Gator Dental Arts Modernizes Historic Building in Louisiana

When looking for a new home for their laboratory, a 100-year-old historic building was not on the top of the list for General Managers Jamie Bartley and Robert Ratliff. They knew historical properties came with their own set of challenges—like outdated electrical systems, rotting wood and specific historic district guidelines to name a few. “But we loved the location right in downtown Shreveport and, once we looked inside, we thought we could really make something unique and special,” says Bartley.

Built in the early 1900s, the building has housed many businesses over the years, including a mom-and-pop grocery, an iron foundry/pipe fabricating facility and, most recently, various company offices. It had also gone through many renovations and additions, but this one would be its biggest yet.

Working with an architect and general contractor, Bartley and Ratliff spent about seven months designing the layout and then completely...