Whenever you’re in downtown Lafayette and driving by the Parish Courthouse, it’s worth your while to view the beautiful and historic structure at 217 West Main Street.

Designed by architect George Knapp of Lafayette, the building was erected in 1898 and was the site of the Bank of Lafayette.

On June 26, 1906 the building was sold to the “Corporation of the town of Lafayette” for $4,500. In 1908 a prison was added to the rear of the building. The building was used as the city hall until 1939, when a larger city hall was built. The ground floor was then used by local women’s organizations and as a library. In 1972 the building was declared unfit for occupancy.

The building, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 10, 1975, is constructed on a small parcel of land, and is a typical two-story masonry Commercial building with some Rococo elements. The second floor facade has a balcony with a semi-circular brick arch above.

CODOFIL first moved into the building in the early 1980s. In 2012, extensive renovations began and the building was completely remodeled.