Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[NCB]

^Thanks for the info, byrde. I figured there might be some interesting history in that building. Oh and I have no idea why I said Jefferson Highway, but I'm known to get some of the highways around Baton Rouge mixed up, as there are quite a few of them.

[dan326]

It is now going to be turned into a 4-star hotel, with a floor added to the top. We still don't know what the tenant will be though.

[richyb83]

Hey Nate...Wampold Companies will convert the unfinished skeleton into a 13-story(adding 1-floor) Four-Star Hotel; (Bluebonnet Hotel VenturesLLC) Not sure on exact date, sometime this year! Great location between expanding Mall of La. and Perkins Rowe.

ADD**Ha, hey Dan...1 minute before me.

Edited December 27, 2006 by richyb83

[dan326]

"Fidelity opens B.R. branch

Fidelity Homestead Association has opened its first Baton Rouge branch on Corporate Boulevard. This is the fourth new location Fidelity has opened in the past year to serve New Orleans-area customers displaced by Katrina. The savings and loan temporarily moved its headquarters to Baton Rouge after the hurricane, and officials say the relocation showed them the Capital Region would be a good market."

Maybe this is another chance to ge that 30 story Fidelity tower they never built.

[NCB]

Thanks again for the info guys! I'm very happy to hear that the unfinished dorm will be converted into something nice and useful, as that is a huge eyesore in an otherwise very nice area around the Mall of Louisiana.

[fla_tiger]

Maybe this is another chance to ge that 30 story Fidelity tower they never built.

If I recall correctly, the 30 story tower was proposed by former BR bank Fidelity National, which was bought out by Hibernia or others. Fidelity Homestead is NO based, so a large HQs building may not be practical here but with continued growth who knows?

[byrde]

If I recall correctly, the 30 story tower was proposed by former BR bank Fidelity National, which was bought out by Hibernia.

That is correct.

[NCB]

Yep, Fidelity National was bought out by New Orleans-based Hibernia, which was then bought out by Capital One a little over a year ago, and they moved their HQ's to the Hibernia Bank Building in downtown NOLA. It's interesting how quickly some of the smaller banks come and go at some points.

[dan326]

If I recall correctly, the 30 story tower was proposed by former BR bank Fidelity National, which was bought out by Hibernia or others. Fidelity Homestead is NO based, so a large HQs building may not be practical here but with continued growth who knows?

Oh,I do think I remember my dad telling me something like that before.

[richyb83]

Maybe this is another chance to ge that 30 story

Well Dan, don't give-up hope. It looks downtown Baton Rouge could get two 30-story skyscrapers! I am anxious to see the final plans for the mixed-use development at the demolished Advocate site. And RiverPlace will start in early 07'.

Edited December 28, 2006 by richyb83

[dan326]

Devidopbits (Development Tibits was getting old)

While is was on I-12 today, I figuerd out why I no longer saw the unfinished studio. The opening has been sealed up along with the windows.

The Baton Rouge Radiology Center has started on a extention of it's clinic on O'Neal Lane, right past the new finished AutoZone and strip center. An apartment complex, which I think is called "New London Apartments" ,will be built right across the street.

[byrde]

Airport News..

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/5028346.html

In midyear data released by the Federal Aviation Administration, Metro Airport rose from No. 19 to No. 13 among the Southwest region

[richyb83]

^ Thanks for the updates Dan.

^BR Metro Airport have definetly been more busy in 06'.

[richyb83]

A NEW Attachment nicely done by the DDD

* This shows an aerial map of downtown BR

It includes new development/re-development; as well as State Capitol, RiverCenter expansion and Shaw Center for the Arts,etc. It also mentions new Two City Plaza @ 18 stories...which is it 17,18,16???(black and white photo looks more impressive)

*and mentions BRAC/BRAF mixed-use tower at Advocate site

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

RiverPlace is included on seperate portion of website-Current development projects

Also on the website is a new PowerPoint Presentation for North Blvd. Town Square

Edited December 29, 2006 by richyb83

[byrde]

A NEW Attachment nicely done by the DDD

* This shows an aerial map of downtown BR

It includes new development/re-development; as well as State Capitol, RiverCenter expansion and Shaw Center for the Arts,etc. It also mentions new Two City Plaza @ 18 stories...which is it 17,18,16???(black and white photo looks more impressive)

*and mentions BRAC/BRAF mixed-use tower at Advocate site

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

RiverPlace is included on seperate portion of website-Current development projects

Also on the website is a new PowerPoint Presentation for North Blvd. Town Square

Have you been able to open the powerpoint file? I tried opening it at work earlier today and it is taking forever to open. I've tried it at home and still not much luck.

[richyb83]

Yes, it takes awhile, but it does work

[dan326]

I forgot, Is the hotel at Southgate Towers 6 stories or 8 stories?

[richyb83]

The three towers are 8-stories each.

They have a section fenced off on the northern section ready to begin a 10-story condo. I am waiting for the 18-story condo...not sure when it will begin? Sometime after the 10-story condo, I guess.

[dan326]

That's going to be awesome when finished, but wasn't there a hotel going to be built, of the StayBridge brand I think?

[richyb83]

Yes Staybridge Suites will be built in the front on Nicholson. It will be 6 floors and around 121 rooms.

The new Town Center hotel is coming along quickly.

Still waiting for the 2 hotels to begin anytime now around College Drive/I-10. Still not exactly sure where Cambria Suites will be located?

[dan326]

Yes Staybridge Suites will be built in the front on Nicholson. It will be 6 floors and around 121 rooms.

The new Town Center hotel is coming along quickly.

Still waiting for the 2 hotels to begin anytime now around College Drive/I-10. Still not exactly sure where Cambria Suites will be located?

Southgate Towers is going to be a huge complex. It's almost like another city in the suburbs.

It sure is, it seems like just yesterday it was still a frame, now the whole thing is almost complete.

I wonder if either of the hotels will end up looking like the renderings because the W seemed kind of big to fit into that space like that and the rendering of the Cambria Suites wasn't really the "official" rendering for our city.

Edited December 30, 2006 by dan326

[richyb83]

It seems to me with smaller lot sizes the hotels in the I-10/College/Corporate area would be at least 8 or more stories. I know height isn't everything. I have seen nice hotels everywhere that were more horizontal than vertical; even at 12-stories, but those are larger lots too.

[richyb83]

2006 Booming Year for Capital City

Tens of thousands of displaced families crowding into the capital city-either temporarily or permanantly brought with them an economic boon.

This is a long read..[11] pages; includes some big deals

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/5040161.html

Edited January 2, 2007 by richyb83

[byrde]

Hey Nate...Wampold Companies will convert the unfinished skeleton into a 13-story(adding 1-floor) Four-Star Hotel; (Bluebonnet Hotel VenturesLLC) Not sure on exact date, sometime this year! Great location between expanding Mall of La. and Perkins Rowe.

ADD**Ha, hey Dan...1 minute before me.

Just read that the planning commission will consider Wampold's plans for the old Swaggard dormitory at their January 22nd meeting.

Wampold gives some details about Swaggart hotel

Mike Wampold plans to convert a half-finished Jimmy Swaggart World Ministry dormitory on Bluebonnet Boulevard to a 13-story, 336-room hotel. Wampold Companies submitted plans to the East Baton Rouge Planning Department last month. The City-Parish Planning Commission will consider the proposal at its Jan. 22 meeting. Construction would require tearing down a 13,985-square-foot extension to the first floor and redoing the entire 259,860-square-foot building. The building is tentatively being called the Bluebonnet Hotel.

http://www.businessreport.com/dailyreport.cfm?cid=53

[richyb83]

This MAJOR EYE-SORE to the right will soon be HISTORY!!!

This half-finished dormitory on Bluebonnet Blvd. will be converted to a 13-story 336-room hotel.

The City-Parish Planning Commission will consider the propsal at the Jan 22nd meeting.

It is tenatively being called the Bluebonnet Hotel; a major hotel company will sign within the next couple of weeks. The entire 260,000 sq.ft. building will be redone.

* Also* at the same meeting are plans for a 5-story 127-room Cambria Suites hotel at the corner of Constitution Ave. and Bunker Hill Drive near I-10/College Drive.