Shreveport/Bossier City Development

[fridayinla]

Well, even though the city is in debt, I feel all of the developments mentioned in this article have been necessary. Sometimes you have to take financial risks in order to grow - to better the situation:

A Legacy of Debt - Hightower Administration

Even though the article is a few days old, I'm just reading it for the first time. Brian - the bottom of the article mentions the city should move away from new developments and encourage the private-sector to redevelop areas (for tax revenue purposes). We were just saying how this is good move for the city. Looks like we were spot on.

Edited June 22, 2006 by fridayinla

[dimebag1980]

Well, even though the city is in debt, I feel all of the developments mentioned in this article have been necessary. Sometimes you have to take financial risks in order to grow - to better the situation:

A Legacy of Debt - Hightower Administration

Even though the article is a few days old, I'm just reading it for the first time. Brian - the bottom of the article mentions the city should move away from new developments and encourage the private-sector to redevelop areas (for tax revenue purposes). We were just saying how this is good move for the city. Looks like we were spot on.

I read that article a few days ago but didn't put much stock in it, simply because like you said, the developments it mentions are essential to the city's well-being and growth. Someone's always got to be the critical one, and I suppose the person who wrote this article figured she'd be it this time.

And yep, definitely looks like we were right on. It's so obvious that, as a city grows, it also needs to have a vibrant core... and revitalizing areas within the city limits is such a vital part of growth and development.

[dimebag1980]

Well, even though the city is in debt, I feel all of the developments mentioned in this article have been necessary. Sometimes you have to take financial risks in order to grow - to better the situation:

A Legacy of Debt - Hightower Administration

Even though the article is a few days old, I'm just reading it for the first time. Brian - the bottom of the article mentions the city should move away from new developments and encourage the private-sector to redevelop areas (for tax revenue purposes). We were just saying how this is good move for the city. Looks like we were spot on.

Hightower fires back with his own rebuttal. Very nice, and I believe he touches on everything well. Shreveport is an awesome place right now, despite the initial cost.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d.../606240378/1007

[fridayinla]

Hightower fires back with his own rebuttal. Very nice, and I believe he touches on everything well. Shreveport is an awesome place right now, despite the initial cost.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d.../606240378/1007

Ha - stick it to 'em Hightower

There's no comparing what Shreveport is today to what is was just 7 years ago. He's been a visionary and made Shreveport a much more liveable (and visit-able) city.

[fridayinla]

This article has a photograph of the Sci-Port Discovery Center's newly expanded exterior:

Sci-Port partners with local universities to create exhibits

[richyb83]

Nice news article. Hightower is an innovator. A diversified economy is a must. That's what made the big cities grow. I'm tired of seeing Houston and Dallas sucking the life out of Louisiana.

[dimebag1980]

Here's something interesting I just found in today's (Sunday's) Shreveport Times: an entire page dedicated to bridging the Red River!! The Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments is sponsoring a design competition for design proposals from architects, engineers, and visionaries on how we feel the Red should be bridged. This is exciting... I'm going to get to work on a design first chance I get, which I hope is tomorrow evening.

The contest will run through September 30 and the final deadline is on October 3.

According to the page in the paper (which I couldn't find online, sorry,) inquiries, comments, and submissions should be sent to the following:

Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments

Project SB Pedestrian Bridge

401 Market St., Suite 460

Shreveport, LA 71101

(318) 841-5950

[email protected]

www.nwlainfo.com

Anyway, since I couldn't find this page online, I decided to take a couple of photographs to show the full page. I also took both photos into Photoshop and merged them to show the full page. It's a crappy merge job, but it took all of 30 seconds to do. I don't think you'll be able to read the merged one very well without zooming, so that's where the two individual photos will come into play.

Here are the photos I took and the merged photo:

[richyb83]

How cool is that !!! That's really creative ! Thanks for posting that. I like the Dolphin taxi next to the bank drive-thru vacuum. Good luck with the contest, give it your best shot ! You can do it !

[dimebag1980]

How cool is that !!! That's really creative ! Thanks for posting that. I like the Dolphin taxi next to the bank drive-thru vacuum. Good luck with the contest, give it your best shot ! You can do it !

Thanks, Richy.

By the way, a news story from The Times today... not at all the kind of news I prefer to post, but it needs to be mentioned.

By the end of this year, the GM plant in Shreveport will have laid off nearly 1,000 people, which comes out to nearly 1/3 of its entire workforce. I absolutely hate when GM has layoffs, and this is the largest one I can recall.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...NGNEWS/60626017

[Mudbugger]

SBC,

I had to chime in when i saw this newsflash.

It isn't flat-out layoffs, most of the people are taking the buyouts that GM offered to many of the employees at their plants. Buyouts and early retirements are a bit different from the traditional pink slip scenario that people are familiar with.

On another topic, have you been able to get a more detailed site plan for for the King's Crossing Phase II by SDI Realty? I want to know who else is moving into this site besides Kohl's and JC Penney.

Also, do you have any word on when the rest of that land will be developed and by who?

Just curious about the saturation of the Youree drive corridor and when we can expect to see development in Shreveport in other areas aside from Youree drive, Pines road and North Bossier.

I have said it before there is a massive amount of development in to be done in Shreveport and it will take place on Bert Kouns between I-49 and GM.

Oh well, one day i guess... one day.

Mudbugger

[dimebag1980]

SBC,

I had to chime in when i saw this newsflash.

It isn't flat-out layoffs, most of the people are taking the buyouts that GM offered to many of the employees at their plants. Buyouts and early retirements are a bit different from the traditional pink slip scenario that people are familiar with.

On another topic, have you been able to get a more detailed site plan for for the King's Crossing Phase II by SDI Realty? I want to know who else is moving into this site besides Kohl's and JC Penney.

Also, do you have any word on when the rest of that land will be developed and by who?

Just curious about the saturation of the Youree drive corridor and when we can expect to see development in Shreveport in other areas aside from Youree drive, Pines road and North Bossier.

I have said it before there is a massive amount of development in to be done in Shreveport and it will take place on Bert Kouns between I-49 and GM.

Oh well, one day i guess... one day.

Mudbugger

Hey man, how's it going!? I tried to send you a PM yesterday but I realized you don't have enough posts to use your PM system yet. I was wondering if you still worked at that particular store you used to work at because I was in there on Sunday and was curious if you were working around 4:00 pm that day.

Anyway, I haven't been able to get my hands on a more detailed plan, though I'm chomping at the bit. As soon as they release one, I'm going to jump at it. As far as the rest of that land is concerned, I believe that same company purchased every single acre of that land. Who knows what they're planning for after this development.

Thanks for setting me straight on GM. I only read the first bit of the article and then I posted it. I have a bad habit of doing things like that sometimes. It's great to know it's not straight layoffs.

[fridayinla]

Looks like the SB banking economy is flourishing. New regional banks are moving into the area, along with local banks opening new branches... it's indicative of the overall economy:

Investments illustrate health, diversity of local banking environment

[dimebag1980]

Looks like the SB banking economy is flourishing. New regional banks are moving into the area, along with local banks opening new branches... it's indicative of the overall economy:

Investments illustrate health, diversity of local banking environment

Hey, you read my mind again! I was going to post that earlier along with the topic about how the banking economy locally fell apart back in the mid-80s along with the oil industry. I was very young when that happened, obviously, but I do recall my parents talking about it and I remember all the empty bank buildings on just about every corner. Luckily these days, they're all full again with newer banks... I just hope we never have a repeat of that big bust.

[dimebag1980]

The Louisiana Boardwalk is now an international tax-free shopping district. This means that international vistors to this area can now shop at the Boardwalk and receive a voucher to be refunded for their sales tax. By adding the Louisiana Boardwalk to this incentive program, that adds roughly 60 stores to the already-existing eight local stores to offer this option. Other cities in Louisiana who are participating in thsi program include Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Lake Charles, according to the following source:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...NGNEWS/60627010

[Mudbugger]

SBC,

Glad to hear from you again.

In reference to your earlier question I no longer work at the business that you remember me from.

I currently work at my family's production machine shop and i enjoy it so much more than retail.

I go in and run parts on my machine and don't have to deal with the general public anymore, it's a relief.

We hope to buy some land and build our own building in the next couple of years.

It will be a great help for us to pay a note as opposed to paying rent.

Why make someone else money buy paying rent when we can pay a note and own our own place?

With the way the economy is and the rate we continue to get more business, we should do well to move out into our own place in the next 2 years at the latest.

Glad to talk with you again,

Mudbugger

[bigboyz05]

The Louisiana Boardwalk is now an international tax-free shopping district. This means that international vistors to this area can now shop at the Boardwalk and receive a voucher to be refunded for their sales tax. By adding the Louisiana Boardwalk to this incentive program, that adds roughly 60 stores to the already-existing eight local stores to offer this option. Other cities in Louisiana who are participating in thsi program include Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Lake Charles, according to the following source:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...NGNEWS/60627010

Since so many new businesses have moved into the area, has the number of people moving into the area been just crazy?

[dimebag1980]

Since so many new businesses have moved into the area, has the number of people moving into the area been just crazy?

Hey Darius, how's it going?

To answer your question, no. Bossier's population growth is explosive while Shreveport's is minimal with the exception of south Shreveport. But we still face the fact that only about 0.9% of Bossier's population growth is coming from outside of the area, and Shreveport's number, I'm certain, is less than 0.5%. As a matter of fact, Shreveport may well show a loss of a couple thousand people for the 2010 Census while Bossier City should be nearing 65,000-70,000 people. Already Bossier City's population has grown from 52,721 in 1990 to 59,611 in 2004. In the 1990 Census, Bossier City had fewer people than the city of Monroe, while now it's got a few thousand people more.

[fridayinla]

Well, it's no new high-rise riverfront condo building, but it's progress:

Shreveport Housing Authority to build first project for nearly two decades

[dimebag1980]

Well, it's no new high-rise riverfront condo building, but it's progress:

Shreveport Housing Authority to build first project for nearly two decades

Let's just cross our fingers and hope that this new project doesn't get as bad as Jackson Heights did. I will say, though, Galilee City has been a pretty surprising success, and it's not far from the Jackson Heights area. Galilee City was built by Galilee Baptist Church as a government-subsidised housing project, and when you see it from I-20, it's hard to believe that nice-looking complex is a housing project. It's very modern and looks like it would fit well in any middle-to-upper class area of the city.

[bigboyz05]

Hey Darius, how's it going?

To answer your question, no. Bossier's population growth is explosive while Shreveport's is minimal with the exception of south Shreveport. But we still face the fact that only about 0.9% of Bossier's population growth is coming from outside of the area, and Shreveport's number, I'm certain, is less than 0.5%. As a matter of fact, Shreveport may well show a loss of a couple thousand people for the 2010 Census while Bossier City should be nearing 65,000-70,000 people. Already Bossier City's population has grown from 52,721 in 1990 to 59,611 in 2004. In the 1990 Census, Bossier City had fewer people than the city of Monroe, while now it's got a few thousand people more.

I'm doing very well, Brian. How are you? Bossier is growing so fast I bet it won't be long before it passes Lake Charles in population.

[dimebag1980]

I'm doing very well, Brian. How are you? Bossier is growing so fast I bet it won't be long before it passes Lake Charles in population.

No doubt in my mind, man. In the same time that Bossier City has gained nearly 7,000 people, Lake Charles has gained 300 people. Huge differences. I give it another 10 years... 15 tops.

Anyway, I'm doing great man. How's the job search coming? If you still need me to keep my eyes open, I'll gladly do so.

[fridayinla]

Brian, do you post in the skyscraperpage forum as supkof?

[dimebag1980]

Brian, do you post in the skyscraperpage forum as supkof?

You got me.

My name on this board was supkof for about the first month I was here but I asked to have it changed.

[fridayinla]

You got me.

My name on this board was supkof for about the first month I was here but I asked to have it changed.

ah! I was gonna suggest that you two meet if not.

Edited June 29, 2006 by fridayinla

[dimebag1980]

ah! I was gonna suggest that you two meet if not.

:lol:

What are you saying, I'm too obsessive!?!?

Believe me, my wife tells me that all the time...