Baton Rouge City Profile

[hagetaka]

Something neat I found outthe the day is that the Mall at Cortana is 400,000sq ft larger than the Mall of Louisiana measured in gross leasable area. It could be a really fne mal if they did a few renervations . I also think it shuld replace it's anchor tenenants with more upscale tenants like the Northpark Mall in Dallas. Speaking of malls I also have a neat idea for a mall I'll post later.

I always knew it was the largest mall in the state, but some people refuse to understand that MOL is nothing less than the god of all mall because it's 2 stories.

[cajun]

I always knew it was the largest mall in the state, but some people refuse to understand that MOL is nothing less than the god of all mall because it's 2 stories.

It doesn't look as hastily done as Cortana...and it's right off the interstate. The only drawback to MOL was take away with the Picardy interchange.

Have you been to Cortana lately? They have a lot of empty stores in the mall and in the surrounding outlet centers-even the chain restarants are heading out. It's gone downhill pretty quickly. I think Town Center was the last straw for it.

I am not really a fan of malls in general. My girlfriend used to drag me to the MOL every couple of weeks...the stores that she used to get things at were not even in Cortana. I'd be happy in Steve and Barrys, but I am a college-aged guy who hates going to the mall. That's a long drive for me just for cheap shirts.

That whole section of Florida Blvd from Airline out to Denham is having trouble. Maybe if they took out some traffic lights and increased the car count some of those places would open back up....but it's a bear to drive around in that area.

Edited August 6, 2007 by cajun

[cajun]

Oh, BTW, I've seen Richy posting about a southern bypass of Baton Rouge needed first more than anything, because if nothing else, people evacuating New Orleans for a hurricane won't have to sit for 10 hours at the 10-12 split in B.R. I agree with that, and wanted to add that's it's not just New Orleans, it's the whole Gulf Coast. Anytime a hurricane approaches the Florida panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi coasts, or New Orleans, they tell everyone to go west. So whenever a major hurricane like an Ivan or a Katrina comes towards the gulf coast, you know you'll have people coming from New Orleans, Biloxi-Gulfport, Mobile, Pensacola and Panama City, and so on.

During evacuations, traffic moves until you hit Baton Rouge, where you sit for hours and hours because there just isn't anywhere else to go. That most definately needs to be taken care of before anything else, IMO.

Great reason to do both loops. The southern loop would probably take twice as long because it needs a new bridge.

Hell, just for evacuation purposes I-10 should be six lanes through the rural gulf south.

[dan326]

It doesn't look as hastily done as Cortana...and it's right off the interstate. The only drawback to MOL was take away with the Picardy interchange.

Have you been to Cortana lately? They have a lot of empty stores in the mall and in the surrounding outlet centers-even the chain restarants are heading out. It's gone downhill pretty quickly. I think Town Center was the last straw for it.

I am not really a fan of malls in general. My girlfriend used to drag me to the MOL every couple of weeks...the stores that she used to get things at were not even in Cortana. I'd be happy in Steve and Barrys, but I am a college-aged guy who hates going to the mall. That's a long drive for me just for cheap shirts.

Actually things are pickig up at Cortana. Yes a lot of stores are empty, but new stores have come in like Hollister, while like you said Cajun,cheap shirts at high prices, are lured by a certain type of demographic. One thing they need to do is knock down that tacky Cortana Square strip mall where Wal-Mart used to be across the street and build something better preferably in the style of Bon Carre. In act the whole mall needs to be redone to look like that. The name Cortana kind of invokes a Latino tropical feel similar to the way Bon Carre looks.

[brresident]

Actually things are pickig up at Cortana. Yes a lot of stores are empty, but new stores have come in like Hollister, while like you said Cajun,cheap shirts at high prices, are lured by a certain type of demographic. One thing they need to do is knock down that tacky Cortana Square strip mall where Wal-Mart used to be across the street and build something better preferably in the style of Bon Carre. In act the whole mall needs to be redone to look like that. The name Cortana kind of invokes a Latino tropical feel similar to the way Bon Carre looks.

That place was full not 5 years ago....then walmart abandoned the place to build a supercenter about 100 yards down the street and now the only tenant is a flea market.

I agree. Something needs to be done soon. I think the area could use more business development (non-retail). If they can lease out a space for a call center, or any kind of office I think it would work wonders for that area.

It used to house office max, Books a Million, at least a dozen clothing stores, Wal Mart. I suspect that the owner of that strip mall wants too much for for rent, as Bed Bath and Whatnot, Guiltar outlet, and and Baby's r Us opened up on the other side of the mall.

The Logans left that area too. It was the closest Logans to my house. Now I have to drive to South Baton Rouge if I want to eat at an establishment where I can throw peanut shells on the floor. Town Center is actually a little closer to me now, anyways...but they don't have any casual steakhouses...though that sports bar place is pretty cool.

Edited August 6, 2007 by brresident

[dan326]

I remember that Books-A-Million. I used to go there all the time way back when. Maybe a development like the Boulevard could help Cortana out, they've got plenty of outparcel room left. And really all they need to do is repait and renovate Cortana square and kick out the rug dealer/thrift store retailer and put something better in there and would be alright.

I was thinking about the area dubbed "Little Vietnam" today and I was thinking that that might be a good place for the city to try an create a little ethnic district like San Francisco's ChinaTown http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/. I don't know what the city could do to premote it, incentive's would probably be descrimanitory to surrounding retailer/residents, but I think that would be a cool idea. I don't know if it has any historical importance, but maybe place a plaque or something. I guess the ony answer is that as Baton Rouge grows that area will grow too.

Edit:They compose 1.15% of B.R.'s population or 2,621 people which makes them the most affluent Asian group in B.R. and 1,300 more than the next most affluent group, the Chinese. Maybe that could help sway tht second sister city agrement in Taiwan with Taipei. Just thought I'd add that.

Edited August 8, 2007 by dan326

[dan326]

I was looking on google maps and is saw this mall in the Woodlands entitled "The Woodlands Mall" and thought it was similar to the Mall of Louisiana.I admit, I probably did go a little outline crazy and found some rather common things, but I just wanted to make sure ya'll saw it.

For one they have an outdoor expansionlike the Boulevard(pink). There is also a strip mall near it like the Bluebonnet Parc Ithink it's called(yellow). Stores in the front(green). By an interstate,overpass, and side roads (blue and green).

Both malls are managed by the same company whch is probably why they look so similar. Some more similarities are a carousel in the common areas and Pottery Barn and a bookstore in the outdoor portion.

I think it would be cool to add a water taxi like they have there and hook it to the Grove.

Edited August 8, 2007 by dan326

[richyb83]

I think a water taxi is a great idea Dan! They could start it at The Boulevard and hook it to The Grove(Ward's Creek) then go back around Dawson Creek connecting Perkins Rowe!

The water taxi in The Woodlands is nice, I enjoyed riding on it.

Thanks for the info on Little Vietnam.

Edited August 8, 2007 by richyb83

[twstdndmntd]

I don't know if this is the right thread to post this on but I'll put it anyways. LOL. Everyday I travel on S. Acadian to my work at BRG. This road is a heavily traveled road not just by the residents of BR but by visitors going to either Mid-City, BRG, and anything else out that way. Can we not get the city/parish to clean up the brush on the side the road. It looks HORRIBLE. Not to mention it is a real traffic problem with the way the street curves at the traffic lights. You have all this brush along side and then you come up to a traffic signal that you can't see because the street curves and because the brush on the side is overgrown. You never know when traffic is stopped at the light until you are right up on the car in front of you. It truely is an accident waiting to happen, I'm really surprised there hasn't been more accidents in that area.

[richyb83]

Write "Ask the Advocate" on their website; and hopefully you can get an answer in a couple of weeks in the newspaper in the Metro section. I know what you mean; some of the brush and shrubbery can make it dangerous turning corners.

I guess this could also go under Road Rants.

[hagetaka]

Cortana Mall can do alot of things to gain customers and stores, there is plenty of space to build a lifestyle center, like the Boulevard. A couple of dead malls added on with those and the magic happened. That side of town can use a large movie theater, plenty of room to build office space, a hotel or 2, maybe residential.

[dan326]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcobe0Rd98Y...ted&search=

Here's an interesting video about B.R. It's kind d hard to describe so heres the site description"Due to the recent unpleasantness, Baton Rouge has eclipsed New Orleans as the largest city in Louisiana. Is the city destined for greatness? Scenic Highway is the name of US Highway 61 as it passes through northern Baton Rouge. It is also this trip to the city -- and such landmarks as Huey Long's art deco State Capitol building and Buckminster Fuller's hidden geodesic dome. This darkly affectionate memoir is also an expos

[dan326]

^ If you have17 free minutes I recommend you watch that movie.

Actaully th redesign would have made a bigger impact on the skylie than the original.

Here's I little something else I whipped up.

Edited August 19, 2007 by dan326

[richyb83]

Wow Dan, that II City Plaza looks FANTASTIC!!!!! Almost looks like a 13th floor; I like the spire...bet it looks cool at night!!! It dwarfs City Plaza which is a large building itself!!! Bigger buildings like II City Plaza and the new Courthouse will really fit in well between Chase Tower and Governmental Bldg. When driving from the bridge the Governmental bldg.(ugly or not?) is a good size from that view. And the new Courthouse will be quite a bit larger.

RiverPlace will have the skeptics talking when it does finally happen, re-design or not.

Dan, I'll post one of my pics I took from atop of the Bridge awhile back and shadow the future skyline; then if you want you can modify the details!

Edited August 20, 2007 by richyb83

[byrde]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcobe0Rd98Y...ted&search=

Here's an interesting video about B.R. It's kind d hard to describe so heres the site description"Due to the recent unpleasantness, Baton Rouge has eclipsed New Orleans as the largest city in Louisiana. Is the city destined for greatness? Scenic Highway is the name of US Highway 61 as it passes through northern Baton Rouge. It is also this trip to the city -- and such landmarks as Huey Long's art deco State Capitol building and Buckminster Fuller's hidden geodesic dome. This darkly affectionate memoir is also an expos

[hagetaka]

That 17 minute clip was something else I tell ya.

[dan326]

Dan, I'll post one of my pics I took from atop of the Bridge awhile back and shadow the future skyline; then if you want you can modify the details!

I'd love to.

That 17 minute clip was something else I tell ya.

O.K. maybe that was kind of weird, but it was still pretty neat huh?

[byrde]

I'd love to.

O.K. maybe that was kind of weird, but it was still pretty neat huh?

Weird.... YES

Neat...dunno about that dan.

[buckett5425]

lol, yes, the video was weird. But i LOVED it, it was funny and insightful. I showed my friend who was a construction management major, he loved it also. Being the losers that we are, we are planning a trip to go see the old river control stucture, and on the way we were going to go the st francisville way to ride the ferry, and maybe see if we can catch a glimpse of the new bridge. After hearing about the "buckyball" train yard on highway 61, we want to make that part of our road trip also! thanks for recomending the video!

[richyb83]

The video was interesting and even informative. But it was also wierd and even sick.... "necrophelia" Was this dude on acid??

I liked the graphic on the tallest capitols.

[dan326]

See I told ya'll. I liked the parts about the envious cities and the malls, I wonder why they didn't include the Mall of Louisiana? I thought the dialogue at the end was the weirdest.

[drew6974]

Very interesting video on downtown BR on the DDD website.

Check out the Downtown Wayfinding Video on the link below.

http://brgov.com/dept/ddd/

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting that!! DDD did a fantastic job; check it out yall, only a little over 6 minutes. Gotta love the Rocky theme

The Trolley Route takes a trip to alot more places than I realized!

Like the special signs for Beauregard Town & SpanishTown.

This might desrve it's own thread! What a tremendous improvement coming for growing downtown!

[drew6974]

Thanks for posting that!! DDD did a fantastic job; check it out yall, only a little over 6 minutes. Gotta love the Rocky theme

The Trolley Route takes a trip to alot more places than I realized!

Like the special signs for Beauregard Town & SpanishTown.

This might desrve it's own thread! What a tremendous improvement coming for growing downtown!

Bill Conti composed the Rocky theme. He's an LSU grad.

[hagetaka]

The Trolley Route takes a trip to alot more places than I realized!

The Trolley used to run every 6 minutes, now it works on it's on time. Everytime we take it to lunch on the other side of downtown we are late.