Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[dan326]

^I was just thinking about whether they had posted anything about this on the B.R. Business Report this morning.

I can't wait to find out who the tenant will be. It's supposed to be 4-stars, so it will be nice. Do you know what the "13,985 sq ft extension" is?

Edited January 2, 2007 by dan326

[richyb83]

Do you know what the "13,985 sq ft extension" is?

It's not shown on this pic above; it would be to the right. It's hidden to the right behind that office. I think it was suppose to be a covered lobby entrance to the unfinished eye-sore. That's gonna be torn down.

I am interested to see just how they will re-do this building. I recommended them keep the vertical height of the building months ago; so it will still remain easily visible from I-10 nearly 1/2 a mile away. Not another boring 5-story hotel that you would not be able to see . The additional one floor making the hotel 13-stories is exciting to me. It will become the tallest building in the Bluebonnet corridor!

[richyb83]

Building Permits for Condo's/Apartments are going up all over the outer-ring city.

Longwood Plantation (way down Nicholson near Bluebonnet Ext.) 19 bldgs. 330 units

Tuscany Villa (South Mall Drive in Siegen Place) 12 bldgs.

Ivy Park (Jones Creek near Tiger Bend Rd.) 21 bldgs.

Arlington Trace (Brightside Ln.) 10 bldgs.

South Hampton Condo's (Stumberg Ln.) 17 bldgs.

**Also**

Baywood Quarters on Boardwalk Ave. I-12 near Sherwood Forest Blvd. is nearly complete.

Aubin Court has started close by; between I-12 and No.Harrels Ferry Rd.

Cottages at Southfork has just begun off of So.Sherwood Forest behind the 7-story Meridian Condo's

Wal-Mart Neighborhood Grocery is going-up on the new strech of 5-lane Old Hammond Hwy. near Airline Hwy. Across the street more industrial-style Red Stick Urban Loft's are about to start.

Further down Old Hammond Hwy. past Sherwood many empty lots are being cleared and going to infil projects. And many small new neighborhood's are dotting the landscape. Also on So.Flannery as well.

There is too much going-on all over to list in Baton Rouge. It's incredible. The locals are buzzing.

Edited January 5, 2007 by richyb83

[dan326]

Wow, I didn't know there were that many complexes going up. I remember when I went to Dallas, they had nice, big complexes like the new Regent Aparatments all over the place.

If you are every on Sherwood and have some free time, could you get a pic of this new neighborhood going up behind the Red Roof hotel and studio hotel? It looks interesting from the interestate, lots of different colors.

Went to the mall the other day and saw them clearing the dirt for their expansion. The expasion calls for 2 parking decks, 11 new upscale stores, a book store, a hotel, and up to 7 restaurants. The yellow is the Rave Movie Theater, the green is the part I saw cleared out, and judging from what the rendering looked like the pink will also be cleared out probably not every piece, but a good chunk.

Also went to the Siegen MarketPlace. They were clearing out an outparcel, which I think will end up as a restaurant judging by its location. Also down the street in front of the Storage Center, a piece of land has been cleared and those strings to mark the foundation placed. Don't know what that will be.

Edited January 5, 2007 by dan326

[richyb83]

new neighborhood going up behind the Red Roof hotel and studio hotel? It looks interesting from the interestate, lots of different colors.

That's probably Baywood Quarter's you are talking about...I'll try to get a pic..on a sunny day.

Baywood Quarters on Boardwalk Ave. I-12 near Sherwood Forest Blvd. is nearly complete.

The Mall expansion "The Boulevard" should really be nice. If they put the hotel on top of the parking deck? It could be kinda tall. Wonder where? exactly the Perkins Connector Road in your pic??

I forgot on that above list.. That French Quarter style row-house development that will be off of Coursey Blvd. near Chimes East.

Edited January 5, 2007 by richyb83

[dan326]

Here is a new building going up at Southern University.

http://media.2theadvocate.com/designimages/header_news1.gif

A new 75,000-square-foot Intramural Sports Complex at Southern University will include basketball courts, cardiovascular and weight training and a swimming pool.

[bobby255BR]

It's great to see that they have decided to build an Intramural Complex. I believe that every university should have one. Being a college student I don't know what I would do if I didn't a place to play basketball, swim, or lift weights.

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting that Dan. That's really nice. Badly needed too! It's good to see some of the growth in the northern part of the city.

[richyb83]

*UPDATE*

While driving thru downtown BR over a month ago our moderator on UP was disapointed to see this vacancy at a prime property at the corner of Florida and Third Street.

*Construction should begin by March to renovate the historic Richoux's building into a trendy nightclub with two dance floors; one which will be on the roof-top underneath the retro Coca Cola billboard; that will remain after the renovation, which will preserve the historic exterior. A professional poker player now owns this building.

This pic: Compliments of NCB (Coca-Cola Sign not shown)

Here's another view of the building w/ the Coca-Cola billboard on top.

More and more activity continues to flock downtown!

Edited January 9, 2007 by richyb83

[dan326]

That's great. Life is coming back to downtown. Just today my teacher was telling us to leave Baton Rouge and Louisiana all together because of lack of opportunities, but I think that will all change in a few years. I'm not ever going to leave though.

One thing I noticed is that the Chase Tower appears taller than American Place. I think it's because the two tallers help to proportion each other, but that will change too with RiverPlace and the Advocate building. :)

Edited January 10, 2007 by dan326

[byrde]

That's great. Life is coming back to downtown. Just today my teacher was telling us to leave Baton Rouge and Louisiana all together because of lack of opportunities, but I think that will all change in a few years. I'm not ever going to leave though.

One thing I noticed is that the Chase Tower appears taller than American Place. I think it's because the two tallers help to proportion each other, but that will change too with RiverPlace and the Advocate building. :)

That is a shame that your teacher would encourage his/her students to leave the state. If anything they should be working to encourage their students to get the grades up, attend college @ an in-state school and coming back to BR to help grow the economy.

[richyb83]

That is a shame that your teacher would encourage his/her students to leave the state. If anything they should be working to encourage their students to get the grades up, attend college @ an in-state school and coming back to BR to help grow the economy.

TRUE, TRUE

[brresident]

That's great. Life is coming back to downtown. Just today my teacher was telling us to leave Baton Rouge and Louisiana all together because of lack of opportunities, but I think that will all change in a few years. I'm not ever going to leave though.

One thing I noticed is that the Chase Tower appears taller than American Place. I think it's because the two tallers help to proportion each other, but that will change too with RiverPlace and the Advocate building. :)

Maybe she didn't think to much of you guys.....

[dan326]

I found the picture for the Trahan Building on B.R. Business report! It's awesome, definitely better than the previous. Maybe if we get more buildings like the Shaw Center and this, New Orleans and Baton Rouge could team up, with N.O. being the historical and B.R. being the new.

[richyb83]

Yep that's it Dan. You beat me to it posting this Well I tried to sketch it for you last week Definitly a crazy, wild design...how $$expensive would that be to pull off ?? You can see in the back how it would lean over Lafayette Street; making it neccesary to inquire about aerial rights. Basically a 160'ft sculpture.

We will see?? I hope it happens, but things around here take too long, so I won't hold my breath.

Edited January 12, 2007 by richyb83

[fridayinla]

^^ That building is phenomenal!! BR is lucky to be attracting thos types of proposals. Wow, I hope it happens. Richy, I found an recent aerial image of BR on Google Earth from Sept 2006:

http://archive.digitalglobe.com/archive/sh...0100100052E2201

[richyb83]

Thanks fridayinla I appreciate it.

A good indicator is seeing the new Towne Center in the middle of BR.

Yes BR has a sprawl problem; but people not from the area can be fooled by judging on aerials alone. The thick green tree canopy over the older residential neighborhoods( Garden District, Southdowns, Old Goodwood, etc) can be misleading as to no development; bec. it's hard to see all the houses. Parts of BR are plenty dense.And their is the LSU Rural Life plantation grounds in the middle near the 10/12 split that will never be developed; that has hindered a good "North-South" corridor from being built making traffic stink!

I will have to label some things when I get the chance.

Edited January 13, 2007 by richyb83

[dan326]

So the front portion will project over River Road?

[richyb83]

It sure looks like it would; though they never said

[richyb83]

Sorry it's not more clear; it kinda small too.

I did not get everything...

Just an idea of all the current development; you can see some land is cleared; or future developments

I missed some; and development on edge not included due to screen size on "Sketchpad"

Some on the north side too...if anybody cares to add to this please feel free.

"?"...possible future LSU Hospital site

Sorry Celtic Media Centre not clear(near Airline/I-12)

*SE -Mall of La. Expansion; Perkins Rowe;Settlement @ Willow Grove TND; 13-story Bluebonnet Hotel seeking approval next week. 8-story Summa Tower not labeled "purple dot"; Perkins Palms; Siegen Lane filling up with condo's;retail; hotel(not included)

*LSU- Crescent at University Lake; 10-story Southgate Tower; Nothgate building boom; Brightside Ave. new housing going-up everywhere. Nicholson corridor redevelopment starting soon.

120-acre TND/Southdowns branch library

*Mid-City-Westmoreland Shopping Center redevelopment(Mid-City); BRCC Expansion; 250-acre Smiley Heights TND near Bonne Carre

*Next Phase of Towne Center(including hotel); 2 new hotels I-10/College area

*Millerville area "Booming" Sterling Shopping Center; Fairwood CC redevelopment; small in-fil neighborhoods all over the place; 800-acre TND East of O'Neal including movie studios

*New 4-lane Central Thruway; new Call Center

*Downtown reniassance....RiverPlace; Two City Plaza, Courthouse; River Center expansion; Shaw Center phase II; etc...

*Did not include large Howell Place near Airport (forgot to, tried, would not save)

The green area near 10/12-split(center)belongs to LSU Rural life/Ollie Burden Steele Plantation

*Photo compliments of fridayinla

I probably should break-it down in smaller sections more easily seen

[richyb83]

Howell Place mixed-use was added near airport to north

and Bluebonnet Swamp & Nature Center to the south

[dan326]

Nice stuff, Richy. Mapping it all out for us. Maybe I'll do some close ups of the Millerville/O'Neal,I-10/I-12, and Mall of LA area as I know them pretty well.

[richyb83]

Thanks Dan.

I also forgot to say...I included the new 6-lane stretch(magenta) of Airline Hwy. from Florida Blvd.(Hwy.190) to Coursey/Bluebonnet Blvd.

[brresident]

anyone notice that the old seafood joint and apartments on nicholson at northgates have been torn down (It's the property directly across Nicholson from where the new Fieldhouse lofts are being built)?

Apparenlty there is a very upscale condo development on it's way up. The sign looks like one of those new places on Parker Blvd.

So the fieldhouse will have a companion. That's good news.

Edited January 16, 2007 by brresident

[richyb83]

Thanks for the head's up No I hadn't rode by there for about a month; that area is changing fast.