Just opened in December 2024, Primary Workspace is the newest co-working space to open on the Westbank and expectations are high.
A unique coworking venture, Primary Workspace was created through a public/private partnership between Jefferson Parish, which owns the building; Jefferson Facilities Inc., a community development authority for the parish; and Formwork Development.
“It will attract business and activity to downtown Gretna,” said David Hecht, founder and principal of Formwork Development, “and it supports broader investment in the Westbank of Jefferson Parish.”
Hecht explained that the company conceived of Primary Workspace as the ideal economic development solution for the building that housed the first school ever built in the city. He added that the space also enabled the restoration of the 1910 building, which sits within walking distance to Old Gretna’s shops, restaurants, the courthouse and the river.
The ideal location has also inspired its use as an events venue.
“The building includes a beautiful double-height commons [area] in the former school auditorium,” explained Hecht. “Events will activate the building on nights and weekends, further enlivening the surrounding community.”
The event space in the former auditorium features soft seating, a mezzanine that is open to the lower level, a stage and curtain details.
The building has an interesting history.
“It first opened as Gretna Primary, which is why we went with the name Primary Workspace,” said Jeff Parker, director of project management at Formwork Development. “It then served as a welding school during World War II [where female students learned to weld]. The German-American Cultural Center has occupied the first floor for the last couple of decades. The second and third floors have remained vacant and gutted for 50 years prior to the start of this renovation.”
The $3.5 million renovation — funded by parish government and state historic building tax credits — involved maintaining a careful balance of preservation and renovation.
“Some walls were moved, but we had to keep the significant features intact in order to receive historic tax credits,” said Kim Payne Allen, architect and co-founder (along with her husband, Ben Allen) of Studio BKA. “When we inherited the space, it was stripped down to rough studs. There were a few architectural details remaining, like the stage proscenium arch, a few door openings with trim and transoms, and the grand split staircase. All of these were historic elements that we wanted to feature in the new design.”
The team was careful to preserve the historically relevant hallways, staircases, entryway, light-filled corridors, windows, doors, moldings and flooring. The exterior walls were untouched, aside from structural shoring and cosmetic touches.
Most of the design interventions occurred in the former classrooms, which were extensively reconfigured to create offices, meeting rooms and support spaces. The team also created new secondary hallways along the back façade of the building to provide access to new offices.
Conceptually, the new offices are modern islands floating within the historic school exterior.
“Studio BKA’s extensive residential experience aligned with Formwork’s goal to create a workspace that felt more like a home and less like an office,” noted Hecht.
In addition to the interior design, Studio BKA generated big picture ideas, produced preliminary floor plans, and provided full architectural and FF&E (furniture, furnishings and equipment) services.
Inside, the finishes are a blend of old charm (like brick, plaster and original flooring) and modern touches — including updated light fixtures, access controls, furnishings and hardware; glass doors, sidelights and handrails; and meeting rooms with tech-forward business amenities.
“We were immediately drawn to cooler tones to complement the antique heart pine flooring, a prominent feature of the building,” Kim Allen said. “Blue tones were chosen not only to neutralize the flooring’s reddish hues but also to bring a sense of sophistication and calm, ideal for a productive workspace. To honor the building’s Art Deco origins, we incorporated a fan motif into several wallpaper selections.”
The three conference rooms can expand and contract to accommodate business meetings of various sizes, and 20 private offices include between two and eight desks. There’s also a boardroom that can seat up to 40 people, several conference rooms, training rooms, two kitchens, breakrooms and phone booths.
A Primary Workspace membership — which includes access to shared spaces — starts at $150 a month. A dedicated desk costs $275 a month, and private offices start at $850 a month.
Hecht said his favorite space is the mail room.
“It has incredible millwork, great wallpaper and wonderful light fixtures, all designed by Studio BKA,” he noted. “The mail room [provides ancillary] services… to companies and sole practitioners. We take care of all the logistics of an office: receiving packages, printing systems, Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, cleaning, etc., so our members can focus on running their businesses.”
“I think we largely stayed true to the schoolhouse’s Craftsman elements, with inserted new elements of subdued contemporary contextualism that almost read as furnishings placed in the historic spaces,” said Ben Allen of the finished product. “We were very excited to place such a prominent public building back into service.”
Primary Workspace
519 Huey P. Long Ave. // Gretna
PrimaryWorkspace.com // instagram.com/primary_workspace/
Quick Look
Number of Years in Operation: Grand opening in December 2024
Style of architecture: Schoolhouse Craftsman and modern contextualism
Square Footage: 17,544
Number of Employees: Two community managers
Persons in Charge: David Hecht and Jeff Parker with Formwork Development (developers and property management)
Architecture: Studio BKA
Interior Décor: Studio BKA
Initial Brand Development: Thought Partner
Art and furnishings: Studio BKA with AOS Interior Environments
