steve3n8

I like South Baton Rouge out of those! Or Southeast BR. Just wish the city could have incorporated all of it so they would not have to go through that process! Im gonna always call it BR instead of whatever it becomes.

Just south of the rail line and just west of the "Villas" townhomes!

Home construction begins in new phase of Lakes at Jamestown Residential home construction began this week on the fourth phase of the Lakes at Jamestown, developer Carlos Alvarez's highly successful planned-use development of moderately priced homes off Perkins Road near Siegen Lane. Phase 4 is located on the north side of the development and will include 48 single-family homes measuring between 2,000 square feet and 2,400 square feet. The homes will be priced between $270,000 and $350,000. About 26 lots are already sold. "We are pleasantly surprised by the level of activity," Alvarez says. "We were hoping for it but we did not expect it to go this fast." Alvarez also broke ground this week on the infrastructure portion of Jamestown Square, a separate residential subdivision within the PUD that is closer to Pecue Lane. Jamestown Square, which will have 51 zero-lot line homes, was originally supposed to be developed as office space, but changing market conditions prompted Alvarez earlier this year to revise his initial plans. At the time, Alvarez said developing office space is a challenge given current market conditions. However, he sold a one-acre tract earlier this month within the PUD that will be developed into office space. Alvarez says Richard Hedley purchased the site for around $400,000 and plans to build an 8,000-square-foot office building on it. It will be the development's first office building. Alvarez says while Jamestown is very popular with home buyers, it has yet to attract any commercial or retail tenants. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

Wampold is planning a hotel and restaurant on that 2.5 acre site.

Tenant mix coming together for River Park, developer says The financing and tenant mix are coming together for the entertainment district of the planned $600 million River Park mixed-use development, according to a brief presentation to the DDD Commission meeting this morning. "We have been through due diligence," says developer Pete Clements. "The structure has been set for the financing. We have two very good parties that have come together to make this work." Closing and groundbreaking could happen before the end of the year, he says. The project is at 75% of "initial occupancy," in terms of businesses that will be in place when the entertainment district opens, according to the presentation. The district will be built around a "Baton Rouge Boardwalk" and include an "Asian fusion restaurant," a steakhouse, a beer garden, an "artisan pizza concept," a "dueling piano bar," a blues club, an "upscale Southern comfort restaurant," a "Euro-American bistro," a "contemporary American restaurant and lounge," a "Spanish tapas restaurant," and a Mexican restaurant, according to the presentation. A joint venture has been signed with "several different professional entertainment groups" to operate and provide talent for a 1,500-seat indoor theater and a 40,000-square-foot outdoor public concert facility. Between the two venues, 168 annual events are planned. Clements previously has said about $125 million is needed to finance the entertainment district. —David Jacobs Businessreport.com

Scrap rubber company plans to expand with new facility on Choctaw NEN Companies, a local scrap rubber company, has leased a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on a seven-acre tract at Choctaw and North Foster roads, where it plans to build a new recycling processing plant. The long-vacant site previously was home to Capital Steel. NEN owner Norman Nolan says the company is investing some $5 million in new equipment and renovations that will enable it to process to a higher grade the scrap rubber that it buys from petrochemical companies and sells overseas. "We take the waste and sell it internationally, and they process it, taking out the water and rocks and turning it into stuff you can use," Nolan explains. "We're going to do the processing now, so what we sell will be a much higher grade." Nolan, whose corporate offices will remain on Highlandia Drive, estimates it will be about a year before construction on the new facility is complete. Once it's up and running, he estimates the facility will create 30 new jobs. Nolan has signed a six-year, blended-rate lease on the property with an option to purchase for $1.5 million. Mark Hebert of Kurz & Hebert Commercial Real Estate represented the property owner in the transaction. Julia Kennedy of Gully Phelps & McKey represented NEN. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

Site near Marriott, Best Western sells for potential office development The Bickham Family recently sold a 47,000-square-foot lot sandwiched between the Marriott and the Best Western hotels on Hilton Avenue to G. Endurance LLC for $590,000, or about $12.55 per square foot. The property fronts on Hilton Avenue at its intersection with Energy Drive, and backs up to Interstate 10. Brent Struthers with Beau Box Commercial Real Estate, who brokered the transaction, says the new owner will likely construct an office building on the site. The purchaser was represented by attorney Gordon McKernan, a local attorney, who has outgrown his 15,000-square-foot office on Bankers Lane and intends to relocate. The sale of this site comes on the heels of another 2.5-acre tract purchased from the Bickham Family by Mike Wampold across from the Marriott late last year for about $12.40 per square foot. "There are very few well-located lots available for sale in this corridor, and McKernan likes the idea of having an office building visible from I-10," Struthers says. Businessreport.com

If you look on Google Maps, it looks like they might try and connect it to Mint Dr. If not either Tanager or Kinglet?

Rocco's Po-boys and Grill to open in September Rocco's, a New Orleans-style po-boy shop, will open its second Baton Rouge location in September, according to owner Troy Moreau. The new restaurant will be housed in the former Phil's Oyster Bar on Government Street. Moreau says the location is iconic, and the Mid City revitalization prompted him to open a Rocco's there. "You won't find a more eclectic group of people or places to eat from the Jefferson Highway to South Acadian intersections," Moreau says. "This area reminds me a lot of New Orleans. It's a solid piece of old Baton Rouge. It's starting to really come around to what it used to be, where people are moving in instead of moving out." With Mid City's popularity growing, Moreau says he saw an opportunity to bring his flavor to the area. "You've got at least 30 different restaurants with all types of different foods, but there's really no place in that area that sells po-boys and New Orleans cuisine," he says. While the other Rocco's location on Drusilla Lane is a café, the Mid City location will be a grill, featuring daily plate lunches, as many as 25 menu items, live music indoors and a neighborhood bar-type feel. "We're actually shrinking the concept down," he says. "We're sticking to what we're good at. We'll introduce some live music in the evening so it can be the place where you can get some good food and hang out."—Matthew Sigur Businessreport.com

Crawfish Aquatics buys land on Siegen Crawfish Aquatics, one of the area's premier swim programs, has purchased a 4.77-acre tract of land on Siegen Lane near the intersection of Perkins Road for $1.4 million. In a deal that closed earlier today, Crawfish Aquatics owner Steven Ripple acquired the property from several members of the Watson family, who have owned the undeveloped land for more than 50 years. Ripple could not be reached for comment and no plans have yet been announced for future development of the property, which is located between Capital Golf, which opened earlier this year, and a Regions Bank branch. Crawfish Aquatics was founded in 1999 and offers year-round competitive swimming programs for children, teens and adults. It is currently based at the Ketcham Fitness Center at 7150 Bluebonnet Blvd. Real estate broker Mark Hebert of Kurz & Hebert Commercial Real Estate, who represented both buyer and seller in the transaction, says the area is increasingly in demand because of nearby growth and development. "I sold the Blockbuster (now Capital Golf) for $1.17 million, and this piece just sold for $6.95 per square foot," he says. "That shows you that it's an area in demand." —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

Cane Land Distilling to make rum in BR Production slated to begin in fall at new distillery plant “We’re excited that it’s going to kind of become the rum capital of the United States.” WALTER THARP, FOUNDER Cane Land Distilling LLC plans to build a craft rum and rhum distillery in Baton Rouge off River Road, with an initial production capacity of 60,000 cases. Founders Walter Tharp and Jim Massey have been working on the project for about a year, Tharp said. Cane Land is set to break ground on the facility at 622 Oklahoma St. this fall with production to begin in late 2014. The facility, designed by architect Dyke Nelson, also will include a tasting room and visitor center. Cane Land is positioning itself as “Louisiana’s rhum,” Tharp said. “Pretty much every time someone see’s that they go ‘What’s up with the H?’ ” Tharp said. “That indicates it’s an agricole rhum, which means it’s made from fresh-pressed cane juice.” The French-colonized islands, like Haiti and Martinique, were the first to make rhum. It has a different flavor and aroma profile from other rums, which are made with molasses. Molasses is used more often because fresh-pressed cane juice is difficult to come by; the juice begins to ferment immediately, Tharp said. But supply won’t be a problem for Cane Land because Tharp’s family has owned Alma Plantation and Sugar Mill in Pointe Coupee Parish for more than 150 years. Cane Land will have access to raw sugar materials at every stage of field and mill production. Tharp said Cane Land also will offer some regular rums — a spiced blend similar to others on the market and a shooting rum. Cane Land is led by Tharp, Massey and Yvette Bonanno-Tharp, a Baton Rouge chef, restaurateur and caterer, as well as Tharp’s wife. Tharp is experienced in sales and marketing, as well as fundraising and private capital investments. Massey has been a member of American Distillers Institute for more than a decade and also has experience in design and development. Bonanno-Tharp will be concocting chocolate rum balls, rum cakes, barbecue sauces and other food products under the Cane Lands label. Tharp said he’s excited about the new project and all the other companies that have opened craft distilleries in Louisiana. The state is home to at least three other rum distilleries: Louisiana Spirits LLC in Lacassine, Donner-Peltier Distillers of Thibodaux and Celebration Distillation in New Orleans. “We’re excited that it’s going to kind of become the rum capital of the United States,” Tharp said. http://theadvocate.com/news/6791131-123/cane-land-distilling-to-make

I know atleast right now a gas station (Racetrac) is going up across from the planned Walmart. Not sure what else might join it.......

Yes, it started a month or 2 ago. The first phase is called "The Preserve at Harveston". They have a website......http://harvestonbr.com/ That's all I know of the development

I believe around 10,000 or so and counting...

To be honest, you are probably right Richy! In these times we are living in, it might not get any better. The global economy is doomed to fail one day, and it might not be to far away with the way things are going around the world...

Rhorer says he'd like to see 5000-6000 downtown! Well ill double that and say i would like to see between 10,000-12,000. Not gonna happen though without continued support and great investment toward downtown's residential side. Maybe one day......

Probably sometime this summer or early fall at the lastest.

Developers seek tax benefit in Denham Springs DENHAM SPRINGS — Developers say they are seeking creation of another economic development district across the street from Bass Pro Shops. Coupled with that, they want an additional 1-cent sales tax collected within the proposed district to finance infrastructure, fill and wetland mitigation, Joe Moore of Re/Max First Commercial said Friday. The developers said they plan to ask the Livingston Parish Council and the Drainage District 5 board to allow them to use 40 percent of road and drainage sales taxes collected in the district. That money would be spent on road and drainage work within the district, said architect Brent Bueche, a spokesman for the developers. The group is not asking for any revenue that the council or drainage boards are currently receiving because there are no businesses open at this time in the proposed 19-acre district, said Bueche, president of BBI Architects. From the new sales tax, 20 percent would be set aside to be used as matching funds for an envisioned Interstate 12 interchange on 4-H Club Road near the site of the development, Bueche said. The developers are not seeking to use any taxes from the School Board, other parish governmental bodies or the state, said Jim Ryan, a financial adviser to the Parish Council, who has met with the developers. The 40 percent of taxes used would come only from a half-cent sales tax collected by District 5 and from the road portion of the Parish Council’s 1-cent sales tax. It would apply only to sales occurring in the new economic development district, he said. The economic development district would be outside of the city limits of Denham Springs, and the Parish Council would act as the board of the economic development district, Ryan said. The developers plan to take the proposal to the Livingston Parish Council on May 9, Bueche said. The two-phase development would create about 400 direct, permanent jobs and about 95 construction jobs, Bueche said. The national companies planning to move into the first phase of the site want to open before school starts in 2014, he said. The 19-acre development district would include 150,000 square feet of new retail development in two phases, Bueche said. The first store to break ground next month will be Cavender’s, a Texas-based Western wear shop, he said. The entire development, including the Bass Pro store, will become known as Riverside Landing, Bueche said. Jacob Fakouri, the developer of the Bass Pro site, is one of the landowners in the new development on the south side of Bass Pro Boulevard, Moore said. The southeastern part of Riverside Landing wasn’t made part of the proposed economic development district because a large part of it has not been sold, he said. Also, it is in the city limits, which means it is part of a different political jurisdiction, Moore said. http://theadvocate.com/news/5818373-123/developers-seek-tax-benefit-in

Claitor to start construction on second phase of shopping center Jon Claitor says he is getting ready to begin construction on the 10,000-square-foot, second portion of his shopping center, Acadian-Perkins Plaza, at the corner of Perkins Road and South Acadian Thruway. Construction on the build-out is scheduled to begin in May, and will include seven retail spaces, five of which have tenant deals in the works, including a restaurant. Claitor tells Daily Report he expects to finalize those deals next week. Claitor has also signed a letter of intent with an undisclosed developer for the 12,500-foot-space that was occupied by CVS before fire destroyed the shopping center in January 2010. Claitor has signed a confidentiality agreement with the developer and cannot discuss specifics of the plans, which he says are related to family entertainment. —Stephanie Riegel Read more from Business Report here: http://businessreport.com/section/daily-reportPM#ixzz2RfnnPk2l

Details on River Park coming, consultant says Developer Pete Clements has tentatively secured the $130 million he needs to begin developing his long-awaited, mixed-use downtown project known as River Park, according to his consultant on the development. Mark Drennen, who has been working with Clements for more than four years, says details of the deal are being finalized and that he expects an announcement in the next couple of weeks. "Actually, I thought an announcement would have been made last month," says Drennen, who declines to discuss the investors or the source of the capital. "It just takes forever when you have all the lawyers involved." Plans for the 50-acre River Park, which would be located north of Hollywood Casino on the riverfront, include an entertainment district, office space, condos and apartments. Clements plans to develop first the entertainment district, which will include hotels, restaurants, bars and music clubs. The establishments will be national chains, not locally owned businesses, Drennen says. "When people come to Baton Rouge, they're going to go to River Park," he says. "It is going to be the place to go." Clements first announced plans for River Park in 2007. Initially, the project was financially tied to Mayor Kip Holden's bond proposal, which was twice defeated by voters. More recently, Clements has been working to secure private financing. —Stephanie Riegel Read more from Business Report here: http://businessreport.com/section/daily-reportAM#ixzz2QjeKeL2F

Man they just keep on pushing back the opening date for the Hampton! First it was fall of 2012, then February, March, April, now May 1st?

Yep, typical 10-12 stories buildings!!! Whats new!!!

I hoping for atleast 250'+, but would love to see 300'+ or 25-30 stories! No more tacky 10-12 story buildings! We need height to our skyline!

Lobdell land bought for new charter school A Minnesota-based developer has purchased a 52,000-square-foot office building on Lobdell Avenue for $1.3 million, and has plans to turn it into a charter school. Ryan Companies US Inc. purchased the building at 1900 N. Lobdell Ave. on Monday and will renovate the building for Charter Schools USA, which plans to house a new school on the 6-acre campus, says Steve Legendre of Beau Box Commercial Real Estate, who represented Ryan in the deal. Jonathan Starns of Donnie Jarreau Real Estate represented the seller, Educational Management Services. The previous tenants at the property, which include Baton Rouge College, have been relocated, Legendre says. Charter Schools USA is taking applications for students in grades K-6 and plans to open the Baton Rouge Charter Academy at Mid City in August, according to the group's website. The site says the school will teach kindergarten through sixth-grade students during the 2013-14 school year, with seventh- and eighth-grade classes to be added "in subsequent years." Charter Schools USA says it manages 48 schools across the country. The group has a rendering of the Baton Rouge school that you can check out here. —April Castro Read more from Business Report here: http://businessreport.com/section/daily-reportAM#ixzz2OHfYQitP

If I read it right, I think it takes place next Wednesday the 27th. Still exciting to see up to 1,100 jobs downtown. Hope its a nice looking TALL building!