Baton Rouge City Profile

[richyb83]

^ Cool story, I think I remember that!

Can you see this^ from Bluebonnet? It feels like I've seen it, but it still seems new.

About how tall would you say the parking garage/Wells Fargo building at Perkins Rowe is?

Yes you can see it from Bluebonnet, between the two 12-story apt. towers;

I'm not sure about Wells Fargo, I would guess 60-80 ft. ???

Edited December 22, 2006 by richyb83

[dan326]

I went to the Mall of LA yesterday and afterward went on a little detour down Bluebonnet towards Perkins.

It seems like the unfinished dorm was bigger than I rememeber. And when are they finally going to anounnce the tenant?!

I saw the new head office for the Advocate. Very nicely lighted at night.

Then the best part : Perkins Rowe! It's coming along and it is AWESOME ! Couldn't see a well as I would have liked since it was night, but I did manage to spot the spines(that's what I think it's called ) of the hotel and one of the condos. I wonder what hotel it will be? I think I also saw the spine for the another of the condos, but it looked smaller, so it might have just been some equipment. I also saw the McDonald's. I see what you were talking about with the sign, no pole and that place was lit up too. You would had thought that they were trying guide some ships to shore.

Went back down Bluebonnet turned were the hospital is, it's expansion is also coming along nicely.

Lastly, I saw that they have put up the sign for the new 8 story office behind Jacobs Plaza?

Ah,I love my little city.

Edited December 24, 2006 by dan326

[richyb83]

Yep Dan, Sprawling Rouge is filling up! And turning into a city, the growing pains are easy to see. The Picardy extension should start by mid-07' and connect Bluebonnet and Essen. There is not enough connectivity of surface streets in that area; a rectangular grid is ideal; would help traffic flow. Turning left onto Summa from Essen( headed toward mall) was a nightmare this past week. Ward's Creek and Dawson Creek/property lines make things tricky.

[richyb83]

Taken this past Summer

New North Blvd. Overpass looking east away from Downtown

I was suprised to see all the green to the right; it's widely known that Baton Rouge is a very green city;

and a deep/thick tree canopy...don't be fooled, that's a blighted neighborhood that has some empty or overgrown lots.

Edited December 24, 2006 by richyb83

[NCB]

And then it was said that even though we took the most residents we also lost the most and went way below population prejections and leveled out at only 30,000 people.

I don't know about population projections, but the rest of that quote is true. The majority of New Orleanians that evacuated New Orleans and stayed in Baton Rouge during and after Katrina, were the people with more money, and with the means to get out on their own. The majority of people that have come back to New Orleans post-Katrina, have been those same people. Mostly white families with money. Baton Rouge got alot of those people, while cities like Houston and Atlanta took in alot of New Orleans' lower-class and poorer residents. Most of those people were bused out after the storm, and still haven't returned. The reason Baton Rouge didn't really see a jump in crime after Katrina, was again because of the fact that most of the evacuees it took in were not associated with crime, unlike what we saw and still see in Houston and Atlanta.

[dan326]

The Picardy extension should start by mid-07' and connect Bluebonnet and Essen.

I haven't heard of that before, have any more details? Also, do you know when that connector road from the mall to Perkins will begin construction?

Mostly white families with money. Baton Rouge got alot of those people

That's good, because that means lots of tax dollars.

[NCB]

That's good, because that means lots of tax dollars.

You could say it was a positive for Baton Rouge then, and it's a big positive for New Orleans now, as just about all of those people are back. I actually stayed in Baton Rouge for about 3 weeks after Katrina, before returning home.

[dan326]

I rememeber I got out of school for a week for Katrina, but I didn't enjoy it because I was dying to get back to school to take an AR on a book I finished reading the first day of the week. What a mistake that was, as right after taking that test I ready to go back home.

[dan326]

Baton Rouge was a movie made in 1988 produced in Spain. One of the people in it were Antonio Banderas. Description : "A gigolo seduces a wealthy woman and with the help of her psychiatrist, conspires to murder the woman's husband and frame her for the crime. But the plan backfires, setting off a chain of deceit and doublecrosses. "

What a wonerful way to portray our city.

[dan326]

Sprawling Rouge

You know Richy, I think back and I don't know why you would say such a thing. In fact I think that this comparative picture of suburban Atlanta and Baton Rouge proves my point very nicely.

Edited December 29, 2006 by dan326

[dan326]

Here's a picture of a theater I thought was kind of neat that is going to be built in Grand Rapids. I read the other day that an acre of land was sold downtown. Maybe they could build something like this there or a condensed version on 3rd street.

Edited January 3, 2007 by dan326

[richyb83]

You are funny Dan . Great comparison on how not to sprawl. They say Atlanta is arguably the worst "sprawl" example. And Baton Rouge is just a smaller version. Houston and Los Angeles look to be the largest most spread-out places in the world!!!

^I like that idea for Third Street. I think it would do well after the residential projects are completed.

Edited January 3, 2007 by richyb83

[dimebag1980]

You are funny Dan . Great comparison on how not to sprawl. They say Atlanta is arguably the worst "sprawl" example. And Baton Rouge is just a smaller version. Houston and Los Angeles look to be the largest most spread-out places in the world!!!

^I like that idea for Third Street. I think it would do well after the residential projects are completed.

Chicago, while very sense, is also majorly spread out as well. Look at that city on a map... wow!

And yeah, that's a cool theater in Grand Rapids.

[richyb83]

Over the years this type of suburban French Country-style "garden offices" have popped-up everywhere.

This is cheaper for the business's to build out in the burbs their own little place than to lease space in a city-center office tower. They look O.K. (like big-fancy houses); but some people have grown tired of this type of development, including me But, a new generation of more-modern style architects have worked their way into the capital region.

Perkins Road

Each side of Bluebonnet Blvd. north of I-10 is this special ordinance for garden office parks along a stretch over a mile long to Jefferson Hwy.

Pardon the giant ding in the windshield; road construction around BR can get nasty sometimes

Edited January 7, 2007 by richyb83

[tombarnes]

Building movie theaters downtown would be a smart idea. Too bad the Paramount and the Hart were swept away so thoughtlessly years ago. Theaters with big screens would be even nicer. I'm sick and tired of the postage stamp screens so many of the new theaters have these days.

Edited January 7, 2007 by tombarnes

[richyb83]

Yeah Tom, my Dad still complains/grumbles to this day because they tore-down the Paramount way back when. What a shame those idiots did that!

[dan326]

Each side of Bluebonnet Blvd. north of I-10 is this special ordinance for garden office parks along a stretch over a mile long to Jefferson Hwy.

What kind of ordinance is it?

I actually like those little building when they're all together, but it is time for a change.

Also, do you know dimension of a movie screen because it always seem like they could never fit as many screens as the do into a movie theater.

Edited January 8, 2007 by dan326

[brresident]

Those garden offices are nice. You can't expect everyone to be downtown....traffic would be horrible.

I'd much rather have a well landscaped 1-2 story garden office near my house than a gas station or strip mall. Those little offices off of Bluebonnet will age well, I think. They are expensive, much much, much cheaper and more convinient that something that nice downtown or on Essen

They serve a good purpose. Too much is a bad thing, but I think BR is fine. When you think about it, Bluebonnet is sort of a downtown district with shopping, office centers, and homes all nearby. The garden offices have a small town feel to them.

Who knows....those little garden office tenants or industrialplex HQs might grow into a taller building off of Essen or in Downtown. Shaw and Turner started in those little single story buildings in wooddale- and those are nearly as nice as the stuff they are building these days.

Edited January 8, 2007 by brresident

[richyb83]

Thanks for the imput brresident. I agree with you, you make many interesting(good) points. The offices on Bluebonnet are really nice. But I think much more of that and the "ratio" will be titling too far to those suburban faux French Country garden offices. From East Airport Drive to Perkins; Sherwood Forest to Jefferson Hwy is borderline plenty. Until recently(new State Bldgs.), downtown Baton Rouge's office space was comparable to Bunkie on steroids. Downtown Metairie had/has more office space.

Edited January 8, 2007 by richyb83

[dan326]

Remember how they said parts of the new Westmoreland Center would be recesed, wouldn't it be neat if it were something like this.

Stata Center in Cambridge, MA

Edited January 8, 2007 by dan326

[richyb83]

Yes it sure would look cool! Talk about bring that section of Mid-city to life! I'm glad there are plans to redevelop Westmoreland.

[dan326]

Here's a rendering of a building proposed for Atlanta that I think might look good at the Advocate site. Not too flashy, that box shape B.R. loves so much, and just the right touch of modern.

Sorry I was gone for so long, my dad went to get a new harddrive installed, still didn't do it though.

Edited February 3, 2007 by dan326

[richyb83]

I like your vision for Baton Rouge Dan. I guess we can always dream huh?? Baton Rouge needs a gleaming new 30-story mixed-use office tower...but

It sounds like the old Advocate site may not be 30-stories tall after all; but it will be very nice. Actually one of the developers wants to create something lower than RiverPlace; to produce more of a place for public space , office and residential. Not sure exactly what that means or how tall??

We need to talk to BRAC Leader Stephen Moret about BR needing at "new" true high-rise. He is not easy to contact; we had played phone tag....I(we) need to talk to him before it's too late.

[hagetaka]

We all like to dream, but Baton Rouge should try something like this downtown. High rise apartment complexes instead of the condos. I have a problem with neither one, just would like to see more people downtown. One day our downtown residental area might look like this. Most of the residental has a parking garage and retail at the bottom. The idea can work here. I know it can.

[richyb83]

I totally agree LaThunder. Baton Rouge has mostly been a little slow on following trends, but it's time is coming; even with the residential market cooling off in most places in the U.S. I'm still wondering what will become of the giant vacant car-lot block on prime riverfront property between the newly renovated Hilton and RiverPlace?? I can see something like that possibly going up with parking garage and retail at the bottom.

But there are many loft-living projects coming on board downtown. The Advocate site; Kress&Levy Bldg; some more on Third Street; Laurel Tower,etc.

I like what they did on the ground level state parking garages with Main Street Market in one; and YMCA/retail in the other.

^^BTW Nice condo's in pics too.

Edited February 24, 2007 by richyb83