Poydras Hospitality Development
Central Business District
Client: Poydras Hospitality Development
Role: Executive Architect
Scope: New Construction and Renovation
Status: 2024
Size: 50,000 sq. ft.
Budget: $18,000,000
Collaborators: Synergy Consulting Engineers, Batture, Roland Woolworth & Associates, Spackman Mossop Michaels, Arch Builders, RNGD
A Hospitality Hub in the Heart of New Orleans
At Poydras Hospitality Development, Studio West integrated three existing hospitality institutions with two new concepts to create a unified destination that spans nearly half a city block. The design challenge was to seamlessly cohere the histories and functions of these distinct spaces, without diluting the character that made each space effective in the first place.
Existing venues were renovated and stitched together through a carefully phased construction process, which allowed the businesses to stay open throughout the 20-month construction period. The interior spaces were, particularly in historically significant properties, preserved so that each institution retained its distinct personality. A spatial approach toward hospitality and the guest experience connects all concepts.
One of the project’s most integral components was Copper Vine, located in a historic 140-year-old building that was once home to the iconic Maylie’s restaurant. This portion of the development involved not only restoring and expanding a cherished local eatery, but also transforming the historic property into a joint restaurant and inn, all without the benefit of a traditional hotel lobby.
As part of the development, Studio West appointed the well-known Vintage Rock Club nightclub with new, expanded, and playfully designed spaces.
New additions were constructed both atop and adjacent to the original buildings, expanding the footprint of the property and reimagining how it interacts with the surrounding city. A three-story new construction building wraps behind and above the existing historic structures, integrating the new inn, a third-floor rooftop restaurant, and administrative offices. These additions effectively doubled the usable square footage and allowed the property to evolve into a full-scale hospitality hub—while respecting and enhancing the architectural rhythm of the block.
