Houma development projects take shape

Investments are nothing without positive results. For those interested in the venture of downtown development, many ideas have come and gone over the years and, except for a few key restaurants, bars available for select celebrations and parade days not a lot had been accomplished to make the area a destination for those interested in more than a weekend party opportunity.

That is changing. Increased construction has begun to transform empty pieces of real estate into genuine dining attractions, art galleries, professional offices, homes and a central location for commerce to relocate, as some already established businesses make the transition back to town from more scattered settings and new entrepreneurs go after their slice of the pie.

With the Main Street Program, a growing number of family-friendly attractions are being built and organized. They include the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum. Although the museum itself is on Park Avenue, it is linked to Main Street with the new Bayou Walk and the urban-designed Memorial Park area.

Downtown events on the calendar that have already become as traditionally expected along Main Street as 15 parades during Mardi Gras season, include the Live After Five concert series at Courthouse Square, Art After Dark expositions of artists and merchants, the Louisiana Main to Main commercial and cultural showcase and the Once Upon a Cajun Christmas Parade.

One of the most aggressive undertakings during the past 2? years has transformed a once popular department store into 20,000 square feet of combined commercial and upscale residential property on a section of Main Street that had been reduced to the point of only offering hints of having seen better days.

“It’s my retirement. My retirement is invested in the building,” offshore support executive, turned real estate developer Lori Davis said with a knowing glance and a chuckle about the money spent to renovate the newly opened 7887 Main.

Located on the bayou-side of Main Street at Roussell Street, the light brick 7887 Main, easily recognized by a corner sign extending from the structure with the common name and address displayed, would be remembered by hundreds of area residents beyond a certain age as the old Houma City Court Building, but before that, the Houma Bargain Store.

The Houma Bargain Store was the store we all grew up with,” Davis said. “It pretty much had everything. I can remember coming here as a child with my grandmother and she would shop for fabric. It’s always been a real special place to a lot of people. The memories are great.”

A large staircase, offset more toward the west end of the building than actual center, is remembered by many locals and was kept original to the structure. “We thought about changing it some, but no. This is the central point of the building. It is what people remember,” Davis said.

While the two-story structure was once open to a full interior view of various supplies and merchandise and, according to some memories, not as antiseptically organized as select modern big box retailers, it possessed a character in its architectural design that not only dates back to 1909, but with current renovations and updates for technology offers what Davis agreed is a rustic elegance.

“We found these [unevenly whitewashed] panels and decided to keep them as they were with all the little digs and chips and marks,” Davis said about subtle touches that cannot be reproduced in modern factories.

On the ground floor, sealed concrete floors, exposed brick walls and a worn decorative tin ceiling make no apology that this building has been used in the real world of commerce. No re-creations here other than added furnishings to compliment a lifestyle of hard work and reward along the bayou.

Key card passes are offered to business tenants and residents to access select areas of the building. But a walkthrough area links Main Street to the Bayou Walk and is open to the public. It features displayed architectural drawings of the building’s original floor plan and enlarged historic photographs of people, buildings and activities in downtown Houma.

“I think it would be great if somebody could come in and identify who some of these people are,” Davis said while looking over a giant print.

The building was constructed in three phases during its previous life as a retail business establishment. During renovation, contractors discovered some of the tell tale signs of additions, including a shift in the ceiling height as one walked through a brick-lined entrance. Wooden floors change from cypress to oak where a one-time mezzanine was open above the ground floor, but later sealed over to make storage space. And an interior wall painted with an exterior wall sign marks not only another line of structural addition, but identifies this building as being the Houma Bargain store. “We didn’t know about [the sign] until we got up here and found it,” Davis said.

Now part of first eastern-facing interior wall from Roussell Street, cleaning and sealing protects the giant Houma Bargain Store sign for those renting areas that contain their section of the instant, one of its kind wall art.

The Hayman family (owners of the Houma Bargain Store) donated the building to Terrebonne Parish in the early 1970s. When the Houma City Court moved to a new location at 8046 Main St., restaurateur Sammy Castalano indicated interest in purchasing the then empty structure at 7887 Main St. However, a sale was never made and the building went up for auction. Davis was able to step in and take on the opportunity.

“You get to a place in you life and you want to do something different,” Davis said about taking on the 7887 Main project. “You get to where you want to have another venture. Something I always wanted to do was renovate an old house. This is just a little bigger.”

Retail and office space is being designed in various configurations for the commercial foundation of 7887 Main. Davis wants to respond to a common request of people considering a downtown move and have a grocery store open in the structure’s corner space at Main and Roussell streets.

An already established business tenant is Matt Bolotte and his Bar Roussell. Not just another bar, Bolotte said his establishment is designed to be a lounge where people can come and conduct business as well as consume alcoholic beverages.

“We want downtown to thrive,” Bolotte said. “We have a large cross section of people that come in here. Ages range from 23 to 83. If it is a Monday or Tuesday night we get more local people who live in the downtown area. Thursday, Friday and Saturday is more of a destination when we get people from other markets.

“We get people who don’t want to be around riff raff,” Bolotte added. “They want to go out and have a great experience and be catered to. We don’t call ourselves a bar. We pride ourselves on being a cocktail lounge.”

“Because of the location and the historic value of the building we want to bring things into the building that are going to compliment the fact that we have Main Street access and Bayou Walk access,” Davis said. “We want to encourage commerce. We want to put it in a way that it would generate foot traffic. Many people have asked for a grocery store. Many people have asked for a coffee shop. We want to get those types of businesses in here.”

Upstairs, or by elevator lift, are six large, two-bedroom and two bath apartments. Floor plans are laid out in such a configuration that no two are alike by design or character. Some have select additions including a bonus room and private elevator.

Balconies and large functional windows offer views of Bayou Terrebonne and Main Street from where residents have a clear view of downtown activities and events. Open, loft-like ceilings feature large cypress beams original to the building, new appliances and secured interior entrances. Separate storage areas are among the attractions to the three tenants that have already decided to make this location their home. None of those tenants accepted an offer to comment on loft living in Houma.

“Each [residential] unit, [ranging in price from $1,440 to $1,800 per month], is an individual work of art,” Davis said. “They are all unique.”

Davis admitted that both commercial and residential space in 7887 Main is upscale for many people, but noted that it is designed more for professional career people and businesses looking for corporate rentals than families with children.

“What we are trying to do is market this to areas like Lafayette, Baton Rouge and New Orleans and get people interested in coming to visit Houma and see what we have to offer,” Bolotte said. “We are happy to be part of the resurgence of downtown and it is a wonderful experience being part of the community.”

“I think we have to first offer a safe and secure place to come,” Davis said. “People need to know when they come downtown they are not going to be bothered. Parking is another issue we have been working. They need lit and adequate public parking. From this we hope there will be more opportunity. You’re seeing an interest in downtown and people interested in making the investment.”

Downtown development has gained a surge of renewal in communities across the country. The children and grandchildren of those that moved to the suburbs in the 1950s and 1960s are making a return as they choose to live, work and play among areas in walking distance.

“I think our downtown development is alive and well,” Terrebonne Economic Development Authority CEO Steve Vassallo said as he prepared to attend a branding committee meeting Thursday, designed to select a theme for downtown Houma. “Here I think we need to develop a theme revolving around our water,” he said.

More than a nostalgic destination, 7887 Main has received historic tax credits and is on the U.S. Registry of Historic Places. It is also a draw to businesses that want to take advantage of what is seen as a trend of returning downtown with an uptown appeal attached.

Downtown development, according to Bolotte, Davis and Vassallo is more than a lot of talk that has taken place during the years. For them and other development insiders, it is an opportunity for economic and quality of life enhancement, with the invested time and work as well as money already offering indications of positive results.

Offshore support executive Lori Davis has expanded her career to become a downtown real estate developer as she opens the renovated, historic Houma Bargain Store as 7887 Main Street. MIKE NIXON