Gannet Company Incorporated
Production Facility Masterplan
Location: Shreveport, Louisiana
Square Footage: 48,000
Completion: June 2006

The Times current office and production facility is built to property lines on four sides bounded by a highway, a railroad, an urban street and an adjacent building. The existing facility, although in sound condition, is at its maximum occupancy, with production equipment beyond its useful life. The active press is one of the oldest Goss letter presses currently on use. Newsprint is received and stored in a warehouse on The Times adjacent property separated from production by the elevated highway. Shipping and distribution is conducted under the elevated highway.

ArcWest Architects was retained by The Times to derive and investigate options to replace their existing press and packaging equipment in its entirety, while maintaining current production. The initial bias involved a phased implementation to replace their equipment within the existing facility, but in the process alternate options were investigated to:

• Build a remote packaging center on the adjacent land
• Build a complete production facility on the adjacent land
• Build a hybrid production facility connected to the existing newsprint warehouse on the adjacent land.

Each option presented incorporated plans, sections, budgets and schedules, such that The Times could perform a “apples to apples” comparison of each option. Ultimately the Hybrid facility was selected due to the economies that could be achieved.

Reference: Mike Ratcliff, Gannett
Larry Whitaker, Former Publisher
Currently at The Clarion-Ledger