Extensive renovations are underway to the building at 2904 Perkins Road that for decades housed the popular neighborhood watering hole Zee Zee Gardens, and the building’s new tenant hopes the space will be complete for his establishment to open in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
Lon Marchand, a Baton Rouge native who splits his time here and in New Orleans, is leasing the space from the building’s owner, Kevin Reilly Jr., and plans to open a bar that also has food service.
Marchand isn’t ready yet to divulge details about his plans for the bar, including its name, but he says he’s excited about being part of the bustling Perkins Road overpass area.
“The overpass and surrounding areas are an integral part of Baton Rouge culture,” he says. “We are making sure to respect the history of both the neighborhood and the years of service Wilson (Cox, the previous owner) and Zee Zee Gardens brought to their patrons.”
The new bar will be Marchand’s first venture into the nightclub business. He previously worked in the advertising industry. Though he is a music aficionado, the establishment will not feature live music because of space constraints in the 1,430-square-foot building.
Renovations to the 85-year-old building began in early December, and the project has turned out to be more extensive than originally anticipated, according to Reilly, who is doing the build-out for Marchand.
“It’s a historic building, and as we’ve torn stuff out we’ve found there’s a lot more there than we realized,” he says.
According to a permit application, the estimated cost of the renovation is $300,000. But the final price tag will be higher because so much more work is involved than originally anticipated, says Reilly, who plans to use state and federal historic building tax credits to help offset the cost of the renovation. Zee Zee Gardens closed in late November.
—Stephanie Riegel
