New Orleans CREW is pleased to shine the Member Spotlight on our Secretary of the Board, Valerie Besthoff Marcus.

Valerie began her career in commercial real estate in Louisiana by working as Assistant Real Estate Director for her family’s legendary New Orleans drugstore chain, K&B, Inc., from 1984 until their sale to Rite Aid in 1997. Since then, Valerie has been working as the Vice President of Property Management Group, LLC, the management company for the Bestoff family real estate investments located in the storied purple offices of K&B Plaza, on Lee Circle. Property Management Group’s real estate interests are primarily former K&B drugstore locations and strip shopping centers, plus the K&B Plaza office building, and warehouse sites in Jefferson Parish. 

Since Hurricane Katrina, Valerie was involved in the purchase of the Strauss warehouse at L&A Road and Labarre, and the releasing of the building to LCR/The Plumbing Warehouse.  She also negotiated the new lease for the Rally’s on Louisiana Avenue, having negotiated the original lease 20 years previously. Valerie has recently been involved in some replacement leases at K&B Plaza. Two of the new tenants, each on a full floor, are both non-profit agencies. They are Teach for America, and Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation. 

She is actively involved in CREW, serving as Secretary of the New Orleans Chapter as well as a member of the Events Committee. Both professionally and personally, she has found her involvement with CREW fulfilling and appreciates the numerous connections she has made. Valerie is also a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and holds the designation of Certified Shopping Center Manager (CSM) from the organization.

Valerie has been a dedicated volunteer in the New Orleans community for years. She has served on the Boards of the Contemporary Arts Center, Historic District Landmarks Commission CBD and the Downtown Development District, and is currently serving on the Boards of the Newman School, and the Hermann Grima Gallier Historic Houses.  She is married to Adam Marcus and has three children, Andrew (19), Catherine (17) and Stephen (10).   

CREW New Orleans is pleased to put this month's Sponsor Spotlight on Perez, APC, a 70-year old architecture, landscape architecture, planning, and interior design firm in New Orleans owned by CREW Board member, Angela O’Byrne. 

Since 1940, the team at Perez has designed high quality buildings and landscape architecture across the United States and abroad. Perez has offices nationwide, including their home office in New Orleans, and offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and Mobile.

Perez prides itself on a tradition of excellence and a passion for exceeding the client’s expectations.  The Perez philosophy consists of balancing the owner’s and building user’s needs with aesthetics, budget, and schedule.  The company believes that no two projects are alike and that the design solution must address the peculiarities of geographic location, topography, climate, and program requirements. While always aiming for innovation and creative design solutions, the Perez team respects and honors the history and vernacular of the past.

After Hurricane Katrina, Perez lost its entire staff as well as almost all of its projects.  Angela O'Byrne, AIA, the company president, dedicated herself to reestablishing the company.  Two years after Hurricane Katrina, Perez had grown to 25 employees; one year later, had a staff of 45.  Perez is poised for growth and expects to grow to 100 employees by the end of 2009.  The company is committed to growing a diversified company with new service offerings such as design-build and real estate development, and plans to remain headquartered in New Orleans. Perez is dedicated to contributing to the economic development of New Orleans.  The company says: "Too many companies have moved their headquarters out of New Orleans – now, more than ever, this city needs business owners to stay here and grow here!"

Company Projects

Notable Perez projects are Harrah’s Casino New Orleans, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Natchitoches Events Center, Pontchartrain Civic Center, and the world-renowned Piazza d’Italia in New Orleans, to name a few.  Current Perez projects include Firekeeper’s Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan; Patrick Taylor Science & Technology Academy in Marrero, Louisiana; The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) Office Building; Hancock County Jail in Mississippi; Creekside Junior High School Expansion in Pearl River, Mississippi; repairs to the New Orleans Museum of Art Sculpture Garden; Zephyr Field in Metairie, Louisiana; and the New Orleans Music Hall of Fame.

Community Involvement

After Hurricane Katrina, Angela O'Byrne spearheaded a small group of local architects and interested citizens to found City-Works, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to transforming New Orleans into a model city for the nation, focusing on the long-term sustainable rebuilding of New Orleans' community, economy, and building environment.  City-Works has reached out to the community in many ways, most notably in a program initially called the Architect Pairing Program. Indigent homeowners were paired with architects and their staffs, who provided design services at little or no cost.  Perez, APC's president, Ms. O’Byrne, also serves as the current president of City-Works.

The company's contact information is:

PEREZ
A Professional Corporation
317 Burgundy Street, Suite 11
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
TEL 504 584-5104   FAX 504 584-5140
www.e-perez.com