Downtown Shreveport is going through a transformation, and you're invited to go out and take a look.

The Downtown Development Authority and Shreveport Regional Arts Council are holding a giant, two-block Open House to show off the many works in progress and improvements in the artsy West Edge. DDA Executive Director Liz Swaine says they're trying to show off these "new old buildings."

"I say 'new' because it's new stuff in these beautiful old buildings," Swaine says. "One of the buildings was an old office space that has been reconfigured as this beautiful, trendy, upscale, all-purpose hair salon. And the doors will be opened to everybody to come in, take a look around, see how you can adaptively reuse and repurpose old buildings."

Swaine says artspace itself has undergone a bit of a makeover, too. In conjunction with the Thursday Night Trolley Tour, you can take a peek inside buildings in the 600 through 700 blocks of Texas Street to see what's being done. These buildings include Joseph Guin's trendy new salon and Kevin Bryan's new open-concept, high-ceilinged architecture offices. The evening also includes live music and refreshments.

The event runs from 5 until 8 Thursday night...and it's FREE!

Swaine says there's a lot more to come a little further down in the Red River District. You can keep track of all that's going on downtown on the DDA website.

Check out my full interview with Liz Swaine here:

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