The Water Campus

[dan326]

I figured this deserved a thread.

[Antrell Williams]

The Water Institute?

[dan326]

Oops, I created this thread on my phone, so I wasn't looking at an article. I was sure it was called River Campus though.

Edit : Oh, it is called Water Campus... Would you mind changing the name? I'll post articles tomorrow.

Edited December 28, 2013 by dan326

[richyb83]

Nice idea Dan...this deserves it's own thread.   Had wrestled with the idea of starting a new thread or not...but put in the River District thread bec the new Water Campus would be a main component on it's north end. It surely will be a catalyst to ignite more development in the River District(plans could be submitted in January to City Planning Comm) & transform the Nicholson corridor!

 

Well a new thread needs some pics

 

[dan326]

Sorry Richy, I knew it had been posted but I thought it was in the Development thread.

http://www.businessreport.com/12242013/The_Water_Campus

’A 27.6-acre riverfront research park could make Baton Rouge an international center for coastal preservation and restoration.

In a year marked by big deals, major announcements and game-changing developments for the Capital Region, news that Baton Rouge will be home to a world-class research institute and all that goes with it could be the most significant of them all.

And not only because of the size and audacity of the vision of the Water Campus announced by Gov. Bobby Jindal last week. Rather, it is the potential for Baton Rouge and Louisiana to sail a blue ocean of coastal preservation and restoration solutions that holds such great promise of charting a completely different direction for a state too heavily weighted in the energy and petrochemical sectors.

The 27.6-acre riverfront research park—which will be bordered by the Mississippi River Bridge, Nicholson Drive, Oklahoma Street and the river—will be a huge magnet for intellectual and investment capital trained on coastal restoration and sustainability. It could well establish Louisiana as a world-class center for the best available science on water management and coastal issues.

The brainchild of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and doggedly promoted by its president and CEO, John Davies, the Water Campus represents a coming together of multiple interests: state government, BRAF, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the city-parish, LSU and the Water Institute of the Gulf.

"The Mississippi River [and its delta system] is one of the premier laboratories in the world," Davies says. "The Water Institute [the research component of the Water Campus] will be doing work not only for U.S. entities such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Corps of Engineers but for sovereigns, such as countries in Latin America."

The campus, which will initially consist of three buildings totaling $45 million in construction costs, will also be an engine for economic development that will not only create as many as 45,000 jobs over the next two decades but an entirely new economic sector for Louisiana.

"We will develop scientific, engineering and construction expertise related to water management that can be exported around the world," says Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret. "In this manner, water management can become a true economic-driver industry here."

At street level, the Water Campus will be a catalyst for the redevelopment of the Nicholson Drive corridor, a three-mile stretch between LSU and downtown that has fallen prey to blight over the years. Plans call for construction of a streetcar line that would link LSU to downtown, passing through a new mixed-use district and in front of the Water Campus on its way to Town Square.

The 'wow' factor

Victor Dover can scarcely conceal his excitement and delight at the prospect that the Water Campus will transform Baton Rouge along the lines of his New Urbanist philosophy. More...

In addition to all its other virtues, the Water Campus will give Louisiana leverage in Washington, D.C., which controls the purse strings on coastal project spending. While billions of dollars from a variety of sources are committed to rebuilding Louisiana's coast, there is still a fundamental disconnect in terms of getting actual construction dollars from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The credibility of being a world-renowned research center for coastal issues tilts the playing field in Louisiana's direction when the feds start passing out checks. The Water Campus may significantly improve the state's ability to get the funding it needs, quite literally, to survive.

"We hope this science prods the administration, the Congress and the Corps not only to accelerate their studies but to actually start building some projects and funding some projects," Gov. Bobby Jindal says. "In our lifetime we have a chance to restore our coast and reverse the loss of land we have seen. But if we don't do it, our kids won't have the same opportunity." ’

[richyb83]

It's all good Dan

 

[richyb83]

Water Campus moving forward with plans for Old City Dock
 

Just one month after plans were unveiled for the Water Campus—a 27.6-acre research park devoted to coastal studies that will be developed near downtown off Nicholson Drive—the first phase of the project is rapidly moving forward. At its meeting Wednesday, the Metro Council approved a cooperative endeavor and right of use agreement with the Water Campus LLC for the Old City Dock property, which will be redeveloped into a $20 million Education and Research Center and will be the marquee structure on the campus. Last week, a request for qualifications went out to architects interested in submitting proposals to design the project. Trey Trahan—who, several years ago, designed renderings for a residential complex at the Old City Dock site—is among those planning to submit a proposal. "We would love to do it," he says. "It's such an exciting project and so good for downtown." At a DDD meeting last week, a spokeswoman for BRAF's real estate development company, Commercial Properties, said the first three buildings of the Water Campus would get underway in 2014, but she did not provide a detailed construction timeline. BRAF is the lead organization developing the Water Campus with the state and city-parish, and LSU. —Stephanie Riegel

 

http://www.businessreport.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=daily-reportPM&date=20140123

[Antrell Williams]

This is exciting news! Hands down the project with the most impact in the region.

[dan326]

T.T. doesn't even need to submit an idea, they never get picked.

[buckett5425]

He won the bid selection for the river center library study, The Crest, and the visitor center at Magnolia Mound. However, because the visitor center is being paid for with a private donation, he may have been awarded the job without there being a public bid.

 

He only has like three employees right now though, so not exactly sure what's going on there....His management style has chased away many of his employees...

[itsjustme3]

.His management style has chased away many of his employees...

Big understatement. He's a jerk.

[cajun]

Can't see any details but with my craptastic vision, but the latest Water Campus renderings make the pier design look sort of complimentary to the Weiss designed stuff around SoLa.....just very watered down. That seems to be in the opposite direction of what T.T. had sketched for the dock in the past (which rubs me the wrong way for some reason).

If there are not many budget constraints this may be a unique opportunity to install a very eye catching building.....something über-modern that Buckett might like. There are not any adjacent buildings and it's an incredibly visible space.

Being on stilts like that sort of detaches you from the river at low levels. I wish there were a way to remedy that.

Anyone seen that dock lately? It's missing a couple of peirs and I'm afraid there may be significant cost in rehabbing it.

Edited January 24, 2014 by cajun

[Renzo]

Big understatement. He's a jerk.

 

you know, you're not the first person I've heard that from.

[Antrell Williams]

Can't see any details but with my craptastic vision, but the latest Water Campus renderings make the pier design look sort of complimentary to the Weiss designed stuff around SoLa.....just very watered down. That seems to be in the opposite direction of what T.T. had sketched for the dock in the past (which rubs me the wrong way for some reason).

If there are not many budget constraints this may be a unique opportunity to install a very eye catching building.....something über-modern that Buckett might like. There are not any adjacent buildings and it's an incredibly visible space.

Being on stilts like that sort of detaches you from the river at low levels. I wish there were a way to remedy that.

Anyone seen that dock lately? It's missing a couple of peirs and I'm afraid there may be significant cost in rehabbing it.

To my eyes I instantly think of WHLC or something similar. I'm no architecture aficionado in the least but it looks like a standard 3-story building with no redeeming qualities to make it a lasting eye catcher.

 

Something modern makes sense here, but I would honestly like for the dock to become some sort of public park. It's a terrible location for a park, but the views (not so much the port) and breeze are great.

 

There will be high costs to rebuild the structure as it sits, it's been abandon since the 30s or 40s?

[richyb83]

Wow! Impressive!! Serving as the northern anchor for the new Water Campus... An iconic mixed-use tower for the massive development is set to begin later this Summer   Over 300,000' square feet of space will feature a 12-lane bowling alley + movie theatre within the large parking deck...office space on the lower floors & residential space on the upper floors with nice views of the river. This will easily become BR's Tallest high-rise south of I-10! And 4th Tallest in the entire city! Just a few blocks from the bridge....

 

 

Check out more info on....the annual APRIL FOOLS.com...

[steve3n8]

Good One Richy, although this could become a reality with that building in the renderings.....maybe not the bowling ally and what not, but still going to be impressive!

[Antrell Williams]

Would be nice!

[dan326]

You shouldn't still be able to trick me

[timelordnerd]

I need to start avoiding the internet on April Fools.

[BRPJ]

I'm a day late and I was actually fooled.

[richyb83]

Thanks for taking that in stride yall...did not mean to upset anybody or get hopes up.  This has become a silly little tradition over the past several years...

 

Thanks Steve! We do have some high hopes! This would tell the rest of the country/world that Baton Rouge is OPEN for business!

 

Surprised i'm still able trick you Dan

[timelordnerd]

I wonder what else we could do to "open up to the World", maybe some museums and parks, possibly a stadium for a big futbol league. Speaking of that wasn't David Beckham trying to make soccer/futbol popular here in the states by starting a national league? Maybe BR could get in on that.

[itsjustme3]

I wonder what else we could do to "open up to the World", maybe some museums and parks, possibly a stadium for a big futbol league. Speaking of that wasn't David Beckham trying to make soccer/futbol popular here in the states by starting a national league? Maybe BR could get in on that.

bwahahahaha. The more you post the more I'm thinking this is a prank.

Edited April 4, 2014 by itsjustme3

[timelordnerd]

Okay so BR not getting involved in larger projects is a prank? Are you so set in your ways and mind set that you do not realize what BR is becoming. You love to mention how I'm over-optimistic, in reality you are oblivious to the huge things that are happening around you. Or do you just enjoy egging me on to fight because I'm the only one here that gives you the light of day, or because you think I'm easy to make fun of. Well answer this question for me, how is any city expected to grow or change if people do not look or seek ways to make it better, to question is to grow, and with out that or trying to make the city better; nothing will change. Wake up and smell the roses, BR is not even close to what it was ten years ago and ten years from now it will not be recognizable to today, the worlds changing out there, but your missing it because your stuck in your troll cave. Sorry to everyone else, just had to get that off my chest.

[itsjustme3]

And what exactly is Baton Rouge becoming? Other than the future home of the PanAm games.