Baton Rouge Photo of the Day

[richyb83]

Yes Dan...the 13 story Galvez and 12-story LaSalle state bldgs. are not the average 13 & 12-story buildings bec. they are wide and give a BIG appearance.

The Galvez is my favorite.

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=101015

Not the best view.

Edited August 11, 2006 by richyb83

[Mith242]

I guess I haven't stopped by as recently as I thought. Nice looking pics Richy.

[richyb83]

Thanks Mith Drop by the BR Forums anytime. My last BR Photo is in the BR Profile on Aug.10

[dan326]

Here's a picture of Baton Rouge's skyline in the 1964. http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm4/ite...=2306&REC=8

Here's another in the 1970's.

http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm4/ite...1484&REC=15

Edited August 13, 2006 by dan326

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting that Dan. I love it. The bottom pic does not show the LNB Tower (now the Chase Bank Tower). It's to the right of the pic; it was built in 1968.

Edited August 13, 2006 by richyb83

[dimebag1980]

Very cool, Dan! Great find!

[dan326]

What does LNB stand for?

[dimebag1980]

What does LNB stand for?

Louisiana National Bank?

[dan326]

When I saw the rendering I thought it was only going to be one building wide,but when I passed by it I saw that there were actually several more buildings connected behind it.

[tallbored]

I have noticed since I have been in BR that downtown is pretty much dead after 8pm most nights....except for some activity at the Shaw Center (Tsunami-but what good is it for local retailers to have everyone 12 stories up). There are exceptions, but not many. 3rd street is nice, but it bothers me that its only a fairly warm destination one or two nights a week. Spanish Moon is a hot spot....but it is not downtown. Even some kind of call center office that is open at night would work (those workers need coffee breaks, take out food, and office supplies)- they seem to stay in the Essen Lane, Sherwood Forest areas, though.

Any plans for a new Hotel other than the Hilton? Baton Rouge needs another couple of hundred people in the 3rd street area every night if this development is going to continue. A hotel is probably the easiest way to do that. Something has to sustain the areas Monday-Thursday. Even a really hot ground level steakhouse or restarant would work (Superior, TJ Ribs types) for the young proffesional types.

The condo developments will help, but I still haven't seen any construction yet at RiverPlace. I'll believe the 36 story development when they start building it. My friends were looking for loft type spaces downtown- couldnt' find anything. There is huge demand for that, but no one seems to supply.

I think in order for older residents to move into downtown, you need to have a major grocery store chain somewhere in Mid-City or Old South BR. You could get college students there easily right now, but prices are just too high, and parking is too difficult. Mr. Holden needs to go through a very public campaign of walking police officers in the residential areas downtown. It needs to gain a reputation of being safe, well-lit, and affordable at the same time. It just doesn't seem to be any of those now. I feel like the Baton Rouge police department is almost an absentee land lord when it comes to downtown. Make a presence there, old south, and mid city...

To seal the deal on Downdown development would mean making an attractive, safe neighborhood out of Old South. Trying to get students and middle and upper class African Americans there...good citizens that will call the police if something happens, and drive that crime element out. Get some LSU students and younger proffesionals living closer to Downtown, and it could be as successful as Lafayette's. You can barely drive through downtown Lafayette on school week nights and on weekends because of all the pedestrians. Now that is what Baton Rouge needs. Forget blocking drink specials- bring on the casinos, bars, comedy clubs and adult playgrounds. Business during the day, fun after dark....that would be cool.

Baton Rouge will be in a boom this next decade...and if old south and mid city is not clean or safe, then much of the development will skip over downtown in favor of Sherwood Forest, Essen Lane, or Bluebonnet (or worse, Houston). They are on their way, but it isn't happening fast enough. The Mayor should be making a big deal out of fighting crime in these areas.

Edited August 15, 2006 by tallbored

[richyb83]

Thanks tallbored for the good imput, and welcome to UP and the Louisiana Forum.

You make some great points. Yes Downtown is coming back, but not fast enough is right. More Loft living needs to be getting underway now. Plenty of bland parking lots near the Third Street corridor would be nice places to build. Downtown needs a small mixed-use cinema/bowling alley. Downtown has come a long way since 99', but it does have a long way to go. Drug store/supermarket would be a must.

Baton Rouge needs a flashy high-rise casino hotel on the river like SBC does. The Sheraton just won't do. The renovated New Hilton Capitol Center is BIG, a nice compliment to the Shaw Center for the Arts.

Once the new Riverfront Master Plan happens may help that "boom" you are speaking of. Once RiverPlace finally goes-up; Expect a chain reaction of projects like nice mixed-use, multi-storied towers to spring up.

Movie Theatres seem to love the Bluebonnet/Perkins area with the new Rave and soon a Cinemark at Perkins Rowe; It would be interesting to see a Perkins Rowe like development off Nicholson near the I-10 Bridge; the mixed use urban village; just add the minor league baseball stadium/ampitheatre. All in the shadows of Downtown and not far from LSU.

I notice Mid-City begining to show signs of life, it's good to see. Hopefully the pieces of the puzzle can fall into place with Old South BR. They have already made some improvements. But it will be a monumental task to restore everything. Crime will always be; but it can be worked-out. Mayor Kip Holden has been good for the city and should keep the momentum going forward !

The new gateway to Downtown, the North Blvd. overpass is nice too.

Edited August 15, 2006 by richyb83

[tallbored]

Baton Rouge needs a flashy high-rise casino hotel on the river like SBC does. The Sheraton just won't do. The renovated New Hilton Capitol Center is BIG, a nice compliment to the Shaw Center for the Arts.

It wouldn't hurt...but Casinos tend to be self sustaining. They put their own restarants, parking, shopping areas, and Hotels. A lot of people say that the casinos in Baton Rouge have helped downtown so much, but other than the immediate block or two (and cleaning up Catfish Town), I don't think they have done their part.

Baton Rouge desperately needs a new Hotel in Downtown- if it means we have to get a Casino, then fine. I hope they tear down the municipal dock south of the bridge and put a nice riverboat there.

Its just a matter of time....so close for someone to come out with a really hot club, or some kind of destination (River center is too far south). It would take a number of people Downtown to keep those kinds of late night businesses open and running. I think that there should be a huge push to get LSU students out there. SoGo and Spanish Moon do this. The problem is that they are the only ones on their block. There should be a strip- of businesses like that. Third Street is ripe for that kind of thing. The clubs there just can't seem to stay open. (Parrot Beach/Reachouxs have changed names a dozen times in four years). Maybe this football season would work better. A Walk-On's type sports bar would work well...

What else would help downtown and old south? Get some of those West Baton Rouge land owners to sell their land to residential developers. Get more people driving to town in that direction. BR is a weird shape, and that is why Corporate/ College is such a hotbed...because it is the center of the city. If we could get LSU students or faculty to move across the bridge, I think that Downtown would flourish. No night life whatsoever in WBR....Downtown is only 5 minutes away, LSU is another 5.

Baton Rougeons are afraid of that bridge. When you think about it, there are 5 or 6 major retail stores not a mile outside of downtown. There is your support right there. Throw in the proposed super wal mart on LA1- and it would be easier for LSU students to drive there than to College drive. More traffic in old south and more traffic downtown....traffic usually means development.

Edited August 15, 2006 by tallbored

[dan326]

Here's some pictures of the luxury apartments on Millerville that wwere mentioned.

[dimebag1980]

Here's some pictures of the luxury apartments on Millerville that wwere mentioned.

Those are really nice! I never heard anything about Millerville Road until the plans for the SuperTarget became public. Now it seems I read a lot about it on here. It's good to see that it's doing well. By the way, which is Millerville in the photo? The one running top-to-bottom? Is the one running left-to-right Airline Hwy or something else? Pardon my complete ignorance as I'm not familiar with that part of Baton Rouge.

Edited August 19, 2006 by SBCmetroguy

[richyb83]

That's I-12. No problem. I am glad to see the interest. Actually I live very, very close to this shot.

Great find Dan Thanks for posting. They moved extremely fast on this project. I wish they would that fast on the other projects.

[dan326]

Here's a picture of the Millerville/O'Neal developments. I mapped out and labled the areas were the developments are being made.

And here is the Mall of Louisiana area. Once again I had to put two images together, but as you all know I am the master of computers.

I'll try to do more of other areas. If I missed anything tell me and I'll change it.

[richyb83]

Great job Dan the man. Or should I just call you "Dangerous Dan" ? Very impressive work indeed. Glad to have you here in BR.

Those aerial satelite images are outdated. They are like that everywhere(in the U.S.), bec. Southgate Towers was not even shown yet.

Dan you are right on with the developments. (Top pic) Part of that Lowe's/Best Buy box(right-side) is 60 residential lots on the edge of that neighborhood. That large green area south of Wedgewood on the bottom where the lake is will be more upscale gated residential. The L-shaped Fairwood golf course has been purchased, the left-half is being cleared for residential.

(bottom pic)Perkins Rowe will be a little bigger than that. The long green strip SE of Perkins Rowe will be Willow Grove. BR's first TND. And upper-left Siegen open box will be more condo's with retail and hotel too. Bethany will build a large complex to the right of the Advocate. The BR General at Bluebonnet is currently under expansion. Under the Kohl's will be a large residential village. Hope this helps ?

How do you know about a possible Nextel location on O'neal or hotel ?

[dan326]

This the updated version with help from Richy.

The way I know about the Nextel location is that one of those buildings permits I posted was for a Nextel and it said it was 240 sq. ft. So seeing that the shell of the building was very small, I figured that might be what that permit was for. My dad told me about the hotel.He also says that they are going to build townhouses between the Kindercare and the bank. You still never told me how you got infomation on the dorm being converted a hotel though.

[dimebag1980]

Awesome work, Dan! You're living up to the name Dan the Man!!

[richyb83]

Thanks Dan...you da man. Thanks for all your hard work. It looks great.

I can't remember where I saw the 13-story hotel. Somewhere on the internet. When I find it I'll let you know.

Edited August 20, 2006 by richyb83

[richyb83]

Shaw Center for the Arts

Third Street entrance

From Convention Street (Crazy Design)

[dan326]

Yep, the Shaw Center is something to be proud of. It's really nice inside. I wanted to go up to the top floor, but my parents thought you have to buy something to eat to go up there.

[richyb83]

I didn't have order anything to eat to be able to go to the top deck. It's very nice, something new to BR. And a great view too! There is also a outdoor terrace on the fourth floor.

BTW Thanks for replying to BR Photo of the Day. I know Sunday is family day, but I was hoping for a few responses.

[dimebag1980]

I haven't seen this place in person so I don't know if the photos do it any justice. That said, it looks cool in the photos but I'd like to actually see it in person. Maybe I'll get the opportunity.

[byrde]

Good Pics Richy.

The Shaw Center is a great addition to Downtown BR. It has started to pump some life into Downtown after the sun goes down.