brresident

Everytime we'd play redemptorist when I was in High School, we'd stop at that Krispy Kreme after the game. Brings back memories of high school football and soccer. For North Baton Rouge, I never thought that area was that bad, but apparently it has gotten dangerous. The area immediately around the High School is okay. It's strange...very New Orleans like to have a private school in the middle of a rough neighborhood. They seem to embrace each other, though. The pretty old school and church with older housing and old industrial structures mixed together kind of give Plank Road the feel of a northern rustbelt city. Maybe that was because every time I'd go there it was football season or soccer season and I'd be freezing cold....Redeptorist Catholic is still a very decent school for the tuition cost. I saw them as little punks when I was in high school, though. With all this focus on mid-city, I'd really like to see some major investments in crime prevention and improved housing options in that area. That was a vibrant working class community that started because of the industrail plants there (again, very rustbelt like). I'd hate to see crime elements moving into that area....a "not in my city" stance by local officals would be really cool. You'd think being so close to Southern U that the area would get a bit of a boost. It seems like Exxon's shift workers are keeping it alive more than that. Then again, when I was in college at LSU I was dirt poor for for straight years, so I guess there is only so much a major school's location can do for an area retail development wise. Maybe the city can spend a little money locating a DPW station there or something. More daily workers will keep the restarants and what not open. Every christmas we'd go up that way for mass and then we'd go get our christmas tree in Zachary. It's a long drive from Shenedoah, but my grandparents like to visit the old neighborhood. They used to take me to that Picadilly not far from there when I was way to young to appreciate the place. That enough of memory lane for me. Anyone have any pictures of the new development going on around Southern University? I think that LSU and Southern are the two best things to ever happen to Baton Rouge....and we have tons of pictures of LSU (not that we couldn't use more).

Every city has sprawl problems, but Lafayette pioneered the "traditional neighborhood" in Louisiana with River Ranch. Baton Rouge has a half dozen or so types of traditional developments around, but River Ranch is an entire portion of the city. Baton Rouge's traffic problems are as much caused by poor development as it is by inadequate infrastructure. Most of the largest tracts of land have been taken, so developments are getting smaller with less planning...that combined with the fact that Baton Rouge is probably massive compared to lafayette when you take into account commuter distances, etc. Lafayette is having the same problem, but River Ranch is definately counteracting that sort of thing. It's still not built out...as that happens, it will keep sprawl in check until someone else comes along and does another TND. It's a good start. Any idea when they will be making HWY 90 a freeway?

http://www.2theadvocate.com/traffic/7093936.html Two engineering firms that have teamed up to negotiate a contract for a plan to build the Baton Rouge loop have submitted a proposal that

Anyone going to X fest? http://www.104thex.net/skin/blurb.php?sect...ontentId=340212 "Saturday, April 14, 104 the X presents X-Fest at the Baton Rouge River Center...featuring The Killers, Papa Roach, Jet, AFI, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and Saosin!"

I agree....I would have wanted something closer to the water. That thing looks like it is 50' in the air. It's going to look really ugly most of the year when the water is low. I really think this is a bad plan just because of that. I would have wanted somethng like New Orleans has with a board walk, etc.

Why, funding a growing institution promising thousands of jobs over the next 10 years when there is a huge surplus is just not the populist thing to do! Don't hold your breath. Louisiana still has way to many old school nut jobs in the govenor's office and the legislator to actually get anything like this done. Way too much money for pet projects to help one or two families in tiny parishes to afford something actually valuable to Louisiana.

It would be even more nice if they incorporated a two lane street through there along with the bike rooute. Traffic out of LSU is a beotch.

We need another 150+ hotel downtown....The closer to third street the better. Doesn't matter how tall or fancy it is, just as long as it can put out a steady 100 guest per night. If they do it right they can put a bar on the lower floor and a convention area on the top. New guest every night that can keep restarants, etc alive. Hotel guest are more likely to spend money on dining out, clubbing, and drinking than permanent residents.

Business Report: Another TND comes to Baton Rouge near LSU. Land at Burbank and Lee sells for $20 million A 550-acre tract of land at the intersection of Burbank and West Lee drives has been sold to a group of New Orleans investors for $20 million. Walker Baus, an attorney and investor, says plans are to build a traditional neighborhood development on the site, which is bordered by West Lee, Nicholson Drive and Burbank. "It's been very difficult because of the oil and gas interests on the site," says Baus, who is doing the project along with Terry White, Kim Miller and Jack Counce. "But we want to do a nice project in the back." Along with the oil and gas issues, environmental concerns have been a factor: half of the site is wetlands. Baus says the development will be complemented by the shopping center Victory Real Estate Investments plans to build in front. "The retail is the lead item," he says. "That's a little more straightforward. After that, the residential development will follow." http://www.businessreport.com/dailyreport.cfm (Daily report for March 1, 2007)

I think that if they start ripping up the freeways and cause construction delays, they might as well widen them 2 lanes in either direction.

Starbucks....well, some say they are agressive. I don't. They work hard to avoid opening a location next to CC's (but two across the street from each other is apparently good?). I doubt seriously that they can compete with Highland Coffees on Chimes Street if they ever moved to northgate.

I haven't seen anything delayed that long and still be built. They have been talking about this for 3 or 4 years now and have delayed for half that time. They have spent too much money on the land to leave it as a parking lot. They kind of have to build on it now, and will have to build a high rise condo tower or a mid-rise office/hotel to make money. Something will happen there either way...just don't get your hopes up. I don't think the 30+ condo tower is going to happen. I hope it does, though. It's like the Ford pasture. They paid too much for it to sit on it. They probably couldn't get their money back, so they are going to build. If they do residential, then they have to have some serious density to make money. I think JTS wanted to do a Perkins Rowe style development on Ford pasture...and there is just not support or zoning for that. I expect some high end condos there combined with heavy retail. They can't make money just on houses. Richard Preis can't make money building a 1-6 story office building or parking garage instead of river place. They have to go big or dont' go at all. The problem is that I don't see very much market for more than 50 or so condo units at that price range downtown. He will probably have to delay the project again and redesign with office and residential space combined.

I read somewhere that there would be a shopping center going up on the tract bounded by West Lee Drive, Ben Hur Road, and Burbank. When is that supposed to be built? It's pathetic that there is no easy shopping near LSU. It seems like when I was in college that we had to go to College drive for everything. The nearest mall is on Bluebonnet, which is un-drivable most of the day. I know a wal mart is going to come up on Highland, which was already a parking lot btw Lee and LSU.... Anyone have info on that. I think it was some kind of strip mall thing. Hopefully bigger than "burbank crossing", but smaller than "Towne Center". A lifestyle center with open air shopping, billiards clubs, and restarants would work well near LSU. I would have rather seen one of those where Southgate Towers is. Oh..FYI...no 18 story tower for Southgate. There will be a hotel soon, followed by another 8 or 9 story condo tower starting next year and that is it. The back side will retain the unfinished look. I officially hate that development now. They obviously want too much money for their residences and retail space. Walk On's is probably the only good thing to come out of that development so far....and it is going downhill right now with poor managment, low quality food, and slow service.

^^^where exactly is the new Shaw building going to be? In other news: Richard Preis is delaying the next delay for River Place until the Summer. Here is the article: Downtown condo construction should start in early summer Richard Preis, who is developing the River Place condominium tower downtown says problems with rising post-hurricane construction costs have been resolved and he should start firming up reservations for units in the next month or two. "We should start construction in the early summer, with about 18 months to complete the project," Preis says. River Place will have 119 units and will be Baton Rouge's first vertical neighborhood, Preis says. complete: http://www.businessreport.com/dailyReportArchiveResults.cfm

Agreed. Art Deco is kind one of those signatures of the northern part of downtown. Almost gothic looking with the Capitlol building's statues and scultures build into the masonry. The newer ones mostly look good with lots of vertical lines, sharp edges, with very imposing stances. I think this is the Galvez building, but it's probably one of my favorites. I love the roof line and how it varies so much. It's so much nicer than the old 1960s-1980s designs that are just a giant box. Granted, it is still a huge box, but it is a very good looking one. The verticle lines made by the windows make the building look taller- comared to the one to the right, which sort of resmebles a giant waffle-maker. Borrowed this image from Byrde. Hope he doesn't mind. This building would look even cooler if was a little taller. Keep the roofline like it is, but stretch the distance between the first and second break (where the setbacks are) another 4 or 5 floors. Then you can have the final break with the top floor set back as it is. This is probably really odd: the bienville building looks to me like it has a bunch of really sharp spikes at the top of it. It's all in how you see it. I think it will age very well, and look very neat after the elements sort of attack it's light appearance for the next 50 years or so. It all looks really cool with the refinery in the background. It kind of gives that part of the city a spooky look at night. I really like it. The Claiborne building on the other side of the lake does look kind of boreing, though. Good thing that it is kind of short and not very visible from most of downtown. It isn't unattractive, but I think they could have broken up the uniformity and made it a little taller and narrower...it would come out looking kind of neat.

^^^ That sucks. I kind of wanted more office space on College/Corporate and Essen lane with the hotel business going to Downtown. I downtown could use the overnight traffic and Corporate could benefit from less night traffic and neat looking mid-rise office buildings. Either way, I am glad the old crappy motel is gone. If only they can move the Waffle House into a more attractive building and give this property frontage on College Drive. Any idea where Cane's is planning on their new office? How's this: Shaw and Cane's team up and become signature tenates on a new 50 story building downtown. They are both rumored to be out-growing their current location. Too bad Shaw is probably just going to add to it's current building or make a nother mid-rise nearby. Any chance for office development going to the Picardy overpass area? It just seems ripe for that. Easy access to the interstate, nearby hospitols and housing. It's almost like there is too much retail there. A nice mid-rise would look really cool right there next to the freeway. So much retail there...need a mix of offices and eventually residential space.

^^Dan326: impressive girth you have there in that capitol picture. It makes me feel inadequate. Didn't you hear? They are putting a giant condom on the capitol building for the spanish town parade.

The loop is back! http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/5438871.html

It would be really nice if those Gardere/GRSI apartments were torn down. Horrible neighborhood that borders the south campus. Most businesses on GSRI have a huge wall and gate...probably for this reason. LSU sure is taking over. I wonder how much of that land is protected wetlands.

Highland shopping center.... It's on Highland near LSU ave.

Deano's Pizza is a Cajun thing from Lafayette. Thye Baton Rouge location right off LSU is doing very well. LaCaretta's is great, Superior grill is amazing, but neither has anything on a certain restarant in Lafayette....I haven't been in years, but there is a restarant called LaFonda's on Johnston Street (not related in anyway to the crappy LaFonda's in Baton Rouge) that served the best Mexican food I have ever had. It's not a chain, and the owner doesn't want to move anywhere. Great Margarita's, too. I kind of wish they'd open a location in Baton Rouge. If you like Mexican food, you'll love this place. It's more formal than Superior or LaCaretta's, but it get's crowded quickly just like them. BTW...how come there is no Lafayette thread? River Ranch on Camillia street is what developers (it inspired Willow Grove and many other TNDs) come from all over the country to tour. Lots of money there, too. While I wish ULL would not be so hostile towards LSU, it's got a great computer science program without that stupid flagship agenda BS. Lafayette is a nice town. We need more discussion on it.

anyone notice that the old seafood joint and apartments on nicholson at northgates have been torn down (It's the property directly across Nicholson from where the new Fieldhouse lofts are being built)? Apparenlty there is a very upscale condo development on it's way up. The sign looks like one of those new places on Parker Blvd. So the fieldhouse will have a companion. That's good news.

Maybe she didn't think to much of you guys.....

Those garden offices are nice. You can't expect everyone to be downtown....traffic would be horrible. I'd much rather have a well landscaped 1-2 story garden office near my house than a gas station or strip mall. Those little offices off of Bluebonnet will age well, I think. They are expensive, much much, much cheaper and more convinient that something that nice downtown or on Essen They serve a good purpose. Too much is a bad thing, but I think BR is fine. When you think about it, Bluebonnet is sort of a downtown district with shopping, office centers, and homes all nearby. The garden offices have a small town feel to them. Who knows....those little garden office tenants or industrialplex HQs might grow into a taller building off of Essen or in Downtown. Shaw and Turner started in those little single story buildings in wooddale- and those are nearly as nice as the stuff they are building these days.

It all depends on weight. 44 stories sounds a little conservative, considering NOLA has a few higher than that, and everything east of river road in downtown BR is on a bluff.