Population Decline in Baton Rouge

[BRPJ]

http://www.2theadvocate.com/wbrz/videos/24386094.html

"It may not look like it, but new U.S. Census figures show the population in Baton Rouge is declining at one of the fastest rates in the country. The data was collected from July 2006 to July 2007 and says Baton Rouge lost more than 3,600 people."

Okay I have to assume they are referring to the city limits of Baton Rouge and not East Baton Rouge Parish.

Shouldn't they have been more specific as to which one they were referring to? MY huntch is that they are reffering to Baton Rouge proper. They brought up the federal information goes into consideration for giving BR money and stuff. Thats why I keep saying we should annex the rest of the city... so it will truly reflect the growth of BR. I can bet East Baton Rouge probably gained people and didn't loose any.

[NCB]

According to that article both the city of Baton Rouge and EBR Parish lost people between July 2006-July 2007. The city lost 3,644 people, while the parish lost 961 people.

But I agree with Elliott Stonecipher and Greg Rigamer, who were both quoted in the article. New Orleans gaining a large amount of population and Baton Rouge simultaneously losing population are most definately related. Following Katrina, a whole slew of New Orleanians (including myself) evacuated to and lived in Baton Rouge. In the last two years, as services began to return to New Orleans, most of those people moved back. In the months after Katrina, Baton Rouge saw unprecedented population gains, while New Orleans saw unprecedented population losses. That trend is simply reversing itself as more people return home.

[cajun]

Wasn't the population in 2000 around 212,000?

It's a pretty big gain, no? Finally some of the people are getting back to their homes in New Orleans. That's a good thing.

[NCB]

According to the Census, Baton Rouge's 2000 population was 227,818. That dropped to around 224,000 in 2004, and then jumped up to nearly 230,000 following Katrina. The recent loss brought the population to 227,071. So even with the recent loss of 3,644 people, the population is still above its 2004 level.

[dan326]

I'm not worried at all. As long as we have Livingston and Ascension under our belt Greater Baton Rouge will continue to grow.

[richyb83]

Yeah Nate, that's exactly what has happened. But I still think the numbers for Both BR & NOLA are somewhat conservative. I think NOLA definetly have more than the 239,000; and BR has more than these latest figures. I am glad to see the Crescent City take it's rightful place as #1 Largest City in La. But NOLA's Metro has always been larger; that's what I tend to go by anyway.

Like BRJP said; the lack of "annexation" in BR is a problem. Mayor Holden needs to address this issue with the Federal money's on the line. BR "proper" population seems to be nearly the same over the past 10 years. EBR has been steadily growing near 430,000. It is disturbing to see families still leaving EBR (BR) for Ascension & Livingston because of better schools.

Here is BR's city limits outlined in "red". See how jagged it is(not exactly accurate); it looks like someone bit some chunks out and even left some holes(Towne Center). The little white boxes indicate "villages or communities" not incorporated that are basically part of BR; but are not counted in the population numbers.While not every one of these surrounding boxes(communities) need to be annexed; some definetly should be.

Let's just say BR Proper("Red") has 228,000....then they annex these white boxes shown above (Baker & Zachary to the North NOT included) *according to city-data*

*Shenandoah...pop. 17,070 (probably more now!)

*Old Jefferson.... 5,631

*Westminster.... 2,515

*Village St.George...6,993

*Oak Hills Place...7,996

*Inniswold... 4,944

*Gardere... 8,992

*Millerville... 3,000 (estimate/not shown)

*Monticello...4,763

*Merrydale...10,427

*Brownsfield...5,222

>>This would add roughly 78,000 more people bringing BR's population to 306,000. Cut that 78,000 in 1/2 "half" BR's pop. is still 267,000. I need to go see the Mayor in person while I have a little extra time.

[cajun]

They will never annex developed land. Just forget it.

What they need to do is annex empty land that's ripe for development....like all along Perkins Road south of LSU.

[dinner roll]

I am glad to see the Crescent City take it's rightful place as #1 Largest City in La.

[cajun]

Why is New Orleans' place "rightful?" Why does New Orleans deserve to be no. 1?

[BRPJ]

I need to go see the Mayor in person while I have a little extra time.

[buckett5425]

I agree, please do go see the mayor.

I met Kip once, it was a little awkward also. I was walking into the Shaw Center with some friends going to Tsunami's and Kip Holden was walking out. For some reason, with out thinking, I blurted out," Hey look, its Kip Holden!" Kip immediately stopped and turned around laughing, and with a big smile on his face said,"Hey young man, how's it going?" I of course was embarrassed so all I said was," great!" and hurriedly walked away.

I like Kip, I think hes got big ideas, and a platform in place to bring those ideas to fruition.

[NCB]

Yeah Nate, that's exactly what has happened. But I still think the numbers for Both BR & NOLA are somewhat conservative. I think NOLA definetly have more than the 239,000; and BR has more than these latest figures.

[cajun]

I know it's in a better direction than before, but the truth is that NOLA is losing big business pretty quickly.

I'd also like to point out the unfortunate fact that cities like Baltimore and Detroit have been trying to turn around for 20 years.

There are people living in those cities that don't want it to change for the better, and I assure you that those people, regardless of how outnumbered they are, will prevail.

New Orleans' big advantage is that the storm has given them a chance to rebuilt the infrastructure that needed replacement anyways.

We'll see in 10 years if NOLA is doing any better than it was before the storm.

[NCB]

Believe me, I'm very familiar with the people who have no interest in seeing this city change for the better; they ruled New Orleans for 40 years. I guess that's why I was so surpised to see the projects come down, because even with the huge public uproar from those residents, and protesters from all over the nation who knew nothing about this city and the history of the projects here, the "good" actually prevailed. The city council did what they knew was right, rather than doing whatever they thought would ensure their re-election. Of course it helps tremendously that alot of the residents that were set on keeping the city the way it was, are now in Houston.

Since Katrina, Freeport-McMoRan merged its exploration unit with a company from Arizona and moved to Phoenix. Chevron left the CBD and moved its regional HQ's out to Covington. Those were both major losses for the city, but with Chevron, I suppose we should just be happy that they stayed in the area, as it would have been no problem to just head over to Houston. If New Orleans has had anything to be happy with in the business world, at least since the Energy companies headed to Houston in the 80's, it would be the mid-size companies that have done fairly well in the city. And in the last 16 months, Harrah's has moved its regional HQ's from Memphis to New Orleans, and Capital One has moved its banking HQ's from outside Washington D.C. to New Orleans. Those two regional HQ's certainly can't replace Freeport-McMoRan and Chevron, but it's positive business news for the city nontheless. Additionally, NASA is expanding the Michoud Facility in NOE, and the major Federal City project will bring 10,000 new jobs to Algiers and will break ground in September. Not to mention the impact the new LSU/VA Hospital, New Orleans BioInnovation Center, and the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, will have on the Tulane Ave. corridor and the CBD.

You won't mistake New Orleans for Houston or Atlanta anytime soon, no way. But the city does have positive developments to build on in the near future. Those projects coupled with the future port expansion at Napoleon Ave. and the additional trade it will recieve when the Panama Canal Expansion is completed, plus the resurgence of the tourism industry earlier than anyone ever expected, give the city a real chance to improve itself. If that improvement will happen remains to be seen, and like you said, we'll see in 10 years how the city is doing. But if nothing else, Katrina gave New Orleans a chance reverse its downward spiral and improve itself.

BTW, sorry for taking this so far off topic. If you read my posts you'd think this discussion was in the New Orleans forum.

[buckett5425]

and the additional trade it will recieve when the Panama Canal Expansion is completed,

[richyb83]

Why is New Orleans' place "rightful?" Why does New Orleans deserve to be no. 1?

[nola17]

New Orleans better get on the ball when it comes to its Port or its not going to benefit at all from the expanded Panama Canal. Mobile has already begun redeveloping its ports to handel the new cargo, and compete for business. What has Nola done? Nothing, other then talk about a few proposals. If New Orleans is going to regain its dignity, they need to get some S%i# done, or they are going to fall behind, and I fear Nola already has.

[NCB]

Mobile has already begun redeveloping its ports to handel the new cargo, and compete for business. What has Nola done? Nothing, other then talk about a few proposals.

[cajun]

The City and Port are trying to push for expansion, but they need money from the state. and we all know how Louisiana politics play out