Baton Rouge City Profile

[greg225]

Downtown or the Nicholson Corridor could be great location for both stores. 

[richyb83]

Thanks for the props...by request of Antrell am moving my post into this thread...

 

Hard to believe I joined here on UP nearly ten years ago (Jan of 06')....and these 10 year  articles bring a bit of nostalgia with it...things were starting to click around the year 1999 (Plan BR) w the New State Buildings at Capitol Park  & the new domed Planetarium  added some flair along the river front across from the old State Capitol....

Then the Hilton Capitol Center(06') & Shaw Center(05') for the Arts came along taking the downtown renaissance to another level....a signature landmark condo high-rise tower River Place was in the works..that is about the time i joined here & it was an exciting time w much anticipation!...thanks to NCB for getting the La.(& BR) Forums...w/o him there is no telling what this place would look like now?

Other parts of BR there was the Southgate Towers about to be completed..with talk of BR's first urban village Perkins Rowe in the suburbs  & new Towne Center along the huge green chunk of land in the middle of the city. & a nice new Main Library; As well as Bass Pro(Livingston) & Cabela's (Ascension) too...things contiued to click!

The great recession(& Katrina with inflated construction co$t) seemed to throw a kink in some promising game changers for BR....River Place(biggest disappointment); River Park(never thought it would really happen) & River District & a Loop for BR got hopes up...but didn't deliver...enthusiasm ebbs & flows...most of the time trying to find a balance btwn  being a sunshine pumper & a negative nancy....

Downtown BR has come a long way! But has a long way to go...  the projects tend to come in waves of activity w lull's in between...North Blvd Town Square, New II City Plaza; Courthouse has definitely added the urban landscape in the southern CBD...the new IBM Block/Commerce Bldg/440 on Third w new grocery store will liven up the north end of Third Street..looking forward to the new Courtyard by Marriott; Watermark & Onyxx residences at the Arts block coming soon to the south end of Third!!

Looking forward to more nice developments for all of BR & surrounding areas...but it moves at a snails pace...the enthusiasm wanes and burn-out can ensue when youve been following this stuff that long...

Sorry for the long post

Edited November 8, 2015 by richyb83

[greg225]

Baton Rouge housing market receives positive reviews in national study  

The Baton Rouge metro area housing market remains healthy and robust, while the New Orleans-Metairie housing market is the worst in the country, according to Nationwide Insurance’s quarterly Health of Housing Markets Report.

Overall, the national housing market remains healthy with little chance of a housing downturn in the next year, and many housing markets should see expansion in 2016, the report says. The company studied 400 metro areas across the country to develop its rankings.

In the study, Baton Rouge received a 2, which is a good sign and signifies a healthy market.

Tiffany Palmer, 2015 president-elect of the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors, says the study’s results fall in line with what residential brokers are saying about Baton Rouge’s housing market.

“It’s always exciting to know that Baton Rouge is doing well, and it goes to show that even though the economy is not the greatest everywhere else, we’re not feeling the brunt of it,” she says.

She says houses are having shorter and shorter stays on the market, which is a good sign, and cited global companies like EA Sports and IBM coming to the area having a positive impact on the housing market.

“Our housing market is really strong,” she says.

While Baton Rouge is listed as a healthy market, three of the 10 worst housing markets in the country reside in Louisiana—New Orleans-Metairie, Hammond and Houma-Thibodaux, according to Nationwide’s study.

The rest of the bottom also comes from energy-dependent states like Texas, South Dakota and Wyoming. Those states, including Louisiana, are vulnerable to a housing downturn because of employment volatility from low oil prices, the study suggests.

Columbus, Ohio-based Nationwide’s Health of Housing Markets Report measures housing markets across the country based on four major categories: year-over-year job growth, housing prices and affordability, overall home sales and mortgage markets. Those variables are graded from a 75 to 125 scale with 100 being neutral. Researchers then compare metro areas to each other.

The index assigns a number—ranging from -4 to 4—to each of America’s 400 metropolitan statistical areas. A positive number indicates a healthy market, but that doesn’t mean a 4 rating is necessarily a good sign.

Elsewhere in the state, Alexandria received a 2; Monroe, Lake Charles and Shreveport-Bossier City received a 1; Lafayette, Hammond and Houma-Thibodaux received a 0; and New Orleans received a -1, making it the only metro area to be given a negative score.

In the first quarter report released in June, Nationwide ranked Baton Rouge tops in the state, with Nationwide Senior Vice President and Chief Economist David Berson saying at the time that Baton Rouge’s economic growth in the first quarter attributed to the high marks.

See the full report.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/baton-rouge-housing-market-receives-positive-reviews-national-study

[cajun]

Really stupid question....

Does anyone know why there's a continuous center turn lane on 4th between Spanish Town Rd. and North?     Where exactly are cars supposed to turn into?   I don't think there are any curb cuts for a drive way used by vehicles on either side of the street for that whole block....not even service entrances.

Why not just add 30 parallel parking spaces on the west side of the road instead or a combination of a bus stop and street parking?   That would make parking at the capital easier and create a barrier between the southbound lane on 4th street and pedestrians.   Maybe it would encourage people to visit the museum there.

Edited January 5, 2016 by cajun

[dan326]

17 minutes ago, cajun said:

Really stupid question....

Does anyone know why there's a continuous center turn lane on 4th between Spanish Town Rd. and North?     Where exactly are cars supposed to turn into?   I don't think there are any curb cuts for a drive way used by vehicles on either side of the street for that whole block....not even service entrances.

Why not just add 30 parallel parking spaces on the west side of the road instead or a combination of a bus stop and street parking?   That would make parking at the capital easier and create a barrier between the southbound lane on 4th street and pedestrians.   Maybe it would encourage people to visit the museum there.

I've seen people use it for carpool.

[richyb83]

True cajun...that continuous  turn-lane was a real head scratcher....

HAPPY NEW YEAR to Everybody here on UP

2015 already in the Rear-view mirror...Article /Summary of the main events both Good & Bad...Brown & Root; IBM; Water Campus; new Downtown Hotels; LSU housing-boom; change at BR General at Mid City; Albemarle leavining for Charlotte  & Amedysis for Nashville...

http://theadvocate.com/news/business/14366218-123/plunging-oil-gas-prices-dominate-regions-business-news

[cajun]

Thanks for posting!

I agree with the Brown & Root being a bigger deal for the region than what meets the eye.   The founders sold high years ago, and they are now acquiring (cheaply) a number of downstream service companies from conglomerates struggling with low oil and gas prices.   Brown and Root will itself be a giant within a decade, growing through both acquisition and increased industrial and energy sector investment as oil prices slowly rise.

....and in 2013 I was convinced that Shaw being acquired by CB&I would spell serious trouble for Baton Rouge.   I was wrong.   

Edited January 5, 2016 by cajun

[cajun]

Supposedly POTUS is coming to Baton Rouge on Jan 14 to give a speech.  Location and time unknown.  

Traffic is going to suck even worse that day, but it will be cool to see Air Force One take off from one of the local airports again.   That's a beautiful plane.

Edited January 10, 2016 by cajun

[greg225]

President Obama to speak at McKinley High on Thursday; limited number of tickets available to public              

President Barack Obama will speak at McKinley Senior High School when he makes his first trip to Baton Rouge as president on Thursday, the White House announced Monday.

 

The president is scheduled to be at the school between 9 and 11 a.m. Thursday and is speaking in the school’s gym. It will be a public event, but only a limited number of the school’s 1,400 students will be able to attend, not everyone, said Adonica Duggan, a spokeswoman for the East Baton Rouge Parish school system.

A limited number of tickets will be distributed on Tuesday, starting at 9 a.m., at the McKinley High School Alumni Center, 1512 Thomas H. Delpit Drive. One ticket per person will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The president's remarks will be live-streamed here: whitehouse.gov/live.

The arrival and departure of Air Force One will be closed to the public.

The visit will mark Obama’s 10th trip to Louisiana during his time in office.

The stop, after his seventh and final State of the Union address on Tuesday, is part of his tradition of engaging with Americans directly, officials said.

The White House alerted the East Baton Rouge Parish school system on Friday of the president’s desire to speak at a Baton Rouge public school. The team scouted Baton Rouge Magnet, McKinley and Tara high schools that day before settling Monday morning on McKinley, Duggan said.

McKinley High, which first opened a century ago, is a landmark in Louisiana history and for years was the only African-American high school in this part of the state. Duggan said McKinley was the first choice because of the school’s historical significance, but the advance team spent the weekend making sure it would work safety-wise.

Duggan said she doesn’t know what Obama will be discussing. She said a lot of work remains to get ready for Thursday.

“We have to arrange for what amounts to a Friday night football game in the middle of the school day,” Duggan said.   http://theadvocate.com/news/14541868-123/president-obama-to-speak-a-mckinley-high-on-tursday-event-open-to-the-public

[cajun]

Good choice........although I'm not sure the locals will like it being renamed "Denali" high school.

Patience will be needed navigating Baton Rouge on Thursday.   They usually don't let anyone know what roads will be shut down until right before he gets there.   Still good press for Baton Rouge and it's nice having POTUS visit for pretty much any reason that isn't Hurricane Katrina.

Edited January 12, 2016 by cajun

[Mr. Burnham]

On 1/12/2016 at 8:20 PM, cajun said:

Good choice........although I'm not sure the locals will like it being renamed "Denali" high school.

Patience will be needed navigating Baton Rouge on Thursday.   They usually don't let anyone know what roads will be shut down until right before he gets there.   Still good press for Baton Rouge and it's nice having POTUS visit for pretty much any reason that isn't Hurricane Katrina.

Well it's because we are the first deep south state to get Obamacare #thanksJBE 

In all honesty though, we know the interstate will probably be shut down...so, yeah, Thursday is going to really suck.

[dan326]

I tried my luck at getting a ticket. They were gone at 12:50, lol.

[Mr. Burnham]

13 hours ago, dan326 said:

I tried my luck at getting a ticket. They were gone at 12:50, lol.

I will be there! Very Excited to see him...it's funny...I'm a Republican, but over the past week I've been a guest at so many Democrat events. 

[cajun]

3 hours ago, mr. bernham said:

I will be there! Very Excited to see him...it's funny...I'm a Republican, but over the past week I've been a guest at so many Democrat events. 

My wife and I are basically the opposite of you lately.

I'm hearing Air Force One will be at BTR sometime this evening and he's staying at a downtown hotel.   I'm guessing the Hilton. 

[dan326]

4 hours ago, mr. bernham said:

I will be there! Very Excited to see him...it's funny...I'm a Republican, but over the past week I've been a guest at so many Democrat events. 

What time did you get there to get your golden ticket? lol

[Mr. Burnham]

8 hours ago, dan326 said:

What time did you get there to get your golden ticket? lol

I've got connections . Went straight there after the inauguration...so around 4. 

[cajun]

I heard that he said "Thanks, New Orleans" after a speech mentioning Baton Rouge.  

Edited January 16, 2016 by cajun

[Mr. Burnham]

10 hours ago, cajun said:

I heard that he said "Thanks, New Orleans" after a speech mentioning Baton Rouge.  

Yeah, in the speech he talked about helping Baton Rouge and the city's future. Also about the city getting federal dollars to fix traffic problems...then ended by saying "Thanks, New Orleans"...no one really cared. 

[dan326]

Yeah, I saw a clip of the mix up. I figured it was either a taken out of context or just a little mistake from getting caught up in the moment. Or like one of the commentors on the video said, he might have been verbally passing the big city baton...Which leads me to a crazy theory I have that his visit was a "ritual" of sorts to give secrets/bestow his blessing on up-and-coming cities. I see Omaha as another "almost but not quite there" large-mediumish sized city that I'm assuming is also trying to take it to the next level.

Edited January 16, 2016 by dan326

[richyb83]

http://www.brac.org/brac/thinkbigger.asp

[cajun]

 

Quote

Wearin’ of the Green Parade on Saturday in Baton Rouge: What you need to know

http://theadvocate.com/entertainment/red/15124134-64/wearin-of-the-green-parade-rolls-through-br-on-saturday

Everybody’s Irish on Saturday, at least as far as organizers of the annual Wearin’ of the Green Parade are concerned.

Throw on that emerald T-shirt and grab the raincoat and/or umbrella (just in case) and head out to the Hundred Oaks neighborhood in Baton Rouge.

With showers predicted at least through early Saturday morning, parade founder and WBRZ chief meteorologist Pat Shingleton says there is a weather plan in place.

“We have a protocol, that if there is any situation of severe weather that would reach severe limits, such as a thunderstorm warning or tornado warning or anything like that, then we would act appropriately from the parade site,” Shingleton says.

“Depending upon what this upper low (weather system) is going to do as far as spinning that line of showers out late Friday night and into Saturday morning, we do believe we’ve got a window there, and it’s a pretty good window, from 10 (a.m.) up until 1 in the afternoon, so that’s what we are leaning toward,” he says.

T he parade is scheduled to roll at 10 a.m. from the Catholic Life Center on South Acadian Thruway. 

 

This might be rained out...but it's usually a good time.

 

And for the first time, Mockler Beverage is bringing the Budweiser Clydesdales to town.

Edited March 11, 2016 by cajun

[richyb83]

A MESSAGE FROM THE DDD

red stick 311 request services & report issues The Baton Rouge City-Parish government has released a new app - Red Stick 311 - a new way for Baton Rouge citizens to request services and report isssues while "on the go." Red Stick 311 web platform and smartphone apps allow users to easily log requests for service, create online accounts to track the status of service requests, upload images that provide visual references as to the nature of the service request, and do so all from a computer or smartphone. In addition, the Red Stick 311 mobile app utilizes geolocation services to easily pinpoint the location from which a user is requesting service. Geolocation allows the City-Parish to then dispatch crews directly to that location, while overlaying the request with other work in that area that may be potentially causing the request for service such as road or sewer construction. Many thanks to Mayor Holden and the City Parish Government for this convenient app for users on the go! Please see links below for additional information.

Red stick 311 >> Press Release >>

[richyb83]

OUR TURN: Urban Congress

WAFB Video

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) -

Let’s talk about something positive that is happening in our community this weekend. MetroMorphosis, a non-profit in Baton Rouge, is hosting a conference on the state of African American males in our community.

Reservations for the event have already reached maximum capacity and those in attendance will include the leaders of local businesses, government officials and others from religious and community organizations. They’re all coming together to address an issue that causes a lot of pain and suffering in our community - specifically the poor outcomes for many African American boys and men.

The group cites statistics showing that 40 percent of African American teenage boys who enter the ninth grade do not graduate and that Black boys and men here are 70 percent more likely to be incarcerated. The group’s goal is to facilitate dialogue that leads to action and long-term improvement.

We’re glad there are people in our community who see the need for progress and we applaud their initiative.

That's "Our Turn." Now, it's your turn. To comment on this segment or anything else, visit us on Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Copyright 2016 WAFB. All rights reserved.

http://www.wafb.com/story/31702833/our-turn-urban-congress

 

[dan326]

I could see this, I was pre-approved for a  pretty decent loan.

Baton Rouge ranked No. 7 among top 10 cities for first-time homebuyers

  

Baton Rouge is ranked No. 7 in the nation for the top 10 cities for first-time homebuyers, according to Realtor.com, the official website of the National Association of Realtors.

While the share of first-time homebuyers has fallen again nationally for the third straight year and is at its lowest point in nearly three decades, the Capital City remains a strong market for those seeking to purchase their first homes, Realtor.com says. 

Among all of the markets Realtor.com studies, Baton Rouge has the highest share—52%— of mortgages by homebuyers between ages 25 and 34.

Realtor.com studied the 100 largest U.S. metropolitian areas for mortgage availability, livability, job growth, inventory and affordability.

Portland, Maine, topped the list at the No. 1. Other cities include: Philadelphia (No. 2); St. Louis (No. 3); Allentown, Pennsylvania (No. 4); Albany, New York (No. 5); Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (No. 6); Dayton, Ohio (No. 8); Minneapolis (No. 9); and Virginia Beach, Virginia (No. 10)

Read the full ranking.

[dan326]

A very surprising statistic that describes why all these new houses are so expensive.

New Orleans, Lafayette, Baton Rouge see large gains in higher-income residents: 'The rest of us aren’t keeping up'

In cities across America, the middle class is hollowing out as more households move into either higher- or lower-income groups. New Orleans, Lafayette and Baton Rouge were among cities in a report that saw the biggest gains in upper-income residents from 2000 to 2014.
According to Pew, Lafayette and New Orleans saw an overall gain of 13 percentage points in the share of adults who were upper income. Baton Rouge had an 11 percentage point gain. The national average went up by 1 percentage point during the 14-year period.
Middle class adults now make up less than half the population in such cities as New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Houston. Forty-nine percent of New Orleans and Lafayette households were middle class in 2014, while Baton Rouge was 52 percent middle class.

http://theadvocate.com/news/business/15762417-123/new-orleans-lafayette-baton-rouge-see-large-gains-in-higher-income-residents-the-rest-of-us-arent-ke

Edited May 19, 2016 by dan326