Since the coast guard had stopped using the lighthouse shortly before its destruction, the rebuilding effort has been spearheaded by the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation.   Funding has been helped by significant donations from the community, as well as free windows and doors from Jeld-wen, the result of winning their public online voting contest in 2008.  While previous donations have been generous, more is needed to finish out the interior and grounds to open to the public.  Donations can be made at the LPBF website, here.

Links are below:

Video of the lighthouse during Hurricane Isaac at cnn.com

More historical information on the Lighthouse at LighthouseFriends.com

Action Report: Re-Lighting the Lighthouse at wwltv.com

Residents celebrate lighting of New Canal Lighthouse at Fox8live.com

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation's lighthouse events canceled at nola.com

More Information at the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation at saveourlake.org

More Stories on the Lighthouse on the HMS Architects Blog

More Information on the Lighthouse on the HMS website

Courtyard By Marriott, DFW Completed

The interior renovations at the Courtyard by Marriott, Dallas/Fort Worth, in Irving, Texas have been finished.  Steve Hoegger & Associates, the contractor, substantially completed the building in May, 2011, after 3 months of construction.   We'd like to congratulate them on completing the project, and wish them well in the future.

From the HMS website:

HMS assisted Texas developers with the implementation of a new innovative lobby design and food and beverage concept, in order to create an open and comfortable, yet convenient and engaging space for guests to relax in the midst of travel stress.  The design team customized floor patterns and furniture details at the owner’s request outside of the brand standards, yet keeping the same feeling of the overall prototype.  The Marriott lobby brand prototype underwent significant modifications to engage guests in the public space.  These changes include demolition of a significant amount of walls to open the space, demolition of a dated coffered ceiling, and implementing a new curved bar concept with Starbucks coffee, breakfast and dinner options as well as new technology including a touch screen detailing local information.  The millwork package also drastically changes, replacing the reception design with new “welcome pods” for a more personal interaction between staff and guests, a “grab and go” store area, a communal table, media pods, a boarding pass station, a business center, and a coffee bar.  Within the courtyard exterior space, HMS created custom trellis components over the first floor guestroom terraces which were complimented by a large outdoor dining, seating and fireplace public area.  The overall look of the renovation gives the guest a relaxing space to retreat outside of their guestroom.

More about the Courtyard by Marriott, Dallas/Fort Worth Renovations
More about HMS-designed hotels and other hospitality Projects

Courtyard By Marriott, Galleria Completed

The interior renovations at the Courtyard by Marriott, Galleria, in Metairie, Louisiana have been finished.   First Finish, Inc. substantially completed the building in August, 2012, after 3 months of construction.   We'd like to congratulate them on completing the project, and wish them well in the future.

From the HMS website:

HMS assisted local developers with the implementation of a new innovative lobby design and food and beverage concept, in order to create an open and comfortable, yet convenient and engaging space for guests to relax in the midst of travel stress.  The Marriott lobby brand prototype underwent significant modifications to engage guests in the public space.  These changes include demolition of a significant amount of walls to open the space, demolition of a dated coffered ceiling, and implementing a new curved bar concept with Starbucks coffee, breakfast and dinner options as well as new technology including a touch screen detailing local information.  The millwork package also drastically changes, replacing the reception design with new “welcome pods” for a more personal interaction between staff and guests, a “grab and go” store area, a communal table, media pods, a boarding pass station, a business center, and a coffee bar.

More about the Courtyard by Marriott, Galleria Renovations
More about HMS-designed hotels and other hospitality Projects

Courtyard By Marriott, Julia Street Completed

The interior renovations at the Courtyard by Marriott, Julia Street, in New Orleans, Louisiana have been finished. First Finish, Inc. substantially completed the building in August, 2012, after 3 months of construction.   We'd like to congratulate them on completing the project, and wish them well in the future.

From the HMS website:

HMS assisted local developers with the implementation of a new innovative lobby design and food and beverage concept, in order to create an open and comfortable, yet convenient and engaging space for guests to relax in the midst of travel stress.  The Marriott lobby brand prototype underwent significant modifications to engage guests in the public space.  The challenge was to create the same prototype look in an adaptive historic warehouse using color, millwork, and technology which infuse new energy to the spaces.  A new s-bar concept was introduced for breakfast, dinner, and Starbucks serving to engage guests and activate an otherwise unused space.  Multiple TV’s, a business center, boarding pass printing station, WIFI,  and touch screen “Go Board” round out the new technology providing more user interaction.  The design team successfully captured the new essence of the Marriott Transformations lobby, while respecting the existing interior architecture and historic New Orleans feel.

More about the Courtyard by Marriott, Julia Street Renovations
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LSU M&DA Wins AIA Gulf States Award

The Louisiana State University Music and Dramatic Arts building has been given an Honor Award by the Gulf States region of the American Institute of Architects.  According to the jury:  

The architect lovingly restored the existing building and made additions that did not detract or compete with the original structure. The proscenium theater, in particular, was restored to its original glory. The architect inserted new life safety systems unobtrusively, preserving the high spirits of this glorious Art Deco building.

HMS is honored by the building's selection.

From the HMS website:

Louisiana State University built the original Music & Dramatic Arts Facility in 1932. This large Italian Renaissance building is recognized in the State Register of Historic Places, but lacked the modern amenities necessary to properly support the college’s music and theater programs. In addition, the basic common areas were substandard in function and safety.
HMS managed the programming for the entire renovation. The performance spaces needed a significant overhaul, however the academic and support spaces were the largest challenge. The facility needed new classrooms, faculty offices, research rooms, libraries and storage. HMS Team had to first understand the department goals, changing curriculum and class scheduling.
The final design brought new clarity to the circulation and visual balance to a discordant series of prior additions and related buildings. Our solution restores and enhances the distinctive art deco elements of the original 400-seat proscenium theatre and main lobby
The new design overhauls an obsolete building infrastructure while working within the boundaries of a very restricted site and budget.

More about the award at the AIA website (see fourth slide)
More about the award-winning LSU Music and Dramatic Arts Building at the HMS Architects website
More about HMS-designed music schools and other performance Projects

JB Martin Middle School New Wing Completed

The new wing at JB Martin Middle School, in Paradis, Louisiana has been finished.   Devier Design Build substantially completed the building in May, 2012.   We'd like to congratulate them on completing the project, and wish them well in the future.

From the HMS website:

The JB Martin Middle School Wing provided the existing school with a 32 classroom addition.  The wing addition contained classroom spaces, art room, special education, computer lab, science lab, administrative space and support spaces.  HMS worked with the design team to produce a project that was finished on time and under budget.  The design utilized Saint Charles Parish School standards which focuses on providing a solid, long lasting, maintenance conscious building.

More about the JB Martin Middle School New Wing
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JB Martin Gymnasium Additions and Renovations Are Completed.

The Gymnasium renovations at JB Martin Middle School, in Paradis, Louisiana have been finished.   Devier Design Build substantially completed the building on October 24, 2011, after 9 months of construction.   The construction team overcame challenging and unknown existing conditions to complete the renovations without exceeding the budget. We'd like to congratulate them on completing the project, and wish them well in the future.

From the HMS website:

The renovated gymnasium at JB Martin Middle School was designed to provide enough seating and newly air-conditioned locker room space for the recently enlarged student body, as well as to provide a good first impression to their parents, long a shortcoming of the seemingly dark and cramped existing building. 

HMS used innovative and practical strategies to overcome a tight budget and an inconveniently-arranged existing metal building structure.

Small, careful additions added much needed storage and seating areas to the gym, while integrating with the framing of the existing building.

The low and dark lobby was impractical to physically enlarge, so instead the canopies outside the building were reworked to pull the perceived space of the lobby past the doors into a larger indoor/outdoor entry.

Throughout the building, light colors kept spaces feeling open and clean, while bold stripes of school colors kept the spirit and dynamism of the space present.

More about the JB Martin Middle School Gymnasium Renovations
More about HMS-designed Schools and other Educational Projects