Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[hagetaka]

http://www.globaldesignworkshop.com/portfolio/bon-carre/

classic

[itsjustme3]

http://www.globaldesignworkshop.com/portfolio/bon-carre/

classic

Point?

[steve3n8]

http://www.globaldes...olio/bon-carre/

classic

I wonder if they are planning to redevelop this area into the rendering of bon-carre?

[Antrell Williams]

I wonder if they are planning to redevelop this area into the rendering of bon-carre?

Would be the most significant Mid-City project in decades.

[steve3n8]

Very True!!! Along with Smiley Heights

[all2neat]

I wonder if they are planning to redevelop this area into the rendering of bon-carre?

They better build a parking garage then because there isn't enough parking a lot of days as it is.

[dan326]

I hope they do build something like that.

[richyb83]

That would be nice...but if I had to guess...those were the original plans that never came to be; with the retail along the square. The market is already saturated;Towne Center is so close going down Lobdell.

Bonne Carre has been a sucess helping revitalize the area in east Mid-city.

[steve3n8]

Digital animation studio Pixomondo to locate in BR, add 75 jobs

Visual effects company Pixomondo will open a studio in Baton Rouge to create effects for film, television and commercial productions, the company’s chief executive officer said Wednesday.

CEO Thilo Kuther made the announcement with Gov. Bobby Jindal and Mayor Kip Holden at a press conference held at the Celtic Media Center off Airline Highway.

The local studio will open in May and become the company’s 12th location, joining Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Berlin, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Beijing, London, Munich, Burbank, Toronto and Hamburg.

Annual salaries will average more than $65,000, plus benefits, Louisiana Economic Development said in a news release. Pixomondo will hire 50 people in its first year, expanding to 75 by the end of its second year.

LED said the project will result in the creation of 49 indirect jobs.

Founded in 2001, Pixomondo has created visual effects for more than 30 feature films, including Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Red Tails, Sucker Punch, Super 8, Fast Five, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, 2012 and Hugo.

The company is currently in production on VFX for Snow White and the Huntsman and The Amazing Spiderman, and TV series that include Game of Thrones, Terra Nova, Hawaii Five-0 and Grimm.

Pixomondo also offers production and post services for commercial production.

http://theadvocate.com/home/2196517-77/digital-animation-studio-pixomondo-to.html

[richyb83]

Planning board eyes revisions

Developers R.W. Day and Mickey Robertson are looking to revise their concept plan for University Villas on the north side of Burbank Drive, just south of South Kenilworth Parkway.

Also on tap for Monday’s city-parish Planning Commission meeting is a revision of the final development plan for Birmingham, Ala.-based Capstone Development’s The Cottages of Baton Rouge.

Day and Robertson want to add 36 acres to the 17-acre University Villas development previously approved by the commission, increasing the number of filings from two to five. The plan, if amended, would mean 242 lots on 53 acres. University Villas would have 16 acres of open space, about 30 percent of the development.

As for the Cottages of Baton Rouge, located south of Ben Hur Drive between Burbank and Nicholson drives, Capstone is looking to add a 24-acre phase that would include 75 buildings totaling 141 medium-density residential units.

This phase would be just to the east of the existing 380 units. The entire development is 83 acres.

Another proposed revision is being requested by developer Jairo Alvarez to increase the number of single-family lots on nine acres at Jamestown at Old Perkins to 68 from 40. The planning commission staff is recommending all the revisions be approved.

In related news, the developer of Audubon Plantation subdivision proposed for Hoo Shoo Too Road has withdrawn the application, though it is not clear whether it will be refiled later. The proposed 90-acre subdivision has drawn fire from Hoo Shoo Too residents, who say it is too large and will create a strain on the local schools, roads and other infrastructure. They also say the homes will be “cookie-cutter” and out of character with the rural estate-style homes there now.

http://theadvocate.c...-revisions.html

Edited March 11, 2012 by richyb83

[Antrell Williams]

Are the people on Hoo Shoo Too smoking crack? All of those homes are cookie cutter except Mallard Lakes. And do they really think it would be worse on the infrsstructure than what's there now? Sooner or later that entire area of Old Jefferson will need infrastructure upgrades.

[itsjustme3]

In related news, the developer of Audubon Plantation subdivision proposed for Hoo Shoo Too Road has withdrawn the application, though it is not clear whether it will be refiled later. The proposed 90-acre subdivision has drawn fire from Hoo Shoo Too residents, who say it is too large and will create a strain on the local schools, roads and other infrastructure. They also say the homes will be “cookie-cutter” and out of character with the rural estate-style homes there now.

http://theadvocate.c...-revisions.html

I hope the developer tries again. I understand the people on Hoo Too don't want another neighborhood there but using the excuse that a new "cookie cutter" neighborhood wouldn't fit in with the area is idiotic. Hoo Too is lined with either very wealthy homes or trailers and run down old homes.

[itsjustme3]

Are the people on Hoo Shoo Too smoking crack? All of those homes are cookie cutter except Mallard Lakes. And do they really think it would be worse on the infrsstructure than what's there now? Sooner or later that entire area of Old Jefferson will need infrastructure upgrades.

Was this new neighborhood supposed to be the lower end as far as value?

And these residents around Hoo Too should realize that it's only a matter of time before more people begin moving into the area.

I will say it's really beautiful around there.

[Antrell Williams]

Was this new neighborhood supposed to be the lower end as far as value?

And these residents around Hoo Too should realize that it's only a matter of time before more people begin moving into the area.

I will say it's really beautiful around there.

I'm not sure, can't be any worse than what's coming up the the Jefferson/Hoo Shoo Too intersection. People have been moving there for a long time, and it won't stop this decade. Quite selfish of them to run to the burbs then try and stop others from doing the same, but I will give it to the long-time residents that have been there longer.

[itsjustme3]

I'm not sure, can't be any worse than what's coming up the the Jefferson/Hoo Shoo Too intersection.

Those houses, although cookie cutter and vert close to one another, aren't exactly low value homes

[Antrell Williams]

Those houses, although cookie cutter and vert close to one another, aren't exactly low value homes

I wasn't reffering to the quality, rather the amount of new homes in the immediate area and the impact on the infrastructure. Many of these tract houses aren't the model for quality built homes anyway, although I haven't been in any of the houses during construction in the subdivison we are talking about (forgot the name).

[richyb83]

12 stories?? Last time I checked the Governmental Bldg(a.k.a City Hall) was 10 stories?? Should this brutalist building just be demolished? And have something more modern to compliment the new Courthouse & II City Plaza?

City Hall building estimated at 40 percent empty

Three and a half floors and several other offices in the 12-story City Hall on St. Louis Street are vacant and have been collecting dust since the 19th Judicial District courts moved to the new courthouse more than a year ago.

City Hall, formally known as the Governmental Building, serves as the heartbeat of Baton Rouge’s city-parish government and is the home base for its decision makers, including the Metro Council and the mayor-president.

But an estimated 40 percent of the 200,000 square-foot building is empty, said Jim Frey, an architect with the Department of Public Works.

“We can’t just leave it empty,” Frey said. “We recognize that fact. We need to utilize it.”

At the same time, there are numerous city-parish offices scattered around the parish that could be consolidated inside City Hall, saving the city-parish money in leases and utility costs, public works officials said.

Frey said City Hall, which was built in 1977, has inefficient utilities and is expensive to maintain.

The old building does not have the technology to shut off certain sections of its heating and cooling systems to mitigate the cost of the vacancies,

rest of article...

http://theadvocate.c...ng-estimated-at

Edited March 19, 2012 by richyb83

[buckett5425]

The article is slightly confusing, but they are requesting to demolish the Municipal Building. The Municipal Building is the 4 story light brick building that sits just north of the Parish Courthouse. The New 19th Judicial District Courthouse was built just north of the Municipal building. I think it would be a shame for them to tear down this building. Then we will have to look at the barren ugly facade of the rear of the new 19th JDC courthouse. Sure would be nice if a bond could be passed to renovate City Hall (Governmental Building).

[richyb83]

Yeah that south(rear) side of the new Courthouse sure is ugly; and so is the Municipal Bldg...wish they could renovate it. Wonder what will go in its place after it's demolished? A parking garage??

How hard would it be to renovate the Governmental bldg(City Hall)?? Could they add a crown on top??

Also wish something could be done with the old EBRATS bldg (east of new Courthouse) w large clock on the wall.

While we are on the topic of renovation....down Third Street btwn Laurel & Main...any more word on plans for renovating the two 8-story "Stuck in the 60's/70's buildings; the Cap One Bldg or the Commerce Bldg??

[Antrell Williams]

Eh, don't care much about the demolition. They could easily fill the vancacies, and with a renovation I would be excited. I like the shape of it, would like to see it upgraded, it might push the renovation of the exterior of the River Center.

[richyb83]

Redevelopment funds eyed

Monsour said he believes the mission of the RDA and its projects so far — including its five community improvement plans and the restoration of the Lincoln Theater — have the support of the city-parish and the business community.

He said Baton Rouge may have gotten a late start — Pittsburgh incorporated its urban redevelopment group in 1946 — but he believes the community will recognize the imperative of turning around poor and under-invested parts of the city.

The RDA recently lost a bid for the most recent round of New Markets Tax Credits, proceeds from which it used to help fund a downtown hotel, two YMCAs, some senior housing apartments and, soon, the redevelopment of the former Prince Murat hotel on Nicholson Drive into residential units.Those projects have generated fees that help to fund the RDA, though RDA officials had noted even before that announcement that secure funding would probably have to be sought at some point. Monsour said Tuesday that the RDA will apply for more tax credits in the next round later this year.

In other business, the RDA’s board voted to approve a business improvement grant of $67,500 for the redevelopment of the Broadmoor Shopping Center on Florida Boulevard

http://theadvocate.com/home/2372306-125/redevelopment-funds-eyed

[richyb83]

A local Developer is planning to build a 312-unit upscale apartment complex on Perkins Road at Dawson Creek next year called The District. The $33 million development will complement Rouzan and the westward expanding Medical Corridor.

Here is the impressive rendering!

APRIL FOOOL's!!!!! :P It's another 3-story development.....

Rest of the article on the real thing + Rouzan & others....

http://theadvocate.c...rkinsapartments

Edited April 1, 2012 by richyb83

[Antrell Williams]

I'm not gonna lie, I fell for it.

[itsjustme3]

A local Developer is planning to build a 312-unit upscale apartment complex on Perkins Road at Dawson Creek next year called The District. The $33 million development will complement Rouzan and the westward expanding Medical Corridor.

Here is the impressive rendering!

APRIL FOOOL's!!!!! :P It's another 3-story development.....

Rest of the article on the real thing + Rouzan & others....

http://theadvocate.c...rkinsapartments

Funny how the articles stresses mumbo jumbo about 10 bicycles spots, but that stretch of Perkins doesn't have a sidewalk nor a lane for bikes. Plus 200 yards down Perkins is where a bicyclist was killed in February.

They recently did work on the property where they strengthened the Dawson creek canal. From the road it's doesn't really look to be 11 acres.

[richyb83]

True...that area is way too dangerous for bikes...like much of BR. A trail along the Bayou Duplantier watershed from University Lake to Perkins Road X'treme Sports Park is badly needed.

Glad I could fool somebody

Thought about using this one as well... The proposed Lofts at Mid City on the periphery of downtown...not thinking anyone would pay close enough attention to the skyline in the background