Americana TND Development

[steve3n8]

Decided to start a new topic on this TND since there was no real topic dedicated to it......interested in seeing this build out for Zachary. Much needed!

Americana development in Zachary ahead of schedule

Americana, a traditional neighborhood development under construction in Zachary, is rolling along, says attorney Charles Landry, despite what remains a tough financial environment for speculative development. Streets and sewers are going in now, lakes have been dug, and the YMCA facility on-site is also under way. "I think this is going to be a game changer for Zachary," Landry says. "We're way ahead of where we thought we would be." He says purchase agreements are in place for "two or three big pieces of property" by commercial entities that are not yet ready to be publicly identified. When asked if they might be retailers, Landry is coy. "That's the easy part," he says. "A little bit harder stuff to get [than retail]." He says commercial announcements could happen before the end of this year, and expects residential construction to begin late in the first quarter of next year. While speculative commercial development remains hard to finance, Zachary remains appealing as an underserved, growing community, Landry says. Besides its often-touted schools, he says, Zachary is an easier commute to and from Baton Rouge than are Ascension or Livingston parishes, and it's close to the plants north of downtown. —David Jacobs

Businessreport.com

[richyb83]

Thanks Steve3n8... had posted a few times this in the New Urbanism thread several years back...but was not sure this project would ever happen??

Here was/is the site plan...not sure if it has changed?? The new YMCA should be a nice anchor...

[dan326]

I didn't think it would happend either, lol.

[garrett_225]

Its supposed to incorporate a movie theater also. That'll bring a much needed entertainment option to that area.

[cajun]

I didn't see this happening....and I don't think there is enough demand for a moie theater in Zachary quite yet.

We'll see. It may draw customers from the west side since the new bridge is up. I'd have predicted a big box center before a movie theater.

[Antrell Williams]

A small movie theater in Zachary would be in ripe territory. Where's the next closest theater? Rave on O'neal serves Livingston, and Rave and Cinemark serves Acsension (As far as suburbs go).

[cajun]

Didn't think about that....

Zachary would do well with a few larger retailers. They are the closest outer 'burb for everyone south of Woodville, MS as well as Pointe Coupee.

There is no competition among warehouse store chains, movie theaters, large big box stores, and outlet stores between Baton Rouge and Nachez.

A better highway network in the Felicianas would really set that town off. The newly improved hwy 61 is going to be a major catalyst for growth in that region if this economy ever picks back up.

[garrett_225]

I wouldn't expect the theater to be anything massive like Rave. I'm thinking 4-6 screens like the theater at The Paragon in Marksville.

[Antrell Williams]

Didn't think about that....

Zachary would do well with a few larger retailers. They are the closest outer 'burb for everyone south of Woodville, MS as well as Pointe Coupee.

There is no competition among warehouse store chains, movie theaters, large big box stores, and outlet stores between Baton Rouge and Nachez.

A better highway network in the Felicianas would really set that town off. The newly improved hwy 61 is going to be a major catalyst for growth in that region if this economy ever picks back up.

Good points here.

Passenger traffic is pretty light compared to other corridors though.

[brkells]

The website is up. Here's the link..... http://lifeatamericana.com/

[Antrell Williams]

Welcome to the forum! Thanks for the link.

[steve3n8]

Home building in Americana TND to begin this month

 

After more than eight years, residential construction is scheduled to begin at the end of this month on the first spec homes in the 90-lot, first phase of Americana, the $500 million traditional neighborhood development in Zachary along Highway 64. John Engquist, whose Old Towne Development is developing the 413-acre TND, tells Real Estate Weekly Level Construction is building the initial homes, though talks are under way with other builders as well. No lots have been pre-sold. "It's been a long time in the making," says Engquist of the project, which in 2008 became the center of a protracted lawsuit among the original developers. In 2009 Engquist and his partners bought out the former partner with whom they were feuding, though work on the TND did not resume until 2012—a delay related to the economic downturn. Among the key features of Americana is a new YMCA, which will open at a ceremony Thursday at 10 a.m. The 26,000-square foot facility—the ninth in the Capital Region—sits on 5.25 acres in the back of Americana and cost an estimated $13 million to develop. Its amenities include a fitness center, outdoor pool and splash pad, tennis courts, and a meeting facility. Plans call for Americana eventually to have more than 800 single-family homes, as well as condos, live-work units, and nearly 500,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. —Stephanie Riegel

 

Businessreport.com

[dan326]

Cool, I thought they might have been done with that.

[richyb83]

Frustrating to see this TND get a blank canvas(w/ no neighborhoods surrounding it) on the western edge of Zachary....Americana is going to be nice  .....yet an infill TND like Rouzan in BR has battled nothing but stumbling blocks every step of the way   At least Long Farm btwn Airline Hwy & Jefferson Hwy looks like it should be successful...

 

Walk-On’s plans Americana location in Zachary

 

A Walk-On’s Bistreaux and Bar is going into Americana, the first commercial tenant that will be in the Zachary traditional neighborhood development.

 

The 4,500-square-foot restaurant is set to open in March. It will be part of the Villages of Americana, three mixed-use buildings off La. 64 that will serve as a gateway to the TND.

 

This will be the third Walk-On’s in East Baton Rouge Parish; a smaller restaurant concept, Walk-On’s Halfcourt, is set to open downtown on Third Street this fall. “We feel that being at the front door of a community like Americana is the ideal place for us,” said Brandon Landry, co-owner and co-founder of Walk-On’s, noting the nearby YMCA and the proximity to Zachary ball parks.

 

Americana is a 413-acre development that will eventually include 818 single-family homes, 482,555 square feet of retail and office space and a movie theater.

 

*pic shown...UP won't allow m to post rendering

http://theadvocate.com/home/9482891-125/walk-ons-plans-americana-location-in

[dan326]

Neat! You can definitely say B.R. has made it to the atleast junior big leagues when our suburbs start getting huge developments. Zachary/West Feliciana must have a pretty high income level to warrant that much retail considering their smaller population.

Where do y'all think the next "mall" will be. I think the model now is like a Town Center with department stores at the ends. I figure Sorento or Zachary although I don't know where a good spot would be since they don't have a freeway near.

[all2neat]

Hopefully none for a while. I want to see what Juban Crossing will do to the market first.

[dan326]

I wouldn't call that a true "mall". 

[Antrell Williams]

Possibly Zachary, Sorrento won't get one with Tanger right there and the Mall of LA just a few exits down.

[dan326]

 

Construction has started on buildings at the Americana traditional neighborhood development in Zachary, which will be home for new locations of Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar and Bistro Byronz.

Walk-On’s will occupy a stand-alone, 6,100-square-foot building in The Villages of Americana. The restaurant is set to open in February and it will be the fourth Walk-On’s in metro Baton Rouge.

Bistro Byronz will take up 4,200 square feet in one of two mixed-use buildings that will be constructed in The Villages of Americana.

There will be about 60 one- and two-bedroom apartments in the buildings, along with another 15,000 square feet of commercial space.

http://theadvocate.com/news/16033788-86/work-starts-on-americana-walk-ons-bistro-byronz-in-zachary

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting that Dan326....saw  in  paper this morning....Zachary's own little version of "Perkins Rowe"....they are really stepping it up on the west side of town