ARCHITECTURE · FACILITY STUDIES · ROOF CONSULTING
A small firm that works hands-on, from first survey to final walkthrough.
New offices, more classroom space, a historic building that needs care, or a roof leak no one can find. We identify what you need, design the solution, and see it through construction.
40+
years of architectural practice
50+
major roof repair and replacement projects designed
$20M
in roofing construction designed and administered
1
dedicated team
WHO WE ARE
We go to bat for our clients.
We are a small architecture firm that works in an extremely hands-on way. We work with you to identify your needs, then design solutions that meet them. We brainstorm ideas for you and with you until we arrive at the best, most concise design.
We are a disciplined team of professionals who care. We plan, design, work with the City, coordinate with your contractor, and make sure you are happy with your space.
Our clients include school boards, museums, banks, religious retreats, industrial owners, and property managers across Southeast Louisiana, many of whom have returned to us project after project.
WHAT WE DO
We stay with a project from the first assessment of existing conditions through construction and occupancy.
01 Pre Design
Programming
Facility Evaluation
Planning
Property condition assessments covering code, ADA accessibility, building envelope, and building systems, to guide capital planning.
02 Design and Approvals
Design
Construction Documents
Permitting
Bidding
New buildings, renovations, additions, and historic restoration, designed, permitted, and bid.
03 Construction Administration
Hands-on construction administration
Post occupancy
We are on site through construction and stay involved after move-in.
04 Roof Consulting
Roof inspection and assessment
Repair and replacement design
Storm damage evaluation
Metal, modified bitumen, built-up, TPO, slate, clay tile, copper, and asphalt shingle roofs.
05 Forensic Architecture
Forensic architecture
Expert witness
Investigating failures in buildings and roofs, and explaining the findings clearly.
06 Historic Preservation
SHPO and Secretary of the Interior standards
Building stabilization
Window analysis
Restoration that protects a building's character-defining features.
ROOF CONSULTING
Architects who know roofs.
We have designed over 50 major roof repair and replacement projects totaling approximately $20 million in construction. We coordinate closely between building users and the crews working above occupied schools and offices, so your work continues with as little interruption as possible.
After the storm, every roof on every campus.
After hurricanes, we inspected every roof on every campus for Jefferson Parish Schools and St. Tammany Parish Schools. We have also inspected hurricane-damaged metal roofs for the St. Charles Parish School Board, and roofs on multi-family complexes, hotels, and office buildings across the region.
IIBEC Registered Roof Consultant
SELECTED WORK
Projects
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Fifth District Lakeview Center
Client: Fifth District Savings Bank
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Scope: New construction · Two office buildings
We designed the pair of buildings that make up the Fifth District Lakeview Center. One houses the bank's Lakeview branch; the other spaces were designed as leasable tenant space.
The two buildings frame a shared courtyard and are connected by an exterior bridge.
HISTORIC · RENOVATION
Harriet R. Tubman Elementary School
Client: Louisiana Department of Education
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Scope: Historic restoration and addition · 52,000 sf + 13,800 sf
2019 Louisiana Landmarks Society Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation
This 100-year-old school was completely restored under State Historic Preservation Office guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, with every interior and exterior decision centered on the character-defining features SHPO identified.
During early design we developed a window analysis system that the Recovery School District adopted as its recommended standard for historic renovation projects. A two-story addition in the courtyard adds classrooms, administration, and a light-filled, flexible assembly space.
HISTORIC · RENOVATION
Harriet R. Tubman Cottage
Client: Louisiana Department of Education
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Scope: Historic restoration · 1,900 sf
2019 Louisiana Landmarks Society Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation
The cottage on the Tubman campus was home to the first female school caretaker in New Orleans. After decades of deferred maintenance, severe water damage, and termite infestation, we restored it for the school following SHPO guidelines.
It now holds supplementary classroom space, offices, and a teaching kitchen.
ROOFING
National WWII Museum Roofs
Client: The National WWII Museum
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Scope: Roof consulting · Five roofs
We inspected multiple roofs across the museum campus and provided roof consulting for the repair and replacement of five of them.
Work included full replacement of the roof and skylights on the Louisiana Pavilion, a new slate roof on the historic Fire House, recoating the US Freedom Pavilion, new roofing with reworked waterproofing, pavers, and metal panels at the Executive Row Balcony, and a new roof and parapet flashing on the Central Plant.
FACILITY ASSESSMENT · HISTORIC
Manresa House of Retreats Facility Study
Client: Manresa House of Retreats
Location: Convent, Louisiana
Scope: Facility evaluation · 120 acres, 12 buildings
A comprehensive property condition assessment of every building on the 120-acre campus.
It covered ADA accessibility, life safety, finishes, building envelopes, roofs, doors and windows, structure, plumbing, HVAC, fire sprinklers, lighting, electrical and emergency power, and security, giving the retreat a basis for maintenance schedules and fiscal planning.
HISTORIC · ROOFING · RENOVATION
Manresa Campus Projects
Client: Manresa House of Retreats
Location: Convent, Louisiana
Scope: Repairs and roof consulting
Numerous smaller projects on the historic campus: new trim and flashing at the dormers, doors, and paving for St. Peter's Hall, new front steps for St. Mary's Hall, and porch guardrails at Xavier Hall.
We inspected every roof on campus and provided roof consulting for five, including the modified bitumen and slate roofs on Loyola Hall, the slate roof on the President's House, the standing seam copper roof on the gallery of St. Mary's Hall, and slate repairs at Xavier Hall.
RENOVATION
Fifth District Covington Branch
Client: Fifth District Savings Bank
Location: Covington, Louisiana
Scope: Renovation · Bank and leasable office
We divided an existing bank building into two office spaces: one for Fifth District and one for lease.
In the bank's side we handled space planning, replaced mechanical units, and updated finishes.
RENOVATION
Avenue Family Dentistry
Client: Avenue Family Dentistry
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Scope: Renovation and addition
A renovation and addition to a historic corner building. The first floor holds three treatment rooms, three cleaning rooms, and office support space.
The second floor is leasable space for a future tenant.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Training and Conference Center
Client: Oil company
Location: Robert, Louisiana
Scope: New construction · 31,000 sf, two stories
A training facility built around an instructional lab for deepwater well process equipment, with four training lines and a control room simulator, plus classrooms, offices, a pump and tank room, and crew support spaces.
The lab and simulator required strictly controlled light and temperature, while the public areas are filled with daylight.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Nucor Steel Administration Building
Client: Nucor Steel
Location: Convent, Louisiana
Scope: New construction · 13,682 sf
Construction documents for the administration building that serves as the gateway to a new steel plant for employees and visitors.
The lobby showcases Nucor products, and all of the steel used in the building is Nucor steel.
PROJECT EXPERIENCE
The work behind our qualifications.
Fifth District Savings Bank
New construction of two 2-story office buildings
Four interior build-outs
Renovation to bank branch
Renovation and addition to bank branch
Louisiana Army National Guard
New 35,000 sf Readiness Center
Replacement of thirteen historic homes at Jackson Barracks after Hurricane Katrina
Repairs to six Readiness Centers after Hurricane Katrina
Recovery School District
Renovation and addition to historic school
Refurbishment of historic school
Window replacement at historic school
Light fixture replacement throughout an entire campus
Demolition of temporary campuses at Abramson, Carver, Sarah Reed, and Coghill
Relocation of turf and play yard equipment at Lawrence D. Crocker, Parkview, Mildred Osborne, and Fannie C. Williams schools
ReNEW Schools
Site improvements for a temporary modular classroom building
Conversion of two storage rooms into classrooms
Replacement metal roof after tornado damage
Manresa House of Retreats
Facility assessment of site and twelve buildings
Recoating of historic building
Roof replacements on St. Mary's and the Maintenance Building
Hurricane Ida repairs on Xavier Hall
ADA entrance renovations on two buildings
The National WWII Museum
Roof replacement on the Louisiana Pavilion
Roof repairs on the U.S. Freedom Pavilion
Roof replacements on the Central Plant, Fire House, and Executive Row Balcony
St. Tammany Parish School Board
Roof inspection of every building on every campus after Hurricane Ida
Roof redesign and repairs on the kitchen at Tchefuncte/Pontchartrain schools
Roof repairs at Mandeville Middle School
Jefferson Parish School Board
Roof inspection of every building on every campus after Hurricane Isaac
Roof replacement on two buildings at Haynes Academy
ADA site improvements at Bonnabel High School
Hurricane Ida repairs at St. Pierre Academy, Grace King High School, and Green Park Elementary
Razing of the Haynes Academy campus
Wall repairs at 501 Manhattan
St. Charles Parish School Board
Hurricane Ida roof inspections at R.K. Smith Middle School, Hahnville High School, and the Satellite Center
Turnberry Townhomes
Hurricane Ida roof inspections on 19 multi-family buildings
Construction administration for roof replacements on all 19 buildings
The Berger Company
Hurricane Ida roof inspections at the Metairie Hampton Inn, The Jax Marketplace, Westin Canal Place, the Board of Trade Building, the Windsor Hotel, and 10 buildings at Camden Lake
Other clients
The Lumiere Apartments: second-floor storage converted to a clubhouse and fitness center
Burk-Kleinpeter Office Building: window replacement
Tulane University: Richardson Building roof inspection after Ida
OUR PEOPLE
Team
Ron Martinez, AIA
Principal · Design · Planning · Construction Documents · Construction Administration
Ron has over 40 years of experience in all aspects of architectural practice. He provides technical expertise from the initial survey of existing conditions through completion of construction, and his hands-on approach brings a high degree of coordination and quality control. He has extensive experience in building repair and restoration.
Ron is the only licensed architect in private practice in Southeast Louisiana who is also a Registered Roof Consultant. He is responsible for over 50 new roofs and roof replacements, and he led the review of the full Manresa House of Retreats campus for code compliance, ADA accessibility, and the lifespan of its materials and systems.
Education
Bachelor of Architecture, University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1985
Registrations
Registered Architect, LA #4013
NCARB Certificate #41852
Registered Roof Consultant, IIBEC
Leadership
AIA Louisiana, 2016 President
AIA New Orleans, 2014 President, Executive Committee
Manresa House of Retreats, 2016 President of the Board of Directors
Megan Tagesen Mouton, AIA
Architect · Design · Code Research · Planning · Construction Documents · Graphics
Megan has worked on historic renovations including the Historic Hope Haven Building Stabilization in Marrero and several historic renovations for the Recovery School District. She has completed construction documents for school renovations in Metairie and New Orleans, including window replacements, coatings, and interior repairs.
For the past ten years she has worked with Ron on roof replacements and repairs of metal, modified bitumen, and asphalt shingle roofs. After Hurricane Ida she reviewed every roof on every St. Tammany Parish Schools campus, and she inspected hurricane-damaged metal roofs for the St. Charles Parish School Board.
Education
Bachelor of Architecture, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2013
Master of Architecture, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2015
Registrations
Registered Architect, LA #9755
NCARB Certificate #571913
American Institute of Architects
International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants
REFERENCES
Who we work with
The National WWII Museum
Fifth District Savings Bank
Manresa House of Retreats
Jefferson Parish Public Schools
St. Tammany Parish School Board
ReNEW Schools
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Army National Guard