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The West Edge

fridayinla

By fridayinla
in Shreveport-Bossier City

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fridayinla Hamlet

fridayinla

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I thought it may be a good idea to start a thread about the West Edge. I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot more development-related events happening in this area in the next year - especially with the opening of the much anticipated Robinson Film Center [link]. To kick it off this morning, there's an article in the Times about a new art gallery co-op opening on Sunday. This is great news, right up my alley!

New West Edge gallery to open Sunday in downtown Shreveport

Also, a link to the new gallery's website:

http://www.westedgeartists.com/

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dimebag1980 Metropolis

dimebag1980

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Red River Blog Jam has a nice article about progress being made in the West Egde. It seems this district is really moving, with galleries, artist co-ops, and such opening all the time.

http://redriverblogjam.blogspot.com/

Also, here's the website to the West Edge Artists' Co-op, as linked in the above blog.

West Edge Artists' Co-op

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fridayinla Hamlet

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Hey, thanks for that blog link, Brian. What's happening at the Uneeda Building? The building is currently undergoing renovations.

EDIT: Also, I remember the Creswell Hotel building was going to be converted into condos with a "national" coffee house on the ground level. Did anything ever happend with that?

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dimebag1980 Metropolis

dimebag1980

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Hey, thanks for that blog link, Brian. What's happening at the Uneeda Building? The building is currently undergoing renovations.

EDIT: Also, I remember the Creswell Hotel building was going to be converted into condos with a "national" coffee house on the ground level. Did anything ever happend with that?

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fridayinla Hamlet

fridayinla

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Well, I commented on her blog about the possibility of Uneeda being remodeled by one of the companies currently filming movies here. The reason I say this is I've found photos online showing the building next door to it labeled as "Red Light District." So my thought is, that whole block will probably be a Red Light District... maybe for Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle? The same guy has those photos labeled that has also labeled the YMCA and Remington Suite buildings as "Amsterdam Hotel." Makes me wonder...
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dimebag1980 Metropolis

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My guess is the Uneeda Building renovations are from a private developer. I spent 4 years while in college working on major movie/tv sets as a stand-in and PA, there's no way a production company would spend the kinds of dollars to permanently renovate a building for a film shoot. When a production moves on location and needs to prep a room/bldg for a shoot, they'll bring in carpenters and set designers to build temporary walls and finishes that only the camera will see. (For example, you'll see what looks like a concrete wall in a shot, then you'll walk around the other side and it's actually particle board with a faux finish anchored down with wood legs and sandbags.) This way it's cheap and they can return the space to its original condition when finished. Otherwise they'll have to obtain building permits, and they're looking for a cheap alternative. It's also much cheaper to rent space in a soundstage and recreate a place than actually make permenant renovations to someone else's building.
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fridayinla Hamlet

fridayinla

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On my quick tour through the West Edge on Friday, I visited ArtSpace and the new Artist Co-Op. I struck up conversations with the directors of both galleries to find out about the neighborhood. The lady who runs ArtSpace moved back to Shreveport from NYC after being away most of her adult life. ArtSpace is very nice, and I was really impressed. I may even buy a piece of art from one of the artists I like. They the director for the Artist Co-op had some information about the Uneeda Bisquit Building down the block:

711_Milam.jpg

It's actually being renoveted into residential condos with some office space. A software company will be moving into the building.

The old Creswell Hotel building, where the Artist Co-op is located, is still undergoing some renovations in the upper level apartments. He also mentioned that Minicine is opening a new headquarters in that old row of vacant retail buildings near Municipal Auditorium on Texas Street (846 Texas Avenue). There's definitely a lot of activity happening around this neighborhood, but I asked him about local residents, and he said it was still very slim. Not that people weren't interested in living in downtown, but there really weren't affordable opportunities and an infrastructure, such as a grocery store and more restaurants, coffee shops (all the obvious things!! :) ) <-- Brian, you know what I'm thinking!

Old photo of 846 Texas Avenue

R001-033.JPG

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dimebag1980 Metropolis

dimebag1980

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On my quick tour through the West Edge on Friday, I visited ArtSpace and the new Artist Co-Op. I struck up conversations with the directors of both galleries to find out about the neighborhood. The lady who runs ArtSpace moved back to Shreveport from NYC after being away most of her adult life. ArtSpace is very nice, and I was really impressed. I may even buy a piece of art from one of the artists I like. They the director for the Artist Co-op had some information about the Uneeda Bisquit Building down the block:

711_Milam.jpg

It's actually being renoveted into residential condos with some office space. A software company will be moving into the building.

The old Creswell Hotel building, where the Artist Co-op is located, is still undergoing some renovations in the upper level apartments. He also mentioned that Minicine is opening a new headquarters in that old row of vacant retail buildings near Municipal Auditorium on Texas Street (846 Texas Avenue). There's definitely a lot of activity happening around this neighborhood, but I asked him about local residents, and he said it was still very slim. Not that people weren't interested in living in downtown, but there really weren't affordable opportunities and an infrastructure, such as a grocery store and more restaurants, coffee shops (all the obvious things!! :) ) <-- Brian, you know what I'm thinking!

Old photo of 846 Texas Avenue

R001-033.JPG

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fridayinla Hamlet

fridayinla

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Holy crap. I don't recall paying attention to the Artspace building before it was renovated, so I'm surprised to see this photo showing a fire. Wow.

And yes, I know what you're thinking!!! :D

Oh, and good to see you made it home, buddy. Did you ever get a chance to drive out Airline? I know you were running short on time as of Friday afternoon, but I hope you were able to.

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fridayinla Hamlet

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When I was in Shreveport over the holidays, I saw this building in downtown that was being renovated. It is located just north of the Uneeda Biscuit building on Milam Street near the new Artists Co-op. I emailed Little Realty and found out that it is being renovated into office/residential space. Little Realty will be moving into the bottom level with residences above. More good news for the West Edge!

218432680.jpg

218432688.jpg

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dimebag1980 Metropolis

dimebag1980

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When I was in Shreveport over the holidays, I saw this building in downtown that was being renovated. It is located just north of the Uneeda Biscuit building on Milam Street near the new Artists Co-op. I emailed Little Realty and found out that it is being renovated into office/residential space. Little Realty will be moving into the bottom level with residences above. More good news for the West Edge!

218432680.jpg

218432688.jpg

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