Baton Rouge City Profile

[richyb83]

My dad still fusses today they tore-down the old Paramount theatre on Third Street. Drive-in movie's were before my time...but seems like they would have been fun back in the day! They have not added Rave theatre at Mall of La. for some reason.

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/united-states/louisiana/baton-rouge

Edited July 29, 2012 by richyb83

[Antrell Williams]

I wonder if it would work at Indepence Park? Maybe set up a screen for weekends only.

[cajun]

Is Louisiana weather ideal for drive in theaters?

[Antrell Williams]

Probably not but we've had them right?

[cajun]

Yes. We used to have bias ply tired and leaded fuel, too.

I can see a drive in as a novelty for spring or fall.....but I don't see how a business could survive today like that in Louisiana. It's either raining, foggy, or really hot. You'd also need a massive screen and lot to generate the revenue of a typical theater.

But a very cool novelty to have. The old drive in was on Airline highway just south of EJL. The plot of land is still empty.

Edited July 29, 2012 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

That's why I said a screen to set up on the weekends, a temporary thing to see if it gains traction.

[richyb83]

No real suprise here...nice to have all the trees...even with the Wards Creek greenbelt flattend along I-10 near Essen Lane...and the proposed Grove between Bluebonnet & Siegen

Green city ...... Baton Rouge may be most tree-covered city in United States

If Kamran Abdollahi has his way, Baton Rouge will become known as “Green City.”

A professor of urban forestry at Southern University, Abdollahi is reminded by out-of-town colleagues how leafy the city remains, even after hurricanes and development have taken their toll. “That’s one of the first things they notice is how green it is,”

Abdollahi and his students recently completed a scientific study of the more than 1 million trees within Baton Rouge’s city limits. Those trees compose a canopy that covers 44 percent of the city — a larger percentage than the professor can find in any other North American city. Atlanta’s 36 percent coverage is second, according to data compiled by Abdollahi’s urban forestry department.

“I think people have taken it for granted because it’s all around us,” said Peggy Davis, the executive director of the LSU Hilltop Arboretum, after learning of the study’s statistics. “People don’t realize how special this is, this part of the country.”

*rest of article*

http://theadvocate.com/features/people/3448441-123/green-city

[cajun]

Our tree canopy is awesome. I hope BR green gets even more bold in the future. Houston is also trying hard to shed it's "concrete city" image.

I only wish BR used more evergreen trees around their living roadway projects that serve as buffers sometimes.

BTW.....the advocate reports that the commerce building sold to the company that developed Hotel Indigo in BR and Rice Mill lofts in the Bywater area in New Orleans.

Edited August 2, 2012 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

I've never noticed. But I have noticed the absence in many areas.

[richyb83]

In yesterday's "Ask the Advocate....Did not realize EBR designated "Avenues" running east-west & "Drives" are north-south....and there are small narrow "lanes" like Honore Lane(still gravel?) off Siegen may still apply....but Siegen & O'Neal don't qualify as lanes now...LOL

Q. How are roadways designated in East Baton Rouge Parish?

A. According to the East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission Unified Development Code, the following are approved street name suffixes in the parish:

• Alley: Alleys are public servitudes which generally run behind lots and provide service to homes and businesses, or are otherwise short streets narrower than the standard width. This suffix is generally not used for new streets except in exceptional circumstances.

• Avenue: A road or thoroughfare that serves through traffic, or ingress/egress traffic within a subdivision or subdivisions. This suffix may only be used for east-west oriented streets.

• Boulevard: A through street; can also be an entrance roadway for a larger subdivision. These roads contain a landscaped central reservation and a minimum of four through traffic lanes. Roadways of this deiscription are required to use this suffix per the Unified Development Code.

• Circle: A side street which has both termini on the same road, creating a loop or crescent.

• Court: Short dead end street which terminates in a cul-de-sac. Recommended length is 600 feet or less.

• Drive: A road or thoroughfare that serves through traffic, or ingress/egress traffic within a subdivision or subdivisions. This suffix may only be used for north-south oriented streets.

• Highway: Reserved suffix for sState-maintained roads only.

• Lane: Minor street within a subdivision which may or may not be a dead-end.

• Loop: A side street which has both termini on the same road, creating a loop or crescent.

• Place: Short dead end street which terminates in a cul-de-sac.

• Parkway: A thoroughfare designated as a major street. These roadways should include a median or central reservation.

• Road: A thoroughfare serving primarily rural areas, with a length greater than one-half mile in length.

• Street: A road or thoroughfare that serves through traffic or continues across several subdivisions.

• Thruway: A major street with a minimum of four through traffic lanes and a dedicated central reservation.

• Walk: A side street within an older neighborhood. This suffix is generally not used for new streets except in exceptional circumstances.

• Way: Minor street within a subdivision which may or may not be a dead-end.

http://theadvocate.com/columnists/3619242-55/ask-the-advocate-ebr-roadway

[richyb83]

There is "NO" height ordinance in downtown BR; stating no building can be taller than the Capitol....yet there are plenty of people that still think there is.

Ask The Advocate: Building height limits?

Q. Is there a height limit for the construction of new commercial office buildings in downtown Baton Rouge?

A. Response from Davis Rhorer, executive director of the Downtown Development District:

“Height restrictions exist in Historic Spanish Town as a local historic district as well as Historic Beauregard Town because of existing zoning designations.”

However, the Central Business District of downtown largely consists of C-5 zoning. “There are no height restrictions as well as no parking requirements. There has been a thought that buildings could not be built taller than the State Capitol, but nothing exists in the laws to support this.”

http://theadvocate.com/home/3678564-125/ask-the-advocate-building-height

[Antrell Williams]

The Capitol grounds provide enough of a buffer. We wouldn't need a height ordinace because our capitol isn't like that of Arkansas', Georgia's, or Texas'.

[cajun]

I agree. The state buildings constructed under the Foster and Blanco administration respect the Capitol grounds in their size, scale, and architecture with the possible exception to the on on 6th street (east of the Bienville building) being too tall to neighbor single family residential. I still like the buliding.

I'm impressed with the landscaping and green space as well. The Louisiana museum is a little different, but it is set far enough from the road and away from the adjacent buildings to allow it's own unique style without disrupting the neighborhood fabric.....so it works and works very well. I only wish we had more museums in the area.

The Capitol campus is a success for downtown, but they did replace state office buildings and leases in other parts of town....including the distressed area along Florida.

My concern is that maybe one of those buildings could have been built off North Blvd or Florida just east of 110 to help bring more daily workers to that area. I'd like to see the North Blvd area revitalized one day....perhaps even farther down Florida near mid city around Foster or near the BREC building.

I have no problem for the remaining state agencies outside of downtown taking advantage of cheap lease rates and cheap real estate by locating in distressed areas.

I don't think we'll see many buildings topping 20 levels downtown anytime soon. If we do, it will likely be a hotel or residential building of some sort.

I think the Capitol will be the tallest building for a while.

Edited August 22, 2012 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

I don't think we'll see many buildings topping 20 levels downtown anytime soon. If we do, it will likely be a hotel or residential building of some sort.

I think the Capitol will be the tallest building for a while.

Apparently Buckett has some information about Riverplace that he can't yet reveal. We haven't seen him post in a while so maybe he's busy working with the developers.

[cajun]

There was a Bomb threat on LSU today. 3rd campus in the US threatened in 4 days.

Stay away from the area....I hear traffic is a disaster and all buses are packed.

[richyb83]

Better to be safe than sorry...but have to wonder if this is just a ploy by some jokers to get out of class early??

The Capitol Park Campus is said to be one of the nicest in the country....i can believe it!

Edited September 17, 2012 by richyb83

[Antrell Williams]

Maybe a high school. If a student does this at LSU, they don't deserve an education, on top of a short prison sentence.

[cajun]

FWIW, It's the third campus where this happened in the last 4 days. I hope it's just a prankster, but I wouldn't be shocked if they were related.

Edited September 18, 2012 by cajun

[cajun]

Anyone ever seen this site: http://m.theleif.org/tools/baton-rouge-streetcar-map.php

It's an old transit map for Baton Rouge.

[Antrell Williams]

I posted a thread named "Baton Rouge Streetcars" with that link in it.

[cajun]

I posted a thread named "Baton Rouge Streetcars" with that link in it.

You know I don't read your threads.

Is that your blog? Has to be someone on UP.

[Antrell Williams]

It's not my website, doesn't necessarily have to be a UP user, could be one of the many other forums. I bet you didn't know we had such an extensive network of streetcars. You can still see some of the leftover tracks.

[byrde]

It is a shame we didn't keep the streetcars.

[Antrell Williams]

Puzzling puzzle

Bizarre boundaries of Baton Rouge lead to higher taxes for some, increased insurance for others and confusion for almost everyone.

http://www.businessreport.com/article/20121001/BUSINESSREPORT0401/310019987/1001

Time to annex these areas? I'd say yes.

First we need to change the legislature to allow for simpler annexation laws.

[richyb83]

Yeah I talked about these bizzare boundries a while back...just cant remember where it was posted?? To think Towne Center & Mall of La/Perkins Rowe are not in BR City Limits is crazy...sure feels like BR. The population would go from 230,000 to at least 300,000 if my proposed annexations were to take place.