Plan Baton Rouge

[greg225]

Construction to resume on downtown Baton Rouge projects stalled for months by high river levels           

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has given the all-clear for construction to resume on several downtown projects that were delayed earlier this summer when the Mississippi River was high.

Piledrivers will begin work later this week on the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s planned office building at the Water Campus, which is being developed just south of downtown between River Road and Nicholson Drive. Work will also resume on the 28-unit Onyx Residences apartment building at the intersection of Third and Convention streets.

Commercial Properties Realty Trust is developing both projects. Company spokesperson Tina Rance updated the Downtown Development District board of commissioners on the status of construction at a meeting this morning.

Rance also briefed the DDD on the status of 525 Lafayette, CPRT’s mixed-use development at the corner of Lafayette and Main streets, adjacent to the IBM office tower. Residents will begin moving into the one- and two-bedroom units next month. All two-bedroom units are leased, though some one-bedroom units are still available.

Meanwhile, a third downtown project that was also delayed by the river, Belvedere Townhomes, has been given the green light to move forward. Developer Todd Waguespack says construction on his four, luxury-unit complex at Main Street and River Road should begin within 35 days. Belvedere Townhomes is located next to 525 Lafayette.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/construction-resume-downtown-baton-rouge-projects-stalled-months-high-river-levels

[richyb83]

Guess i should have known better with these projects being so close to a mighty river like the Mississippi..just didn't think they were Tall enough to have to dig the pilings in deep enough?? 

Can remember my Dad telling me the story of the original Chase Tower; built in late 60's (further from the river than those;but much taller) on Florida St @ Fourth..when they were digging deep into the ground they hit water... almost like floating high-rise tower

[greg225]

Guess i should have known better with these projects being so close to a mighty river like the Mississippi..just didn't think they were Tall enough to have to dig the pilings in deep enough?? 

Can remember my Dad telling me the story of the original Chase Tower; built in late 60's (further from the river than those;but much taller) on Florida St @ Fourth..when they were digging deep into the ground they hit water... almost like floating high-rise tower

I remember back in the mid 90's the river flooded into the streets downtown.

[greg225]

New design guidelines coming to Mid City, downtown   

The Planning Commission is beginning to implement new design guidelines in neighborhoods around Baton Rouge. The design guidelines were adopted last year by the Metro Council as a way to clarify and simplify the city’s Unified Development Code and bring it more into line with recommendations contained in the city’s land-use master plan, FuturEBR.

Mid City is the first neighborhood that will be affected by the change. For the past four months, Planning Commission staffers  have been working with the Mid City Redevelopment Alliance to replace the zoning regulations contained in the Government Street Overlay district with a new set of rules that fall under the category of Urban Design level. Planning Director Frank Duke told the Downtown Development District board of commissioners Tuesday the changes should go into effect this fall.

“What this does is simplify and streamline the ordinance,” Duke said. “It is very clear as to what our expectations are.”

Now, the Planning Commission is turning its attention to downtown, where the regulations in the Arts and Entertainment Overlay District will be replaced by those in the Downtown Design level. The new regulations will govern design issues like parking, signage, sidewalk benches and building facades.

“We want to make it very clear what the expectations are and make sure there are no encourages without incentives,” Duke said. “By doing that we can help stimulate additional development in our downtown area.”

DDD Executive Director Davis Rhorer said he initially wants to implement the new guidelines on the Third Street corridor.    https://www.businessreport.com/article/new-design-guidelines-coming-mid-city-downtown

[greg225]

I wish Baton Rouge would build a development similar to this                                             

[richyb83]

 They got West Broad Village in suburban Richmond VA right! Anchored by Whole Foods..they did a nice job on the ALoft...

Agreed! It would be nice for BR to have this too!

Could The High Grove be a smaller version of this?

Perkins Rowe tried something similar...w/o a wide median boulevard...

This is a lot like what i wished for with Towne Center fragmented development...

Could the River District along Nicholson be this one day?

 

BTW Yesterday they lifted the pool up to the rooftop of the 8-story Commerce Building on Third Street

Rooftop pool hoisted onto downtown building

*video*

http://www.wbrz.com/news/rooftop-pool-hoisted-onto-downtown-building/

 

[greg225]

 They got West Broad Village in suburban Richmond VA right! Anchored by Whole Foods..they did a nice job on the ALoft...

Agreed! It would be nice for BR to have this too!

Could The High Grove be a smaller version of this?

Perkins Rowe tried something similar...w/o a wide median boulevard...

This is a lot like what i wished for with Towne Center fragmented development...

Could the River District along Nicholson be this one day?

 

BTW Yesterday they lifted the pool up to the rooftop of the 8-story Commerce Building on Third Street

Rooftop pool hoisted onto downtown building

*video*

http://www.wbrz.com/news/rooftop-pool-hoisted-onto-downtown-building/

 

I wish they did this to more building Downtown.

[greg225]

BRAF helps resolve dispute over historic Coca Cola sign downtown

Stephanie Riegel

August 25, 2015

 

The parties involved in a long-running dispute over the historic neon Coca Cola sign that sits atop the former Richoux Building at Florida and Third streets downtown have reached a tentative resolution.

Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge President Renee Chatelain confirms a deal between her organization, which had claimed ownership of the sign; building owner Mike Crouch, who had also claimed ownership of the sign; and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, which recently became involved in trying to end the impasse, have reached an agreement to keep the iconic sign maintained and illuminated.

“I’m thrilled we have reached a resolution,” Chatelain says. “This is a win-win for everyone.”

The deal has not been finalized yet, so details remain sketchy. However, Crouch’s attorney, Steve Carleton, says BRAF will play a key role in the sign’s future.

“Mr. Crouch is very pleased with the developments of the historic Coca Cola sign being maintained and operated by BRAF,” says Carleton, who recently took over representing Crouch from Crouch’s former attorney Jim Clary. “He reached out to BRAF to achieve this resolution for the community and is very pleased with the result.”

Carleton and Chatelain referred all further questions to BRAF Executive Vice President John Spain, who did not return a call for comment in time for publication.

The dispute over the sign began in May 2014, when, on the eve of the opening of Raising Cane’s on the ground floor of the building, Crouch had the sign covered with black tarp. The businessman had acquired the building in 2013 and had argued the sign—and compensation for advertising space, insurance and maintenance— came with it. The Arts Council, however, has paperwork showing it was given the sign in a donation by one of the building’s previous owners. Though Crouch agreed to remove the tarp after several days, the two sides remained at an impasse over the maintenance and operation of the sign for more than a year, during which time the sign remained dark.

Passersby downtown today might have noticed the sign is illuminated again. Coke spokesperson Melanie Clark could not say whether the sign is on permanently or if it was just being tested. She has been traveling on business for more than a week and said she could not comment on recent developments regarding the sign.   

https://www.businessreport.com/article/braf-helps-resolve-dispute-historic-coca-cola-sign-downtown

[greg225]

Courtyard Marriott developers to try again for a TIF             

Since the Metro Council voted last month to deny the creation of a special tax increment financing district to help fund construction of a new Courtyard Marriott downtown, the hotel’s developers have been meeting individually with council members in hopes of convincing them to bring the TIF measure back up for a vote in the next few weeks.

Representatives of South Carolina-based Windsor Aughtry Co. and their local partners—Gordon “Skeet” Leblanc and his sister, Moffett Leblanc Strain—have met with all but three council members and are optimistic their message is being heard. Dozens of local businesses, particularly downtown merchants, have also sent letters in support of the project to the council.

But the developers say it’s too soon to know whether they have the seven votes needed to pass the TIF on a second go-round.

“I believe they’re listening and we’re making headway,” says Strain, who, with Leblanc, owns the surface parking lot on which the 146-room hotel would be built as well as an equity interest in the project. “We’ve gotten tremendously positive feedback once people understand. … But I think the question for the council is the question for Baton Rouge: Do we want to be a progressive city?”

Since last month’s 5-4 vote by the council to reject the TIF, the project’s developers have been on something of a re-education campaign, trying to explain to council members about the TIF they are seeking. At a proposed 2 cents, it would be lower than the Hilton Capitol Center’s TIF, which is 8 cents, or Hotel Indigo’s and The Watermark’s, both of which were set at 6 cents. It would also generate an estimated $800,000 in taxes for the city.

They have also shared new data about the hotel submarket in which they believe the Courtyard Marriott would directly compete. The data suggests the market in that particular sector is strong. Revpar, or revenue per available room, is up nearly 11% year to date over 2014 to $82.30. That’s an important metric and is 50% higher than the revpar for the entire Capital Region hotel market. Average daily rates in the submarket are also up nearly 4% to $118.58, while occupancy rates have risen 6.7 percentage points to 69.4%.

It’s not clear when the TIF might find its way back on a Metro Council agenda, though Windsor Aughtry Principal Bill Fayssoux predicts it will be in the “very near future.”

What is certain is that if the measure fails a second time, the project is dead.

Read the full story.                    https://www.businessreport.com/article/courtyard-marriott-developers-try-tif-2

Visit Baton Rouge board votes to reject $75K payment to Miss USA 

Visit Baton Rouge will not fork over a final $75,000 payment to the Miss USA pageant, the tourism promotion agency’s board of directors voted today.

Prior to the pageant, which took place in Baton Rouge last month, Visit Baton Rouge had signed a contract with the Miss USA organization to provide $200,000 of the total $545,000 incentive package the pageant received from city-parish and state offices to bring the event back to Baton Rouge for a second straight year.

Paul Arrigo, president and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge, says the agency has already paid $100,000 to Miss USA and spent about $25,000 on behalf of Miss USA to promote the pageant. The debate about paying the pageant incentives came after pageant co-owner Donald Trump made controversial remarks about Mexican immigrants during his presidential announcement in the weeks leading up to the pageant. That led many sponsors, judges and entertainers slated for the show to back out, as well as Univision and NBC, which were set to broadcast the event internationally.

The pageant then moved its broadcast to the Reelz Network, which has a significantly weaker reach compared to NBC, and viewership dropped significantly from the 2014 pageant. Some city-parish officials in turn questioned whether Baton Rouge got a full return on its investment, with some calling for incentive payments to be withheld.

Before voting on the resolution this afternoon, two Visit Baton Rouge board members asked about the possibility of being sued by Trump, similar to the lawsuit he has filed against Univision and has threatened to file against NBC for what Trump claims is a breach of contract. Chuck Elkins, legal counsel for the board, says they have not been threatened with a lawsuit and that it would be better to talk about any possible lawsuits in executive session as opposed to a public meeting.

“We’re not alone in this position,” Elkins said, citing the decision by the state Office of Tourism to forgo handing over half of the $50,000 it promised the organization. Baton Rouge has paid the pageant the $280,000 it pledged in incentives.

Also at today’s meeting, the board unanimously approved to use $71,300 from its BP oil spill settlement funds to continue operating a digital billboard in West Baton Rouge Parish promoting Baton Rouge high above the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10, just a few miles before the Mississippi River bridge.

The contract Visit Baton Rouge had with Lamar Advertising for the billboard was set to expire in February 2016, but the two negotiated a contract extension until the end of 2016 at a discounted rate.

Visit Baton Rouge also reported today that year-to-date occupancy tax collections from local hotel stays through June are off 3% compared to 2014. Collections, however, remain 7.5% above the amount the agency had budgeted to receive through June.    https://www.businessreport.com/article/visit-baton-rouge-board-votes-reject-75k-payment-miss-usa

[Mr. Burnham]

Well at this point BR just needs to do the TIF. I'd rather see some development than no development.

[cajun]

I think they should be open to providing TIF's for hotels and large scale office buildings at this point.   More hospitality infrastructure will actually help make the downtown area more attractive to businesses that depend on guys like me that travel a lot.   

That being said, the citizens of Baton Rouge should have a little more power in getting a little more of what they want out of the project, be it more rooms, better architecture, or retail space.   I agree that this is a critical corner in Baton Rouge, but it's a surface parking lot right now.  I envision downtown Baton Rouge to be filled with more 4-8 story buildings in the future and not giant skyscrapers.   I want to see a walkable, medium to high density area with hospitality businesses, residential, and office users all within walking distance of each other with ground floor retail. 

This Courtyard Hotel does fit that IMO.   The property's footprint is really too small to do anything much larger without stuffing a huge parking deck under the property, which IMO isn't a great idea for hotels. 

 

As far as the Miss USA nonsense....I think dropping entire programs from the network for words of one man that were taken way out of context was incredibly short sighted and a poor business decision.   I expect them to eventually come to their senses.  Their actions penalized the participants of the event and the host city, neither of which deserved it.  IMO, Baton Rouge should meet their contractual obligations and hope that they return with a fat network contract in a few years.  

In the future, include television promotions into specific performance requirements.  Lesson learned.   

Edited August 28, 2015 by cajun

[greg225]

Baton Rouge behind other cities in developing riverfront potential

 

 

 

 

East Baton Rouge Parish is a waterfront community that doesn’t really act like one. It’s an area that desperately wants to be treated like a tourist destination, and yet it has no wharf, pier or boardwalk offering commercial entertainment options to visitors.

It is bordered entirely to the west and southwest by the majestic Mississippi River, and while this has heavily influenced the parish’s industrial economy, it’s only in recent years that planners have gravitated toward commercial projects that embrace the water.

Still, there are several miles of completely undeveloped waterfront property. There are only three entertainment options today for sitting on the river — the three casinos.

Even downtown Baton Rouge, which is leading the way with entertainment and residential riverfront-adjacent projects, is late to the game compared with other major riverfront cities that have enjoyed the spoils of the prime real estate for decades. The primary reason, planners say, is because of impediments, such as the railroad tracks on the riverfront downtown and the levee system, that complicate construction projects, making them more costly and difficult.

“We have been given the greatest gift a community can have, which is 18 miles of waterfront property that is undeveloped to this day because of both poor practices of the past, the policies of the present and a lack of vision for the future,” said Metro Councilman John Delgado, who recently led a council effort to thwart an industrial barge-cleaning facility from locating on the riverfront near residential neighborhoods. “And yet we build fake lakes all around the parish and live around them.”

One of the concerns raised about allowing an industrial facility like the barge-cleaning operation to locate on the mostly undeveloped riverfront south of downtown was the tone it could set for future development of the land.

While north of downtown Baton Rouge much of the riverfront is commanded by petrochemical industries using the river for transporting products, planners are starting to envision entertainment and commercial uses for the river south of downtown.

“Is it doable? Yes. Is it more expensive? Yes. Is it more complicated? Yes,” said Baton Rouge Area Foundation President and CEO John Davies, whose organization has spearheaded both successful and failed riverfront attraction proposals. “But is it worth it to work on the river, to live on the river, which is a real allure and a real attraction? Absolutely.”

Attracting visitors

For years, the only commercial attractions on the Mississippi River were Baton Rouge’s two downtown riverboat casinos,the USS Kidd and the Louisiana Art and Science Museum. In recent years, L’Auberge Casino and Hotel joined Hollywood Casino and the Belle of Baton Rouge as a riverside attraction at the southern end of the parish. But there are miles of undeveloped land that separate them.

In downtown, there has been a flurry of inland activity adjacent to the waterfront, with high-rise apartments and office buildings offering views of the Mississippi River, and bars and restaurants opening up within walking distance. Pedestrian access, bike paths, lighting and seating on the riverfront also has been built over the years connecting LSU to downtown and attracting more visitors. There are plans in the works to stretch the paths all the way to L’Auberge.

But Baton Rouge still lacks a restaurant that sits on the waterfront or a boardwalk boasting retail, in the way other cities have embraced their waterfronts.

It’s not entirely for lack of effort.

In 2008 and 2009, Mayor-President Kip Holden tried to sell voters on massive tax plans that would have included numerous parish infrastructure projects, including the $225 million Alive riverfront attraction, which called for an aquarium, an outdoor amphitheater and scientific research facilities run by LSU, all tied to the theme of the Mississippi River.

Voters rejected the tax plans both times, with much of the criticism directed toward Alive, which taxpayers saw as a questionable use of public dollars.

Alive would have been on the 16-acre state-owned site south of Hollywood Casino on the batture, which is the land between the river and the levee. At the time, it was estimated that it would cost $40 million to prepare the site for construction by filling the land with dirt to build it up.

Holden did not respond to requests to be interviewed for this story on efforts to develop the riverfront.

“Alive was a great project; it was just ahead of its time,” said Davies, whose organization pitched the project to Holden for inclusion in the tax package.

BRAF and other state and city leaders have since diverted their attention to the Water Campus, a hub for river and coastal development, located along River Road between downtown and LSU. Part of the campus will extend over the river on the old city dock, where BRAF leaders have said they expect to include a potential restaurant or cafe.

River Park, a 50-acre, $600 million proposed development directly north of Hollywood Casino, has been a work in progress for years that has yet to see much in the way of construction.

Developer Pete Clements has promised since 2008 to bring a riverfront boardwalk, restaurants, live music, hotels and residential space right to the river’s edge.

The land itself is some of the most ripe for development on the entire parish riverfront because there’s no levee there and it doesn’t flood, unlike the rest of the batture property, which likely would need to be developed over piers.

Its biggest challenge was the railroad that runs in front of it, blocking access. But Clements built a $14.5 million underpass to provide access under the railroad tracks to his property.

In fall 2013, Clements announced he had secured funding and was preparing to break ground by year’s end. He announced that he’d lined up a variety of tenants, including a dueling piano bar, an Asian fusion restaurant, a beer garden and a tapas restaurant. However, the groundbreaking never occurred, and there has been little activity since.

Clements didn’t return a call for this story, but Davis Rhorer, director of the Downtown Development District, said Clements’ project could be transformative. He said he looks forward to a commercial development that connects downtown businesses to the water’s edge.

Rhorer said the fact that the Mississippi River is a working river in Baton Rouge is something to celebrate and bring to the attention of downtown visitors.

“You can see the barges in it, the tankers coming in,” Rhorer said. “It’s a working river, and it’s fascinating to watch at different times of the year.”

Development challenges

Much of the undeveloped riverfront property south of downtown is privately owned or held by LSU.

Steve Boudreaux, a principal for Stantec who previously has worked on riverfront projects, including L’Auberge, said the two largest challenges to developing the riverfront are the levee and the railroad.

The Canadian National Railway blocks the levee downtown before diverting southeast at the interstate.

Boudreaux said he was engaged to help work on a project to turn the proposed Alive site into a riverfront park during former Gov. Mike Foster’s administration. But, he said, the state couldn’t move forward because it could not come to an agreement with the railroad owners about how to access the park over the tracks.

Patrick Waldron, a spokesman for Canadian National, said the freight line has been there since the early 1880s running between Baton Rouge and New Orleans and serving local industries across southeast Louisiana.

Boudreaux said they had suggested at the time a pedestrian path, where people could simply walk over the tracks, but the idea was rejected because of liability concerns.

If developers want to access land across the tracks and aren’t granted crosswalks, they have to build elevated pedestrian bridges or else underpasses, as Clements did, which are expensive. 
The riverfront land further south of downtown is considered “prime real estate,” Boudreaux said. But, he said, developers who want to access the water will have to contend with the complex permitting process of dealing with the levee, which is overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The primary concern of the Corps is to ensure that the levee isn’t weakened or damaged.

Davies, BRAF’s leader, also noted that development of the riverfront property south of downtown has been hampered by the sewer plant north of McKinley Street, which faces the river.

The unsightly and smelly plant is being decommissioned at the end of this year, as its functions are being transferred to the recently expanded treatment plant in the southern part of the parish.

“The decommissioning of the sewer plant allows for a whole host of opportunities in the area around Nicholson (Drive) to the river,” Davies said.

Chattanooga successes

Chattanooga, Tennessee, was once known as an industrial city, just like Baton Rouge. Legendary broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite in 1969 referred to the river city as the “dirtiest” city in America.

But today, Chattanooga is known for its natural beauty and artistic, up-and-coming downtown scene, which has, in large part, revolved around the revitalization of riverfront attractions over the past few decades.

In the 1980s, Chattanooga leaders created a nonprofit tasked with focusing solely on embracing the river.

Chattanooga boasts a riverwalk, an aquarium and various public amenities that tie the community to the river.

“Our connection and utilization of the river is the crown jewel of our city,” said Amy Donahue, a spokeswoman for River City Company, the nonprofit economic development group responsible for overseeing riverfront improvements. “Chattanooga wouldn’t win all these titles if our community had not invested in the river and the connection to the river.”  http://theadvocate.com/news/13298053-123/baton-rouge-behind-other-cities

Edited August 30, 2015 by greg225

[richyb83]

I think they should be open to providing TIF's for hotels and large scale office buildings at this point.    I envision downtown Baton Rouge to be filled with more 4-8 story buildings in the future and not giant skyscrapers.   I want to see a walkable, medium to high density area with hospitality businesses, residential, and office users all within walking distance of each other with ground floor retail. 

I like 4-8 story mid-rise buildings(on a human scale) w street level retail & walkable area as much as anybody here on this board! North Blvd as well as Sixth, Seventh, Eight (etc.) Streets are a some great candidates.......but i want it ALL...including a  High-rise residential tower for the Riverfront; as well as a new skyscraper for the CBD/Fourth Street corridor in one of those parking lots....it could all blend in together!

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting that Greg225 .....the levee & railroad tracks are some barriers.did Chattanooga have to deal with all of that? ..whats up with River Park? Under development according to the map? Still? LOL! 

Imagine if Alive had been approved  + tower-cranes dotting the riverfront for River Park & River Place!! With the IBM Block wedged in between!

The riverfront has improved...but  still plenty to be done.

Edited August 31, 2015 by richyb83

[greg225]

Thanks for posting that Greg225 .....the levee & railroad tracts are some barriers.did Chattanooga have to deal with all of that? ..whats up with River Park? Under development according to the map? Still? LOL! 

Imagine if Alive had been approved  + tower-cranes dotting the riverfront for River Park & River Place!! With the IBM Block wedged in between!

The riverfront has improved...but  still plenty to be done.

I was looking at some picture of Chattanooga must don't have rail tracks as barriers  like Baton Rouge riverfront          

Edited August 30, 2015 by greg225

[Mr. Burnham]

Yeah, Riverfront Development needs to happen.

[greg225]

Our riverfront could have boardwalks with shops, hotel, restaurants, and  amusement park.                  

[greg225]

LeBlanc Jr. plans renovations for two historic Main Street buildings   

Historic buildings in urban downtown areas are very popular right now, developer Gordon LeBlanc Jr. says, and he’s hoping his planned renovations to two Main Street locations in Baton Rouge will restore some of the structures’ vintage charm.

The developer purchased the former Butler Furniture building at 640 Main Street for $530,000— as well as its neighbor, the old Liberto building, for about $700,000—last September with the intent of restoring both structures to their heyday appearance.

First up for renovations is the 7,400-square-foot Butler Furniture building. Norman Chenevert of Chenevert Architects is crafting the interior and renovations have already begun. LeBlanc says workers are removing the false ceiling to expose the original 12-foot ornate metal-tile ceiling, as well as restoring the storefront and putting the four original skylights back in use.

“We’re trying to get back to that historic character that’s original to the building,” LeBlanc says.

The renovations are expected to cost about $1 million, and LeBlanc says he hopes to have them complete in time for tenants to move in by the end of the year.

“It’s going to be a really attractive space,” Leblanc says.

The building will be designed to hold three tenants, one of whom will be Chenevert Architects. Maestri-Murrell Property Management is meeting with several interested parties to fill the other two 1,200-square-foot lease spaces.

Leblanc says plans for renovating the old Liberto building at 626 Main Street are also in the works, but he says those will not happen for several years. The building is currently a mixed-use space with apartments upstairs and commercial space downstairs, and Leblanc says he will most likely retain those uses following the renovation.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/leblanc-jr-plans-renovations-two-historic-main-street-buildings

[dan326]

I'm not sure how much more they can do with the riverfront considering the rail line and the fact that it serves a function as the levee.  What they could set up a wildflower area like on Exxon's greenbelt. I just hope they extend wrought iron fence and landscaping from the train station to the other side. 

[Mr. Burnham]

Our riverfront could have boardwalks with shops, hotel, restaurants, and  amusement park.                  

That would be horrible in BR. I think BR just needs more greenspace/festival space along the river facing towards the city and more development along the River. We don't really need a Corny Island Boardwalk.

[Antrell Williams]

Yeah I think a boardwalk would be the worst. They're tacky and lack any substance. It's like walking past the camera shops on Canal St.

[cajun]

I'm not really a boardwalk fan myself.   I would like to see an amphitheater and large outdoor concert area for the section of riverfront right across from the capitol building, and more piers installed where possible.   

[Mr. Burnham]

I'm not really a boardwalk fan myself.   I would like to see an amphitheater and large outdoor concert area for the section of riverfront right across from the capitol building, and more piers installed where possible.   

THIS, but a new riverside museum or aquarium with an iconic design would be great too!

[richyb83]

Pretty cool....a little single-story office building on Laurel Street will be adding new two floors

http://theadvocate.com/news/13298256-123/downtown-office-building-sold

 

Here is what the building looks like today

https://www.google.com/maps/place/210+laurel+street+baton+rouge/@30.4503428,-91.1893156,3a,75y,154.38h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m4!1sydMcCqHpr-zs9LyCHPnJXw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x42841ddaa618f39!6m1!1e1

[Mr. Burnham]

That will look great right there!