By: John E. Settle Jr. • Editor • Focus SB News
Yes, I am very concerned with the selection of the next Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA).
No, I do not own a building in downtown Shreveport, and I never have.
And I have not had an office in downtown since 1996. But I do have a history with downtown Shreveport, and thus a stake in the future of the downtown area.
I came to Shreveport in January 1977, transferred as an Air Force Captain to Barksdale Air Force Base from Castle AFB in Atwater, California.
I started the practice of law in downtown Shreveport in the fall of that year in the old Louisiana Bank and Trust Building (LBT) on Market Street. Across the street from the LBT building was United Mercantile Bank on the corner of Texas Street and Market. Home Federal Savings and Loan was down a block on Market. (It is now Home Federal Bank and still in same location.)
I then moved to another firm in Mid-South Towers for a year and then opened my own law office in the Petroleum Tower. At that time, there were four banks on the corner of Texas Street and Edwards Street---LBT, First National, Commercial National and Pioner Bank. Travis Street featured Bank of the Mid South and the Bank of Commerce.
I was the first tenant in 610 Texas with my law office. This building is now owned by Southern University.
It had a restaurant and was filled with many tenants. The Robinson Film Center across the street had not been opened and there was no Rhino Coffee. But the newsstand Gilmore's was still open on Louisiana featuring its well-stocked adult magazine section in the very back. The Joe D. Waggoner Building was open and housed the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
When I arrived in 1977, Shreve Square was still vibrant with many restaurants and entertainment venues.
The casinos had not arrived, and the Texas Street sidewalks were still concrete, not the attractive bricks from the StreetScape project. Theos and Panos were still open and the Slattery Building, the Johnson Building and the Ricou-Brewster Building were still occupied with tenants along with the Petroleum Tower. Arkla Gas had a large number of employees at its Milam Street office.
I shopped at Jordan and Booth and Dee's Photo in downtown. I jogged from the downtown YMCA to the riverfront.
Things have changed drastically in downtown Shreveport.
The Petroleum Tower has long been shuttered due to asbestos. The Pioneer Bank building is occupied by Shreveport's Community Development. The red brick First National Building is all but empty. The Slattery Building and the Johnson Building have been closed completely for many years. The Ricou-Brewster Building has more vacancies than occupied offices. The SWEPCO building on Travis is only occupied by a handful of employees.
I could ramble on—it’s been a minute since 1977. But even after moving my office to Bossier City, I have visited downtown almost daily--driving to work, going to the courthouse while practicing law, attending meetings at Government Plaza, visiting Robinson Film Center, etc.
I still believe in downtown Shreveport, and I am concerned about its future vibrancy and attractiveness as the business hub of the city. The Caddo Courthouse and Government Plaza give relevance to downtown, which will be greatly enhanced upon the completion of the State Office Building on Fannin. But even with these buildings along with "new” federal courthouse and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals buildings on Fannin, downtown needs a boost, a real big boost.
Covid and the advent of remote work has resulted in large declines in office buildings nationwide, and Shreveport is no different. The many bank mergers have also resulted in the loss of large numbers of downtown employees as well as the consolidation of other businesses. Add to that, some like Arkla Gas have closed shops and relocated to other cities.
Now is not the time to bring in a "rookie" as the DDA Executive Director. By "rookie", I mean a person who does not have a track record in downtown development, which is a special job niche. This is not time to hire a learn on the fly person who has no credibility in downtown development much less real world experience.