Andress Art and Entrepreneurial Center

A downtown Shreveport co-working space, and an incubator for creative startups of all types.

About

The Andress Artist and Entrepreneur Center is rising like a phoenix from the remnants of the Andress Garage. In the heart of Shreveport Common, Andress Artist and Entrepreneur Center will be an incubator for creative startups of all types.

The two-story building will include an art gallery and artist studios on the first floor. The second floor will feature commercial office space, with a large common area in the middle designed for collaboration. Malsch called it “the next venture for those who love the collaborative spirit that Cohab offers but they need to have their own office.”

The Art Deco building was designed by world renowned architect and Shreveport native Sam Wiener. The original owner, Benton Howard, opened a Ford dealership in the building in 1929. Redden Thaddeus “Thad” Andress took over the building in 1931, and it served as a parking garage and a Ford dealership in its heyday.

After Andress moved his dealership to a larger location on Texas Avenue, the Andress Building, with its ornate Mayan-inspired molding and colored glass windows, sat vacant, crumbling under the weight of time and the elements.

In early 2019, Malsch partnered with Shreveport Common and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council to bring the building back to life. A “serial entrepreneur” himself, Malsch wanted to tap into Andress’ entrepreneurial spirit. Malsch envisioned a space where a blend of seasoned businesspeople and creative professionals could coexist. The energy created by that blending fosters both individual success and success for the collective.

As part of Shreveport Common, Andress Artist and Entrepreneur Center is proud to be one part of the larger creative revival of downtown Shreveport.

Services Provided

Space

  • Coworking (Specialty)
  • Makerspace / Hackerspace (Specialty)
  • Office Space (Specialty)
  • Retail Space (Specialty)
  • Site Location Assistance (Specialty)

Accelerators and Incubators

  • Incubator (Specialty)
Contact Information
Jim Malsch
Address
717 Crockett Street
Shreveport, LA 71101