By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

DESTREHAN – The old Destrehan branch of the St. Charles Parish Library system officially became the new home for the St. Charles Parish Public Works Department Thursday as parish officials cut the ribbon on renovations to the building.

The parish pumped more than $506,000 into renovations to convert the former East Regional Library into much needed office space for the department. Frickey Brothers Construction of Paradis performed the work and completed construction of the facility in December, said St. Charles Parish President V.J. St. Pierre.

Public Works had been sharing space with the Waterworks Department, which is located in Luling. St. Pierre said the move was necessary so the parish could make room for an additional storage tank for the parish’s West Bank Water Treatment Plant.

“Their space was cramped to begin with,” St. Pierre said. “They operated out of trailers with personnel all over the place, and there was no parking in that area. Now they have a place to call their own.”

St. Pierre said the move also served as an opportunity to save a more than 30-year-old parish building that would have certainly been demolished. The 11,000-square-foot building was vacated in April when the East Regional Library moved to its new 40,000-square-foot home just down the road from the old building.

“We needed to make a decision on what to use it for, or we could have lost it,” St. Pierre said. “Public works had a need and I think we filled that need nicely.”

St. Pierre said the building offered some unique challenges for contractors during the renovations. The building was essentially a wide-open floor plan that needed walls to form office and conference space.

“The parish wanted to save the woodwork built into the ceiling,” St. Pierre said. “We also did not want to disturb the existing air conditioning and electrical systems.”

The solution was walls that only climbed about three-fourths of the way to the ceiling. It keeps the open feel of the building, while offering a little privacy in each office. The only office with full walls was reserved for Public Works Director Sam Scholle.

“I’m just glad we finally have a home of our own now,” Scholle said. “We have ample parking and a large conference room, which were both much needed.”

In addition to moving the offices, the parish is also trying to move its public works yard away from the waterworks plant. The parish has purchased a 7.4-acre tract at 166 Scorpio St. in Hahnville for the appraised price of $404,000 to be used for the work yard.