History

History

In 1954, J. Warren Gardner, a 1950 Tulane University graduate, was working at Pittsburg Plate Glass company when he started to negotiate the purchase of Crasto Glass and Mirror Co. 1956 marked the completion of his purchase, and Mr. Gardner went on to lead what was to become the largest family of glass companies in Louisiana until his retirement in 2003. Today, Crasto serves the New Orleans area as a leader in residential and maintenance glass work.

In 1985, sensing a rising opportunity in the commercial high rise glazing market, Mr. Gardner opened New Orleans Glass Company (NOG). Since that time, NOG has served the Gulf Coast construction market with many quality glazing installations, including:

  • Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino
  • New Orleans Sports Arena (Smoothie King Center)
  • New Orleans Convention Center
  • WWII Museum
  • LSU Tiger Stadium West Tower Expansion

In 1986, Mr. Gardner launched Southern Walls and Windows as a fabricator of custom curtainwall systems. Using their own tested systems, SWW has fabricated custom curtainwall facades for many jobs, including:

  • Merrill Lynch Teleport Data Center in Staten Island, NY
  • 125 High St in Boston, MA
  • Boeing Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA
  • Government Center in Charlotte, NC

In 1988, Mr. Gardner acquired Southern Walls, Inc. (SWI), a commercial glazing company in Florida. Located in Stuart, Florida, SWI continues to serve the Florida market as a contract glazier.

Today, all four companies are led by J. Warren Gardner’s son, William Gardner, along with a dedicated and talented group of professionals. They continue to provide quality glazing products and installations throughout the Gulf South.