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So Trahan's firm (read design) was not selected to be the architect for the new downtown library. A coworker of mine was at the presentations. She said while the other firms spoke of working with the library board to design their building, focusing on the interior functions/programming, Trahan presented a completed design, take it or leave it. She believes this was a big factor in the decision. So WHLC (local firm) partnered with Schwartz Silver (firm who partnered with Eskew for the Shaw Center design) won the selection. What are y'all's thoughts? http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/Design-firm-selected-for-new-high-tech-downtown-library.html

Thanks buckett! These sound pretty interesting and I would like to see how their views are presented. James Kunstler has also written numerous articles and books on the current consumption of our world's finite resources, though be forewarned, he is fairly pessimistic of our state of affairs. I did enjoy reading his "The Long Emergency", which deals with our current petro-chemical agricultural economy unsustainable practices.

Bourgeois Utopia: The Rise and Fall of Suburbia is an excellent book regarding the origins of suburban life, going back further than Levittown and really delves into the sociological cause and effects of suburban life. I would recommend this read for anyone interested in why suburbia developed and why it is ultimately unsustainable and being abandoned for other developments.

To those referring to the "ugly metal thing" or "big metal wavy circle thing", that is actually a rendering of a contemporary take on a public stage. This rendering was done by a local architecture firm. I'm surprised to see that they were not mentioned by name. Probably because as of this time, I understand that this stage is not part of the Town Square's budget but is rather a proposal of what could be done at Galvez Plaza. As for the success of "big metal wavy circle" things, check out the success of Cloud Gate in Chicago, better known as "The Bean". Sounds familiar, right? That's because it's consistently ranks in the top 5 of tourist attractions in Chicago and is one of the most recognizable images of the city.

"Letter: Reporter incorrect, planner says I want to thank The Advocate and reporter Greg Garland for pointing out the importance of transit in East Baton Rouge Parish. As the lead planner for the FuturEBR effort, I will state, with no hesitation, that Baton Rouge will never achieve its potential as a great city until it has a robust transit system serving its citizens. Mr. Garland did, however, make several statements that are inaccurate and should be corrected. First of all, there is not, nor has there ever been a proposal to develop a light rail line on Florida Boulevard. Such a proposal is not feasible and would not be seriously considered. The city-parish draft plan does not and will not contain such a recommendation. Secondly, the $1.8 million for FuturEBR is entirely from federal funds distributed by the LRA and cannot be used for any other purpose, let alone closing the funding gap for CATS. In addition, the plan was the subject of a national competition with 13 applicants and a rigorous selection process; the team that won consists of 12 firms, of which eight are Baton Rouge-based. While Mr. Garland implies planning for the future is an optional activity, the citizens of the city-parish have mandated it through their charter since 1988, which must be updated periodically. The plan is not a frivolity but an essential requirement of any city that has the foresight to plan for the future. Finally, the plan has attracted the involvement of thousands of local residents. More than 1,000 attended the planning workshops and open houses, more than 1,000 have signed up as citizen planners on our website, and 3,400 have responded to our survey regarding the future of the city-parish. With the voter-mandated comprehensive plan needing updates, the availability of federal funds to do it and the enthusiasm that thousands have shown for the process, Mr. Garland’s statements are clearly out of touch. An important point is that transit is an essential service of any modern city. The city-parish draft plan will include several transit options for East Baton Rouge Parish to consider, and we hope a vigorous debate will ensue about the kind of transit needed for the future. The plan is still being shaped by the citizens. We hope that the issue of CATS’ current funding problems will help focus us all on creating long-term solutions. John Fregonese urban planner Portland, Ore." http://www.2theadvoc.../114184329.html Interesting reply to a concerned citizen of BR disputing the need of mass transit or a city plan, for that matter. I hope BR does try to implement at least some of the options outlined by the city planners.

Hello board! I'm a frequent reader, but this is my first post on here. I thought you would all enjoy this article. I'm not sure if this will ever be built but I thought it was worth sharing. Hope to post more often! http://inhabitat.com...ppi-riverfront/