The Municipal Auditorium in New Orleans was opened on May 30th, 1930. The multi-purpose 7,853-seat arena is located within Louis Armstrong Park. The venue has a very long and rich history – hosting many concerts and events. The Municipal Auditorium was perhaps best known for hosting many grand New Orleans Marti Gras balls.
In August 2005 disaster stuck – the historic auditorium sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina. After Katrina, the future of the Municipal Auditorium was unclear. In the years since Katrina, squatters have inhabited the building. The intruders were able to enter the building by easily removing the wooden panels the city had used to secure the building.
Concerned residents worried that the historic structure would catch fire due to the generators being used inside the building by the dozens of squatters. After many complaints and emails from nearby resident, the City of New Orleans took steps to secure the arena and implemented plans to repair and restore this piece of New Orleans history.
Enter DAWGS
The city of New Orleans turned to Door and Window Guard Systems (DAWGS) when they needed to secure the Municipal Auditorium from intruders. In March of 2017, the city contracted DAWGS to install their steel door and window guards on the structure.
The modular DAWGS reinforced steel door and window guards are designed to fit virtually any opening – providing an unparalleled level of security. The impenetrable steel keeps squatters out, while the coded doors allow managed access to the property. The neutral pallet of the steel panels seamlessly blends into the surroundings adding much needed curb appeal.
Jim Glass, VP of Engineering for DAWGS comments, “DAWGS is happy to be a part of the restoration of this historic structure. We look forward to seeing the completion and restoration of the arena”.
