[fla_tiger]

Like many others, Baton Rouge is a city with several business districts. CBD (Central Business District) is a term widely used in Louisiana, basically the downtown district. Other groups of midrises are located in the southern reaches of the city including Tiger Town/North Gate, north of LSU, dating from the 50's and now showing a comeback with many new condominium projects, South Gate, a newer district south of the campus, CitiPlace, and Towne Center near the I-10/I-12 split . In the southeastern areas are United Plaza stretching along Essen between I-10 and I-12, and other office and medical districts along Essen Lane, Bluebonnet Blvd, and Seigen Lane adjacent to I-10, and along Perkins Road connecting them. Sherwood Corporate is farther east along Sherwood Forest south of I-12. On the north side, opposite Metro Airport, the new Harding Place development is underway. Here are a few photos of Louisiana's Capitol City. As they become available I will add more.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/5river.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DSCN0275.jpg

Downtown Baton Rouge is a blend of old and new

On the northern limits of the CBD lies the State governmental complex, including:

The Louisiana Capitol, a 34-story, 450-foot Alabama limestone-clad skyscraper, is an excellent example of a greatly simplified classicism with Art Deco details that were in vogue for monumental buildings in the late 1920s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is America's tallest capitol building.

http://www.soulofamerica.com/images2/photosla2/Louisiana_State_Capitol.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DSCN1582.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DSCN1590.jpg

now illuminated, it can be seen at a distance of 20 miles on beautiful Louisiana evenings.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010040.jpg

On the Capitol grounds, the historic Arsenal Museum , originally a Powder magazine, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is one of Baton Rouge's oldest landmarks. Originally constructed in the 1830's, this site on the river was of particular military importance to early settlers as well as Federal and Confederate troops.


http://freetravel.cc/images/pf/us/combo4-5-7/10/26.jpg

The Pentagon Barracks, built in 1823-24 to house U.S.Army Troups charged with defending Baton Rouge. The barracks housed many famous military men, including President Zachary Taylor. It was the original site of Louisiana State University.

http://freetravel.cc/images/pf/us/combo4-5-7/10/32.jpg

The historic art deco style Capitol Annex Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/annex_flowers.jpg

Capitol Park:
The state has embarked on a visionary redevelopment plan for the area around the State Capitol. So far, a series of four new state government office buildings have arisen following the elegant principle at the heart of the Capitol Park design, use the architectural language and sculptural ornamentation of the Capitol Building itself as the major source of stylistic references for all new development within the complex.

LaSalle Building

http://dnr.louisiana.gov/images/capital-park/lasallelg.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/62539435-M.jpg

Claiborne Building

http://dnr.louisiana.gov/images/capital-park/northbldg.jpg

Galvez Building

now complete

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010018.jpg

Iberville Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DEVDiberville.jpg

under construction

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010004.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010021.jpg

Bienville Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DEVlbeinville.jpg

rendering

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010022.jpg

under construction

proposed LPSC building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/NewOfficeBuilding.jpg

Louisiana State Museum

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010020-1.jpg

looking north across Capitol Lake can be seen:

The Louisiana Circuit Courts Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/63412978-M.jpg

The DPC Center

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/dpcenter.jpg


On the southern limits of the CBD lies the City/Parish governmental complex. Also in this area is the historic Old State Capitol. Located high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, the Old State Capitol was completed in 1849.

http://p.vtourist.com/1192703.jpg

The Old State Capitol, Central Library and Governmental Building

http://freetravel.cc/images/pf/us/combo4-5-7/10/16.jpg

EBR Parish Court House

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100122.jpg

EBR Parish Governmental Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010009a.jpg

Centroplex Public Library

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100041.jpg

LASM, Louisiana Arts and Science Museum,
formerly the Yahoo & Mississippi Valley Depot

http://www.laheritage.org/AgeOfMechanization/Color/Mech48.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010023.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010032.jpg

Irene Pennington Planetarium
and ExxonMobil Space Theatre

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010031.jpg

The RiverCenter and Arena

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010023-1.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010024.jpg

Sheraton Hotel, Atrium at Riverside and Belle of Baton Rouge Casino

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/sheraton-1.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010029.jpg

The Louisiana Memorial Plaza, USS Kidd and Maritime Museum

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010025.jpg

Plaza d'Italia

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010027.jpg

Public Trolley Stop

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010005.jpg

the award winning Shaw Center and Manship Theatre for the Peforming Arts

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/ext-elevation-050311.jpg

with Mississippi River Bridge, Delta Queen and USS Kidd in background

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/ext-overview-river-050311.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/DSCN0278.jpg

http://www.shawcenter.org/images/gallery/ext-overview-river-050311.jpg

its entrance plaza with "dancing" waters

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/ext-plaza-050311.jpg

one of many new clubs in renovated structures near the Shaw

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/P1010021.jpg

LSU Museum of Art, Arts Block, formerly old Auto Hotel Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100091.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/P1010010.jpg

In a compact area between the two governmental complexes are some of the CBD's buildngs:

Former La National Bank Building, now an office building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100352-1.jpg

Chase Bank Tower South and Albemarle North

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100351.jpg

One American Place Tower

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/DSCN0814.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100131.jpg

Russell Long Federal Building and US Court House

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010043.jpg

the 36 floor RiverPlace condominiums, construction scheduled to begin later this year

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/preishotel071108.jpg

Hilton Capitol Center, formerly Jack Tar and Capitol House Hotel, rendering

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010022AA.jpg

under renovation

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010037.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010010.jpg

opened 2007

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DSCN0291.jpg

I City Plaza

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010032-1.jpg

and proposed II City Plaza

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/cp1ku0.png

under construction

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DSCN2071.jpg

now finished



LaCaps new headquarters

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/700main-lg-2.jpg

under construction

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010009.jpg

and the very popular 13th Gate Haunted House, named best in nation

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010030.jpg

Street Scenes:
4th Street, north axis toward State Capitol

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/P10100311.jpg

farther north along 4th street

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010003.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100201.jpg

4th Steet's south axis, Judicial Courthouse, rendering

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/citycourtdev-1.jpg

under construction, nearing completion this fall

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DSCN2937.jpg

along Laurel Street near the river

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010007-1.jpg

along Florida Street

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100402.jpg

City Club Building on North Boulevard, constructed in 1894 as the Main Post Office, became City Hall in 1935.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100402-1.jpg

Farther east along North Boulevard


Lafayette Street's historic Lafayette Gallery

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P10100082.jpg

and near Water Tower Park

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/P1010013.jpg

St. Louis Street south of the Parish Courthouse

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010013.jpg

along Government Street



GEAUX TIGERS

[fla_tiger]

Here is a breakdown of projects in the Baton Rouge region.
(please bear with me, as all images are recoded, thx for nothing....imagecave...*&$#!)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/5river.jpg

First listed are projects in the Downtown (CBD) District.

DOWNTOWN (CBD)

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT

PROPOSED Projects in Planning or Under Construction
indicating date of completion and estimate of costs....

Iberville Building
Completion 2006 30.0 Million

Bienville Building
Completion 2006 30.0 Million

Shaw Center-LSU Museum
and Performing Arts Center
Phase One 2005/Phase Two 2007 70.0 Million

Third Street Garage
Completion 2005 7.6 Million

State Museum
Completion 2005 13.5 Million

State Visitors Center
Completion 2005 2.7 Million

RiverPlace Condominiums
Commence Construction 2005 50.0 Million

St. James Episcopal Expansion
Completion 2005 8.0 Million

City Plaza Expansion
Planning Phase 34.0 Million

DeSoto Park
Planning Phase 11.0 Million

Levee Bike Path
Completion 2005 2.0 Million

Gordon’s Jewelers Building
Planning 2005 Budget N/A

Hilton Capitol Center
Completion 2006 50.0 Million

Jumonville Building
Planning Phase Budget N/A

334 Third Street Renovation
Completion 2005 Budget N/A

200 Government Street Renovation
Completion 2005 Budget N/A

Louisiana Theater Building
Commence Construction 2005 Budget N/A

19th Judicial Courthouse Planning Phase 48.0 Million

River Center Area Garage Planning Phase 13.0 Million

LACAP Building Planning Phase 11.0 Million

Downtown Visitors’ Amenity Plan
Design Phase 3.0 Million

Private Sector Initiatives 5.0 Million

SUB-TOTAL 388.0 Million

Downtown is also being considered for the location of the City’s new library and hub for CATS Bus Rapid Transit 50.0 Million

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Baton Rouge River Center Expansion 30.0 Million

YMCA Expansion .5 Million

Richoux’s Building Renovations 1.0 Million

KEANS the Cleaners Budget N/A

SOGO Live Budget N/A

Piccadilly Building Budget N/A

Jackson Building Budget N/A

LASM Planetarium & Space Theatre 18.0 Million

Beauregard Gallery Budget N/A

LotteryCorporation Building 6.0 Million

St. Joseph Street-Cossas Antiquas
Residential Renovations Budget N/A

Golden Dome Budget N/A

Casino Rouge Capitol Bistro/Pavilion 4.4 Million

Remson & Haley Architects Budget N/A

E. Eric Guirard Building Budget N/A

Fuqua Building 1.0 Million

Baton Rouge Bar Association Budget N/A

Avoyelles Café Commercial Renovation Budget N/A

George Jenne Custom Builders
Residential Renovations Budget N/A

631 Main Street Building Budget N/A

Varsity Shop Budget N/A

Baton Rouge Sheraton Convention Hotel 20.0 Million

Baton Rouge Landing-The City Dock 1.6 Million
The dock is utilized monthly by the following riverboat vessels:
The American Queen
The Delta Queen
The Mississippi Queen

Riverfront Development Plan Phase One 3.2 Million

Federal Court House 20.0 Million

Postal Encoding Center 1.5 Million

CAPITAL PARK COMPLEX:

LaSalle Building 32.0 Million

LaSalle Garage 14.7 Million

First Circuit Court of Appeals 6.5 Million

House Committee Room
Addition Data Processing Center 9.5 Million

Central Plant 8.2 Million

State Library Renovation and Expansion 6.4 Million

Claiborne Building 60.0 Million

Galvez Garage 15.0 Million

Livingston Building 16.0 Million

Galvez Building 38.0 Million

Poydras Building 12.0 Million

City Club Renovation .75 Million

Old State Capitol Renovation
Center for Political and Governmental History 12.5 Million

City Court House 12.0 Million

Catfish Town Redevelopment 100.0 Million

Louisiana Casino Cruises, Inc. 70.0 Million

City Parish Credit Union .8 Million

USS KIDD Museum 12.5 Million

Old Governor’s Mansion 3.5 Million

First United Methodist addition & renovation 3.5 Million

First Baptist renovation 1.0 Million

St. Joseph’s Cathedral renovation 1.0 Million

First Presbyterian Dunham Chapel .75 Million

First Presbyterian Church Renovation 1.5 Million

First Presbyterian expansion 1.1 Million

Residential Development: 10.5 Million

River Palms (Renovation)
New Richmond Place Apartments (Renovation)
Capitol View Apartments (Renovation)
Catholic–Presbyterian Apartments Renovation
Lake Shore Place

Private Development Projects investment figures unavailable:

Belisle Building (Renovation)
Roumain Building (Renovation)
State National Life Building (Renovation)
Lyceum Dean (Renovation)
Dean Plaza (Renovation)
525 Florida Street (Renovation)
Doiron Building (Renovation)
St. Charles House Renovation
Petroleum Inc. Renovation
Pal Productions Renovation
Louisiana Home Builders Assoc. Renovation
Ryder Building Renovation
Baton Rouge Area Foundation Renovation
Fonville Building Renovation
Tabby’-State National Life Building

TOTAL COMPLETED PROJECTS 556.9 Million

TOTAL PROJECTS 995.7 Million

Iberville Building

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/cappark/iberville-drawing.jpg

Bienville Building

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/cappark/bienville-1.jpg

La Salle Building

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/cappark/BRLaSalleBuilding-001.jpg

Galvez Building

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/cappark/galvez-drawing-lg.jpg

Poydras Building

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/cappark/jul-poydras.jpg

RiverPlace Condomimiums

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btrcbd2/RIVERPLACE1.jpg

Hilton Capitol Center

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-cbd/caphilton.jpg

Louisiana Theatre

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-cbd/Louisiana_Theatre.jpg [IMG]

Third Street Garage/Retail

[IMG]http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-cbd/third

[fla_tiger]

In the southeastern sections of the City are located several office and medical parks.

Perkins Rowe

A city in the suburbs

Tommy Spinosa's Perkins Rowe is the biggest, boldest and perhaps best project to hit Baton Rouge real estate in decades.

Out where Perkins Road hits Bluebonnet Boulevard, beside Jimmy Swaggart's concrete empire, sits almost 60 prime acres. The site is a gem of development potential, and Tommy Spinosa's JTS Interests owns it.

Spinosa has broken ground on the most ambitious mixed-use project in Baton Rouge: the $350 million Perkins Rowe. Its 400,000 square feet of retail will be as big as a third of the Mall of Louisiana. At 350,000 square feet, the project will have almost as much office space as downtown's Bank One towers. And its 800 residential units will make it larger than any recent multi-family project except Southgate.

Perkins Rowe is scheduled to be up and running in mid-2006.

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-se/residences-vermilion.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-se/towncenter-hotel.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-se/towncenter-medicalcomplex.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-se/towncenter-shopping.jpg

http://www.perkinsrowe.com

[LouisianaRush]

Great job man. Keep up the good work.

[fla_tiger]

The Preserve at Longwood Plantation

Plans are in the works to build a 330-unit apartment complex at Nicholson Drive and Gardere Lane. The Preserve at Longwood Plantation will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units being developed by Cortlandt Development, an Atlanta company. Plans are to price the units between $700 and $1,200 a month.

Cortlandt, which has developed apartments across the Southeast, had been looking at moving into Baton Rouge before Hurricane Katrina. DeFrancis said the company was interested in the growth that has happened along Nicholson Drive since the Bluebonnet Boulevard extension was completed. “There’s so much growth coming out of downtown and the university,” DeFrancis said. “We think there’s going to be a filling in of all the land between Bluebonnet and the university.”

Plans are to begin construction in August and have the complex open in spring 2007.

[fla_tiger]

also in the southeastern area is United Plaza office park:

the Shaw Plaza Building

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-cbd/shaw.jpg

III United Plaza

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-cbd/P1010016.JPG

IV United Plaza

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-cbd/P1010013.JPG

Turner Industries Building

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-cbd/P1010015.JPG

[CTroyMathis]

RiverPlace looks good. Thanks for starting this thread.

[urban_encounter]

RiverPlace Condomimiums
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1100723/RIVERPLACE1.jpg



Ironically that looks like a similar proposal here in Sacramento.


Capitol Grand Tower
38-stories, 415 feet
http://www.capitolgrandtower.com
http://www.capitolgrandtower.com/images/rendering.jpg

Or maybe it's just me?

[Jasonhouse]

Yes, it's just you.

[fla_tiger]

56-unit condo complex going up on N. Harrell's Ferry

Advocate business staff

A new 56-unit condominium complex is being planned for the intersection of North Harrell's Ferry and West Boardwalk.
Construction on Baywood Quarters is set to start early next year, with the first three "clusters" of units opening by June or July, said Barry DeLozier, a senior vice president with Signature Homes. Signature, based in Birmingham, Ala., has built several condo developments across Baton Rouge, including Carriage Place on Coursey Boulevard and The Plantation on Perkins Road.

Baywood Quarters will have a village feel, with multiple units attached together in clusters. Each unit will feature a private courtyard and a two-car garage. Units will range in size from 1,500 to 2,000 square feet and will sell from the "mid-$180,000s to the low $200,000s."

DeLozier said the village feel will differentiate Baywood Quarters from the other condominium developments. "These condos will have brick and stucco with copper accents," he said. "They're very eclectic."

Although Signature had been planning Baywood Quarters for a while, the demand for housing brought on by Hurricane Katrina evacuees caused the company to speed up construction. "We want to push construction along, because we know that people will want these units," DeLozier said.

Athough I have not seen a rendering, here is a link to another smaller Signature project in Baton Rouge.

http://www.e-signaturehomes.com/plantation/

[fla_tiger]

Developers reveal more on plans for Historic Kress building

By CHAD CALDER
ccalder@theadvocate.com
Advocate business writer

The duo that bought the historic Kress/Welsh & Levy buildings provided some more details Tuesday on their plans to redevelop the downtown property. Standing in front of the building at Third and Main Streets, Brace Godfrey Jr., Claude “Buddy” Leach and a handful of other local officials talked about the impact of residential development in the central business district, plans for adding an eight-story tower and bringing Southern University students downtown.

The plan to convert the historic, former five-and-dime store into a residential and office development with some retail space was first announced in September, after Godfrey announced he had a purchase agreement on the property.

Godfrey and Leach expect to break ground on the roughly $15 million project by next summer and finish about two years from now, bringing between 40 and 50 residential units downtown.

Godfrey said that while the goal is to cater to young professionals, he has gotten calls from many older, longtime Baton Rougeans who want to move back to the river.

As for first-floor, retail development, Godfrey said he and Leach will look for tenants providing goods and services that are not yet available downtown. While he wouldn’t go into specifics, he said downtown is still lacking a few necessary components of urban life.

Architect Norman Chenevert said Tuesday that his team will consider adding a tower to the building’s existing 60,000 square feet.

Godfrey said that while preservation requirements do not allow the tower to mimic the existing exterior, it would be designed in a way that was complementary to it.

The project will take advantage of newly expanded state historic tax credits and all work will meet the necessary guidelines set by preservationists.

Davis Rhorer, executive director of the Downtown Development District, compared the project’s residential component to Kress’ arrival at the turn of the century. Then, downtown Baton Rouge needed a five-and-dime store to begin its development. Today, downtown needs additional residential capacity to seal it’s redevelopment.

“Obviously, the residential component, if it can be worked out, will be a tremendous opportunity” to help re-populate downtown, Rhorer said.

Leach and Godfrey also have plans to honor the building’s civil rights legacy. Several Southern University students were arrested after they sat down at the lunch counter to protest segregation in the 1960s. The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Godfrey said it has not yet been decided whether the element commemorating the lunch counter sit-in will be functional or something more like a memorial, behind glass.

Leach hailed the Southern students for taking a stand to their own personal detriment and said Baton Rouge needs to honor its civil rights leaders. He said he’d like to see the property developed in such a way that it attracts Southern University students downtown in their free time. Godfrey said he and Leach are looking at a number of other downtown properties, though he would not provide specifics.

[OKCgasm]

Wow. Baton Rouge is awesome. Good job, guys.

[fla_tiger]

B.R.'s hurricane housing boom continues in October

Advocate business staff

The post-Hurricane Katrina housing boom carried over into October, as early numbers show a 55 percent increase over the number of homes sold a year earlier. There were 1,295 houses sold in the eight-parish area, according to figures from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtor's Multiple Listing Service. That compares to 712 houses sold in October 2004.

The MLS, which is updated hourly, is a database of home listings by local agents representing about 85 percent of the houses on the market. Officials with the Realtor's association say the sales figures become more accurate as the month moves along, because some transactions aren't filed immediately.

The October sales are a slight drop-off from September, when the estimated 240,000 people who moved into Baton Rouge ahead of Hurricane Katrina took over the housing market. During September, 1,815 houses were sold at an average price of $187,963.

Reflecting the increased demand, the average sale price for a home in the metro area was $175,024 in October, a 13 percent increase over the average for the first six months of the year.

[fla_tiger]

Ground broken for press plant -- New site will print Advocate
The Baton Rouge Advocate

Capital City Press, the publisher of The Advocate, broke ground Tuesday on a $60 million printing facility off of Siegen Lane, which will improve the readability of the paper, the sharpness of photos and allow for more zoned editions targeted to specific areas.

"This is truly a milestone in the history of Capital City Press," President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Manship said. "The new facility will be a quantum leap in printing, putting together and distribution of the newspaper."

The 120,000-square-foot plant, which will open in August-September 2006, will be at 10715 Reiger Road, between Interstate 10 and the Super Target store. The project is being financed through a revolving line of credit with JP Morgan Chase/Bank One.

"This will be one of the finest printing facilities in the world, with one of the finest presses in the world," said Douglas Manship Jr., publisher of The Advocate.

He said the new seven-tower press, made by MAN Roland of Germany, will allow the newspaper to print three times faster and with more color. The increased speed means subscribers will get The Advocate earlier.

"You've got people that go to work at 6 a.m.," he said. "If they don't get the paper before they go to work, you're going to lose that reader."

The press also will give the newspaper more flexibility to zone editions, for example, it already produces editions targeted specifically to Ascension Parish and the Acadiana area.

The Advocate is printed on two, 12-unit 1950s-era letterpresses at a plant on Bluebonnet Boulevard, across from the Mall of Louisiana. The Bluebonnet plant cannot accomodate a new press.

The new press will take The Advocate from a 55-inch web to a 50-inch web, which means pages will decrease slightly in overall size. This is in line with other newspapers, which have moved over the past several years to the 50-inch web that has become a standard to which advertisers are accustomed.

The smaller Advocate will allow Capital City Press to reduce costs on paper, ink and other supplies.

Despite the new size of the newspaper, Douglas Manship Jr. said the change will not affect the quality of news and information published. He also said the recent redesign of the newspaper to a cleaner, more-modern look was done with the new press and 50-inch web size in mind and that few design changes will be required.

The new press is set to arrive in Baton Rouge on April 23.

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-se/seigen500.gif

[alon504]

One word to describe Baton Rouge: T-R-A-F-F-I-C.

[fla_tiger]

Baton Rouge area home sales sizzle

By TIMOTHY BOONE
Advocate business writer
Published: Jan 17, 2006

The estimated 240,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees who moved into metro Baton Rouge caused home sales to surge by 28.5 percent to 11,291 sold in 2005. And local Realtors said Monday the demand for houses should remain strong through 2006. “On Jan. 2, my phone didn’t stop ringing,” said Chad Rizzutto, broker-owner of Diamond Realty Inc. in Greenwell Springs. “It hasn’t slowed up since.” Rizzutto said in the past few weeks, people who lost homes to Katrina have started to receive their insurance settlements.
“Now that they’re getting their money, these people have the cash to make a down payment and get a home,” he said.

The immediate demand for houses caused sales to spike in September 172 percent above previous-year levels, and drained much of the inventory. The market leveled off toward the end of 2005 with gains over 2004 settling in the 20 percent range, as people either returned to metro New Orleans or settled into apartments or hotels. Inventory started to rebuild.

The dollar volume of 2005 sales hit $1.86 billion, up 47 percent from the $1.26 billion volume in 2004. The average sale price of a home was $164,677, an increase of 14 percent over the $143,963 average recorded in 2004. The figures come from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors’ Multiple Listing Service and are as of Monday. In the past few weeks, Rizzutto and Mark Akchin, an agent with Keller Williams Realty in Baton Rouge, said they’ve seen an increased demand for homes in the $200,000-and-below range. “The sales aren’t as frantic as they were in the fall, and there’s no sense of urgency,” Akchin said. “These people are taking a little bit more time to work out a deal that’s best for their family.” Akchin said there’s no particular area where property is selling best. “It’s more about where people are finding jobs or where their children are getting into school,” he said. “If they found work downtown, they’re moving into West Baton Rouge. If they got a service-industry job along Bluebonnet Boulevard or Siegen Lane, they’re looking at Sherwood or Broadmoor.” Rizzutto said the rural areas of East Baton Rouge are also popular. “I specialize in the Central area and houses here are selling very quick,” he said. “The average length of time one of these houses is on the market is 14 days.”

Hank Saurage IV, broker/owner of Saurage Realtors in Baton Rouge, said West Baton Rouge and Ascension are the two parishes that are likely to see the most activity this year.

West Baton Rouge is popular because of the prices. “You can see a house on the ground there for under $160,000,” he said. Ascension remains popular because of the schools and the proximity to New Orleans, Saurage said.
There were 2,044 houses sold in Ascension Parish last year, a nearly 40 percent increase over 2004, according to the Realtors. The average sale price was $182,282, up almost 10 percent over the year before.

The largest number of houses were sold in East Baton Rouge Parish. There were 6,916 homes sold in East Baton Rouge during the year, an increase of almost 27 percent over 2004. The total sales volume was $1.16 billion.

In Livingston Parish, annual sales increased by nearly 25 percent to 1,690 houses sold. The average sales price was $136,728, compared with $121,808 for 2004.

In the other category, which includes West Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana, Iberville and Pointe Coupee parishes, there were 641 houses sold. That was a 25.4 percent increase over 2004, when 511 homes were sold by Realtors in those areas.

Before Katrina, Saurage said, projections indicated the local housing market would level off at the end of 2005, because of the lack of large-scale hiring.
“It’s a totally different environment now,” he said. “What’s still unknown is how many residents will we keep here permanently and what will be the makeup of the people who do stay — who are they going to be? Where are they going to fit in the work force?’ Rizzutto said he expects home sales will remain strong until the end of 2006. “I feel for sure this activity will carry us through to the spring and summer,” he said. “And those are our two biggest times of the year, when school is out.”

[fla_tiger]

Commercial Properties Development Corp. will build a downtown tower that will house Regions Bank's local headquarters, a parking garage for downtown and new housing. Called Laurel Towers/Regions Financial Centre, the tower will top out at about 240 feet and 19 stories. The building is slated for the corner of Laurel and Fifth streets, now the site of a parking lot. For an undisclosed sum, Commercial Properties is buying the New Richmond Apartments, which will be demolished for the development. The building will include 640 parking spaces occupying 10 floors. Regions will have a branch on the main floor and occupy two floors. And there will be about 28 new condominiums in the project.

heres a rendering of the Laurel Towers/Regions Financial Centre

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/laureltower.jpg

[fla_tiger]

Amedisys spending millions on Baton Rouge headquarters for 200

Amedisys is ready to renovate a former big box store on Sherwood Forest its new corporate headquarters. The company has filed for a $12 million building permit to remodel 16,726 square feet for an office consolidation. A media contact for Amedisys wan not available for more information. Last year, the company paid $4.2 million for the 16.3-acre site that includes the building. At that time, the home health care company targeted the fourth quarter of 2006 for the renovation. Amedisys leases buildings for its headquarters, which houses about 200 employees.

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btr-se/Feb7Prop.jpg

[fla_tiger]

Amphitheater & Greenspace presented for downtown

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/btrcbd2/amphitheater.jpg

New public greens could become a feature in downtown. Working for the state, designers Joey Furr, Sit Wong and Gary Dunn presented a plan this morning for the space now occupied by the A.Z. Young building. Located cater-corner to the state Capitol, the old building is set to be razed after two new state buildings open in downtown this summer. The designers propose a greenspace with an amphitheater for the land. The greenspace would extend to the LaSalle Building, which is on Third Street. Lafayette Street, which curves through the space, could be closed for festivals.

[LouisianaRush]

Wow that is cool. Thanx for the info man. Keep it up!

[KevinFromTexas]

Cool stuff. I went through there several times back in 2004. Here's a thread with some pics I took of it.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=98783

[richyb83]

Great job ! Keep up the good work .
A new rendering of City Plaza II should be coming out soon;the 14-story tower will now go on top of the 6-story garage;
BR will soon be getting a nice,legit SKYLINE !

[fla_tiger]

Third Street turning into entertainment district

Another project in the works shows Third Street is returning to its roots as a retail road in downtown. Mike Polito of MAPP Construction says he's negotiating with a New Orleans bar owner to put a martini lounge in the Belisle Building, which his firm bought for its corporate headquarters from Bob Dean. MAPP is adding about 7,000 square feet to the 10,500-square-foot building. Polito says about half the first floor -- 1,500 square feet -- is for retail and an undisclosed bar owner is likely to take the space. Other entertainment destinations that have landed on Third in the past year include Happy's Irish Pub, The Inferno Room and Rasputin's. The Wine Loft, long promised, is also set to open soon on Third and Laurel Street.

[fla_tiger]

Downtown mid-rise proposed

Property owner John O. Hearin is showing off plans to build a mid-rise office tower in downtown, adding to the growing number of developers considering new office space in the city center. Hearin could not be reached to discuss the details, but sources say his renderings show about a 10-story office building. He's looking for tenants before starting the project. Hearin wants to build on Sixth Street between Convention and Florida, a spot where he owns a parking lot.
Other office projects in the works are Commercial Properties' 19-story building on Laurel for Regions Bank. Under current plans, the first 11 stories would be a parking garage funded by federal transportation funds via the local transit authority. The building would include residences.

And Mike Wampold is asking for state bond money to help build a second tower on his City Plaza building. The tower would be 12 to 14 stories over five floors of parking, making it roughly the same scale as the former Bank One towers. It would be between 260,000 and 280,000 square feet and cost about $52 million.

[fla_tiger]

New Mississippi River bridge to be built north of Baton Rouge

This is a vital part of the new LA 10 Corridor connecting I-49 and I-55 and will provide a much needed bridge crossing the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and Natchez.

BATON ROUGE, La. Construction on a new $213 million Mississippi River bridge to link Saint Francisville to New Roads should begin by the end of the year. Consultant Ron Hartje told the state Bond Commission yesterday he hopes the bridge will open to traffic in 2009, a year ahead of schedule.

The bridge will bypass to the south of Saint Francisville, away from the town's historic district and the Cat Island swamp. It will connect La 10 and US 61. A bridge between West Feliciana and Pointe Coupee parishes has been under consideration for decades.The span will replace a ferry used to cross the river.

The Feliciana's; West and East parishes, with their scenic countryside and rolling hills have increasingly becoming a popular location for many new country club and resort communities because of their easy drive time to Baton Rouge.

New Roads, located along the scenic oxbow lake False River, has long been a popular resort area for Baton Rougeans. It's property values have skyrocketed, with waterfront lot prices now ranging from $175,000 to $300,000.

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[fla_tiger]

Louisiana State University (affectionally referred to as LSU) is located about three miles south of the CBD in the southern sector of the City. In close proximity to the beautiful 300 acre campus are several announced developments..........................

The Crescent at University Lake

Wampold Cos. is ready to build the upscale condo development on Stanford Avenue across from the lake and will donate money to beautify the area, including improving Baton Rouge Beach. In two months, Wampold will start building the $45 million, 90-unit project, which takes its cue from Florida resorts and Italian architecture and is named The Crescent at University Lake.
In recent years, plans for upscale condos have sputtered in Baton Rouge, but Wampold believes the location on the lake and near LSU with views of the state Capitol will move condos quickly. He has had more than100 inquiries for the project. Construction is expected to begin within two months.

The units will be from 1,239 square feet to 2,682 square feet and cost from the low-$200,000 to about $650,000. Amenities include a fitness center, clubroom, billiards room, media center and a pool area that overlooks the lake.

Wampold said he would donate money to BREC for jogging paths at Baton Rouge Beach and other improvements, including moving parking off the street and planting oak trees on both sides of Stanford. He declined to reveal how much the BREC improvements would cost because the parks system has not approved a plan.

Wampold has been trying to develop the property for more than a decade, but the neighbors have opposed the project. He wanted to build apartments on the property but the Planning Commission, listening to angry neighbors, declined to approve the site plan and the project was rejected. Now, he's shifted to building condos, and says he has necessary approvals to go ahead with the project.

The project does not include retail because rezoning would be required. Wampold said he doesn't have plans now for retail, though the area would be right for a coffee shop and other boutique stores.

http://usera.imagecave.com/fla_tiger/lsu/wampoldcondos.jpg

http://www.crescent-condos.com

FieldHouse Baton Rouge

Birmingham based Capstone Development Corp. (CDC) announced today its plans for “FieldHouse, Baton Rouge” a luxury sports condominium project planned initially for Baton Rouge and 4 other college campuses designed to house college sports fans. The project will revolutionize traditional college tailgating, providing athletic supporters and fans with luxury accommodations to enjoy during game weekends and beyond. It is a unique opportunity for fans to own a tangible tailgating spot as close as possible to the campus.

About “FieldHouse, Baton Rouge”

Address: Nicholson Drive at West Chimes Street (LSU North Gates)

Number of Units: 100 residential loft units plus retail space

Distance From Stadium: .4 mile (four tenths of a mile) to Stadium Gates

“We plan to utilize our expertise and existing relationships at LSU to create some of the most desirable real estate near campus for living and vacationing during sports seasons.” says William Bru, Senior Vice President of CDC. The other four initial developments include sites in Louisville, KY, Starkville, MS, Manhattan, KS, and Green Bay, WI. Groundbreakings are set for early 2005 in each of these initial markets.

Fieldhouse, a French Quarter style, 100-unit luxury condominium development will be located across from the Natatorium at the North Gates of campus on the corner of Nicholson Drive and West Chimes Street. According to an article by Timothy Boone in The Advocate, the four-story development will include units ranging from $160,000 to $500,000 and will feature private parking, a restaurant, concierge and cleaning services.

Fieldhouse is the first venture of its kind for Capstone, but the company is no stranger to housing development. Founded in 1990, the company has several student housing complexes both on and off campus and locally manages University Commons complex on Burbank Drive, according to an article by Timothy Boone in The Advocate. Capstone also plans similar developments in Starkville, Miss., Manhattan, Kan., and Louisville, Ky., according to an article by Tom Daykin in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

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Southgate Towers

http://www.southgatetowerscondos.com/index.htm

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Gameday Center

Capstone is not the only condominium developer with its eye on the Tigers. Gary Spillers, President and CEO of Gameday Centers Southeastern, said he is in the negotiating process with Tiger Athletic Foundation to build condominiums and a meeting area at the LSU golf course. Final completion is more than a year and a half away, Spillers said, stressing the development's preliminary stage.

The sports condominiums will range from 1 to 3 fully furnished bedrooms with ownership prices ranging from $140,000 to $500,000, Spillers said. The complex will also house a restaurant and bar area, workout club and meeting rooms. A shuttle will run to campus for football, basketball, baseball, track and other sporting events, he said. The condominiums will be available for year-round ownership and living or short-term rental.

Gameday Centers have a history. According to www.gamedaycenters.com, there are Gameday Centers in Auburn, Miss., Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Knoxville, Tenn. Construction is underway or soon anticipated in Athens, Ga., Tallahassee, Fla., Clemson, S.C., and Lexington, Ky.

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North Gate Sterling University House

Built by Sterling University Housing, the largest developer of off-campus student housing in the country, Sterling University NorthGate is a 100 unit project within walking distance to LSU and the Chimes Street/Northgate entertainment area. Project now under construction on Highland Road north of State near the North Gate of LSU.

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http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-LSU/northgate_poolside.jpg

The Preserve at Longwood Plantation

Plans are in the works to build a 330-unit apartment complex at Nicholson Drive and Gardere Lane. The Preserve at Longwood Plantation will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units being developed by Cortlandt Development, an Atlanta company. Plans are to price the units between $700 and $1,200 a month.

Cortlandt, which has developed apartments across the Southeast, had been looking at moving into Baton Rouge before Hurricane Katrina. DeFrancis said the company was interested in the growth that has happened along Nicholson Drive since the Bluebonnet Boulevard extension was completed. “There’s so much growth coming out of downtown and the university,” DeFrancis said. “We think there’s going to be a filling in of all the land between Bluebonnet and the university.”

Plans are to begin construction in August and have the complex open in spring 2007.

The Lod Cook Hotel and Alumni Center on West Lakeshore Drive overlooking University Lake near LSU

One of many contributions to the University by Lod Cook, oil entrepreneur and alumnus, Cook is the president and chief executive officer of ARCO Petroleum.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-S/lodcook.jpg

[fla_tiger]

Wine Loft opens in Fuqua Building

By CHAD CALDER
Advocate business writer
Published: Mar 11, 2006

The Doyle Restaurant Group has opened The Wine Loft at Laurel and Third streets in the back half of the historic Fuqua Building.

The Wine Loft will offer wine, light cuisine, fondue and desserts in 3,300 square feet of the building.

Doyle Restaurant Group, based in New Orleans, owns the vodka bar Rasputin’s, which opened on Third Street.

Chief Executive Officer Jason Doyle has said the Baton Rouge location will feature the relaxed atmosphere similar to its Tchoupitoulas Street location in New Orleans, which features 85 wines by the glass, 220 by the bottle.

Doyle Restaurant has four New Orleans establishments: The Wine Loft, an upscale 1950s-style diner called Huey’s, the Lafayette Sports Bar and Rasputin’s.

Doyle said Friday morning that construction is complete, staff was trained and ready and inventory was complete.

He said an upstairs loft will open when the spiral stairwell is fabricated in about three weeks.

[fla_tiger]

Three downtown buildings sold

Cyntreniks Group buys Dean properties for renovation

By TIMOTHY BOONE
Advocate business writer
Published: Mar 16, 2006

The Cyntreniks Group has strengthened its presence in downtown Baton Rouge, buying three properties from developer Bob Dean and announcing plans to renovate the buildings.

Cyntreniks, which is headed by Brace Godfrey, an attorney who is also the chairman of the Downtown Development District, bought the Hotel King at 200 Lafayette St., Dean Plaza at 327 North Blvd. and Lyceum Dean at 124 Third St. for an undisclosed amount. The three buildings are all within a block or so of each other and near such downtown attractions as the Shaw Center for the Arts, the Capitol House hotel and the proposed new courthouse.

At a Wednesday news conference held across the street from the Hotel King, Godfrey said the new projects show the vitality that is going on in Baton Rouge, since the population grew as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

“We made a statement of our commitment to the city’s growth with our purchase of the Kress Building last November,” said Godfrey, who was flanked by his business partner, Claude “Buddy” Leach, and John Scheider, a business associate of Cyntreniks. “This acquisition adds another chapter.”

Cyntreniks bought the Kress/Welsh & Levy building from Dean in November. At the time of the sale, Godfrey said he mentioned to Dean that his business was interested in acquiring more downtown buildings. “That’s what led to today’s announcement,” Godfrey said.

Although plans for the projects are still being developed, Godfrey said the Hotel King may be turned into a boutique hotel, while Lyceum Dean could house restaurants and retailers, and Dean Plaza would undergo some renovations.

The Hotel King was opened in the late 1920s. The seven-story building, which has 46,000 square feet of space, operated as an office building from 1973 until it closed in 2004.

Godfrey said he’s met with hotel chains about putting their flags on the Hotel King, and expects to make a decision in the next two or three weeks of what to do with the building. The hotel is across the street from the Capitol House, which is expected to open in August as a 296-room Hilton hotel.

The Lyceum Dean is used for receptions and special events. Godfrey said he’s talked to banks and restaurant owners, including independent businesses, about moving into the building.

Dean Plaza is set to undergo the least amount of change, just renovations to make things easier for the current tenants. Except for one wing, the building is occupied by professional offices and a salon. Godfrey said he would honor existing leases.

Even after the recent series of sales, Dean still owns several downtown buildings, including the Roumain Building at 343 Third St., the Commerce Building at 333 Laurel St. and the Dean Tower at 5700 Florida Blvd. Dean, who usually doesn’t speak to the media, did not attend the news conference nor return a phone call.

Cyntreniks has no plans to buy additional properties in Baton Rouge.

“We’re getting ready to start developing those properties we’ve acquired,” Godfrey said.

[fla_tiger]

Perkins Palms condos proposed

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-S/Mar14Prop.jpg

Developer Donnie Jarreau has unveiled plans for new condos on Perkins Road and he says a separate project on Brightside Drive is underway. Jarreau will build Perkins Palms condos on Perkins next to a BREC park. The asking price for units is between $150,000 to $225,000, with the 21 condos ranging from 800 square feet to 1,000 square feet. Jarreau bought five acres for the project last year. A bank will build on the front of the property and the development will have 8,000 square feet of retail. A local restaurateur is in discussions to take some of the retail space.

[fla_tiger]

2,500 new homes planned for east-suburban Livingston

Post-Katrina population boom continues
Livingston sites sold for housing

Company could build 2,500 homes

By TED GRIGGS
Advocate business writer
Published: Mar 22, 2006

National homebuilder D.R. Horton has signed purchase options on more than 1,500 acres of property in Livingston Parish, with preliminary plans to build around 2,500 single-family homes.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based firm optioned the properties of developers Saun Sullivan and H. Allen Thomasen in deals that could be worth around $25 million, according to records at the Livingston Parish Clerk of Court’s Office.

The properties under option include:

In Denham Springs, 191 lots on 117.6 acres off Juban Road, known as the John L. Lane tract; and 89 lots on 82 acres off La. 1019, known as Quail Creek.
In Walker, 1,272 lots on 473 acres, known as South Haven; and 472 lots on 729 acres, known as Woodland Crossing, which lies off Buddy Ellis Road.
In Watson, 172 lots on 192.7 acres, known as South Point.
The deal also includes options on Omni Mortgage LLC, Provident Title and Day Building Supply, clerk of court records show.

Officials with D.R. Horton did not return phone calls Tuesday or during the previous three weeks. Sullivan and Thomasen also declined to comment.

The deal covers pretty much everything that partners Thomasen and Sullivan own in Livingston Parish, said Wesley Moore, of commercial real-estate appraisers Cook, Moore & Associates.

Moore said homebuilding giants such as D.R. Horton and KB Homes, who moved into the area following Hurricane Katrina, probably have not finished their shopping sprees.

In fact, KB Home has partnered with Baton Rouge’s The Shaw Group to build up to 20,000 houses in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

The partnership announced plans Tuesday to build 60 houses in the River Garden area of New Orleans and 15 homes in the old St. Thomas Housing Project neighborhood. The River Garden houses will be aimed at young professionals and families and will sell for between $280,000 to $450,000. The St. Thomas homes will sell for $130,000 to $140,000, and will be aimed at former residents and first-time homebuyers.

KB/Shaw bought 30 lots in the Jefferson Retreat subdivision in Baton Rouge for $2.46 million in a deal that closed last week.

So far, the national firms have focused most of their attention on Livingston and Ascension parishes, snapping up subdivisions that have already won local government approval.

“There’s a much greater volume of land in Livingston and Ascension,” Moore said. “There are also fewer barriers to single-family residential developments.”

The costs of regulatory approval and impact fees are much lower in those parishes, and developers encounter fewer headaches and red tape, Moore said.

In East Baton Rouge, a developer who needs to fill in a piece of property has to get the dirt from within the same flood plain, Moore said. The idea is to make sure the original property’s water-retention characteristics remain the same, so that areas that did not flood before the development remain flood-free afterward.

However, in Ascension Parish, a developer can haul dirt in from just about anywhere, Moore said. The developer can buy some cheap land somewhere and dig a hole there for the fill, a much-cheaper alternative.

Horton already owned properties in seven subdivisions, including Ascension Trace in Gonzales and Elmwood Park in Hammond. The Livingston Parish subdivisions include Forest Ridge and Westminster, off Buddy Ellis Road in Denham Springs; and Park Ridge, off Sims Road between Hoss Road and La. 16.
Advocate business writer Timothy Boone contributed to this report.

[fla_tiger]

Hilton Capitol Center

The transformation of the old Heidelberg Hotel on Lafayette and Convention Streets into a 300-room Hilton Hotel is currently in progress. The windows are being installed and the interior is being framed out. The project completion is expected for late summer 2006. The architects for the project are Robert M. Coleman & Partners Architects. For additional information contact Camm Morton @ 924-7206 or visit
www.hiltoncapitolcenter.com

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/caphilton.jpg

[fla_tiger]

Gordon’s Building

The redevelopment of 232 Third Street into a mixed-use development (retail, office and residential) began in January 2006. Chenevert Architects, the owners and designers for the project will locate offices within the building, moving from a Perkins Road location. The project is expected to take one year to complete.

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[fla_tiger]

19th Judicial Courthouse

The new 19th Judicial Courthouse will be built on the site of the current municipal building parking lot. The building will rise approximately 8 stories above North Boulevard and will be on direct axis with the State Capitol Building on Fourth Street. The building, as designed by Post Architects, will be an illuminated glass and concrete structure that will create a beacon at the foot of Fourth Street.

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[fla_tiger]

CBD Riverfront gets new plans

By ELLEN TANDY
2theadvocate.com Staff
Published: Mar 23, 2006

A major makeover is in the works for the riverfront area in Downtown Baton Rouge, and planners are looking to spend millions on the project.

The Baton Rouge riverfront is about to undergo some major changes. Plans are in the works to construct everything from residential developments to entertainment hot spots.

"Potentially, new residential development where we could incorporate some new private sector type of maybe entertainment venues," said Downtown Development District's Davis Rhorer.

The designers' plans cover an area about two miles long, from the old municipal dock to the north side of Casino Rouge, and they propose restaurants, an ampitheater and other commercial developments. From the beginning stages until completion, the project would cost an estimated $600 million.

Some Baton Rouge residents have their own ideas about the projects that should be included

"Something like an amusement park," Robert Bailey said. "Something for kids to have to come to on the weekends."

Others said they are content with something a little more traditional.

"Similar to what they have in Memphis," said Nick Lawless. "Memphis has a pretty good riverfront, and the condos are kind of like over here where the River Center is."

"I think when people see it and begin to put their suggestions in, I think they'll be very pleased with what is about to happen to Baton Rouge," said Mayor Kip Holden.

Holden said the plan to develop the riverfront will help spur further economic growth in the downtown area, and construction could begin later this ye

[CHAPINM1]

Anyone have any updates on the 42 story Riverplace Condominum Tower? I really think it's a cool looking project and will be an exellent addition to Baton Rouge and help it's skyline. Was ground broken in January and if not when is it supposed to be? I'm just wondering, if anyone could let me know that would be cool! Thanks in advance...:D

[King Hippo]

I've been searching for a loft/apartment in downtown Baton Rouge and all I've seen is New Richmond Place which apparently wont be around long. Any leads?? Preferably 600+sf and under 900/mo. Thank you.

[fla_tiger]

Lofts and apartments are hard to come by in downtown.
You may wish to consider Spanishtown, just north near Capitol Park, or Beauregard Town, just south of downtown.

check out this link:
http://brgov.com/dept/ddd/default.asp

If you don't mind a short drive, many more are available around LSU and east near Corporate Bv.

Good luck!

[fla_tiger]

Fantastic Thread, but most of the links were dead, if you need a place to host your images let me know.

I seem to have this problem near the end of each month. Imagecave is good but when bandwidth exceeds a certain amount the links lock up.
Since then I have tried Photobucket and they work great. It may take a while to transfer some over.

Thanks, La Thunder....any other suggestions are welcomed.

[King Hippo]

Thank you, great thread FL Tiger!! Looks like the city is really coming together well. How is Beauregard Town to live in?? safety? Are there any local classified ads for listings? I tried 2theadvocate.com but wasn't very helpful. Thanks again.

[fla_tiger]

A plan for Old South Baton Rouge

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/2562886.html

Select list of recommended projects included in the Neighborhood Strategic Vision Plan for Old South Baton Rouge

Published: Apr 2, 2006

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NORTHEAST AREA
Includes Terrace, Delpit, Swart and Lincoln Theater/Eddie Robinson areas.

N1 — Neighborhood parks along Deplit commercial corridor.
N2 — Streetscape improvements on prominent streets: Terrace, Louise, Myrtle, South, Napoleon and Braddock streets, Thomas Delpit Dr., Highland Rd., Eddit Robinson Dr., Julia, 14th, Braddock and McCallop..
N3 — Residential park square on Napoleon St.
N4 — Outdoor recreation facilities for Baranco-Clark YMCA.
N5 — Public park at Washington St. and Delpit Dr. intersection.
N6 — New ‘Lincoln Square’ community park.
N7 — New park square between Swart and Pecan streets.
N8 — New park square between Smith and Apple streets.
N9 — Natural development buffer along the railroad tracks.
N10 — Prepare a Brooks Park improvement plan.
N11 — ‘Gateway Commons’ community park improvements.
N12 — Relocate residents in substandard homes to new/renovated homes in same area.
N13 — Conserve existing homes between South and Washington streets and establish a receiving area for endangered structures.
N14 — Remove blighted buildings and replace with new home types.
N15 — Develop new homes along the Highland Rd. corridor.
N16 — Preserve contributing businesses, residences and social organizations along Terrace and Delpit corridors.
N17 — ‘Nicholson Gateway’ apartments, condominiums and lofts.
N18 — ‘Washington Gateway’ commercial/medical office development.
N19 — ‘Washington Gateway’ co-op grocery store.
N20 — Preserve businesses and residences at Lincoln Theater blocks.
N21 — Construct mixed-use buildings around Lincoln Square.
N22 — Complete Lincoln Community Theater building revitalization.
N23 — Lincoln II building re-use as Neighborhood Arts and Cultural Center.
N24 — Build out commercial services around the new ‘Lincoln Square.’
N25 — Relocate Ice Company to employment development area.
N26 — Relocate existing homes between Terrace and Louise to vacant Lincoln Square sites.
N27 — Remove vacant/blighted residences and build new homes to the north and south of the new McKinley Middle School campus.

CENTRAL AREA
Includes Delpit Dr., Highland Rd. and Roosevelt Park neighborhood areas.

C1 — Corporation Canal would be widened, realigned and naturalized to create a linear canal park and greenway corridor with associated north-south bike trails.
C2 — Streetscape improvements on connecting prominent streets: Highland Rd., Thomas Delpit Dr., Washington, Van Buren, E. Harrison, E. Polk, W. Taylor, Harding, Arizona, Nebraska, Kansas, Georgia, Maryland, McKinley, Indiana, Illinois, Daniel Webster and Roosevelt streets.
C3 — New Gateway Park at E. Polk St. and Highland Rd.
C4 — New park triangle on Arizona St.
C5 — New park square on Colorado St.
C6 — New park square on Kentucky St.
C7 — Relocate Buchanan Park as an amenity for new residential.
C8 — Reconfigure and program events at E. Polk St. Park to accommodate surrounding new homes and to make it safer.
C9 — Potential community garden plots at Polk Elementary.
C10 — New park area around a new high school vocational wing.
C11 — Reconfiguration of Roosevelt Park as passive/active open space amenity for new residential development.
C12 — Relocate viable Highland Rd. businesses between Washington and E. Polk streets to buildings proposed between Johnson and Aster.
C13 — Remove vacant/blighted homes and develop new single-family, duplex, townhomes, apartments, condos and lofts.
C14 — New or renovated single-family homes on stand-alone or grouped parcels re-subdivided to allow larger lot homes.
C15 — New single-family duplex homes in areas where two to six smaller undevelopable parcels can be combined.
C16 — New alley-loaded townhome development along the Washington St. and Highland Rd. corridors.
C17 — New multi-family development proposed for key locations along Highland Rd., Roosevelt St. and Canalside Dr.
C18 — New single family homes with driveways proposed for the frontage streets around the new Roosevelt Park.

SOUTH AREA
Includes North Gates development area.

S1 — Old South Baton Rouge Gateway Triangle Park at Highland Rd. and Delpit Dr.
S2 — Corporation Canal Greenway Trail.
S3 — Gateway Plaza at Highland Rd. and State St. intersection.
S4 — Streetscape and pedestrian crossing enhancements: Nicholson Dr., Highland Rd., State, Vicaro, Georgia, Roosevelt, McKinley, Chimes and Alaska streets.
S5 — Boulevard enhancements for the South end of Delpit Dr.
S6 — Boulevard enhancements for the South end of Nicholson Dr.
S7 — Future expansion of Alaska Street Park and recreational facilities.
S8 — New ‘Delpit Place’ apartments, condos and lofts.
S9 — ‘Highland/Delpit Gateway’ commercial/mixed-use development.
S10 — North Gate commercial development along State St. and Highland Rd. intersections.
S11 — Potential Phase 3 residential expansion for the venue development.
S12 — Aster Court and roosevelt Court apartments, condos and lofts located on LSU’s current band practice field.
S13 — Retention of existing neighborhood business on Highland Rd. between Roosevelt and McKinley.
S14 — Highland Road Shopping Center redevelopment.
S15 — Potential locations for commercial buildings on South Nicholson.
S16 — South Nicholson Gateway Apartments, condos and lofts.
S17 — Alaska Park Apartments, condos and lofts.
S18 — Alaska Street Apartments proposed along McKinley St.

NORTHWEST AREA
Includes Nicholson Gateway and Riverfront area redevelopment actions.

W1 — Outdoor Plaza Festival Marketplace at Brickyard Station.
W2 — Outdoor Performing Arts State/Amphitheater.
W3 — Pedestrian bridges over railroad connecting to Levee Trail.
W4 — New Levee Promenade/Arrival Court to ‘Brickyard Landing.’
W5 — Streetscape enhancements on Nicholson Dr., Terrace St., Oklahoma St., St. Philip St., Brickyard St. (new), River Rd. and South Blvd.
W6 — Nicholson Drive Boulevard Extension from McCling St. to South Blvd.
W7 — River Road Gateway at South St.
W8 — River Road Parks and open space for new development.
W9 — ‘Brickyard Landing Discovery Center’ at Old City Dock.
W10 — ‘Nicholson Gateway’ apartments, condominium and lofts.
W11 — Canal side residential aparments and lofts.
W12 — ‘The Brickyard Shops’ — factory outlet retail center.
W13 — ‘Brickyard Place’ mixed-use development with structured parking.
W14 — ‘St. Philips Place’ mixed-use development with parking garage.
W15 — ‘Nicholson Boulevard’ mixed-use/commercial development.
W16 — ‘Brickyard Street’ apartments, condos and lofts development.
W17 — River Rd. themed restaurants.
W18 — Riverfront commercial/mixed-use development on New River Road Blvd.
W19 — Riverfront residential development along New River Road Blvd.
W20 — Riverfront employment development.

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Louisiana State Museum

url]http://dnr.louisiana.gov/images/st-museum.jpg[/url])

The new $13.4 million, 71,000-square-foot Louisiana State Museum is located at the corner of Spanish Town Road and Fourth Street. Groundbreaking occurred on March 21, 2003, and the museum was completed in mid-2005.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/P1010020.jpg

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Julian Poydras Building

The 100,000 square foot building, named after Julian Poydras (1740-1824) president of Louisiana’s first constitutional convention, houses the Department of Insurance. It is located in Capitol Park, north of Capitol Lake, opposite the State Capitol.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/P1010009.jpg

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First nighttime photo of the Bienville Building, still under construction (sorry about quality).
They were testing the lights. The illuminated "crown" will be a nice addition to the skyline.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/p1010022A.jpg

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South-Central Baton Rouge includes older, much-sought after, finer residential areas near City Park such as Steele Place, Hundred Oaks, the Garden Distrct, Southdowns and Lakeshore.

Office buildings are located along the fringes of the area, near I-10 interchanges, including:

Acadian Centre

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-S/p1010012.jpg

Acadia Trace

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-S/P1010017.jpg

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The Mid-City section of Baton Rouge is undergoing a renaissance of sorts.
Because of rapid growth in the area, for safety reasons, the old "Downtown Airport" was closed in the late seventies and converted into Independence Park. Its large area provided for much used park lands including an Public Gardens, Playhouse/Theatre, soccer fields, baseball/softball fields, jogging trails and picnic areas.
Parts of the site were developed as a one-stop Public Safety complex, with new buildings utilized by state agencies. On a side note, FEMA is located here.

The original airport:

1933 photo
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/airfield1933.jpg

terminal building
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/untitled.jpg

1941 map
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/map1941.jpg

1963 map
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/map1965.jpg

1984 aerial of airport conversion to park
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/topo1984.jpg

1989 aerial of park
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/topo1989.jpg

Public Safety Complex
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010014.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010015.jpg

LSP Building
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010013.jpg

Other developments of note in the Central area include:

Wooddale Park, one of BR's original office parks outside of the CBD

Wooddale Tower
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010017.jpg

Mid-City is home to the Baton Rouge Community College, BR General Hospital's Main Campus and dozens of supporting companies.

General Health Systems Operations Building
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010019.jpg

Dean Tower
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/p1010007A.jpg

Bon Carré Business Center is a nearly one million square-foot technology, research and business hub which is anchored by a high-tech data storage facility and is the current home for dozens of high-tech businesses.
http://www.boncarre.com/

Cox Communications Building
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010005.jpg

Bon Carre Office Centre
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/p1010002.jpg

Convergys Building
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010004.jpg

Louisiana Technology Park

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Sweeeeeeeet!

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010010A.jpg

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This handsome, historic structure is located on Lafayette Street, directly across from the Hilton Capital Center, scheduled for opening this summer....


Renovations planned for Hotel King

Group to turn seven-story building into boutique hotel

By CHAD CALDER
Advocate business writer
Published: Apr 12, 2006

The investment group that bought the Hotel King downtown plans to work with a newly formed, locally based consulting firm to turn the seven-story building into a boutique hotel.

The group, which includes Buddy Leach and Cyntreniks Group, plans have the building at 200 Lafayette St. open next year, offering between 90 and 100 rooms, said Cyntreniks President John Schneider.

Schneider and Cyntreniks chairman Brace Godfrey offered a few details on their plans at the monthly meeting of the Downtown Development District on Tuesday. Godfrey and Schneider said they will be working with Nu Vieux, a hotel and real estate consulting firm formed by Gayle Carnahan, formerly with the Belle of Baton Rouge, and Francis Grayson, former general manager of the downtown Sheraton. Grayson and Carnahan formed the company a few months ago, and the Hotel King will be their first project.

The Hotel King was opened in the late 1920s. The seven-story building, which has 46,000 square feet of space, operated as an office building from 1973 until it closed in 2004.

Schneider said it’s not yet clear whether the Hotel King will be affiliated with a national chain or be run independently. He said it would feature a bar and a glass-enclosed rooftop terrace, but probably not a restaurant. That in part is because the company is considering bringing a high-end, nationally known restaurant to the nearby Lyceum Dean, which Cyntreniks Group also recently purchased from developer Bob Dean.

Schneider said that with 700 rooms to be open on the south end of downtown, Cyntreniks is looking at a restaurant. The other option for Lyceum Dean could be making it home to a bank or other financial institution.

Schneider said plans have also solidified for Dean Plaza at 327 North Blvd., the third building Cyntreniks bought from Dean last month, though it will continue as an office building because of its proximity to the courthouse and governmental building.

Cyntreniks bought the Kress/Welsh & Levy building from Dean in November, and plans on a mixed-use development that would include residential and office space, as well as a memorial to that building’s role in the civil rights movement.

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Riverfront Office Tower
The Riverfront Office Tower is a conceptual plan for a 20-30 floor tower a small tract of land at the corner of River Rd./North Blvd. To the right is the Old State Capitol ; behind it is the Shaw Arts Center ; to the left is the Hilton Capitol Center.

vision plan of structure

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/riverfrontofficetowerdevelopme.png

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Baton Rouge buildings, now demolished (for better or worse)

State Insurance Building, 12 floors imploded in 2003

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/insurance.jpg

Department of Natural Resources Building, 14 floors imploded in 2003

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/Dnr_bldg99.jpg

Department of Education Building, 14 floors imploded in 2003

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/education.jpg

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Hotel, Residential tower proposed for Southgate

Developer Robert Day wants to build a hotel at Southgate Towers, the Nicholson Drive residential and retail complex near LSU. Representatives of Day's company, R.W. Day, could not be reached. The firm proposes a six-story, 117-unit hotel and retail area, it says in a city-parish filing that revises the development's concept plan. Day wants to build the hotel across from the LSU Golf Course. He had originally planned two-story retail buildings for the spot. What's more, Day also is increasing one residential tower from 15 to 18 stories. Southgate now includes apartments and retail, including Walk-Ons restaurant, Co-Op Bookstore, CC's Coffeehouse and hello sushi! The revised concept plan has 158,200 square feet of commercial space and 85,642 square feet for the hotel.

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Capitol Park

Recent photos of the Iberville and the Bienville Buildings nearing completion. Scheduled opening for both is late summer. The angle makes them look razor thin, but they both angle outward from the towered entrances.

Iberville Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DEVDiberville.jpg

Bienville Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DEVlbeinville.jpg

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Several office buildings are located in East/Southeast Baton Rouge. The majority are along the major arterials Florida Boulevard, Sherwood Forest Boulevard, The Airline Highway, Coursey Boulevard and interchanges along Interstate 12. This section of the city includes the established residential neighborhoods of Broadmoor, Sherwood Forest and Shenandoah it is increasingly expanding with many new residential and retail and office developments.

Direct General Insurance Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/p1010023.jpg

Cingular Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010035b.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010032b.jpg

Cingular Wireless Building

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010033b.jpg

Sherwood Tower

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010038.jpg

The Meridian Condominiums

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010041.jpg

EBR Coursey Government Annex

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/P1010035.jpg

Oschner Medical Center at Baton Rouge

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010012a.jpg

Physicians Plaza I at Oschner MCBR

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/P1010013a.jpg

Physicans Plaza II at Oschner MCBR

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010011a.jpg

Home of Piccadilly Cafeterias

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010039.jpg

IBM Centre

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010042.jpg

CDI Centre

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/p1010040.jpg

The Women's Hospital and Professional Buildings

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/18116d42.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/5bb69c54.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/3da303a0.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/cd93d0b1.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/cda60611.jpg

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Riverfront

Three design concepts for the Baton Rouge Riverfront have been proposed. Central to each concept is the development of Riverfront Terraces that would be parallel to the Mississippi River Levee. The development of the terraces could take on several design characteristics.The consultants in the three site plans propose a series of development options south of Interstate 10.

Concept A
The program calls for: (1) Ball Park, (2) Skate Park (3) Garages, (4) Hotel/Residential, (5) Residential/Retail on the Old Municipal Dock

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/93.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/PlansA.jpg

Concept B
The program calls for: (1) Ball Park , (2) Amphitheater, (3) Skate Park (4) Garages, ( 5 ) Hotel/Residential and ( 6 ) Utilization of the Old Municipal Dock

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/94.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/PlansB.jpg

Concept C
The program calls for: (1) Residential, (2) Garages, (3) Hotel (4) Retail/Commercial (5) Retail/Commercial Utilization of the old Municipal Dock

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/95.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/PlansC.jpg

the link: http://www.batonrougeriverfront.com/03.html

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Construction of the James Audubon Bridge has begun just north of BR. This should really help to jump start additional development north of Baton Rouge towards St. Francisville and into New Roads.

The project, slated for completion in summer 2010, includes approximately 12 miles of roadway, and a 2.44-mile-long cable-stayed bridge across the river. The roadway will connect to The Scenic Highway, U.S. 61 in West Feliciana Parish, south of LA 966 and then connect to Louisiana Highway La1 in Pointe Coupee Parish, east of Hospital Road.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/051206audubonbridge.jpg

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Southgate Towers

Condominiums, Apartments and Retail

The three 8 story towers are now under construction with a completion date this fall. Pre construction condominium prices were announced at $150K but are now selling in the low $200K's. Recently announced was the addition of another 15 to 17 story condo tower and a 6 story hotel, in addition to retail, all located opposite the LSU golf course on Nicholson south of Tiger Stadium.

http://www.southgatetowerscondos.com

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/p1010024.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/p1010025.jpg

[IMG]http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/p1010026.jpg[/IMG

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Baton Rouge Community College

Baton Rouge Community College was established on June 28, 1995 as a two year community college. First year enrollment was 700. The campus located on a 60-acre tract of land in Central Baton Rouge between Florida Boulevard and Government Sreet and Rebel Drive and South Foster Drive. The main campus of the college consists of buildings: Governors Building, Louisiana Building, Cypress Building, Bienvenue Building (Student Center), and the Magnolia Library Building. The college's current enrollment is over 9000 students.

http://www.brcc.cc.la.us

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/p1010007aa.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010009a.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/library.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/P1010008a.jpg

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Old South Baton Rouge

This ambitious plan to conserve the old section of town between the CBD and LSU has received great support. Its' location warrants the large number and wide range of projects that have been announced, including retail, residential, recreational and educational.

Some the projects are now underway:

A few years back fire heavily damaged the historic McKinley High School, now renovated, it serves as the school's Alumni Center

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-S/p1010023b.jpg

the handsome new EBR Parish Carver Branch Library

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-S/p1010022b.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-S/P1010021b.jpg

Red Stick Lofts on Nicholson

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-S/P1010008a.jpg

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North Baton Rouge Clinic

Wait times at Earl K. Long could drop when LSU opens up a new clinic in North Baton Rouge. Women's services and family medicine will be offered at the new clinic. The new clinic will be located on Airline Highway and will open in early 2008. The clinic will cost an estimated $12 million.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/ekl060206.jpg

the link..........http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/2922231.html

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Riverfront Park features terrace effect

Consultants on Thursday unveiled the latest incarnation of the proposed downtown riverfront park, one built out onto the Mississippi River from the USS Kidd to North Street and featuring sculptured pedestrian walkways, a playground, a floating wetlands exhibit and an amphitheater.

the link in the advocate...

A computer rendering shows a view of the Mississippi River and the Louisiana Art and Science Museum in downtown Baton Rouge, surrounded by a proposed park that would extend out along the river. The purple line represents the existing pedestrian bridge over River Road; it would be altered and extended under the plan. The public will have two more months to give input before a plan is submitted to city-parish officials.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/riverfrontgraphic060906.jpg

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Starmount Life Insurance Company

Starmount Life Insurance Co. is proposing construction of a $6.5 million new
corporate headquarters at the corner of Goodwood Boulevard and Connell’s Park Lane in Baton Rouge. The project will create an estimated 200 construction jobs and at least 50 permanent jobs with an annual payroll of $2.3 million.

renderings will be posted as available

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consultants for the Riverfront Park downtown envision a series of terraces along the Mississippi River which would include cafes gardens and a "floating" wetlands exhibit.

the following slideshow outlines vaious features of the park including aerial views. http://www.2theadvocate.com/multimedia/2853931.html

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Synfuels announces $5 BILLION energy plant construction south of Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge is future headquarters for Synfuels
1200 employees

Ambitious project slated for Louisiana
Geismar is 15 miles south of Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE -- In one of the world's largest industrial initiatives this year, state and industry officials on Thursday announced a monumental $5 billion energy plant employing up to 1200 people near Geismar that would turn north Louisiana lignite into natural gas, gasoline and other products beginning in 2009.

A new company called Synfuel Inc. with a future headquarters in Baton Rouge is seeking environmental permits and financial agreements to build the coal gasification plant, whose main customer base of chemical plants and refineries is already based in the region. Major investors, plant component manufacturers and fuel buyers are supporting the project, which will be eligible for a standard package of state and local incentives. "This is an awesome, awesome deal," Secretary of Economic Development Michael Olivier said. "The anticipated economic impact is enormous." He said it will reinforce the image that "Louisiana is an energy state, we are important to the nation."

Gov. Kathleen Blanco made the announcement with Synfuel chief "Paul" Hsin Liu, an American plasma physics expert with Chinese business connections who in the past year has pulled together an international group of companies to shape the ambitious project. With natural gas and other fuel prices soaring, coal can be turned into gas and fuel products at a competitive price that will appeal to major chemical companies for feedstocks and power generation, according to Liu's plan.

"This is an exciting project that will help stabilize feedstock costs for existing petrochemical facilities in the area that have been struggling in recent years with high natural gas prices," Blanco said. "The facility, when permitted, will help protect existing jobs within the petrochemical industry and create new and exciting economic growth opportunities in Louisiana."

Liu said if permits come through as expected, the plant will break ground in June 2007. It would begin operation in the third quarter of 2009 and reach full capacity in the third quarter of 2010.

Drawing interest

Mike Cohen, general manager for the chemical maker BASF in Geismar, said his company and other potential customers for Synfuel have been in discussions about the project and are keenly interested because of the potential cost savings compared with the product prices now on the market. Synfuel's presence could draw petrochemical companies to build plants in the area, Cohen said.

The plant would consume about 20 million tons annually of lignite from De Soto, Bienville, Red River and Natchitoches parishes, an area that state Sen. Robert Adley, D-Benton, described as "the land of milk and honey, and lignite." Adley said the area is so rich in lignite it could serve the plant for a century.

The plant would employ about 900 people with average salaries of more than $60,000, company officials said. About 300 people would be employed in the north Louisiana coal mining area. The Baton Rouge headquarters would employ about 55.

The coal would be shipped by water to the Geismar facility. Several locations in the area are under consideration for the plant site. The company considered several other states for the plant. Olivier said Louisiana's unique combination of rich coal reserves, water transportation and nearby suppliers and customers made the state a natural choice.

'World scale'

Jim Childress, executive director of the Gasification Technologies Council, a trade association, said the Synfuel project is on a "world scale" in terms of investment dollars and equipment. The key to get the plant going will be for Synfuel to get long-term agreements with its future customers, Childress said. The technology for producing gas and other products out of coal is well known, but the problem has been that its product prices were not competitive, Childress said. That has changed with rocketing prices for oil and natural gas, he said.

There are only about 20 plants in the country that gasify coal, petroleum coke or like products. The only lignite gasification plant in the country on this scale is a North Dakota facility that was built in the 1980s. Liu repeatedly emphasized to Blanco the need for his plant to get the state environmental permits necessary to begin construction. While obstacles still remain that could derail the project, Liu has pulled together a formidable stable of corporations to assist his endeavor.

The investors include UBS, Citigroup and JPMorgan, some of the biggest names in industrial finance. Louisiana institutions are also among the investors, but Liu would not identify them. Some of the plant's manufacturing components would be shipped from China, which has been building gasification plants at a booming pace. The project also will use technology and engineering provided by GE Energy, Exxon Mobil and Haldor Topsoe. Synfuel said it has been in discussions with potential customers BASF, Chemtura and Rubicon.

Tax incentives

Synfuel can draw on a number of tax incentives. The leading incentive is a Quality Jobs program in which the state will give cash rebates to the company according to the number of jobs created as long as those jobs are paid at certain levels with benefits. Olivier estimated the company will pay nearly $300 million in state and local taxes in its first 10 years.

The Louisiana deal was hatched when a state business leadership group called the Committee of 100 met at the Metropolitan Club in New York this year. Liu had been pursuing the project behind the scenes and anonymously contacted state officials through third parties. Liu and his intentions came to the attention of Olivier and others at that meeting, and the state pursued the project.

Olivier said the project is likely to be the biggest or at least among the biggest industrial announcements in the country this year and will rank among the top worldwide as well.

Synfuel is incorporated in Delaware.

[dan326]

I tried to make a rough model of the sktline with all the buildings that have been posted.I couldn't put the court house because it was to far back.I hope it's alright.Sorry it's so small, Photobucket shrank it.http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/bob321/brs2.jpg

[fla_tiger]

Bluebonnet Corridor

New medical, office, commercial, retail and residential developments are seemingly sprouting overnight along the busy Bluebonnet Boulevard corridor in southesat Baton Rouge. The parkway was recently extended another 5 miles to La 30 Nicholson drive south of LSU promising even more developments.

............located between Interstate 10 and Perkins

The Mall of Louisiana and new outdoor Promenade
http://www.malloflouisiana.com/html/index4.asp

the new Pennington Cancer Center

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The Neuromedical Center in Perkins Rowe

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........south of Perkins towards Highland

The Surgical Specialty Center "boutique" hospital

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new Temple for Church of Latter Day Saints

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[fla_tiger]

Perkins Rowe: UPDATE

Developers of Perkins Rowe, the 56-acre lifestyle center under construction at the corner of Perkins Road and Bluebonnet Boulevard, announced a new batch of tenants Thursday morning. A CVS Pharmacy and Starbucks will join the previously announced tenants, which include Barnes & Noble Booksellers, a Cinemark movie theater and a Bally Total Fitness Gym. Several clothing retailers, who had been long rumored for Perkins Rowe were also formally announced. Those include hot shops such as Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, J. Crew, Lucky Brand and Guess. Perkins Rowe is set to open in spring 2007. The development will eventually include 600,000 square feet of retail space, 375,000 square feet of office space, up to 750 condominiums and brownstones and up to two hotels. The project is being developed by Tommy Spinosa's JTS Interests, who built the CitiPlace development.

The list of announced tenants to date broken down by category.
Movie theaters: Cinemark Theater
Bookstore: Barnes & Noble
Fitness centers: Bally Total Fitness
Drug store: CVS Pharmacy
Grocery store: The Fresh Market
Restaurants: Texas de Brazil steakhouse, Red Star Tavern, la Madeline, Zogai Asian Grill, Starbucks Coffee, The Grape, Fish City Grill, Doc Greens, Melt Gelato
Home furnishings: Z Gallerie
Clothing stores: Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Orvis, J Crew, Guess, BCBG, BCBG Girls, White House/Black Market, Wish, Duo, Lucky Brand, Francesca's, Frock Candy, Bain & Company Apothecary
Spas and salons: Bumble Lane Spa, Nails So Happy
Banks: Citizens Bank

Vermilion Building

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TownCenter Hotel

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TownCenter

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http://www.perkinsrowe.com

nice variety and many with their first BR location
many more to come

[fla_tiger]

Baton Rouge Hilton Capitol Center announces it will soon accept reservations for September

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Over $70 million in renovations will restore the old Heidelberg Hotel and the old Capitol House to their former state of grandeur.

The restored facades of the original buildings will be transformed on the inside with all the comforts and conveniences offered by modern hospitality. Just a few of the highlights include 293 elegantly appointed guest rooms, two full-service restaurants, a 3rd floor pool deck overlooking the Mississippi, 18,000 square feet of meeting space with two river view ballrooms, a day spa and valet parking.

check out the vidlink:http://brgov.com/dept/ddd/Capitol%20Center_Large.wmv

[fla_tiger]

The Sugar House at Houmas House Plantation

The historical Houmas House plantation property, with 38 acres, provides the space for a $20 million project that will feature an 88-room, luxury bed and breakfast, luxury cottages and a reception facility that will seat 1,000 for dinner and accommodate 1,800 for cocktail gatherings.

read the whole story here: http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/3301156.html?showAll=y

the website: http://www.houmashouse.com

Plans for the bed and breakfast — to be called The Sugar House at Houmas House Plantation — call for a 92,000 sq ft. six-story, balconied stucco structure patterned after a former 1906 sugar mill that once anchored Louisiana’s largest sugar-cane plantation at Houmas House. The property is along a crook in the river between Darrow and Burnside — roughly across the Mississippi from Donaldsonville.

To the rear of The Sugar House, Kelly will build the 50,000-square-foot reception facility with a French Market look styled after the New Orleans Board of Trade.

Planters Hall, with 20,000 square feet of reception space, will top a 30,000-square-foot parking garage, giving guests an overlook of seven newly developed acres of gardens, fountains and a conservatory, or glass greenhouse.

Renderings will be posted on the development when available.

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Film location of "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte"
starring Bette Davis........

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[BTinSF]

II City Plaza (Construction to begin this year)
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Baton Rouge, La.
Demand for Space Remains Robust
By MAURA WEBBER SADOVI

July 12, 2006; Page B8

Baton Rouge's commercial real estate is still benefiting from the aftereffects of Hurricane Katrina. An estimated 235,000 evacuees initially sought refuge in apartments and homes, while businesses snapped up office and warehouse space in the Louisiana capital city region, just 90 miles northwest of New Orleans.

The migration of people, government agencies and companies into the inland region initially helped absorb 649,303 square feet of office space in the East Baton Rouge Parish that includes the city, according to Branon W. Pesnell of NAI Latter & Blum Inc., a real estate services firm with offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Empty apartments are still scarce, and the industrial market saw the amount of space leased rise more than fourfold to 2.2 million square feet in 2005 from the year earlier, according to the industrial trends committee of the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors.

Baton Rouge's role as a staging area for relief workers and engineering companies orchestrating the reconstruction of New Orleans has accelerated the city's decades-long transformation into an economic and political center that could eclipse New Orleans, says Stephen Moret, president of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce. At the same time, he adds, the Big Easy's recovery is crucial to Baton Rouge's health.

The shift is occurring as some companies that formerly had more employees in New Orleans are boosting their work forces in Baton Rouge. "Firms with larger regional headquarters in New Orleans and satellite offices in Baton Rouge are doing a flip-flop," says Mr. Pesnell.

As many as 50,000 of the initial evacuees from the New Orleans area are expected to remain in the area permanently, the chamber estimates. The area's population could rise as much as 13% to 830,000 at the close of 2008 from prestorm levels in 2004, as Katrina-generated jobs in the Baton Rouge area help attract more residents. Job growth in the metropolitan area has also been robust, at 4% in May from the year-earlier month, nearly three times the national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As the one-year anniversary of the storm approaches, some of the shorter-term office and warehouse leases are expiring, though vacancies in those two sectors plus apartments remain significantly lower than before the storm. Meanwhile, developers are gearing up to meet the increased demand. Even the retail sector, the least affected by the storm, is expected to see new store space developed faster as a result of Katrina-related demand, says Tom Cook, a partner at Cook, Moore & Associates, a commercial real estate appraisal firm.

Among the larger projects on tap is II City Plaza, slated to be one of the first high-end nongovernment office buildings to be built in downtown Baton Rouge since the 1980s. Demand from financial institutions and law firms has pushed Wampold Cos., of Baton Rouge, to fast-track its plans for the building, which could be as large as 280,000 square feet. Mike Wampold, the real estate development and management company's chief executive, says he is working to prelease about 160,000 square feet of the space in hopes of starting construction as early as the fourth quarter. Like many developers, Mr. Wampold says the financial incentives offered by the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 have sweetened the project's financial prospects.

The big question remaining: How much of the increased demand for space will stick over the long term? Annual new-apartment completions in the area could jump to 1,000 over the next three years from a pre-Katrina rate of about 600, says Mr. Cook. A potential oversupply may make that sector particularly vulnerable, as more government and storm-related construction workers leave town.

Edward Kramer, a developer with Palm Hills Development in Baton Rouge, says he is following through on prestorm plans to add to an existing 203-unit complex located in southeast Baton Rouge, but otherwise will remain on the sidelines of the apartment market. "If everyone moves out," he says, "we're not going to need all the additional real estate we've developed."

Write to Maura Webber Sadovi at maura.sadovi@wsj.com1

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115266922250804214.html

[fla_tiger]

Direct General adding 1,500+ jobs in Baton Rouge Processing Center

by JACK LYNE, Site Selection Executive Editor of Interactive Publishing

BATON ROUGE, La. - Fast-growing insurance holding company Direct General Corp. says that it will add as many as 1,550 jobs in expanding its Baton Rouge, La., policy-processing center.

Direct General Chairman and CEO William Adair gathered Friday with state and local officials at the Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce for a press announcement, hurriedly convened to get the news out before the long July 4th holiday weekend.

The Nashville, Tenn.-based company is moving to a bigger building to accommodate its far larger local work force, Adair said. Currently, Direct General has 439 employees in a 90,000-sq.-ft. (8,100-sq.-m.) Baton Rouge facility that it leases. The company laid out its hiring timetable in its application for a grant from the Louisiana Economic Development Corp. (LEDC). Direct General said that it plans to add 500 jobs in its first year at the new site, adding 519 positions in its second year and 531 more in its third.

[fla_tiger]

North Baton Rouge

One of the original suburbs of Baton Rouge, this sprawling diverse area lies north to northeast of the CBD. Numerous older communities such as Suburb Istrouma, Fountain Place and Scotlandville along with established neighborhoods such as Fairfields, Eden Park, Northdale, Standard Heights, Merrydale and Glen Oaks were eventually annexed into the city.

An integral part of Baton Rouge's vibrant economy is its oil and gas research sector. Located along the mighty Mississippi here, the enormous ExxonMobil Corporation Refinery, the second largest complex in the western hemisphere and third largest worldwide, provides high-wage employment to thousands. Dozens of other large corporations have a very visible presence in the area, taking advantage of the high availablity of natural resources and prime locations along the Mississippi River, among them Dow, Shintech, Honeywell, BASF, Stauffer, Formosa, Entergy and Georgia Pacific.

The award-winning ExxonMobil Baton Rouge (formerly ESSO) Headquarters Building was designed to resemble an ocean liner.

Today the building is part of an expansive campus utilized as ExxonMobil's Process Research Laboratories (EMPR). EMPR develops innovative technologies for converting oil and gas into high quality fuels and lubricants that meet current - and future - global energy demand. From the early development of Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) to the creation of today's advanced gas-to-liquids technology, EMPR scientists and engineers utilize over 70 laboratories and 140 pilot units housed in a campus-like setting.

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Southern University, the nations largest historically black college is located along Scott's Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Over 10,000 students are now enrolled at the home of the Jaguars.
http://www.subr.edu/

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Howell Place is a 200-acre multi-use commercial land industrial park project located adjacent to and opposite Baton Rouge Metro Airport.

The 131-room Hilton Garden Inn is Baton Rouge’s first full-service airport hotel.

A 290,000 square-foot tract in Howell Place is home to Physicians' Medical Center of Baton Rouge, which includes a surgical hospital, two medical office buildings and 995 parking spaces.

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http://www.howellplace.com

Earl K. Long Medical Center is an LSU Health Sciences affliate hospital. The facility, originally constructed in th 60's is to be replaced by a new Medical Center complex along Bluebonnet Parkway in Southeast Baton Rouge.

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Nearby, groundbeaking is about to begin on the new the LSUHSC North Baton Rouge Medical Clinic.

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[fla_tiger]

LSU

Alex Box Stadium
Tiger Park

LSU unveils plans for baseball, softball stadiums
July 26, 2006

BATON ROUGE – Athletics Director Skip Bertman unveiled architectural renderings of LSU’s new baseball and softball stadiums today.

Ground breaking is scheduled for Nov. 1. The first pitch in each new stadium slated for the 2008 season.

"This is the next logical step in building upon the success of our baseball and softball programs," Bertman said. "LSU fans, the best fans in America, deserve outstanding college baseball and softball facilities.”

The new Alex Box Stadium will be at the corner of Nicholson Drive and Gourrier Lane, about 200 yards south of the current stadium, and will seat 8,500 fans.

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The new Tiger Park softball stadium will be on Skip Bertman Drive, across from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine.

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The baseball team will have an additional 6,000 square feet of locker and meeting room space and new batting cages. It also includes 700 more seats, 7,000 additional square feet of restroom accommodations, 3,000 additional square feet of concession stands, expanded ticket booths, an arcade and novelty shop, children’s play grounds, a Hall of Fame and a Club Lounge.

The New Tiger Park will feature 1,289 seats – including 587 chair-back seats – and the capability of accommodate 1,200 more fans on an outfield berm.

The berm/earthwork package was completed last year and has been settling in preparation for construction.

Press facilities and club seating or private suites will be included in each stadium, plus enhanced lighting for night and televised games. The stadiums will also be designed to allow for future expansion.

On the Net
Follow the progress of the construction at www.MakeYourPitch.net
A drawing of the new Alex Box Stadium.
A drawing of the new Tiger Park.

[fla_tiger]

Pennington NABA National Hot Air Balloon Championships

Hot-air balloonists are becoming familiar sights in Baton Rouge. Once again, the Louisiana Ballooning Foundation will present the Pennington NABA National Hot Air Balloon Championships and the Louisiana State Championships, Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 2-6, on the grounds of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Road. Eighty balloonists — 40 in the national championships and 40 in the state championships will compete for titles.

Baton Rouge has been the nationals’ host for the past two years and the state championships for the past three years. “People in Baton Rouge love balloons and balloonists love Baton Rouge. The flying is good and the hospitality is great.

a few photos from last years championships....

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http://www.laballooning.com

The Pennington NABA National Hot Air Balloon Championships and the Louisiana State Championships

WHEN: Aug. 2-6
WHERE: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Road
ADMISSION: Free

Balloon Championships Schedule

Wednesday, Aug. 2
6:30 a.m.: Cox Communications, 1st. National competition

Thursday, Aug. 3
6:30 a.m.: Entergy, 2nd National competition

Friday, Aug. 4
6:30 a.m.: WBRZ, 1st Louisiana competition
Hummer, 3rd National competition
3 p.m. - 10 p.m.: BREC, Children’s Village
4 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Curves, Entertainment stage
6 p.m.: The Advocate, Mass ascension from field
8:30 p.m.: Mockler Beverage, Balloon glow
9:15 p.m.: Baton Rouge Clinic, Fireworks presentation

Saturday, Aug. 5
6:30 a.m.: Culture, Recreation & Tourism, 4th National competition, Embassy Suites Hotels, 2nd Louisiana competition and Herb’s Trailer Sales, Key grab for trailer
3 p.m. - 10 p.m.: BREC, Children’s Village
3 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Curves, Entertainment stage
6 p.m.: Coca-Cola, Mass ascension from field
8:30 p.m.: BR Convention and Visitors, Balloon glow
9:15 p.m.: Baton Rouge Clinic, Fireworks presentation

Sunday, Aug. 6
6:30 a.m.: Louisiana Lottery, 5th National competition, Capital One, 3rd Louisiana competition and Herb’s Trailer Sales, Key grab for trailer
3 p.m. - 6 p.m.: BREC, Children’s Village
3 p.m. - 6 p.m.: Curves, Entertainment stage
6 p.m.: Enterprise Car Rental, Mass ascension from field

Entertainment Schedule

Friday, Aug. 4
4 p.m.: Angola Band
6 p.m.: Smokehouse, Ms. Mamie Porter and the Gutbucket Blues Band
8 p.m.: DCI Band

Saturday, Aug. 5
3 p.m.: DCI Band
5 p.m.: Angola Band
7 p.m.: Jessica Andrews (GAC Bus Tour)
8:45 p.m.: Angola Band

Sunday, Aug. 6
3 p.m.: Angola Band
4:30 p.m.: DCI Band

[fla_tiger]

The historic Felicianas are one of many reasons that makes Baton Rouge a special place to live. About a half hour north lie the beautiful rolling countryside, where at the Mississippi River,begin the Tunica Hills, the very birthplace of ridges that eventually become the Smokey Mountains. Home to many beautiful country homes, including that where John J Audubon lived, the area is a magnet for naturalists and for those who love the more tranquil pace of life. The region has always been a favorite for visitors and now is becoming a favorite for Baton Rougeans to call home, or have their weekend home.

St. Francisville humming with visitors

Published: Jul 30, 2006

Hundreds flock to festival to see hummingbirds

By MARK H. HUNTER
Special to The Advocate
Published: Jul 30, 2006

ST. FRANCISVILLE — Ruby-throated hummingbirds were trapped, banded and released; and urban legends were dispelled Saturday as bird lovers attended the sixth annual St. Francisville Hummingbird Festival.

Observation sites were set up at the homes of Murrell Butler, just outside of town, and at the rural home of Carlisle Rogillio, about 15 miles up in the Tunica Hills from St. Francisville.

As part of the festival, afternoon refreshments were served at Dick Lancaster’s home, where visitors reported being buzzed by hundreds of noisy hummingbirds darting around the manicured garden.

Many people think that hummingbirds have such a high metabolism they must feed every 15 minutes but, “That’s not true; I’ve watched them rest for up to 45 minutes,” said Linda Beall, an ornithologist who’s studied the tiny birds in the St. Francisville and Baton Rouge areas for the past six years.

Another surprising fact most people don’t know is that hummingbirds’ primary source of food is insects. “I’ve seen them hover near a cloud of gnats just before sundown and dart in and out of the cloud snatching them up,” said Olga Clifton, a hummingbird expert from Abita Springs and a charter member of the Feliciana Nature Society.

Many people who feed hummingbirds with backyard feeders put red dye in the sugar-water mix to attract the hummers, but that isn’t necessary because they’re already attracted to the bright colors of the feeder, Beall said. People also need to leave feeders up all year long to nourish hummingbirds that don’t migrate to Mexico or may be just passing through.

Beall and Clifton were part of a team catching and releasing the hummingbirds at Rogillio’s home in a hilly, forested area.

“This is perfect habitat for hummingbirds because we’re in a multilayered canopy forest, with lots of wildflowers and bugs and water,” Beall said. “If West Feliciana Parish is ever developed like East Baton Rouge Parish is being developed, we will lose a significant amount of breeding habitat for these birds.”

Nearly 60 visitors mingled under a pavilion looking at hummingbird photographs, watching through binoculars and camera lenses as the birds hovered around several feeders inside Rogillio’s carport. Many of the visitors were shopping for “hummer friendly” plants such as Firespike and Bee Balm for sale at a nearby table.

“About 10 years ago I put up a feeder and a hummingbird showed up,” Rogillio said. “I was amazed. Then I put up another feeder and more birds kept showing up. I finally bought nine, gallon-sized feeders from a dealer in Colorado, and now I have hundreds of hummingbirds!”

Three hummingbird traps were suspended from the ceiling of Rogillio’s carport. The most hi-tech of the traps featured a standard feeder suspended inside a basket-shaped, camouflaged net that was released by an observer using the remote control of an automobile’s locking system.

When a bird entered the trap to feed, the net was dropped down around the bird, trapping it in the enclosure. The birds were removed carefully by hand, placed into a soft cloth bag to constrict their delicate wings, were measured, weighed, marked or banded and then released.

In 14 trapping sessions held at Rogillio’s home in six years, Beall reported the team members had banded 739 birds and captured 118 of them more than once, including one they’ve caught four times.

Charlie and Sarah Turner drove up from Baton Rouge to see the birds after reading about the event in the newspaper.

“We have them in our garden,” she said.

“Watching them is our favorite pastime,” he added.

Evelyn Douglas drove to the festival with her daughter from Port Allen, the third time she’s attended the festival.

“I have some flowers in a planter under a bay window, and I can stand in my kitchen and watch them,” Douglas said. “I just love to see them!”

The merchants and officials around St. Francisville also love to see so many visitors.

Shirley Spillman was behind the counter at the Tourist Information Center and West Feliciana Historical Society on Saturday morning, and just about all she did was direct visitors to the viewing areas, she said. “The bird festivals draw a lot of people to the area.”

Down the street, at the historic St. Francisville Inn, Laurie Walsh was also pointing visitors to the viewing sites in between seating customers for breakfast. She reported more than 100 visitors had attended Friday evening’s hummingbird lectures and slide shows, and she estimated about 300 people were in the area for the festival.

“All the restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts are full,” Walsh said. “This is the biggest crowd we’ve ever had.”

[fla_tiger]

New parking garage planned for downtown

Construction is set to start next month on a 300 space parking garage at the corner of North Street and River Road, across from the empty Advocate building. The multi-level garage will provide spots for people visiting the Capitol Park area. The project was budgeted at $4.8 million, but a post-hurricane estimate has put the cost at $5.7 million, say officials with the Office of Facility Planning and Control. A construction bid will be awarded on Aug. 18 and the garage should open by fall 2007.

[fla_tiger]

Perkins Palms

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A new mixed-use residential, retail development on Perkins near the massive LSU Pennington Biomedical Research campus.

The first tenants have signed leases for Perkins Palms, a new shopping center/condominium development set to open in spring-summer 2007. New tenants Taco Del Mar and Investar Bank will occupy part of the development. This will be the first location in Baton Rouge for Seattle-based Taco Del Mar, which plans to build up to 16 locations in the area. The development will also feature a new 30,000-square-foot Spectrum Fitness Center, 8,400 square feet of retail space and 21 condos. The condos will be built above the retailers. The price of the condos has not been announced.

http://www.perkinspalms.com

[fla_tiger]

BR home prices up 27% for year

Katrina-fueled growth rate the highest in the country, report says

By CHRIS GAUTREAU
Advocate business writer
Published: Aug 16, 2006


A national report confirmed Tuesday what many Baton Rouge residents have seen firsthand over the past several months: Prices for homes in the local real estate market are skyrocketing — at the fastest pace in the country.

The National Association of Realtors said that in the second-quarter, the median price for existing single-family homes in the Baton Rouge market hit $172,300, a 27 percent — or $36,900 — increase from the April-to-June period in 2005.

That growth rate was the highest of all 151 U.S. metro areas measured quarterly by the Realtors association. The next highest was Ocala, Fla., where prices jumped by 25 percent to an average $169,500.

Experts attributed the Baton Rouge figures to the lingering effects from Hurricane Katrina.

Walter Molony, a spokesman for the national Realtors association, said the population shifts created by Katrina have been unparalleled.

“We’ve looked at other disasters, hurricanes and earthquakes,” Molony said Tuesday. “We typically see a temporary disruption, but we’ve never seen this level of displacement. We don’t have anything exactly to compare it with.”

Ever since the devastating storm one year ago displaced much of the New Orleans area, the tens of thousands of residents who landed in Baton Rouge have revved up the local real estate market as they put down new roots.

In the first few months after the storm, the number of homes sold in the Baton Rouge market have seen double-digit growth. The growth rate has slowed in recent months, but numerous local experts have said dwindling inventories have kept sales in check.

The demand remains strong and prices have followed accordingly, Baton Rouge residential appraiser Tommy Wallace said.

“There is still a number of people moving in,” Wallace said.

Dan Derbes, another residential appraiser, agreed that lower inventories remain pressured by higher demand. But he also cautioned that the local market is more complex than broad measures may indicate.

Nationally, the median price for existing single-family homes was $227,500 in the second quarter, up 3.7 percent from a year earlier, when the median price was $219,400.

The median is a typical market price indicator, where half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less.

Two other Louisiana markets appeared in the measure of median prices. In the New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner area, prices rose 16.6 percent to $178,000. Prices rose 8.8 percent in the Shreveport-Bossier City market to $136,100.

In the Realtors’ report, 37 U.S. metro areas were still enjoying double-digit price increases, while 26 saw prices drop.

The biggest price drops in terms of percentage terms were in Danville, Ill., which saw an 11.2 decline compared with the spring of 2005, and the Detroit area, where home prices dipped by 8 percent.

[fla_tiger]

Cabela's Gonzales

The 175,000-square-foot Cabela’s is scheduled for construction in south suburban Gonzales. The massive, popular destination sporting goods store is as much a wildlife museum and education center as it is a retail store. Cabela's showroom is to be located on 50 acres bounded by Interstate 10, La. 30, St. Landry Road and the Gonzales city limits. The location is opposite La. 30 from the Tanger Outlet Center Mall.

The store, scheduled to open in 2007, will create 300 new jobs.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/209475367_ee24801ebb.jpg

BREAKING NEWS: Court rules in favor of Cabela's

The Louisiana State Supreme Court ruled in favor of using tax financing to build a Cabela's sporting goods store in Gonzales. In a 5-2 ruling, the court found that the TIF Act did not violate the constitution. The ruling clears the way for construction of a 175,000 square foot store, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs and serve as a tourist attraction for outdoorsmen. Yesterday, the court heard arguments about a similar project to use tax financing to build a Bass Pro Shop in Denham Springs.

[fla_tiger]

Perkins Rowe

A newly acquired $170 million construction loan will help complete the initial phase of Perkins Rowe, the project at Perkins Road and Bluebonnet Boulevard, which will include a mix of trendy stores, restaurants, office, residential space and a theater. The development will have a town square and town hall in its design.

work in progress
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/perkinsrowe091306.jpg

after completion
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/perkinsrowexl9.png

[fla_tiger]

'Xtreme' Park

East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation and Park Commission(BREC) officials unveiled a proposal Tuesday to transform Perkins Road Community Park into the area’s Xtreme sports headquarters.

Instead of swing sets and traditional playground equipment, BREC officials are looking at building a playground that would feature amenities such as a rock-climbing wall and a AMA BMX bicycle race course.

The 52-acre park also features the Velodrome, a cycling stadium that BREC officials intend to improve as part of the proposed makeover of Perkins Road Park near Kenilworth Parkway and Perkins Road. The Velodrome is one of 15 facilities of its kind in the country,

But the big changes at Perkins Road Park will happen outside the Velodrome.

Other proposed improvements include the addition of a skateboard park that would be the first of its kind in the parish, a sand volleyball court, a rock-climbing wall, and a “high ropes course” where youngsters are strapped into a harness before attempting to walk over a network of suspended ropes.

As a focal point of the park, BREC is proposing the construction of a circular building with a rock-climbing wall in the middle. The building would allow parents to watch children playing in the proposed Xtreme sports playground.

In addition to the Velodrome, Perkins Road Park is presently home to 8000 seat Olympia Stadium, a BMX track, a mountain bike track,ball diamonds, a recreation center, soccer fields, picnic facilities, tennis courts and an open area for other sports activities.

BREC has always been recognized as a national leader and a model for municipal recreation departments:

Their website and listing of impressive projects: http://www.brec.org/assets/images/links/ACTIVE%20PROJECTS%20as%20of%20April%208%202006%20small.pdf

[fla_tiger]

Kress/Welsh & Levy Building

Work will start this afternoon on the Kress/Welsh & Levy Building, at the corner of Third and Main streets. The landmark building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was the site for some of the first civil rights demonstrations in Baton Rouge. The Cyntreniks Group plans to turn the building into a mixed-use development with residential, commercial and office space.

present state of building in disrepair
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/DSCN0478.jpg

after handsome renovations
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/KressBuilding.jpg

[fla_tiger]

Southern University

Southern University was established in 1890 with 12 students.
In 1912 the university relocated to Scotts Bluff, overlooking the Mississippi River just north of Baton Rouge. Today it has an enrollment of over 9,000.
A few shots of the picturesque campus.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/DSCN0467.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/DSCN0474.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/DSCN0473.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/DSCN0472.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/DSCN0471.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/DSCN0475.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/DSCN0465.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-N/DSCN0464.jpg


http://www.subr.edu/

http://www.subr.edu/map/map.htm

[fla_tiger]

LSU Union $54.6m expansion

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-LSU/lsu062206.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-LSU/pic5.gif

Contractors will begin moving equipment on site in a few weeks for the $54.6 million expansion and renovation of the LSU Union.

LSU officials involved in the project celebrated by holding a groundbreaking ceremony Friday at the southeast corner of the Union in the Memorial Oak Grove.

The highlight of the project, paid for by student fees, will be a four-story addition and a new entrance on the southeast corner of the Union, near Highland Road and South Campus Drive.

The addition will provide a center for student organizations and a “late-night zone” with extended hours of operation, a news release says.

Plans call for a new high-tech multi-purpose lounge area, the “Live Oak Lounge,” with a glass wall and a view of the Memorial Oak Grove. This area will replace the bowling alley on the ground floor.

LSU Union director Shirley Plakidas said the project is expected to take two to three years to complete.

It includes six phases.

Demolition in the back area of the building will occur before the end of the year.

The building should be closed only once — between Dec. 17 and Jan. 15 while students are on break between semesters, she said.

Plakidas also said that extensive planning was done to ensure that the oak trees near the Union will be protected.

No trees are being cut down, she said.

The changes include an additional 40,000 square feet and the renovation of two-thirds of the existing building.

Also included in the project are improvements to the theater, expanded seating in the Tiger Lair Food Court, improved retail space on the ground floor, additional outdoor plazas and new meeting rooms, including a tiered assembly chamber. Theater renovations include cosmetic changes to the interior, as well as improvements to lighting, acoustics and the sound system.

http://www.lsu.edu/union.

[Southdowns]

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and Commercial Properties Development Corporation are looking at moving their offices into a mixed-use building on the site of the old Advocate building downtown. Plans are in the works for a 25- to 30-story building that would serve as a "vertical neighborhood" with condominiums, retailers, office space, restaurants, parking spaces and a health club. Stephen Moret, chief executive officer of the Chamber, says the building would catalyze an entire block of downtown, as well as serving as a hub for economic development by consolidating some of the region's major players in one building. "Finally, the building would offer a substantial expansion of downtown housing -- one of the key components to continuing downtown revitalization."

Possibly another mixed-use tower for downtown BR. This new building would be close (across the street I think) to the new RiverPlace Condo building (another 30 story building).

[fla_tiger]

CBD: II City Plaza

The city-parish Planning Commission approved the II City Plaza, a 17 floor, 376,000-square-foot office building to be built at Convention Street between N 4th and N 5th Streets, adjacent to the existing City Plaza on North Boulevard. It features five levels of parking adjacent to the 17-story office building. The project will be by developer Mike Wampold.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/cityplazadesign120806.jpg

[fla_tiger]

II City Plaza

Developer Wamplod has announced that Regions Bank is rumored as the major tenant in the structure. groundbreaking could begin as early as January, 2007 with completion by late 2008.

[fla_tiger]

Baton Rouge-South East: Citiplace Cambria Hotel

This is the first Cambria in BTR..........

$17 million Cambria hotel set near College/I-10

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/B_hotel-exterior.jpg
rendering

Published: Oct 12, 2006

The Summit Group, a South-Dakota-based hotel investment company, plans to open Cambria Suites, an all-suites hotel, near College Drive and Interstate 10 by late 2007, the company said Wednesday.

Dan Hansen, executive vice president for Summit, said the $17 million, 127-room hotel will be the first in Louisiana under the Cambria brand.

He said rates will run in the $109-$119 range and amenities will include larger rooms and flat-screen TVs.

Summit currently owns three Baton Rouge hotels -- TownePlace Suites, Springhill Suites and Fairfield Inn.

[Southdowns]

RiverPlace construction set to start in early '07

The RiverPlace condominium project planned for downtown is on schedule for an early 2007 groundbreaking. Developer Richard Preis says his team spent the past 10 months regrouping to assess the rapid increase in construction costs that occurred post-Katrina and Rita and re-engineering the building in an effort to keep costs down. "When you're dealing with a $70 million to $80 million project, there are a lot of moving parts," Preis says. "We want to do this slow and right." There has been no final decision on how tall RiverPlace will be; at one point the tower was set to be taller than the state Capitol. But Preis says the 119-unit development will continue to have all the amenities promised earlier, such as a pool, fitness center and clubroom. "We're going to keep the Windsor Court atmosphere," he says. The team of builders, including Manhattan Construction, has been able to reduce costs while maintaining the quality of the building, Preis says. If all goes well, RiverPlace should open by late 2008-early 2009. Says Preis, "If this was an easy project, it would have been done 25 years ago. It ain't an easy project."

[Southdowns]

W Hotel coming to Esplanade?

Plans for a 136-room W Hotel, which would be built at the intersection of Interstate 10 and College Drive, have been filed with the city-parish planning commission. The five-story hotel and adjoining parking garage would be built in front of Esplanade Mall in the parking area around Clicks Billiards. The mall is owned by developers Rick Hartley and David Vey.

Getting a W Hotel would style up Baton Rouge quite a bit. The chic chain targets hip, young travelers and has locations in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. There are two W Hotels in New Orleans, one on Poydras Street, the other in the French Quarter. The company has been expanding and has a hotel/condo tower in Hoboken, N.J. The developers were on the road and unavailable for comment by deadline.

Courtesy of the Baton Rouge Business Report/Daily Report

[fla_tiger]

W Hotel coming to Esplanade?

Plans for a 136-room W Hotel, which would be built at the intersection of Interstate 10 and College Drive, have been filed with the city-parish planning commission. The five-story hotel and adjoining parking garage would be built in front of Esplanade Mall in the parking area around Clicks Billiards. The mall is owned by developers Rick Hartley and David Vey.

Getting a W Hotel would style up Baton Rouge quite a bit. The chic chain targets hip, young travelers and has locations in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. There are two W Hotels in New Orleans, one on Poydras Street, the other in the French Quarter. The company has been expanding and has a hotel/condo tower in Hoboken, N.J. The developers were on the road and unavailable for comment by deadline.

Courtesy of the Baton Rouge Business Report/Daily Report

Thanks for the story Southdowns!
Here is a rendering similar to the W to be built.....

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/untitledpu3.png

[fla_tiger]

Three Movie studios setting up stage

Louisiana took third last year behind California and New York for producing the most films in the United States, and Baton Rouge ranked third behind New Orleans and Shreveport for major productions in the year since Katrina.

In the past year or so, several major motion pictures including The Dukes of Hazzard, All the Kings Men and The Reaping have been shot around Baton Rouge. The movie industry has been lured by the tax breaks offered to film productions in the state. In turn, about $410 million in film business was done in Louisiana last year. Now, Baton Rouge is gearing up to go head-to-head in film and digital media.

Mayor Kip Holden recently called for the establishment of a film commission for Baton Rouge. “We are not putting up a storefront operation. This is a serious business, and we are going to get as much business as we can,” Holden says. “Instead of us trying to re-invent the wheel, we will be looking to local industry professionals to guide us in what we have to do to compete with anyone in the world.”

Local government officials and the selected industry professionals were expected to meet and begin planning the new film commission.

The locations, equipment and system of support needed for making films in Baton Rouge certainly is a work in progress. Soundstages, buildings designed for the unique visual and audio needs of filmmakers, are vital for attracting both big and small film productions. A soundstage is an expansive and controllable location that gives productions full control of their set, which is built inside the soundstage. Everything from commercials, infomercials, feature films and music videos are made in soundstages, which are soundproof and air-conditioned.

The Celtic Media Centre and Hooperwood Studios are two new major players in this arena. Sterling Studios has teamed up with HK Pictures and Most Wanted Films and plans to acquire a local facility to convert to a state-of-the-art soundstage.

“You don’t know what state of the art is until you’ve seen the major Hollywood studios,” says Linda Leblanc of the Celtic Media Centre. “To give us a proper perspective we visited big studios where they film Boston Legal, CSI, Commander in Chief and many other top productions. State of the art is how Hollywood is put together.”

CMC’s facility has more than 300,000 square feet of soundstage and professional facilities. It will be managed by Raleigh Studios, the largest independent soundstage in America, and operational by the spring.

But first out of the gate is Hooperwood Studios. “I don’t know what the other two soundstages are doing, but I’m sitting in my building,” says owner Roger Hooper. His studio plans to rent facilities to movie productions and to offer training programs to grow support in the jobs needed to make films in its facilities.

Joe Traigle, CEO of Sterling Studios, says his company is a self-contained, independent movie studio with complete control over script selection, post-production and marketing.

But it takes more than ready sets and soundstages to compete for serious film business. As Brad Froman of Cool Blue Pictures points out, “We need transportation, make-up trailers, film labs, major lighting and grip companies, in addition to a local insurer who specializes in the motion picture industry.” And a five-star hotel to cater to Hollywood stars.

For once, the film and digital media industry may succeed because the necessary infrastructure finally has the support of state government, big investors and industry professionals.

Rendering of the Celtic Media Centre now under construction, with Phase I first soundstage scheduled completion in April 2007. Located on 12 acres near I-12 off the Airline interchange, the $60 million complex will be completed in April, followed by six more soundstages, a millworks set construction facility, a grip and lighting warehouse, a movie office tower and an eventual 800 jobs in the next several years.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-SE/Movies-CelticRendering_vu.jpg

[no-la-usa]

That hotel planned by the W chain is actually not a W Hotel. W Hotel is starting an offshoot brand called The Aloft Hotel. It is a hotel that is geared towards smaller cities. Its a new concept brand and the decsription and location by the esplanade seems very similar to what that paritcular hotel concept is aiming for.

[fla_tiger]

Juban Crossing

A site plan shows the layout for more than 1.2 million square feet of retail space, 385,000 square feet of medical and office space and more than 1,100 residences proposed for the Juban Crossing development along I-12 near Denham Springs in East Suburban Baton Rouge.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CE/jubancrossingart121406.jpg

DENHAM SPRINGS — The “new urbanist community” of Juban Crossing will include more than 1.2 million square feet of retail space, 385,000 square feet of medical and office space and more than 1,100 homes, developers said Wednesday.

With a mile of frontage on Interstate 12, the complex will include a movie theater, hotels, “lush water features,” plentiful parks, green space and restaurants that range from casual to fine dining, said developer Stephen Keller.

The businesses in the nearly 500-acre complex should produce more than $500 million in retail sales per year, Livingston Parish President Mike Grimmer said in making Wednesday’s formal announcement of the project.

Creation of the complex should result in several thousand jobs, including more than 1,000 permanent positions upon completion, officials told the 400 people attending a Greater Denham Springs Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Juban Crossing will provide a place where people can reside, work, shop, dine and recreate. It will include townhouses, cottages and more traditional homes, developers said.

It will be situated on the north side of I-12 at the Juban Road interchange.
Construction on Juban Crossing should begin next summer.

[Southdowns]

New office building planned for Essen

Construction of an eight story, 88,000-square-foot office building off Essen Lane is set to begin early next year -- the first freestanding speculative office building to go up in that area in years. The office building will be geared toward engineering companies, medical firms, banks and other professional tenants, says Branon Pesnell of NAI Latter & Blum, who is marketing the space. The building, which will go up behinds Jacobs Engineering on Summa Avenue, should be finished by September 2008.
Spatz Development of Chicago, which is building the project, will use Gulf Opportunity Zone financing to cover the costs. Spatz recently entered the Capital Region, developing Crystal Lakes, a subdivision in Denham Springs. "Spatz is bullish on the future growth and employment along Essen," Pesnell says. "Even before Katrina, occupancy rates in that area were in the low- to mid-90% range." The price tag for building the office space is still being determined, but Pesnell says the rental rates will be $26.50 a square foot.


Courtesy of the Baton Rouge Business Report

[fla_tiger]

Heres a rendering of the newest planned structure for ever-expanding Essen medical corridor:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/bizspatz121606.jpg

and a link to the story in The Advocate:
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/4934176.html

[fla_tiger]

live in a sculpture that has 15 floors with air rights.....

not to mention, fantastic views of the Mississippi, sunsets over the Atchafalaya and the Capitol.....

From Hays Town to innovative town

Baton Rouge may be traditional, but architects are easing the city into the modern world of design.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/TrahanBldg.jpg

Condos over Lafayette Street
Trahan Architects

Trey Trahan has designed a structure that would vault 160 feet into the air from the plaza on the Mississippi River side of the Shaw Center over Lafayette Street and land on the other side of the street.

One "strand" of the building would serve as condominiums, while the other could be used for offices, retail or museum space.

"There is nothing like this in the world," Trahan says.

Trahan has been working on the design for about a year and is in the process of getting approval from several entities--the city-parish, the state and the Shaw Center. He even has lawyers working on the air rights above Lafayette Street. Trahan owns a 30-by-70-foot piece of property that would anchor the building on the west side of Lafayette Street.

The condos will give people the opportunity to live in a sculpture overlooking the Mississippi River. The 25 condos would range from 900 to 2,500 square feet in size, and would probably end up costing between $700 and $900 per square foot to buy.

"These units have glass 360 degrees," says Trahan. "Every unit is like a penthouse."

"Connectivity" and "framing" are themes of the structure. From Tsunami, the restaurant on the roof of the Shaw Center, the proposed building would frame the Mississippi River Bridge. From the ballroom on the top floor of the Hilton Hotel, it would frame the Old State Capitol. From the doors of the Old State Capitol, the new building would frame a view upriver.

[Southdowns]

Developer releases design for Third St. buildings


Courtesy of Commercial Properties Development, Inc.

Commercial Properties Development Corp. has released the proposed designs of two buildings on the Third Street side of the Shaw Center for the Arts.

One, the Stroube’s building at Third Street and North Boulevard, would have a restaurant tenant, while the so-called “liner” building along the north side of the walkway leading into the back of the Shaw Center, would have 10,000 square feet of office space and eight apartment units.

Commercial Properties’ Camm Morton, who will show the designs to the Shaw Center’s board today, said he won’t rush into signing up a restaurant for the Stroube’s building because it has to be a “destination” restaurant unique to downtown in order to attract visitors.

Morton said work on both buildings will begin in the second quarter and will hopefully be done sometime in the fall.

Morton said the liner building will likely have one office tenant on the first floor and seven one-bedroom units and a two-bedroom unit above it.

“We’re trying to build and develop to a price that would allow 20-somethings and 30-somethings to live there,” he said, adding rents would likely be between $1,000 and $1,200 a month.

Morton said he’d like to have an office tenant signed within the next couple of months.

The final piece of the puzzle will be to knock down the Onyxx building at Third and Convention streets and build a six- to eight-story building that would include retail and restaurant development and up to 25 residential units, possibly for sale. That phase would come after the Stroube’s and liner buildings are done.

http://media.2theadvocate.com/images/new-liner.jpg
http://media.2theadvocate.com/images/stroubes--bldg.jpg

[richyb83]

Thank yall both for doing a fantastic job with the Baton Rouge thread. So much construction going on all over the city 2007 is an exciting time!

Still awaiting word on how many stories the new 19th Judicial Courthouse will be. Orginal renderings show 9 floors; but it will be between 10 and 12.
II City Plaza will have nice lighting at night; unlike the other office high-rises in the CBD.And the Shaw Arts Block with adjoining North Boulevard Town Square will dramatically change the streetscape of the southern-end of the CBD!

Perkins Rowe is coming along nicely too.

Keep up the great work!!!

[fla_tiger]

Pinnacle Resort

Pinnacle Entertainment has filed a petition with the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, requesting that it be allowed to move a riverboat casino license from Lake Charles to East Baton Rouge Parish and set up a resort on River Road. There have been reports that Pinnacle plans to build a 750-room hotel to go along with the casino resort that would offer a menu of amenities, including restaurants, spas, bowling, tennis, golf and big-name entertainment acts.

As expected, the two existing casinos have began a series of "public relations' ads and polls, resulting that one of them would have to go if the new Pinnacle resort were allowed to open, concluding the new casino was not in the best interest of the citizens of the region.

site of proposed casino

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/pmih62w4.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/Riverroadandcasino_120506.jpg

renderings of the proposed resort

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/46egtj59.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/drawingpinnacle110206.jpg

Just this week the two existing casinos, the Belle of Baton Rouge and the Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge announced their own plans. The Belle is proposing a new boat, double its current size perpendicular and closer to the levee along with a nine level parking structure. Adjacent to the Hollywood casino on the north end of the CBD, a developer is proposing a mixed-use development on the Mississippi to include 800 to 1,200 residential units, 300,000 to 600,000 sq ft of commercial space, and possibly a hotel.

Hmmm, to be continued.....

[Mopacs]

Thanks for the updates as always! Are there any updated Perkins Rowe photos?

[fla_tiger]

The Palms on Third

A New Orleans-area developer has big plans for downtown Baton Rouge, including a mixed-use building at the corner of Third and Laurel Streets that will include apartments, retailers--including a grocery store--and a big-band nightclub.

The ultimate goal is to turn the old Commerce Building into The Palms on Third, a South Beach/Las Vegas vibe with a mix of residential, retail and nightclub space.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/fla_tiger/BTR-CBD1/CBFinalScheme.jpg

In the meantime, Marcello plans to open two smaller clubs to stimulate interest and give potential investors an idea of how much business there is downtown.

The first will be the Third Street Daiquiri Company, a French Quarter-style daiquiri bar with a tropical theme. The bar, which will open in the next 30 to 45 days, will be by D'Agostino's Restaurant.

The second club will be Huey P.'s Speakeasy. Marcello says he's working on acquiring the property, somewhere downtown. The plan is for the club to have a plain storefront and just people in the know will know where it