Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[Mr. Burnham]

I disagree I  believe that New Orleans relationship will be good for Baton Rouge.  Atlanta, Houston, NYC, LA  the regions  around them grow because they close to big cities like LA County 9 million people.  

 

 

Um...you do realize that what you're saying is that New Orleans should absorb BR. I strongly disagree, for starters NOLA has max sixty years left and also it is impossible for the cities to grow into one another like those other cities have done. Baton Rouge and New Orleans have common interest they could work together on, but I do not think that a New Orleans led super-region should happen.

I obviously don't see Zachary and Central as the enemy they are in EBR, so we have relationship with both cities. EBR and WBR  they are the only parishes in our area that have strong relationship. Livingston and Ascension they have people in their parish bad mouthing Baton Rouge.  I never heard anyone in EBR said they hate any other parish  in the Baton Rouge area. When Baton Rouge was trying to get the loop strong relationships could have been build there, but  Livingston and Ascension said no  the people seem to forget that.

Well because the loop would have gone through peoples homes. 

[dan326]

Crime is a problem, but the root of that crime is cultural decay that is caused by a vicious cycle of failure in our public schools.  It will take several generations to improve the public school problems in Baton Rouge.   Frankly, they have not yet even gotten started addressing the problems.   It has to be addressed, but we also can't let this slow down or shut down the region's progress.

Other cities are able to overcome that handicap (which is politically insurmountable in many places throughout the country) by diverse offering of good quality neighborhoods connected to the city center with adequate transportation infrastructure.   Baton Rouge doesn't have that.   It fights every effort to develop that because it has the mindset that  Walker, Zachary, Central, Brusly, and Prarieville are the enemies.  They refuse to see the benefit that areas like that provide to the metro area as a whole and thus refuse to cooperate regionally.  

Well that's partially true but I don't think it's the school systems fault entirely. I think people seem to think the EBR school system is holding out on them with a Mickey Mouse sorcerer's apprentice magic wand in a open-in-case-of-emergency like fire extinguisher case. They can only do so much if the children are good students and children can only do so well if they only consume fast food and junk media and have low parent involvement.

[greg225]

Um...you do realize that what you're saying is that New Orleans should absorb BR. I strongly disagree, for starters NOLA has max sixty years left and also it is impossible for the cities to grow into one another like those other cities have done. Baton Rouge and New Orleans have common interest they could work together on, but I do not think that a New Orleans led super-region should happen.

Well because the loop would have gone through peoples homes. 

I never said New Orleans should absorb Baton Rouge. If you don't like the Super region that's your opinion , but I believe it will necessary.

[cajun]

I disagree I  believe that New Orleans relationship will be good for Baton Rouge.  Atlanta, Houston, NYC, LA  the regions  around them grow because they close to big cities like LA County 9 million people.  

 

 

How would it be good for Baton Rouge? I don't want to see BTR starved so MSY can get a little more traffic.   That's not progress to me.

Why should Baton Rouge people trust politicians in New Orleans with anything?  

 

I think it's telling that this rail link that the New Orleans politicians are pushing now does not connect to the Baton Rouge airport.

Edited August 29, 2015 by cajun

[Mr. Burnham]

I never said New Orleans should absorb Baton Rouge. If you don't like the Super region that's your opinion , but I believe it will necessary.

That is what would happen in this current set-up. New Orleans would absorb Baton Rouge. 

How would it be good for Baton Rouge? I don't want to see BTR starved so MSY can get a little more traffic.   That's not progress to me.

Why should Baton Rouge people trust politicians in New Orleans with anything?  

 

I think it's telling that this rail link that the New Orleans politicians are pushing now does not connect to the Baton Rouge airport.

Amen! You would've loved what the GNO head said a while back, "I think it's unrealistic that Baton Rouge could ever compete with New Orleans, especially the airport." or something along those lines. The politicians and business leaders in New Orleans do not have the best interests of Baton Rouge in mind. They see Baton Rouge as a city they need to eliminate, that's why they love the super-region. The super-region gives New Orleans an opportunity to absorb and incorporate Baton Rouge. 

Sucks that all of our politicians and business leaders are spineless and do not have the guts to try and get something out of these deals for Baton Rouge. Hell, BR has some leverage it can use and they need to use it against New Orleans.

[greg225]

How would it be good for Baton Rouge? I don't want to see BTR starved so MSY can get a little more traffic.   That's not progress to me.

Why should Baton Rouge people trust politicians in New Orleans with anything?  

 

I think it's telling that this rail link that the New Orleans politicians are p ushing now does not connect to the Baton Rouge airport.

One it could help Baton Rouge in tourism. If you have look at FuturBr plan it to extend route to BR Metro Airport. The rail lne to New Orleans airport will be a long distant from train tracks look at the maps.  I believe the rail line will end up with less routes it will only be Baton Rouge to New Orleans because if not fast people want use it..

How would it be good for Baton Rouge? I don't want to see BTR starved so MSY can get a little more traffic.   That's not progress to me.

Why should Baton Rouge people trust politicians in New Orleans with anything?  

 

I think it's telling that this rail link that the New Orleans politicians are pushing now does not connect to the Baton Rouge airport.

How would it hurt you when you live in Atlanta?

Edited August 29, 2015 by greg225

[greg225]

That is what would happen in this current set-up. New Orleans would absorb Baton Rouge. 

Amen! You would've loved what the GNO head said a while back, "I think it's unrealistic that Baton Rouge could ever compete with New Orleans, especially the airport." or something along those lines. The politicians and business leaders in New Orleans do not have the best interests of Baton Rouge in mind. They see Baton Rouge as a city they need to eliminate, that's why they love the super-region. The super-region gives New Orleans an opportunity to absorb and incorporate Baton Rouge. 

Sucks that all of our politicians and business leaders are spineless and do not have the guts to try and get something out of these deals for Baton Rouge. Hell, BR has some leverage it can use and they need to use it against New Orleans.

How would it hurt you?

[Mr. Burnham]

How would it hurt you?

I'm talking about the city as a whole. 

[Antrell Williams]

I want to address education and crime in inner city Baton Rouge. It's a problem perpetuated by the Federal, State, and local governments for a long time. There are many ways in which these neighborhoods can become middle class, none of which are being exercised. Invest in those communities!

I have no children so my experiences with school are much different from parents, however, in which world does it make sense to close or retract funding from a school due to performance?

[cajun]

 

I have no children so my experiences with school are much different from parents, however, in which world does it make sense to close or retract funding from a school due to performance?

On the flip side, one of the reasons that I vote the way that I do today is because I've witnessed (repeatedly) the absurdity of the notion that throwing money at inner city schools without real reform will solve all of their problems.   In my experience, the last thing that teacher unions and local school boards want is reform.  Their top priority is to protect their job and they fight any real reform that could introduce a competitive dynamic to their industry.  

I really thought Louisiana was onto something with the voucher programs.  I'm furious that the current leadership in Washington is so sympathetic to public sector unions that they'd fight something that could really help break the cycle of poverty for many.  It wasn't a perfect setup and definitely needed to evolve, but it was starting to work.   Teacher unions and the politicians that they own fought that very hard and won.    

Our entire public school system stopped making sense when our communities outgrew single room schoolhouses.   

My attitude towards public schools in Baton Rouge is that It will take real reform and a lot of time to fix it.   In the meantime, we should split up the district and ensure that the growth in East Baton Rouge doesn't suffer because of inner city problems by offering competitive independent districts where possible (if for nothing else but to keep the tax base closer to the city center).   

Edited September 2, 2015 by cajun

[greg225]

Knock Knock Children’s Museum encounters unexpected construction expenses              

Baton Rouge’s Knock Knock Children’s Museum, which is finally becoming a reality after about a decade in the making, has run into more unexpected expenses during its construction.

The museum’s supporters have spent about 10 years trying to raise millions of dollars for the project and have received help from Metro Council fee waivers and a donation from Mayor-President Kip Holden along the way. But unanticipated costs have kept bubbling up.

The BREC Board of Commissioners voted at the end of August to approve an increase in expenses that the museum is allowed to incur during construction. BREC increased the expense cap from $5,000 to $6,000.

Among the new fees that prompted the increase were a drainage impact study for $2,300, a flood zone determination fee $456 and Department of Public Works plan review for $1,163.

BREC leaders said they do not expect to spend up to the $6,000 cap.

The Metro Council voted months ago to waive around $10,000 in fees for the museum, which included permit fees, traffic impact fees, landscape fees and more. Mayor-President Kip Holden also gave the children’s museum a donation of around $10,000 to cover the costs of the fees before the Metro Council waived them.

Construction on the Knock Knock Children’s Museum began in April, after organizers had raised around $9.4 million for the museum. They were still looking for about $3 million more to help furnish the inside of the museum’s learning zones.

The Knock Knock Children’s Museum is on Dalrymple Drive across from the City-Park and LSU lakes. Construction is expected to take 14 to 18 months, and the foundation is in the process of being built.   http://blogs.theadvocate.com/cityhallbuzz/2015/09/02/knock-knock-childrens-museum-encounters-unexpected-construction-expenses/                         

  

[Mr. Burnham]

Ah...the great 'money shockers' of construction projects.

[all2neat]

As far as BTR vs. NOLA goes. Look at other examples around the country, Dallas & Fort Worth, Minneapolis & St. Paul. Having and being the smaller city as part of a larger metroplex has benefited the entire region. If done correctly they both can flourish.

[Mr. Burnham]

As far as BTR vs. NOLA goes. Look at other examples around the country, Dallas & Fort Worth, Minneapolis & St. Paul. Having and being the smaller city as part of a larger metroplex has benefited the entire region. If done correctly they both can flourish.

Difference is that none of those cities are as separated as BR and NOLA. In D&FW case, their airport is between the cities and the same with Minneapolis and St. Paul. Again both of those cities are much closer than BR and NOLA. 

[cajun]

Difference is that none of those cities are as separated as BR and NOLA. In D&FW case, their airport is between the cities and the same with Minneapolis and St. Paul. Again both of those cities are much closer than BR and NOLA. 

...and because the distance is so great, the undermining of BTR just to move a few more passengers out of MSY would be catastrophic for Baton Rouge. 

I'm not sure where or how people developed the idea that New Orleans was capable of cooperating with anyone other than New Orleans....especially with a city like Baton Rouge, which is loathed and hated in the crescent city.    Baton Rouge has a long history of being disorganized politically, and New Orleans has a long history of eating everyone else's lunch despite losing population and economic clout for the last 50 years.   It's a match made in hell.   

This would be more like Philly/ Trenton or New York/ New Haven than Dallas/Ft Worth.

Edited September 4, 2015 by cajun

[all2neat]

Dallas and Fort Worth  are about 50 or 60 miles apart center to center. I would say in that relationship BTR would be the Fort Worth  equivalent. Just the same, Fort Worth benefits immensely from Dallas being there.

[Mr. Burnham]

Dallas and Fort Worth  are about 50 or 60 miles apart center to center. I would say in that relationship BTR would be the Fort Worth  equivalent. Just the same, Fort Worth benefits immensely from Dallas being there.

But Dallas doesn't have an airport, FW AND Dallas share an airport, an airport that is between the two cities. In addition to this, BR and NOLA are about 80.1 miles apart (center to center) and Dallas and Fort Worth are only 32.4 miles a part, that is roughly the distance between Baton Rouge and Hammond. In this deal New Orleans kills BTR and BR in general. BR does not get anything out of this, New Orleans gets a lot more. It gets a larger population, bigger employment numbers, larger number of Fortune 500/1000 companies and company investments, etc. The only way this could even slightly work is if the two cities, like Dallas/Fort Worth and Minneapolis/St.Paul had an International Airport between the two cities and even then it's a horrible idea. 

As Cajun said, "I'm not sure where or how people developed the idea that New Orleans was capable of cooperating with anyone other than New Orleans....especially with a city like Baton Rouge, which is loathed and hated in the crescent city.    Baton Rouge has a long history of being disorganized politically, and New Orleans has a long history of eating everyone else's lunch despite losing population and economic clout for the last 50 years.   It's a match made in hell." He's completely right. New Orleans does not value Baton Rouge and Baton Rouge will not and has not been treated more like the equal it is. 

As a Floridian, this would be like Tampa and Orlando becoming one major city. Sure if the US had a Population of a billion people we would probably grow into one another, but still I couldn't see us all becoming one massive city unless it was forced. While it is true we have been working to get commuter rail between the two cities, Tampa is also trying to get one to Miami and one to Atlanta. It is not because we want to be one massive city, but because we recognize the money it could help make in aiding tourists and business people trying to travel around the state. That's how the Baton Rouge/New Orleans relationship should be. At the same time though, Baton Rouge should work with other cities like Houston, Hammond, Slidell, Mobile, Jacksonville, Shreveport, Lafayette, Memphis, Atlanta, etc. to also have rail lines with those cities. 

If Baton Rouge is so desperate to become a larger region/city then I think the most natural city to merge with is Hammond. Most development and future development is centered there, we're closer to them than New Orleans, and we would have a population of 1million.

[greg225]

But Dallas doesn't have an airport, FW AND Dallas share an airport, an airport that is between the two cities. In addition to this, BR and NOLA are about 80.1 miles apart (center to center) and Dallas and Fort Worth are only 32.4 miles a part, that is roughly the distance between Baton Rouge and Hammond. In this deal New Orleans kills BTR and BR in general. BR does not get anything out of this, New Orleans gets a lot more. It gets a larger population, bigger employment numbers, larger number of Fortune 500/1000 companies and company investments, etc. The only way this could even slightly work is if the two cities, like Dallas/Fort Worth and Minneapolis/St.Paul had an International Airport between the two cities and even then it's a horrible idea. 

As Cajun said, "I'm not sure where or how people developed the idea that New Orleans was capable of cooperating with anyone other than New Orleans....especially with a city like Baton Rouge, which is loathed and hated in the crescent city.    Baton Rouge has a long history of being disorganized politically, and New Orleans has a long history of eating everyone else's lunch despite losing population and economic clout for the last 50 years.   It's a match made in hell." He's completely right. New Orleans does not value Baton Rouge and Baton Rouge will not and has not been treated more like the equal it is. 

As a Floridian, this would be like Tampa and Orlando becoming one major city. Sure if the US had a Population of a billion people we would probably grow into one another, but still I couldn't see us all becoming one massive city unless it was forced. While it is true we have been working to get commuter rail between the two cities, Tampa is also trying to get one to Miami and one to Atlanta. It is not because we want to be one massive city, but because we recognize the money it could help make in aiding tourists and business people trying to travel around the state. That's how the Baton Rouge/New Orleans relationship should be. At the same time though, Baton Rouge should work with other cities like Houston, Hammond, Slidell, Mobile, Jacksonville, Shreveport, Lafayette, Memphis, Atlanta, etc. to also have rail lines with those cities. 

If Baton Rouge is so desperate to become a larger region/city then I think the most natural city to merge with is Hammond. Most development and future development is centered there, we're closer to them than New Orleans, and we would have a population of 1million.

If you want to say Dallas don't have a airport New Orleans don't have a airport either because there airport is in Kenner.

[greg225]

...and because the distance is so great, the undermining of BTR just to move a few more passengers out of MSY would be catastrophic for Baton Rouge. 

I'm not sure where or how people developed the idea that New Orleans was capable of cooperating with anyone other than New Orleans....especially with a city like Baton Rouge, which is loathed and hated in the crescent city.    Baton Rouge has a long history of being disorganized politically, and New Orleans has a long history of eating everyone else's lunch despite losing population and economic clout for the last 50 years.   It's a match made in hell.   

This would be more like Philly/ Trenton or New York/ New Haven than Dallas/Ft Worth.

The state overly invest in New Orleans it been like that for years. Like when its time for Baton Rouge to get money from the state to fix traffic it never come, but when New Orleans ask they get it. Its more about the state not giving Baton Rouge its respect, but over the next 20 years economic growth will be in the Baton Rouge area that also means a population shift. I don't have problem with New Orleans I have problem with the state kissing New Orleans a.s.

[all2neat]

Dallas has Love field which serves south west, delta, and a few other airlines. Collin county just north of Dallas is considering expanding its airport for regional service.  If BR / NOLA grew to 7 million like DFW there would be room for two airports. You all are being too pessimistic. 

Edited September 5, 2015 by all2neat

[Mr. Burnham]

If you want to say Dallas don't have a airport New Orleans don't have a airport either because there airport is in Kenner.

Seriously what the hell are you talking about? I'm referring to an International Airport. Dallas does not have a major international airport, New Orleans does. Even if it's Kenner, the NOLA airport is still in the immediate New Orleans Metro. Dallas/FortWorth have and airport between the two cities and that airport is the regions main international airport. 

The state overly invest in New Orleans it been like that for years. Like when its time for Baton Rouge to get money from the state to fix traffic it never come, but when New Orleans ask they get it. Its more about the state not giving Baton Rouge its respect, but over the next 20 years economic growth will be in the Baton Rouge area that also means a population shift. I don't have problem with New Orleans I have problem with the state kissing New Orleans a.s.

Do you not see what this deal does? This deal is setting New Orleans up to see more growth than Baton Rouge, and not to burst any bubbles but Baton Rouge is not the states economic engine, New Orleans has made a dramatic comeback and this deal would only hurt BR.

Dallas has Love field which serves south west, delta, and a few other airlines. Collin county just north of Dallas is considering expanding its airport for regional service.  If BR / NOLA grew to 7 million like DFW there would be room for two airports. You all are being too pessimistic. 

Is the airport in Kenner a regional one? Do they have any plans to downgrade it and make it one? No. The airport in Kenner is expanding to become an even larger International Airport. Compare that to DFW which is between the two cities and is the largest and main airport in the region. Sure Dallas, like every other major US city, has multiple airports but they have a population to sustain three airports. Collin County expanding its airport would be similar to Hammond expanding theirs. DFW also has a population of 7 million people, that's three million more people than BR/NOLA.

BR/NOLA combined has a population of 2 million people, that is certainly not enough room for BR to maintain its airport and keep it competitive when Armstrong is getting improved transportation connections and more investment, not to mention more flights and cheaper ones. The only way for this relationship to be equal is for New Orleans to downsize Armstrong and the two cities build an airport between one another with rail connecting BTR, New Int'l, and MSY. 

 

[greg225]

Seriously what the hell are you talking about? I'm referring to an International Airport. Dallas does not have a major international airport, New Orleans does. Even if it's Kenner, the NOLA airport is still in the immediate New Orleans Metro. Dallas/FortWorth have and airport between the two cities and that airport is the regions main international airport

 

.

You said: But Dallas doesn't have an airport. 'Case Closed"  I personally don't think you  get it. What hell you talking about?

 

Edited September 5, 2015 by greg225

[greg225]

 

Is the airport in Kenner a regional one? Do they have any plans to downgrade it and make it one? No. The airport in Kenner is expanding to become an even larger International Airport. Compare that to DFW which is between the two cities and is the largest and main airport in the region. Sure Dallas, like every other major US city, has multiple airports but they have a population to sustain three airports. Collin County expanding its airport would be similar to Hammond expanding theirs. DFW also has a population of 7 million people, that's three million more people than BR/NOLA

 

Collin County is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area. A small portion of the city of Dallas is located in the county. 2014 population 885,241 its a larger and more urban county than any parishes between Baton Rouge and New Orleans Colin County have major corporate headquarters.   Hammond population is 20,019 people its parish is only 121,097 plus Hammond already have a airport  Hammond Northshore Regional Airport which is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Edited September 5, 2015 by greg225

[greg225]

 

Do you not see what this deal does? This deal is setting New Orleans up to see more growth than Baton Rouge, and not to burst any bubbles but Baton Rouge is not the states economic engine, New Orleans has made a dramatic comeback and this deal would only hurt BR

New Orleans haven't came back  as much as you think only thing that come back is tourist. I watching the national news how they was talking about lot people that move back can't find jobs. I know people that move out of New Orleans for those same reason and came to the Baton Rouge area.

Edited September 5, 2015 by greg225

[dan326]

7- 2 = 5

We might as well dash the thought of a shared international airport from our minds because Armstrong definitely isn't going to be downgraded and it wouldn't make sense to put a new international airport in Hammond because the people of New Orleans aren't going to drive past Armstrong to Tangipahoa. And if peoplepeople in south BR won't drive to BTR, I doubt they'd drive to Tangipahoa. And they won't build one in between BR and NO when they already have one: Armstrong.