Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[NCB]

Sometihng that I think would be neat for Baton Rouge to build is an aquarium.

That would be cool, but I'm not sure if it would be a great long term investment for the city. The Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans is constantly ranked as one of the best aquariums in the world, and it has a lock on the SE Louisiana/south Mississippi area. An aquarium designed to offer a closer alternative to the Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans for local parents and kids would probably work out well, but the city would have to put some serious money into it to draw visitors from outside of the Baton Rouge area.

[dan326]

That would be cool, but I'm not sure if it would be a great long term investment for the city. The Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans is constantly ranked as one of the best aquariums in the world, and it has a lock on the SE Louisiana/south Mississippi area. An aquarium designed to offer a closer alternative to the Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans for local parents and kids would probably work out well, but the city would have to put some serious money into it to draw visitors from outside of the Baton Rouge area.

Wow, in the world? Guess it's good to live by New Orleans. You can do most things like shop and dine in Baton Rouge and then when you want some more entertainment just take an 1 1/2 drive to New Orlean. Guess the must have filled all those travel guides with something.

Edited July 28, 2006 by dan326

[NCB]

Wow, in the world? Guess it's good to live by New Orleans. You can do most things like shop and dine in Baton Rouge and then when you want some more entertainment just take an 1 1/2 drive to New Orlean. Guess the must have filled all those travel guides with something.

Yep, but it can be a good thing and a bad thing for a city like Baton Rouge. Because Baton Rouge is only 80 miles away from a tourist-meca like New Orleans which is home to things like one of the top aquariums in the world, one of the top zoo's in the country, the French Quarter, Bourbon street, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, etc. and its world famous food, music, history, culture, nightlife, etc. can make it extremely tough for Baton Rouge to compete in terms of tourism.

Baton Rouge doesn't need tourism for its economy to move forward, which is a good thing, but it's a shame sometimes because it's a great mid-sized city and many people just seem to think "why should we go there? New Orleans is only an hour away on the interstate" and they really don't know what they're missing.

[dan326]

Baton Rouge doesn't need tourism for its economy to move forward,

What is our economy composed of? I know that a large part of it is petrochemicals, but I remeber reading that we're trying to supplement that with biotechnology.

[NCB]

What is our economy composed of? I know that a large part of it is petrochemicals, but I remeber reading that we're trying to supplement that with biotechnology.

Well the state government is by far the largest employer and moneymaker in the area, and the petrochemical industry would follow that. I'm not sure about the Biotech industry in Baton Rouge, as I'd never heard anything about it, but it's becoming very large and looks like it has a very bright future in a post-Katrina New Orleans.

[byrde]

Well the state government is by far the largest employer and moneymaker in the area, and the petrochemical industry would follow that. I'm not sure about the Biotech industry in Baton Rouge, as I'd never heard anything about it, but it's becoming very large and looks like it has a very bright future in a post-Katrina New Orleans.

Pennington Biomedical Research Center is leading the BioTech industry in BR.

http://www.pbrc.edu

Edited July 29, 2006 by byrde

[dan326]

Are they really going to make some of these things?

Edited July 29, 2006 by dan326

[richyb83]

Eventually they will make some of that Dan. Those pics were part of Andres Duany's new urbanism plan for downtown. It's just a rough draft though. It will all be integrated into the Riverfront MasterPlan. Once River Place is finally built other development will follow. Probably on each side of RiverPlace; the next block where the old Advocate Bldg. is; it will be demolished later this year. And the other block that's a giant parking lot between RiverPlace and the Hilton Capitol House. Expect both developments to be multi-story mixed-use projects.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/multimedia/2853931.html

^Check-out the three high-rise developments on the right; tan colored.

RiverPlace is the 2nd most to the right. Old Advocate property is on the far right next to RiverPlace.

The boxes on the left are in front of the new Shaw Arts Center and divided property. Trahan Architects owns a small portion where a slender high-rise could go. NCB posted a pic on earlier BR thread of this months ago. The BR Water Co. owns most of that land on the block. It's been a controversial eye-sore. They do not want to sell the land, just dress-up the old water-plant. LSU Architect school also has aspirations on what to build on the prime property too.

Edited July 29, 2006 by richyb83

[richyb83]

Baton Rouge will be home to one of the first fully operational national "fusion centers" comprising federal and state law-enforcement officials aimed at stopping terrorism. BR was one of the first four chosen for the deployment. New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore were also named.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/3451381.html

This story was a bit hard to follow, I just found this interesting.

[dan326]

Baton Rouge will be home to one of the first fully operational national "fusion centers" comprising federal and state law-enforcement officials aimed at stopping terrorism. BR was one of the first four chosen for the deployment. New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore were also named.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/3451381.html

This story was a bit hard to follow, I just found this interesting.

That's great. New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore are some big names. I guess Katrina wasn't so bad after all. I wonder were the other locations will be.

Edited July 30, 2006 by dan326

[dan326]

There's talk of bringing streetcars back to downtown Baton Rouge.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/2735166.html

That would be a good idea because maybe with the tracks laid down they would run longer. On thing that is wrong with the current system is that they don't run on weekends and stop running at 2:30pm on weekdays. But I guess they want to see how it works before they throw a lot of money in to it.

How much do you weigh ? Being 6'-1" I was just curious ?

I am around 5'-10 1/2" about 190 lbs.

I'm 5'-11" and about 155, so you guys must be huge! Just kidding. I'm taller than my dad and he weighs about 190, but he's not large.

You know, it seems like I have a knack for resurfacing things.

Edited July 31, 2006 by dan326

[dimebag1980]

That would be a good idea because maybe with the tracks laid down they would run longer. On thing that is wrong with the current system is that they don't run on weekends and stop running at 2:30pm on weekdays. But I guess they want to see how it works before they throw a lot of money in to it.

I'm 5'-11" and about 155, so you guys must be huge! Just kidding. I'm taller than my dad and he weighs about 190, but he's not large.

You know, it seems like I have a knack for resurfacing things.

You and I are the same height, Dan. Unfortunately, though, I no longer weigh around 150. I'll not divulge my actual weight but will only say that I weigh quite a bit more tha 250.

I used to be so thin, too. At 21 I was 5'-11" and about 150-160 lbs. At 26 I'm almost twice that.

[NCB]

I'm 5'-11" and about 155, so you guys must be huge! Just kidding. I'm taller than my dad and he weighs about 190, but he's not large.

All muscle, baby...all muscle.

[dimebag1980]

All muscle, baby...all muscle.

Yeah, that's what I tell people too.

And then they laugh. I wonder why!?!?

[NCB]

Yeah, that's what I tell people too.

And then they laugh. I wonder why!?!?

Well, quite a bit of my weight really is muscle, but definately not all of it. The fact that I've been eating less fast food and snacks has helped a lot recently.

[richyb83]

Something that I think would be neat for Baton Rouge to build is an aquarium.

I think a scaled down version of a "Riverarium" would be nice for Baton Rouge. The location could be on the controversial BRWaterWorks property in front of the Shaw Arts Center on the block next to the Capitol House. The Riverarium could have the native fish/wildlife of the Atchafaylaya and other nearby waterways.

[NCB]

I think a scaled down version of a "Riverarium" would be nice for Baton Rouge. The location could be on the controversial BRWaterWorks property in front of the Shaw Arts Center on the block next to the Capitol House. The Riverarium could have the native fish/wildlife of the Atchafaylaya and other nearby waterways.

Now that could definately work. A smaller "Riverarium" mainly focusing on the native fish and sea-life from around south Louisiana would be cool, especially on the riverfront in downtown Baton Rouge.

[byrde]

I think a scaled down version of a "Riverarium" would be nice for Baton Rouge. The location could be on the controversial BRWaterWorks property in front of the Shaw Arts Center on the block next to the Capitol House. The Riverarium could have the native fish/wildlife of the Atchafaylaya and other nearby waterways.

I like that idea. That would be really nice.

[dan326]

The other day I saw one of the cranes moving on the Perkin Rowe development. I guess that seems insignificant, but I had never seen one move before,and it was just interesting to see something so big moving.They move slowely though.

Edited August 1, 2006 by dan326

[dan326]

Did anyone every find any renderings for the 15/18 story Southgate tower?

[imaterry78247]

Baton Rouge for a city its size is really very undeveloped. I think it could be the new Austin

[richyb83]

Baton Rouge for a city its size is really very undeveloped. I think it could be the new Austin

True, but things are starting to fill-up. I believe the edges of the city and suburban areas may be over-developed. Look at Siegen, Bluebonnet, Coursey and Sherwood Forest. But I think Baton Rouge is finally starting to understand smart growth. Many undeveloped huge-tracts of land around the city have some big plans with major projects. Unlike New Orleans, Baton Rouge has alot of room to grow; using smart growth. Many residents around here are blind to the fact, they like their cookie-cutter/one-way in sprawling neighborhoods. They need to accept the fact BR is growing into a city.

Edited August 2, 2006 by richyb83

[dan326]

Baton Rouge for a city its size is really very undeveloped. I think it could be the new Austin

Hopefully. Austin has all kinds of things going on.

[dimebag1980]

To be honest, I never saw Baton Rouge as "underdeveloped." There's a real big-city overdeveloped feeling you get along some stretches of I-10, especially around the area of Shaw Group's office building and the other glass office buildings that are in that area. There's also a nice feel in the area of the big hotel along I-10 as well.

[richyb83]

^The area you are talking about with Shaw HQ's/United Plaza and Jacobs Plaza on Essen @ I-10; A few years back my brother refered to that as the "New Downtown". But Downtown is making a strong come-back!

^ I always wondered why the 22-story Marriott was as tall as it is at that locaton. 4 miles from the CBD, about 5 miles from the Riverfront. Actually a great location near the I-10/12 split and LSU. BR's version of Uptown??

That whole are exploded after the Marriott went up. The most hotels in BR are around there. A large business district sprang-up there too. CitiPlace (mixed-use) added further. The Corporate Blvd.(extension)corridor (not seen from I-10) veers away from I-10 into the hottest Upscale real-estate in town. The new Towne Center at Cedar Lodge with Whole Foods; PF Changs, Office, Condo's and another new hotel and new business park make that the most affluent area within the city limits.

* I need to Mapquest post this area to show you how large that undeveloped land area was/is. Not many cities I know have that vast an area of undeveloped land that's finally starting to fill-up.

To be honest, I never saw Baton Rouge as "underdeveloped." There's a real big-city overdeveloped feeling you get along some stretches of I-10, especially around the area of Shaw Group's office building and the other glass office buildings that are in that area. There's also a nice feel in the area of the big hotel along I-10 as well.