The story of the Phoenix Building cannot be told without first knowing about the Great Fire of 1910.

On the afternoon of Saturday, April 23, 1910, Lake Charles bore witness to a fire that spread two blocks wide and a half-mile long. The blaze started behind a soda shop and the French Opera House. After raging for four hours, the fire consumed 109 buildings — commercial and residential — and caused property damage totaling $750,000 (in 1910 dollars). Among the landmarks destroyed were the courthouse, City Hall, the St. Claire Hotel, and the Catholic Church — along with its school, convent, and rectory.

Rising from the ashes, however, Lake Charles was reborn.

The Phoenix Building — which offers various spaces and configurations for businesses — is meant to be a testament to  rising from the ashes! 

Oliver “Rick” Richard saw the potential of the property located across from the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse. As a member of the Downtown Development Authority, he viewed the site as a prime location for offices. He chose a design for the building that would complement the downtown “building-scape,” while doubling as a memorial of sorts to the Great Fire of 1910 and the city rebuilding from it.

For leasing information, contact Tommy Eastman.