The old CenterPoint Energy building, known to many as the Arkla Gas building, on the corner of Milam and McNeil Street in downtown Shreveport is up for auction.
The 14-story office building at 525 Milam Street is currently listed online for an auction starting on July 7, 2025. The starting bid is $250,000. The last time this building was on the market it had a price tag of $2.4 million. The building is across the street from the Caddo courthouse.
Downtown Shreveport has many empty office buildings. The list includes the following:
• Slattery Building on Marshall Street
• Johnson Building on Milam Street
• Petroleum Tower which is slated to be converted into housing
• Pioneer Bank Building owned by the City of Shreveport and now for sale
• old Montgomery Ward building on Texas Street across from Caddo courthouse
• the old office furniture building on Milam Street
• old YWCA building on Travis Street
• many other buildings on Texas and Milam streets
Many downtown buildings have less than 50% occupancy. And although not widely known , many have less than 25% occupancy.
Some say the Arkla building can easily be converted into housing. Others say a conversion will be costly and time consuming.
Leaving out all the hype about another possible purchase by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, there has been limited public interest in this building for many reasons. The auction will be interesting to follow. Whether or not the sale will be consummated and whether or not it is a bellwether of things to come in the downtown area is a story yet to be told.