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  #61  
Old Posted Jun 12, 2006, 8:50 PM
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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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  #62  
Old Posted Jun 17, 2006, 1:25 PM
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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.
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  #63  
Old Posted Jun 17, 2006, 10:51 PM
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baton rouge skyline

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.
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  #64  
Old Posted Jun 18, 2006, 2:31 PM
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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





The Neuromedical Center in Perkins Rowe



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

The Surgical Specialty Center "boutique" hospital



new Temple for Church of Latter Day Saints


Last edited by fla_tiger; Jul 19, 2006 at 2:00 PM.
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  #65  
Old Posted Jun 19, 2006, 6:51 PM
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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



TownCenter Hotel



TownCenter



http://www.perkinsrowe.com

nice variety and many with their first BR location
many more to come
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  #66  
Old Posted Jun 19, 2006, 7:40 PM
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Baton Rouge Hilton Capitol Center announces it will soon accept reservations for September



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
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  #67  
Old Posted Jul 9, 2006, 4:40 PM
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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/bus...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.







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


Last edited by fla_tiger; Sep 14, 2006 at 11:23 PM.
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  #68  
Old Posted Jul 12, 2006, 11:19 PM
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II City Plaza (Construction to begin this year)


Quote:
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
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  #69  
Old Posted Jul 19, 2006, 1:47 AM
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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.
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  #70  
Old Posted Jul 19, 2006, 3:13 AM
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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.









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/









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.




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.





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


Last edited by fla_tiger; Aug 2, 2006 at 10:23 PM.
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  #71  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2006, 12:19 AM
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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.



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



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.
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  #72  
Old Posted Jul 29, 2006, 12:24 PM
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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....










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
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  #73  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2006, 12:21 PM
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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.”
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  #74  
Old Posted Aug 5, 2006, 1:29 PM
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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.
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  #75  
Old Posted Aug 5, 2006, 1:40 PM
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Perkins Palms





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
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  #76  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2006, 9:00 AM
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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.
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Old Posted Sep 6, 2006, 10:08 PM
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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.



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.
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Old Posted Sep 14, 2006, 11:26 PM
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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


after completion

Last edited by fla_tiger; Sep 15, 2006 at 11:26 PM.
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  #79  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2006, 11:04 PM
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'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/li...06%20small.pdf
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Old Posted Sep 15, 2006, 11:53 PM
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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


after handsome renovations

Last edited by fla_tiger; Sep 25, 2006 at 11:08 PM.
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