KEY TAKEAWAYS: New three-story commercial building at 4648 S. I-10 Service Road West in Metairie Rooftop restaurant planned with ~3,700 sq. ft. indoor space and 2,500 sq. ft. outdoor seating, plus elevator access Lower floors targeted for retail, office, and medical tenants, with QSR interest and about 110 parking spaces Construction and white-box delivery expected by July, with potential fall opening and strong interstate visibility   A new commercial building rising along the south I-10 service road in Metairie is aiming to bring something the suburb has not had before: a third-story rooftop restaurant with indoor-outdoor seating and direct interstate visibility. The project at 4648 S. I-10 Service Road West is designed with retail space on the first and second floors and an approximately 3,700-square-foot third-floor restaurant space with rooftop seating. The rooftop concept includes a large indoor area, in addition to roughly 2,500 square feet of outdoor seating. Parts of the rooftop seating area are also designed with overhead canopies and enclosure features. “We wanted to create something Metairie really doesn’t have: a true rooftop restaurant with indoor-outdoor space, visibility, and a modern feel,” said building owner and local developer Hiren Shah. “The property stands out from I-10, and there are very few sites in Metairie with that kind of prominence. We saw an opportunity to bring a rooftop experience here that people usually must go to New Orleans to find.” Shah said the concept is meant to be more than simply a restaurant placed on an upper floor. “It is designed as a true rooftop experience with substantial indoor seating, outdoor seating, and a private elevator that takes guests straight up to the restaurant.” Commercial real estate agency Elifin Realty is the broker on the property. For the third-floor restaurant space, pricing and lease terms will be negotiated based on the specific tenant, use, and space layout, said Noah Loveland, vice president of retail sales and leasing. “We wanted to be as competitive with the rate, TI allowance, and space delivery as the market can sustain. The visibility, traffic, and co-tenancy in the area are key selling points, and we have been able to achieve our asking rate because prospects value this location and see the vision for the property,” Loveland said. “Shah’s ability to make decisions very quickly and be as responsive as possible to tenant’s needs has been crucial in making great deals here.” Shah said he is targeting an upscale restaurant operator for the rooftop. A tenant that commits early could begin interior work before the building exterior is fully complete, potentially allowing the restaurant to open around the same time the project is delivered in the fall. /“Ideally, we would like to see an upscale restaurant concept that can really take advantage of the indoor-outdoor layout,” Shah said. “We have already had interest, but I think once the façade is complete and people can fully see how the building is coming together, demand will pick up significantly.” Shah said the idea for a third-story rooftop restaurant grew in part from seeing his son and his friends gravitate toward rooftop venues in downtown New Orleans and realizing Metairie lacked a similar option. “Metairie has room for more upscale dining, and we think a rooftop concept like this fills a gap in the market,” Shah said. “This project is about giving Metairie something new — a place where people can enjoy a drink or a meal outdoors in a setting that feels elevated.” Construction and white-box delivery for prospective tenants is expected to be completed by July with framing already up. The building has already attracted some early tenant interest, said Loveland, including a medical user, a general office user, and a QSR concept for the first floor. The first floor includes about 10,250 square feet, while the second floor includes about 10,090 square feet. The site also has approximately 110 parking spaces. Each space will be delivered in white-box condition with HVAC, plumbing, and electrical in place. Loveland said the building offers abundant parking, dual-side elevator access, and full ADA compliance, while tenants will be able to customize their spaces to meet specific needs. A tenant improvement allowance is available for qualified tenants. “The rest of the building is being positioned for a range of retail, office and medical users, helped by the site’s visibility,” Shah said. “If you are driving on the interstate, there is no way you miss this building. That kind of exposure is hard to find in Metairie, and we think it gives the project a real edge.” ...read more read less