Guy Williams and Dieter Hugel opened Gulf Coast Bank in 1990. Today, with 20 branches in Louisiana, it’s the largest locally owned community bank in the state. Reaching out of Louisiana, the bank also has a branch in Miramar Beach, Florida, and two new branches opening soon (another in Miramar Beach, and one in Orange Beach, Alabama).
“We’re the only bank headquartered in New Orleans that has an international department in New Orleans,” said Williams. “So, anyone who wants to do international business in Central and South America will work with someone locally in New Orleans. We also have a mortgage officer and a full-service wealth management department.”
Gulf Coast Bank’s newest branch opened in March in the Elmwood Shopping Center in Harahan.
“If you look at our branch footprint, this location fills a gap,” Williams said. “We’ve had a temporary branch in Elmwood for about two years, so we knew it would be a good permanent location. We were also able to piggyback on Lauricella Land Company’s redevelopment of Elmwood Shopping Center. There’s a lot of demand for services there, so that’s another reason the location makes sense for us.”
In 2023, Gulf Coast Bank hired EskewDumezRipple to design the new branch. Mike Johnson, an associate at the firm, served as project architect and project manager; Shawn Preau served as the principal in charge; Andie Ottenweller helped with various design phases; and Andy Redmon served as contract administration during the construction phase.
“EskewDumezRipple has designed many Gulf Coast Bank branches in the past, and we have a great working relationship with the Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company,” Johnson said. “Our involvement began at the earliest stages of the project, including programming, space planning and concept development. We then led the project through all phases of design, provided full architectural and interior design services, and oversaw contract administration during construction.”
EskewDumezRipple, an architectural firm with offices in New Orleans, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C., designs contemporary buildings that prioritize both occupant experience and exceptional performance.
“Gulf Coast Bank Elmwood exemplifies this approach, with a design that maximizes natural daylight—promoting health and well-being for those inside,” Johnson says. “Significant daylighting also reduces the reliance on electrical lighting, in turn lowering energy bills.”
Large roof overhangs also cantilever outward to shade the building’s metal and glass façade, thereby reducing direct solar heat gain.
“This passive design strategy is especially important in our hot, humid climate, where minimizing unwanted heat intrusion enhances energy efficiency and reduces the load on the HVAC system,” Johnson noted.
Gulf Coast Bank also wanted this branch to be able to operate independently from the grid in the event of post-hurricane power outages.
“This resilience is achieved through a combination of high-performance building systems, including a geothermal HVAC system, solar panels, battery storage and smart electrical panels,” said Johnson.
If this approach works the way that Williams hopes, he plans to install similar technology at the other existing branch locations.
Meanwhile, the extensive use of wood throughout the interior and exterior of the building introduces a warm, natural aesthetic, while at the same time offering environmental benefits.
“As a renewable material with low embodied carbon, wood serves as a sustainable alternative to more carbon-intensive materials like concrete and steel,” Johnson says. “Continuous wood panels flow seamlessly from the ceiling to the exterior soffits, visually connecting the interior and exterior, and reinforcing a biophilic design approach.”
The Elmwood branch also reimagines traditional space planning with an innovative, open-concept layout that invites customers to move freely throughout the interior—all while seamlessly integrating robust security systems.
Within the bank, there is an open lobby with a main teller station, plus a secondary teller station that also acts as a front desk. A waiting area adjoins the lobby; six offices run along the edges of the elliptical floor plan; flexible open office space occupies the north end of the building; and there is a safe deposit room and an employee kitchen.
For the interior design, brand colors of teal and orange are woven throughout. For example, the core elliptical wall is painted in teal, while orange chairs dot the lobby. The carpet also imbues a similar color to the Gulf Coast Bank teal while the wood ceiling features red and orange overtones.
On the exterior, lush landscaping surrounds the building to create a green oasis within an otherwise expansive concrete parking environment.
“This oasis concept helped inspire the building’s elliptical, omnidirectional form,” Johnson said. “The shape also nods to the circular drive-up restaurants of the 1960s and ’70s — an era that defined Elmwood’s development. The design offers a contemporary reinterpretation of those retro, car-centric structures, acknowledging the area’s continued reliance on car culture. Fittingly, the bank includes a drive-through, seamlessly integrating modern function with nostalgic form.”
Overall, the Gulf Coast Bank Elmwood branch features distinctive geometry and an innovative approach to design.
“It is the first building in our region to integrate this particular combination of innovative energy-efficient and resilient design strategies,” Johnson said. “While it differs significantly from other Gulf Coast Bank locations in form and execution, it aligns with the bank’s tradition of embracing unique, site-specific architecture. In that sense, its individuality becomes part of a larger pattern—each location reflecting its own identity while contributing to a diverse and forward-thinking portfolio.”
Gulf Coast Bank Elmwood
1208 Elmwood Park Blvd. // Elmwood // 841-6050
gulfbank.com/eastbank#elmwood
FB: @gulfcoastbank | IG: @gulfcoastbank
Quick Look
Number of Years in Operation: Opened for operation in March 2025
Style of Architecture: Contemporary
Square Footage: 4,900
Number of Employees: Seven
Persons in Charge: Heather Trosclair, Branch Manager
Architecture: EskewDumezRipple
Interior Décor: EskewDumezRipple
Initial Brand Development: Gulf Coast Bank
Art and furnishings: Gulf Coast Bank, EskewDumezRipple, OPA Signs, DKI Office Furniture
Security Systems: Secured Technologies
Bank Equipment: Die/Tech Bank Equipment
