Capital One Tower (Louisiana)

Capital One Tower

Company type	Office skyscraper
Industry	Commercial real estate
Founded	1983 (1983)
Defunct	September 7, 2024 (2024-09-07)
Fate	Demolished due to hurricane damage
Headquarters	Lake Charles , United States
Products	Office space
Owner	Hertz Investment Group (since June 2007)
Parent	Capital One (bank occupant)

The Capital One Tower was a skyscraper located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, recognized as the tallest structure in the city until its demolition in 2024 due to extensive destruction caused by Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta. It stood as a significant landmark within the downtown skyline.

The building was designed by Lloyd Jones Brewer Associates from Houston and constructed through a collaboration between Miner-Dederick (Houston) and F. Miller and Sons (Lake Charles), with a total investment of $40 million. Groundbreaking took place in January 1982, following the start of construction in March 1981. The tower opened its doors in 1983, featuring 22 floors and reaching a height of , providing roughly of office space. The property encompassed a four-acre parcel, including an adjoining parking structure.

Initially called the CM Tower after Calcasieu Marine National Bank, it was later renamed Hibernia Tower when Hibernia National Bank acquired Calcasieu Marine. The name changed again to Capital One Tower after Capital One Bank purchased Hibernia in 2005.

Following catastrophic damage inflicted by Hurricane Laura in August 2020, the tower remained unoccupied until its demolition in September 2024.

Facilities

With its 22 stories, the tower was a dominant feature of Lake Charles’ skyline, boasting the City Club restaurant on its top floor, which provided sweeping views of the city. The building accommodated various professional offices throughout its floors.

Floor navigation

Within the atrium, two escalators connected the ground floor (floor 1) to floor 2 near the banking area.

The upper levels were serviced by eight passenger elevators arranged into two banks of four cars each, with pairs facing each other across a corridor. The west bank operated between floors 2 and 15-21; two elevators on its eastern side also stopped at floor 1. Entry to these elevators from floor 1 was accessed via the north entrance behind the security desk. The east bank served floors 2 through 14. Stairwells located behind each elevator bank and a freight elevator provided access to every floor.

A pedestrian bridge connected floor 2 of the tower to floor 3 of the parking garage, which featured two passenger elevators and two staircases serving floors 1 through 5.

Hurricane damage

Although constructed using "hurricane-proof" glass, the tower suffered significant harm during Hurricane Rita in 2005, damaging its atrium and several upper stories. Extensive repairs and enhanced security measures—including ballistic-resistant exterior glass—were completed in 2007 under the direction of Vincent-Shows Architects from Sulphur.

In August 2020, Category 4 Hurricane Laura inflicted severe destruction by shattering most windows and damaging much of the building’s south-facing facade. Additional harm followed from Hurricane Delta in October 2020. The structure remained vacant afterward, and in 2023, city officials imposed a November 2024 deadline for Hertz Investment Group—owner since June 2007—to either restore or demolish the tower. After resolving insurance claims, Hertz attempted to sell the property but was unable to secure a buyer.

Demolition

At the start of 2024, municipal authorities announced plans to demolish Capital One Tower by "late August or early September." Mayor Nic Hunter remarked, "It's time to move on." The building was ultimately imploded on September 7, 2024.