Northern EBR Parish Development

[greg225]

North Baton Rouge residents hopeful, and a bit skeptical, that latest crime-fighting initiatives will work      

 

After spending two years studying the roots of crime in a handful of north Baton Rouge neighborhoods, East Baton Rouge Parish officials are rolling out a number of community programs they hope will help.

 

As dozens of children shot hoops Monday evening with police officers and jumped rope at BREC’s Saia Park on Donmoor Avenue, Gail Grover, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden’s assistant chief administrator, explained the six programs being launched in the Istrouma, Midtown, Eden Park, Greenville Extension, Smiley Heights and Melrose East neighborhoods.

 

A series of four-week employment preparedness seminars, a pair of after-school programs, a free legal clinic addressing run-down properties and blight, and programs designed to boost residents’ ability to lobby with city leaders are among the initiatives being funded by a roughly $1 million U.S. Department of Justice grant, Grover said.

The city-parish received the grant in 2014 but spent the first two years studying and canvassing the neighborhoods and holding study groups to get residents’ views on what’s driving high crime rates in the area.

The answer researchers heard? High levels of unemployment, a lack of programming for children, and a need for stronger community organizations, Grover said, leading those working on the grant to propose six strategies to address some of the issues challenging the neighborhoods. City-parish officials are holding a series of three family fun nights at parks in the targeted neighborhoods to explain the programs. The third and final event is at 4 p.m. Wednesday in BREC’s Gus Young Park.

Grover said the programs focus on many of the same impoverished areas targeted by other grants, including a federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhood planning grant, and programs like Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination , an anti-crime initiative. Taken together, Grover said, the grants should offer a “holistic approach” to tackling the roots of crime and poverty in the neighborhoods, which largely lie in the 70802 and 70805 ZIP code areas.

But several of the roughly 30 residents at Monday’s presentation expressed initial skepticism at the latest initiatives.

“I’m tired of the money coming through here and us ending up worse off,” said Pearl Porter, who lives in the Istrouma neighborhood.

 

Porter said she’s seen lots of revitalization efforts during her 43 years in the neighborhood, only to watch as local public schools closed and crime climbed.

“And look where we’re at,” Porter said. “We’ve heard this so many times. At the end of this grant, we need to see some changes.”

Hazel Bradley Averhart, who lives around the corner from Porter, said she’s hoping the latest grant might offer a chance to connect residents with some of the programs designed to help them.

 

Margo Wilson and Anthony Wright, who own a construction and janitorial services company near Saia Park, both said they’re hopeful the latest set of initiatives could have a positive effect on the area.

“The fact that they’re starting to come over this way is great,” said Wilson. “But now that they’ve talked about it, we want to see it.”

Grover said the first round of programs — including after-school courses focused on black history and empowering youth at New Hope Baptist Church and Friendship Capitol High School — started earlier this month. A summer program for children still is in its planning stages, but Grover said other programs — like seminars led by Employ BR offering help on landing a job — are scheduled to launch soon.

 

The roughly $800,000 in remaining grant funding should cover the cost of programs for about two years, Grover said.    http://theadvocate.com/news/15323720-186/baton-rouge-residents-hopeful-and-a-bit-skeptical-that-latest-crime-fighting-initiatives-will-work

 

[greg225]

Edwards says state will find a way to bring emergency room back to north Baton Rouge    

Gov. John Bel Edwards said today he has asked Baton Rouge General Health System administrators to consider reopening their Mid City campus’ emergency room, because he feels the hospital’s business model will be different with Medicaid expansion.

“I believe the Medicaid expansion affords them an opportunity to do that because they will have fewer people accessing services in the emergency room without reimbursement associated with that,” Edwards told reporters after his speech at the Louisiana Health Summit held at Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

Edwards said he had discussions with General administrators when they were talking to Ochsner Health System, of New Orleans, about a partnership involving both medical institutions.

The governor said he was working to get an emergency room in north Baton Rouge. If General Health System is unable to reopen the Mid City emergency room, Edwards said, “we’re going to find some other way.”

Talk about the closure of the Mid City ER surfaced when Edwards told the more than 250 health care advocates, workers and insurers, present during the Medicaid expansion session, that rural hospitals were closing in Southern states that turned down federal Medicaid expansion dollars.

“Don’t think that wouldn’t happen in Louisiana had we not expanded Medicaid, because it would,” Edwards said. “And in fact, we have a hospital—it’s not a rural hospital—right here in Baton Rouge, the Mid City campus of Baton Rouge General, closed its emergency room because too many people were visiting that emergency room without reimbursement dollars going to the hospital.”

Edwards added that situation would play out repeatedly in the state without the federal Medicaid expansion dollars.

General Health System closed the Mid City ER nearly one year ago, on March 31, in response to mounting financial losses. The system plans to convert the hospital to a specialty care facility.

In an interview with Daily Report last week, General Health System/Baton Rouge General President and CEO Mark Slyter says hospital officials have a study that showed emergency medical care was not a top priority for that area of north Baton Rouge.

“There is no question there are some additional services we can continue to work on, particularly for that north Baton Rouge area; however, some of the things being proposed may not have the impact that folks are talking about,” Slyter says. He also noted the proliferation of urgent care clinics popping up in Mid City. He says the clinics provide the more appropriate level of care needed for many of the maladies for which people previously sought care at the Mid City facility.

During his 20-minute speech, Edwards outlined the need for Medicaid expansion in Louisiana. He said it is estimated that more than 300,000 people will be enrolled in Medicaid when the expansion goes into effect July 1.

Among those 300,000 eligible residents, about 30,000 would be restaurant workers and 15,000 would work in construction, Edwards said, highlighting that many who would be covered are working-class residents. Those residents, he said, often are caught in the trap of making too much to be covered under Medicaid but not enough to afford insurance on their own.

Edwards signed an executive order on Jan. 12, his second day in office, to expand Medicaid after his predecessor, former Gov. Bobby Jindal, refused to grant the expansion through the Affordable Care Act.     https://www.businessreport.com/article/edwards-says-state-will-find-way-bring-emergency-room-back-north-baton-rouge

[greg225]

Delgado wants council to vote on economic opportunity zone, stop deferring item     

Baton Rouge Metro Councilman John Delgado says he plans to call for a vote on his proposed economic opportunity zone in north Baton Rouge—which the council has twice deferred—when it comes back up on the  April 13 meeting agenda.

The zone would allow for developers in north Baton Rouge to ask the council for property tax abatements for 10 years on redevelopment projects within the zone’s boundaries, which is everything north of Florida Boulevard in the city limits, excluding the Downtown Development District and the Baton Rouge Metro Airport.

The item was deferred first for 30 days in January, and then for another 60 days in February, to allow parties to discuss the boundaries of the zone. But Delgado says the zone’s borders are basically the same as what he first proposed.

He says it’s a disservice to the public that the council keeps putting off a vote on the matter, adding if his fellow council members do not want to pass it they can explain that decision to their constituents.

One issue that may hamper the actual vote concerns how the proposed zone coincides with the proposed hospital service district being proposed by Together Baton Rouge.

Hospital Service District No. 2, if created, would include residents living in the 70801, 70802, 70805, 70806, 70807, 70811, 70812 and 70814 ZIP codes. Per Louisiana law, a hospital service district allows a public entity to own and operate a hospital. Hospital Service District No. 1 is in Zachary for Lane Memorial Hospital.

The designation allows for tax-exempt financing for construction and the hospital to make tax-exempt purchases. Voters in the district also can vote whether to approve a property tax of up to 5 mills.

On the flip side, Delgado’s proposal for the economic opportunity zone allows for property tax abatements for up to 10 years. Delgado says he’s not against the health service district, but he is worried about sending a mixed message to businesses: that there could be extra property taxes levied in a district where you could also get property tax abatements to help redevelop an area.

He says it de-incentivizes the reason for businesses would want to locate in north Baton Rouge. Ashley Beck, a special assistant parish attorney, says if both districts are created and the Metro Council grants a property tax abatement to a new property owner for land that lies in both districts, then the property owner would pay the millage for the hospital service district at the assessed value before construction begins.

“It would be based on pre-restoration valuations,” Beck says of the value that the millage would be based off.

For that example, Beck used the Restoration Tax Credit available from Louisiana Economic Development. Delgado says the abatement in the economic opportunity zone is very similar to the Restoration Tax Credit.

“It can get confusing and we really just need to flesh all these things out together,” Delgado says.

Metro Councilwoman Tara Wicker, who has tried to meet with all the groups working to help north Baton Rouge, once again says that all parties involved need to sit down and discuss each person or group’s role in the redevelopment of north Baton Rouge to avoid these types of conflicting moves.     https://www.businessreport.com/article/delgado-wants-council-vote-economic-opportunity-zone-stop-deferring-item

[greg225]

Political attention turning toward underdeveloped north Baton Rouge, but challenges abound for sustainable economic development   

Dezmion Barrow grew up with his grandmother in Holiday Acres, a subdivision of low-slung, primarily Section 8 rental houses in Scotlandville. No one in his family went to college, and in high school he wasn’t interested in higher education.

A trip with a friend to orientation at Southeastern Louisiana University—including a look at all the pretty girls on campus and the thrice-daily buffets in the dining hall—changed his mind. He majored in finance, hoping to transcend his own financial circumstances. Instead, he got a crash course in student loan debt, and after a couple years at SLU and a short stint at Southern University, he dropped out. Now 26 years old, he works night jobs at Sam’s Club and a group home to finance his lawn care and party rental businesses.

“This is what an average individual would see,” Barrow says while driving south on Scotland Avenue on a recent grey, drizzly morning in Scotlandville. “Blighted properties over there. You’ve got a rundown car wash right here. … Another closed-down business. See the conditions of those houses over there? Waking up in something like that does something to your psyche.”

Barrow knows firsthand that living in uninspiring circumstances leads to more than a negative impression of your own neighborhood. It creates “a hopeless mentality” about what’s possible in your own life, he says.

But Barrow isn’t hopeless. As he nears the intersection of Scotland and the ironically named Scenic Highway, he points out public spaces that could be made more inviting with better landscaping and several buildings that would have serious commercial potential if renovated. “You’ve got Southern University coming up the street,” he says. “You’ve got people coming [through here] from Zachary and Baker if they don’t get on the interstate. This is a main entry point. Everybody’s going to see it.”

    https://www.businessreport.com/business/political-attention-turning-toward-underdeveloped-north-baton-rouge-challenges-abound-sustainable-economic-development-distressed-areas

[greg225]

35 minutes ago, greg225 said:

 

Much of the south Baton Rouge elite sees north Baton Rouge as some sort of crime-ridden lost cause. Most north Baton Rouge residents and business owners admit there are pockets of violence in neighborhoods north of Florida Boulevard, but they say the area’s negatives tend to be exaggerated by outsiders while the potential is underappreciated.

I like this statement because its so true. 

Edited March 30, 2016 by greg225

[richyb83]

The image wasn't done any favors when the "Thuggin-It & Loving It"  DVD's came out years ago.....there were enough of these "hot pockets" Dixie; Banks, E-Z Town; Ghost Town; Oak Town ; Prescott-Mohican Crossover, etc...even further east with the Sherwood brick boyz...that it tended to drown out many of the good/quality people of NBR...

  I have been to Brookstown during the day to help deal with a student with a broke hand get to his house (bec mom's phone was out -of-order)..& was greeted with some dirty looks at the nearby intersection were some illegal activities were taking place(maybe thought i was a narc?)....i know kids in Dixie & Scotlandville that have had to duck on the floor with bullets spraying their houses....

Had a friend (a real good guy) move out of the Howell Park area where he was a home-owner(many renters surrounding him)...but the crime got to deep &  life tends to be  made extra difficult when you :"Snitch"....so he had to move away & now lives in Denham Springs where he can raise his kids w/o spikes in blood pressure due to threats

Also had friends i grew up with in Belfair, The Park & Fairfield(ran mechanic shop)...many of them have stayed

The 70805 movement by law enforcement has helped some

My parents/grand parents grew up in NBR....Plank Road was the premier retail corridor (overtook Third Street) back n the day...white flight may have occurred for several reasons... Exxon and it's fumes are not very desirable for quality of life has to be one factor

Was excited to see the opening new Surgery Specialty Hospital in the Howell Place development years back...unfortunately  it recently closed due to lack of numbers

Edited March 30, 2016 by richyb83

[greg225]

I grew up in Scotlandville its not as bad as it use to be that's the same for lot of NBR neighborhoods. I think what some people don't get if more opportunity comes to NBR a lot of the crime that exist will start to decline. A lot of outsiders don't think change can happen, but whats different its not just the parents are grandparents that want change its also the young people that want change.

Edited March 30, 2016 by greg225

[richyb83]

I hear you...& i hope it does

[dan326]

Greg, I am and I'm sure everyone else really appreciates you keeping us updated but could you please not post 20+ paragraph novellas + pictures...

[greg225]

I post the whole article because its a great article. I copy and paste and I will continue doing that. 

Edited March 31, 2016 by greg225

[richyb83]

Under the older UP format there was a "limit" to how long a post (3-lines or 3 paragraphs?) could be..."Main board moderator" (Neo, Monsoon & others)was fairly strict about it.........bec i went over plenty..

But now...not sure if the rules have relaxed with "New" Format or if they are too busy to bother?

 

When i post something this long.... i try to cut it in 1/2 & get the best points across....i got ADD/ADHD lol...hard to read too long

Edited March 31, 2016 by richyb83

[cajun]

On 3/29/2016 at 3:33 PM, greg225 said:

Edwards says state will find a way to bring emergency room back to north Baton Rouge    

Gov. John Bel Edwards said today he has asked Baton Rouge General Health System administrators to consider reopening their Mid City campus’ emergency room, because he feels the hospital’s business model will be different with Medicaid expansion.

“I believe the Medicaid expansion affords them an opportunity to do that because they will have fewer people accessing services in the emergency room without reimbursement associated with that,” Edwards told reporters after his speech at the Louisiana Health Summit held at Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

Edwards said he had discussions with General administrators when they were talking to Ochsner Health System, of New Orleans, about a partnership involving both medical institutions.

The governor said he was working to get an emergency room in north Baton Rouge. If General Health System is unable to reopen the Mid City emergency room, Edwards said, “we’re going to find some other way.”

Talk about the closure of the Mid City ER surfaced when Edwards told the more than 250 health care advocates, workers and insurers, present during the Medicaid expansion session, that rural hospitals were closing in Southern states that turned down federal Medicaid expansion dollars.

“Don’t think that wouldn’t happen in Louisiana had we not expanded Medicaid, because it would,” Edwards said. “And in fact, we have a hospital—it’s not a rural hospital—right here in Baton Rouge, the Mid City campus of Baton Rouge General, closed its emergency room because too many people were visiting that emergency room without reimbursement dollars going to the hospital.”

Edwards added that situation would play out repeatedly in the state without the federal Medicaid expansion dollars.

General Health System closed the Mid City ER nearly one year ago, on March 31, in response to mounting financial losses. The system plans to convert the hospital to a specialty care facility.

In an interview with Daily Report last week, General Health System/Baton Rouge General President and CEO Mark Slyter says hospital officials have a study that showed emergency medical care was not a top priority for that area of north Baton Rouge.

“There is no question there are some additional services we can continue to work on, particularly for that north Baton Rouge area; however, some of the things being proposed may not have the impact that folks are talking about,” Slyter says. He also noted the proliferation of urgent care clinics popping up in Mid City. He says the clinics provide the more appropriate level of care needed for many of the maladies for which people previously sought care at the Mid City facility.

During his 20-minute speech, Edwards outlined the need for Medicaid expansion in Louisiana. He said it is estimated that more than 300,000 people will be enrolled in Medicaid when the expansion goes into effect July 1.

Among those 300,000 eligible residents, about 30,000 would be restaurant workers and 15,000 would work in construction, Edwards said, highlighting that many who would be covered are working-class residents. Those residents, he said, often are caught in the trap of making too much to be covered under Medicaid but not enough to afford insurance on their own.

Edwards signed an executive order on Jan. 12, his second day in office, to expand Medicaid after his predecessor, former Gov. Bobby Jindal, refused to grant the expansion through the Affordable Care Act.     https://www.businessreport.com/article/edwards-says-state-will-find-way-bring-emergency-room-back-north-baton-rouge

With reduced reimbursements to physicians, the consolidation trend will continue in the medical industry.     

It's unlikely that a new ER will open in north Baton Rouge without taxpayers all over the entire state footing the bill.  

[dan326]

Workers expected to break ground on Central’s Settlement at Shoe Creek in June

In the next 30 days, Southern Lifestyle Development, of Lafayette, will put out for bid the infrastructure work on the first phase of the Settlement at Shoe Creek, a massive 150-acre traditional neighborhood development planned in Central.

Prescott Bailey, Southern Lifestyle Development area president, says crews are about 90% done with the engineering specs for the infrastructure work that will be completed in the first phase, for which construction should take about 10 months.

The first phase of the TND being built along Sullivan Road, north of Wax Road, will feature 210 multifamily units in one apartment complex, 100 assisted living units, 115 single-family homes and 28,000 square feet of commercial space.

from the buisness report

[all2neat]

On 3/31/2016 at 10:55 AM, greg225 said:

I post the whole article because its a great article. I copy and paste and I will continue doing that. 

Actually, it's in most cases copyright infringement. Most forums I frequent would not allow entire articles. Typically an excerpt and a link is the most you should do.

 

I'm with the others. Short summary or copy the key paragraph and link the rest. If someone is interested they will open the link and read the full article. 

Edited April 7, 2016 by all2neat

[richyb83]

This is a sudden turn of events.....

In rare move, Mayor Kip Holden vetoes north Baton Rouge economic development district approved by Metro Council

Mayor-President Kip Holden issued a rare veto Wednesday to an economic development district intended to help north Baton Rouge, the latest squabble between Holden and the Metro Council as he nears the end of his third term as mayor.

The economic development district would give property tax breaks for future developers who want to build north of Florida Boulevard and in the city limits of Baton Rouge. After deferring it for months, the Metro Council signed off on the district last week with broad support.

 

“We’ll be bankrupt behind that scheme,” Holden said in an interview several days after the vote, adding that the district was too large and that the city-parish would miss out on too much money because of it.

The economic development district passed with nine votes of the 12-member Metro Council, one more than would be required to override the mayor’s veto. However, one of the council members who voted with the majority said he regrets the vote and others have said the veto presents to opportunity to make the district better and more specific.

Holden sent his veto message to the Metro Council on Wednesday afternoon, citing concerns about cuts to the city-parish’s budget in light of the state government not having enough money to go around.

Holden said the economic development district proposed by John Delgado may have been well-intended, but “calls for government to provide tax breaks without a real plan.”

http://theadvocate.com/news/15546504-184/holden-vetoes-north-baton-rouge-economic-development-district-approved-by-metro-council

[Antrell Williams]

WOW

[richyb83]

Cash-strapped RDA’s old plans to revitalize north Baton Rouge could get a second look

http://theadvocate.com/news/15770745-133/rdas-hopes-for-revitalizing-north-baton-rouge-fell-short-but-plans-are-now-getting-a-fresh-look

[dan326]

OSBR and near Sacred Heart/Mid-City yeah, but those other ones...

[Antrell Williams]

18 hours ago, dan326 said:

OSBR and near Sacred Heart/Mid-City yeah, but those other ones...

Higher crime areas like Zion City will take longer and will hopefully benefit from the economic development district.

Scotlandville will be easy if they invest in Southern instead of taking funding away for 8 years in a row, Scenic and Scotland Ave could fit some mid-rise student housing or hotels with street-facing retail. Harding just needs some bike lanes, Plank Rd should be rebuilt as part of the economic plan. I would like to see light rail from SU/BTR down to Government St. 

Glen Oaks isn't so bad, spent alot of time there. Can't see why is singled out here. 

Northdale is relatively urban and quiet, Lakeridge Dr has some expensive homes. I've done a photoshoot over there and there are lots of warehouses seemingly empty or in low usage. Could it be our warehouse district? Could they connect it with Capitol Lake and make it attractive? Memorial Stadium will be an important catalyst. 

Melrose East (what I know as Mall City) needs to be torn down.

[cajun]

On 4/20/2016 at 9:20 PM, richyb83 said:

This is a sudden turn of events.....

In rare move, Mayor Kip Holden vetoes north Baton Rouge economic development district approved by Metro Council

Mayor-President Kip Holden issued a rare veto Wednesday to an economic development district intended to help north Baton Rouge, the latest squabble between Holden and the Metro Council as he nears the end of his third term as mayor.

The economic development district would give property tax breaks for future developers who want to build north of Florida Boulevard and in the city limits of Baton Rouge. After deferring it for months, the Metro Council signed off on the district last week with broad support.

 

“We’ll be bankrupt behind that scheme,” Holden said in an interview several days after the vote, adding that the district was too large and that the city-parish would miss out on too much money because of it.

The economic development district passed with nine votes of the 12-member Metro Council, one more than would be required to override the mayor’s veto. However, one of the council members who voted with the majority said he regrets the vote and others have said the veto presents to opportunity to make the district better and more specific.

Holden sent his veto message to the Metro Council on Wednesday afternoon, citing concerns about cuts to the city-parish’s budget in light of the state government not having enough money to go around.

Holden said the economic development district proposed by John Delgado may have been well-intended, but “calls for government to provide tax breaks without a real plan.”

http://theadvocate.com/news/15546504-184/holden-vetoes-north-baton-rouge-economic-development-district-approved-by-metro-council

I think Holden was right (at least in the reasons he stated why he killed it initially)   The district was way too broad, which opens it for abuse and a complete lack of focus.   It had "failure" written all over it.   This basically would have handed tax breaks to any big real estate group that wanted to throw up cheap, subsidized housing or low quality development anywhere in north Baton Rouge.  

What the district needs is similar to what assisted downtown redevelopment.   It needs a concentrated, narrow focus on a single corridor, then expanded focus years later after milestones are met.   It would be more harmful to bite off more than we can chew right off the bat. 

I think I'd focus on the area around Southern U first (and Scotlandville).   I think that will net the best results in the shortest amount of time....the move on to corridors like Plank, then Airline, etc.  

Edited June 10, 2016 by cajun

[cajun]

On 5/23/2016 at 9:48 AM, Antrell Williams said:

 

Melrose East (what I know as Mall City) needs to be torn down.

Honestly that location in the center of the parish would be more ideal for some sort of institutional or distribution hub.    Something with flex space I think would work well there or maybe even education use. 

Bonne Carre was actually a great spot for a tech center IMO.   The natural progression for a lot of smaller companies in there would be their own flex space.   Distribution centers can very easily be turned into tech centers and vice versa.    A lot of smaller tech companies in Atlanta, Memphis, and on the west coast using spaces like that these days.  

Edited June 10, 2016 by cajun

[richyb83]

Plans for north Baton Rouge ER moving forward at OLOL’s Airline Highway facility

https://www.businessreport.com/business/plans-north-baton-rouge-er-moving-forward-olols-airline-highway-facility-2

[richyb83]

Construction set to begin on long-awaited Katoen Natie logistics facility on Scenic Highway

Belgium-based global shipping company Katoen Natie is kicking off the first phase of its planned $150 million plastics storage, custom packaging and distribution facility in north Baton Rouge.

Construction is expected to begin on the 127-acre facility on Scenic Highway in the next few weeks. The first phase will include the construction of offices, a maintenance shop, and a 500,000-square-foot processing, storage and handling facility, the company says in a news release. The total cost of this phase is expected to be about $36 million.

Company spokesman Sam Dhollander tells Daily Report the company still wants to build out the entire facility, but no date has been set for when the next phases might get underway.

*rest of article

https://www.businessreport.com/article/construction-set-begin-long-awaited-katoen-natie-logistics-facility-scenic-highway

[cajun]

On 4/6/2016 at 4:14 PM, dan326 said:

Workers expected to break ground on Central’s Settlement at Shoe Creek in June

In the next 30 days, Southern Lifestyle Development, of Lafayette, will put out for bid the infrastructure work on the first phase of the Settlement at Shoe Creek, a massive 150-acre traditional neighborhood development planned in Central.

Prescott Bailey, Southern Lifestyle Development area president, says crews are about 90% done with the engineering specs for the infrastructure work that will be completed in the first phase, for which construction should take about 10 months.

The first phase of the TND being built along Sullivan Road, north of Wax Road, will feature 210 multifamily units in one apartment complex, 100 assisted living units, 115 single-family homes and 28,000 square feet of commercial space.

from the buisness report

The more I read about this, the better it looks on the surface.  

I like that it makes the necessary connections to the immediate north behind the CVS, Marlin road, and Shoe Creek Dr to the west (the updated site plan looks solid).   These developers did a  nice job in Lafayette and in Youngsville....but I'm very interesting in finding out what tenants they've secured for the Shoe Creek development   I'd like to see a Rouses or one of the higher end AG stores (Mathernes, Alexanders, etc.) in there.  I'm sure Central will see a coffee shop of some sorts in this development as well.  Hopefully a CC's and either a Panera or McCalisters..    

If this comes out looking similar in scale to Sugar Mill Pond, Central would be well served.

I don't think it would really fit well in the development, but a Chick Fil A would probably do exceptionally well in both Zachary and Central.  

Edited August 9, 2016 by cajun

[dan326]

^ I agree. I really like Rouse's, they have really good products.

I could see them putting more eating places there than retail.