Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[NCB]

Shreveport has a major advantage located on a smaller Red River , enabling them to have a couple extra-bridges , including a nice Interstate System and Loops..something very needed in Baton Rouge.

The original plan for I-410, the proposed loop around Baton Rouge, had the highway crossing the Mississippi River on an expanded HW. 90 bridge, but I wonder with this new bridge being approved to the north, will the route for I-410 shift northward so that work on two different bridges wont be neccesary?

[richyb83]

Thanks NCB...Wow ,already a milestone . Supkof is about to pass me up already ! ha This has been lots of fun . I am glad to see people like yall so intrested in the development and progress forward in our State !

[tombarnes]

We used to take that ferry quite often. It's sad to see it go, but the new bridge looks great and will undoubtedly be more convenient for everyone. Is the crossing near where the old ferry landings are now?

[NCB]

This has been lots of fun . I am glad to see people like yall so intrested in the development and progress forward in our State !

I definatley feel the same way!

[dimebag1980]

^Congrats on hitting 100 posts, and becoming a Member+, Brian!

Thanks, dude, and the same goes for Richy.

[dimebag1980]

I definatley feel the same way!

I agree... wholeheartedly. I wish MORE people were as enthusiastic as we are. I'd love to bring my S'Port friends over, but the fact is, most of them are too busy bashing Louisiana and Shreveport to focus on the positives. What a shame, really. I love my city/metro AND my state.

[richyb83]

Developer of Southgate Towers wants to add an 6-story 117 unit hotel. (probably Staybridge Suites ); also increasing one residential tower from 15 to 18-stories (tower IV ?) ! That's a suprise to us ! We were not expecting it to be that tall .Southgate Towers now includes three 8-story mid-rises with retail and resturaunt . The large complex is just south of LSU / Tiger Staduim on Nicholson @ Burbank.

http://www.businessreport.com/dailyreport.cfm?=53

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

[richyb83]

Sometimes people just like to find something to complain about ! If they moved to another State , they would complain there too !

They say "the grass is always greener on the other side" , I found it is usually "greener where you water it" .

[NCB]

Developer of Southgate Towers wants to add an 6-story 117 unit hotel. (probably Staybridge Suites ); also increasing one residential tower from 15 to 18-stories (tower IV ?) ! That's a suprise to us ! We were not expecting it to be that tall .Southgate Towers now includes three 8-story mid-rises with retail and resturaunt . The large complex is just south of LSU / Tiger Staduim on Nicholson @ Burbank.

Great!

Development in Baton Rouge just keeps getting bigger and taller!

[bluff2085]

Developer of Southgate Towers wants to add an 6-story 117 unit hotel. (probably Staybridge Suites ); also increasing one residential tower from 15 to 18-stories (tower IV ?) ! That's a suprise to us ! We were not expecting it to be that tall .Southgate Towers now includes three 8-story mid-rises with retail and resturaunt . The large complex is just south of LSU / Tiger Staduim on Nicholson @ Burbank.

http://www.businessreport.com/dailyreport.cfm?=53

richyb, are you serious about the new Southgate Tower being 18 stories? That is HUGE in comparison to the surrounding structures. Other than the 8 story SG towers that are already there, along with Tiger Stadium, I think the next tallest building in the campus area is the clock tower on the parade grounds.

[richyb83]

Yeah bluff2085 , I was suprised myself ! The three 8-story condo's with massive parking garage was already impressive . I did not even realize talk was at 15-stories; 10 was the last I had heard . I guess the demand must really be there for an 18-story tower , I can't wait ! They are really going VERTICAL as of late in BR !

Kirby Smith Hall at 13-stories is the tallest I can think of around LSU .

The whole LSU Area North/South/Lakes is "Booming" with residential construction . Have you seen the progress at the 6-story Sterling Northgate on Highland Rd. recently ?

Gameday Centers is supposed to be building a condo-complex near the golf course off Nicholson south of Tiger Stadium . Not very far from Southgate Towers ? I am not sure when they will start ? I am curious as to how tall that would be ? By looking at their projects around the U.S. , I am guessing 10-15-stories ?

http://66.155.123.43/index.cfm

The Capstone development SportsLofts under construction now at the northgates at Nicholson have been called "copy-cats" by Gameday Centers as far as sports condo's .

Edited March 9, 2006 by richyb83

[tombarnes]

I hope the high-rises will look better than Kirby Smith Hall....blech. What about the area around University Shopping Center on Highland Road? Is this changing? I'm also surprised that the apartments on Carlotta Street haven't yet been rebuilt into something nicer. The location couldn't be better.

[richyb83]

Yeah , almost anything looks better than the old Kirby Smith Hall.

I think the three 8-story condo's that are there now at Southgate Towers look great with their Mediterreanean style architecture . A new condo at 18-stories is taller than I ever imagined.

http://www.southgatetowers.com/home.asp

Yes , the area around University Shopping Center is undergoing some major changes . A total of 950 + units(some retail) are being built between four different developers . They even demolished the Mc Donald's to make way for more ! Most of those probably will not be taller than 5-stories,with the exception being the 6-story Sterling Northgate(pic.on earlier post #39 by NCB) under construction on Highland at Leeway.

Edited March 9, 2006 by richyb83

[dimebag1980]

Richy... I'm with NCB, I'd like to hear more about the Green Light Plan in B.R.

[richyb83]

Sure NCB and Supkof. Passed in Oct 05', the "Greenlight Plan " extended the existing "pot-hole" tax 23 years . It works as a "pay as you go", that has it on an accelerated schedule. 70% of the money is used for construction of new roads/widening existing roads/traffic signal upgrades,etc. Phase I (10 projects) actually began in 97';Phase II(7 projects)2002; 65 additional projects are on the board ,including 37 new projects.

http://brgov.com/greenlight/allprojects.asp

Some notable projects include: *North Blvd. R.R.overpass to connect Downtown & Mid-City will soon be complete! Serving as an alternate route for Florida Blvd. & Government St. (green "G" on map)

*I-10 widened btwn.Bluebonnet to Siegen w/frontage roads and new Picardy Ave.Overpass for new main entrance Mall of La.(Comp. Nov06.)

*Perkins Rd. widened from Essen to Seigen. This is a neccesity for the new Perkins Rowe urban village !

*Central Thruway , a major north/south route connecting the eastside of EBR Parish.

*Starting soon;Widening Airline Hwy. 4 miles from Florida Blvd.to Cedarcrest. This really needs to be extended more ! Built in the 50's ? Airline was to be a by-pass for BR , now it's like a semi-Interstate !

Many,many more ...too long to mention; checkout that map. See all the projects that occured due to sprawl in SE section of BR.

[richyb83]

Just aired on WAFB in BR . DOTD has a proposed a $650 million Interstate widening project . I-10 from Hwy.415 in Port Allen all the way down to Sorrento Hwy. 22 . And I-12 , from I-10 all the way to Walker . I have a hard time seeing them widening the I-10 Mississippi River Bridge.

[dimebag1980]

Just aired on WAFB in BR . DOTD has a proposed a $650 million Interstate widening project . I-10 from Hwy.415 in Port Allen all the way down to Sorrento Hwy. 22 . And I-12 , from I-10 all the way to Walker . I have a hard time seeing them widening the I-10 Mississippi River Bridge.

Any idea how wide they will make the freeway? And how wide is it now... 6 or 8 lanes?

I wish they would widen I-20. They said a couple of years back, "We can make enhancements, but DOTD doesn't have money to widen any freeways at this time." That was back when they were resurfacing I-20 through west Shreveport. They should have widened it to 10 lanes but they wouldn't do it.

[BRPJ]

Sure NCB and Supkof. Passed in Oct 05', the "Greenlight Plan " extended the existing "pot-hole" tax 23 years . It works as a "pay as you go", that has it on an accelerated schedule. 70% of the money is used for construction of new roads/widening existing roads/traffic signal upgrades,etc. Phase I (10 projects) actually began in 97';Phase II(7 projects)2002; 65 additional projects are on the board ,including 37 new projects.

http://brgov.com/greenlight/allprojects.asp

Some notable projects include: *North Blvd. R.R.overpass to connect Downtown & Mid-City will soon be complete! Serving as an alternate route for Florida Blvd. & Government St. (green "G" on map)

*I-10 widened btwn.Bluebonnet to Siegen w/frontage roads and new Picardy Ave.Overpass for new main entrance Mall of La.(Comp. Nov06.)

*Perkins Rd. widened from Essen to Seigen. This is a neccesity for the new Perkins Rowe urban village !

*Central Thruway , a major north/south route connecting the eastside of EBR Parish.

*Starting soon;Widening Airline Hwy. 4 miles from Florida Blvd.to Cedarcrest. This really needs to be extended more ! Built in the 50's ? Airline was to be a by-pass for BR , now it's like a semi-Interstate !

Many,many more ...too long to mention; checkout that map. See all the projects that occured due to sprawl in SE section of BR.

WOW! thats grrrrreat! baton rouge has been severly bleeding for this project!

and theres supposed to be some big downtown development announced tomorow!

Edited March 14, 2006 by BRPJ

[dimebag1980]

and theres supposed to be some big downtown development announced tomorow!

That's funny... I noticed someone from Grand Rapids mentioning there's supposed to be some big downtown development announced there, as well, this week.

Boy do I feel left out.

Please keep the rest of us advised as to what the announcement is!!!

Edited March 14, 2006 by supkof

[NCB]

Thanks for the info on the Green Light Plan, richy! From looking at that map and what I know from driving in Baton Rouge, those projects are all very needed!

I'm looking forward to hearing what this new development in downtown Baton Rouge is, keep us posted!

[richyb83]

Yes , the old Bon Marche mall is now Bonne Carre Business Center. One of it's major tenants is LTP . It's the largest tech, research, business hubs btwn Houston and Atlanta.

http://www.latechpark.com

top two pics are LTP; bottom pic is Bonne Carre main entrance. It's been said to resemble something in Baghdad w/ those palm trees.

[tombarnes]

Well, it's a definite improvement over the old mall. Cortana Mall could use a similar restructuring.

[NCB]

After I looked at those pictures, I remembered that I saw that center when I stayed in Baton Rouge after Katrina. I was driving past it, and thought it looked fantastic! I was very impressed!

[dimebag1980]

Wow, that's much cooler-looking than Shreveport's technology park. A job well-done!! I never saw it as a mall, but I can only imagine it looks better as a technology park than it ever did as a mall!

[NCB]

I was extremely impressed when I was driving by that in Baton Rouge. It looks even better in person, IMO.