In Gretna, Louisiana, a historic city just across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, an old Italianate schoolhouse from 1911 by Stevens and Nelson Architects was recently repurposed into coworking space. The old Gretna Primary School building sat vacant for nearly fifty years before it was transformed by Studio BKA, a local firm that specializes in historic preservation.Today, the former schoolhouse in the lush Gretna Cultural District houses Primary Workspace. The idea to reuse the building for shared offices reflects recent trends in Gretna, where the city has had an influx of remote workers in recent years, the architects said.As a result of prolonged vacancy, the grandiose building sustained some water damage, but many of its original features were restored. Meanwhile, newly added features incorporate art deco motifs, which contrast nicely with the original Italianate architecture.The buildings signature feature is its proscenium arch. (Courtesy Studio BKA)Users enter Primary Workspace from its signature main common area after having transcended a second floor entrance. Here, the walls were lined in walnut millwork. The lobby areas ornamental casings and carpentry were restored, but the floor materials were swapped out with new, black and white marble tiles laid out in a checkered pattern. From here, visitors enter toward a grand split staircase which then feeds to two historic corridors.Private booths were tucked under the mezzanine to form private working spaces furnished with velvet-upholstered booths and a wood table designed for ample work space.Work booths were placed under the mezzanine. (Courtesy Studio BKA)Split stairwell (Courtesy Studio BKA)A palatial 2-story auditorium space remains one of the most historic elements. This is the location of the buildings grandest feature: A plaster proscenium arch that frames the auditorium. That component hangs from joists in the attic. Much of the redesign was in response to the proscenium arch, which the architects sough to emphasize. Toward that end, common amenity spaces are inserted beneath it and, during events, the stage is oriented on axis with the arch. Hot desks were installed in various locations on the stage, while its front was lined with more velvet-upholstered seating.In the main coworking area there are numerous seating and workspace options for tenants to choose from. (Courtesy Studio BKA)Primary Workspace also touts expansive, historic corridors washed in natural light thanks to grand double-hung windows. All of these features were restored for the project. Users have access to private offices, conference and meeting rooms, mail rooms, and phone booths which branch off of the historic corridors. Several small hot desks and meeting tables were peppered within those spaces.The furniture choices provide perhaps the most contemporary accent within the historic space, creating for an attractive coworking hub in touch with the past.