Shreveport/Bossier City Development

[dimebag1980]

shreveport is taking a step in the right direction with the Allendale area. Believe it or not some of the best real estate in the city is in that area from a historical standpoint to Cross Lake. I wish someone in that city hasd some vision for the Cross Lake area , even the part that I 220 goes over. How long can they stay a hick town

Do you just post here because you enjoy bashing Shreveport? I mean, afterall you have professed your dislike for the area in one of your previous posts. And on top of that, you live in San Antonio and obviously have neither lived in, nor visited, Shreveport in many years. That fact is obvious, because you're completely clueless and more than half of your posts here contain at least one sentence of useless, ignorant bashing.

And on the subject of Cross Lake, what are you talking about? Have you ever been on Cross Lake? Some of the most gorgeous property and homes in this entire area are on that lake! It's a serene, natural setting, and no one wants to destroy one of Shreveport's most beautiful assets. As much as I'm pro-development, there is no need to destroy our beautiful natural resource we call Cross Lake.

Edited July 30, 2006 by SBCmetroguy

[fridayinla]

shreveport is taking a step in the right direction with the Allendale area. Believe it or not some of the best real estate in the city is in that area from a historical standpoint to Cross Lake. I wish someone in that city hasd some vision for the Cross Lake area , even the part that I 220 goes over. How long can they stay a hick town

I agree with SBCMetroguy, imaterry78247. If you're going to post here, make your comments positive and purposeful. Otherwise, nobody wants you here.

[Metlife]

+1. Hey, imaterd, errr, imaterry, worry about your own city, and keep your ignorant comments to yourself.

[Mudbugger]

Here, here!

Constructive criticism is one thing but outright bashing is totally unnecessary here.

My wife and I went to the former Expo hall today and saw the sets being used for the NBC movie of the week "A year without Santa Claus". Many normal citizens were there and my wife and I got to meet and talk with mayoral candidate Jerry Jones. In the 10 minutes we talked with him we solidified i belief that he is the right man for the job of mayor. When i mentioned that i was displeased with the current administration's lack of vision regarding the Southern Hills area his ears perked up and was really receptive to my concerns.

My concern is that Southern Hills is on it's way to becoming another Allendale or Cedar Grove.

Some people would be hesitant to agree with that statement but look at the increase in crime, major businesses closing and people moving to other parts of town.

People like imaterry are just posers who claim to be in San Antonio and have probably never stepped foot in Shreveport.

Take what they say with a grain of salt the size of Montana.

Just a short rant,

Mudbugger

[dimebag1980]

Here, here!

Constructive criticism is one thing but outright bashing is totally unnecessary here.

My wife and I went to the former Expo hall today and saw the sets being used for the NBC movie of the week "A year without Santa Claus". Many normal citizens were there and my wife and I got to meet and talk with mayoral candidate Jerry Jones. In the 10 minutes we talked with him we solidified i belief that he is the right man for the job of mayor. When i mentioned that i was displeased with the current administration's lack of vision regarding the Southern Hills area his ears perked up and was really receptive to my concerns.

My concern is that Southern Hills is on it's way to becoming another Allendale or Cedar Grove.

Some people would be hesitant to agree with that statement but look at the increase in crime, major businesses closing and people moving to other parts of town.

People like imaterry are just posers who claim to be in San Antonio and have probably never stepped foot in Shreveport.

Take what they say with a grain of salt the size of Montana.

Just a short rant,

Mudbugger

Good Sunday evening, Mudbugger! I wouldn't disagree with you about Southern Hills one bit. Why do you think I didn't purchase a home there? Because I got no positive feedback from the neighbors around the homes I was considering. Something has got to be done, because Southern Hills really is a nice area. And it's comprised of some 30,000 taxpaying citizens... to put that into perspective, its population is actually higher than that of the entire city of Texarkana, AR! Southern Hills is in a great locale, and it's one of the first areas of the city seen by people coming into the city from the south on Highway 171. In addition, there are tons of businesses in Southern Hills, many of which have weathered the storm and will hang on for only so much longer! There are even new businesses coming to Southern Hills, like the new Barksdale Federal Credit Union currently under construction on Mansfield Road in front of the old K-Mart site.

By the way, I meant to go down and tour the soundstage but forgot all about it after I ate lunch!! I hope it was a very nice, positive experience... aside from meeting Mr. Jones. I did notice, over the last week, they made many great improvements to the exterior of the building, including trimming the trees and adding permanent signage. I wish, however, that their digital sign would tell what movies were currently in production and who the stars are. That would be extremely impressive to our out-of-town visitors who walk and drive right by that building as they hop from casino to casino!

[woob]

Hello guys! Don't you just love negative people? That's so 1995 Aol chat room. People try to get a rise out of ya by posting something they know you don't want to hear.. can't we just block him some how? anyways.. I'm a big fan of this site.. I'm mostly quiet on here.. that's going to stop I promise.. the wife bought me a new camera and now I'm armed with a decent camera! well I will be tomorrow..

peace

[dimebag1980]

Hello guys! Don't you just love negative people? That's so 1995 Aol chat room. People try to get a rise out of ya by posting something they know you don't want to hear.. can't we just block him some how? anyways.. I'm a big fan of this site.. I'm mostly quiet on here.. that's going to stop I promise.. the wife bought me a new camera and now I'm armed with a decent camera! well I will be tomorrow..

peace

woob,

You're correct, you have been very silent. But when you've posted it's always been an excellent addition. Ever since I saw your first post I wondered what would get you posting more. As it turns out, it just took you getting a new camera!! I'll probably see you out and about now and not even know who you are. I'm out there taking pictures every chance I get, usually on weekends. And I can vouch for just how exciting a nice, new camera can be!!

I certainly hope we'll all be seeing more of 'woob' on here, and I'll definitely be looking forward to your photos!

Take care,

Brian

[Mudbugger]

SBC,

Thanks for the kind word.

In regards to your observation that there are new businesses locating in Southern Hills: It will take more than a low-end bank, an even lower-end used car lot and a few cheap restaurants that fold inside of 6 months to save this part of town.

I mentioned this to Jerry Jones and i recommended making a deal with any Hollywood studio house and said that there is plenty of land on Bert Kouns that could easily handle a production studio for filming of movies here. Not to mention the fact that the old Sam's on Jewella could easily be converted to become a new soundstage. Think about it, a building over 100,000 sq. ft. and it's ceiling's reach 20 ft.

Those are the qualifications for most soundstages if i am not mistaken.

With the loss of SouthPark Mall as a major shopping destination, the old Sam's and the demise of the old AT&T plant, Southern Hills is in need of a major player to revitalize it's fortunes.

After hearing my opinions Mr. Jones asked me to call his campaign office to set up a meeting to just talk about what concerns me the most in Southern Hills future.

Just another rant,

Mudbugger

[Mudbugger]

One more thing before i log off for the night.

My wife and I went to Horseshoe's RiverDome Saturday morning and we got to audition for Deal or no Deal.

They were expecting between 3000 and 3500 participants. Hopefully they got the number they hoped for.

Anyhow, it was fun and we have no illusions that we will get called back for a 2nd interview but what they hey, it was fun none the less.

Mudbugger

[dimebag1980]

One more thing before i log off for the night.

My wife and I went to Horseshoe's RiverDome Saturday morning and we got to audition for Deal or no Deal.

They were expecting between 3000 and 3500 participants. Hopefully they got the number they hoped for.

Anyhow, it was fun and we have no illusions that we will get called back for a 2nd interview but what they hey, it was fun none the less.

Mudbugger

Wow, that sounds really cool! I'm glad that show decided to do auditions here. One of my coworkers LOVES that show, so I wonder if he went down there for that. By the end of the season I'd gotten bored with the series, but I hope to get myself back into it next season. It's a really neat concept and I've always been a fan of Howie Mandel! I even wish I'd have gone to see him when he came to Isle of Capri to perform a couple months back.

And in the event you DO get called back... knock 'em dead, man!!

SBC,

Thanks for the kind word.

In regards to your observation that there are new businesses locating in Southern Hills: It will take more than a low-end bank, an even lower-end used car lot and a few cheap restaurants that fold inside of 6 months to save this part of town.

I mentioned this to Jerry Jones and i recommended making a deal with any Hollywood studio house and said that there is plenty of land on Bert Kouns that could easily handle a production studio for filming of movies here. Not to mention the fact that the old Sam's on Jewella could easily be converted to become a new soundstage. Think about it, a building over 100,000 sq. ft. and it's ceiling's reach 20 ft.

Those are the qualifications for most soundstages if i am not mistaken.

With the loss of SouthPark Mall as a major shopping destination, the old Sam's and the demise of the old AT&T plant, Southern Hills is in need of a major player to revitalize it's fortunes.

After hearing my opinions Mr. Jones asked me to call his campaign office to set up a meeting to just talk about what concerns me the most in Southern Hills future.

Just another rant,

Mudbugger

Oh yeah, don't think I was saying the new businesses were that area's saving grace. They're a good start, but without vision and good leadership, those businesses, too, will close. I think your pitch of the Sam's Club building was a great idea. That's a large building and it's empty. Is the old Wal-Mart building, across Jewella from the old Sam's, still empty?

I recently saw the old AT&T plant up on the auction block on LoopNet, but I never saw who bought it, if anyone.

[Mudbugger]

SBC,

The old Walmart on Jewella, across from the old Sam's, is now a self-storage facility.

A pretty low-scale and cheap one at that.

Agreed, the new businesses that the civic leaders like to tout as progress are just like putting band-aids on bloody stumps where arms and legs used to be. They might sop up some blood but they do little to repair the damage that has been done.

Speaking of damage done.

How is Arlena Acree going to justify her term as Economic Developer for the city when Shreveport's debt has doubled in the 8 years of her Hightower administration?

Jerry Jones is already on the record in agreeing that the office and title of Economic Developer need to be removed. He wants to be more hands on in getting the city council to be more fair in their pursuit of city projects.

I saw a funny political cartoon in the most recent Forum magazine.

In it a moderator asks the candidates who don't have a college degree to step back.

Guess who are the only 2 that move back?

Cedric Glover and ....you guessed it, Arlena Acree!

Call me old fashioned but shouldn't you at least have a college degree to be mayor, let alone Economic Developer?

Gotta run and get some sleep,

Mudbugger

[imaterry78247]

I am sorry to here about Southern Hills. I remember it been a nice area. Since the area siouth of there is booming why can;t the area enyoy some of the benefits. If you mean the area is becoming another Cedar Grove do you mean that Blacks and Hispanic are moving in !!!!!!.

I am sorry if I offended anyone with my post but I have so much passion for Shreveport because I know where the city has been and whereit could have gone. FYI fellow poster I live in Shreveport and went to high school there so do not have a right to my opinion. Yes every city has problems but shreveport is a case in point when city leadership do not aggressively seek hi tech industry. Maybe , I am crazy but beside GM, gaming . what new industry have to offer. Better still if I graduated from LSU-S where can I go im the city to get a decent job. I know the answer Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio. there are so many former Shreveporter in San Antonio that it can start another town.

Cross Lake can be develop and still leave tons of green and recreational space.

In closing , I am very proud of Shreveport and its accomplishment but I guess I want it to go to the next tier of cities. It like a kid who stays in the 6 th grade for 20 years then it goes to the eight now you want the kid to graduate and go to college. The city has great culture-Sicilians, French, Southern Belle and African Americans. On a personal note they have some of the most beautiful french creole ladies and top shelf restaurants like Herby K, Ernest, Brocatos etc anywhere.

[Mudbugger]

I started to believe your sincerity until the last sentence of your most recent post.

Brocato's closed down years ago.

Either you didn't genuinely know or don't really know anything about Shreveport.

In regards to your earlier statement about what major industry is Shreveport tying to lure here aside from the casinos?

Try the movie industry.

My wife and i went to the former Expo hall yesterday and we got to speak with many people in the industry and they are simply blown away by the generosity and resourcefullness of Shreveport.

Movies can generate millions of dollars directly and even more in spin-off jobs.

Gotta run and get to work,

Mudbugger

[imaterry78247]

I started to believe your sincerity until the last sentence of your most recent post.

Brocato's closed down years ago.

Either you didn't genuinely know or don't really know anything about Shreveport.

In regards to your earlier statement about what major industry is Shreveport tying to lure here aside from the casinos?

Try the movie industry.

My wife and i went to the former Expo hall yesterday and we got to speak with many people in the industry and they are simply blown away by the generosity and resourcefullness of Shreveport.

Movies can generate millions of dollars directly and even more in spin-off jobs.

Gotta run and get to work,

Mudbugger

[imaterry78247]

Mudbuggers

Evidently, since I live in another city I was not aware of Brocato's closing. What is in that location now?

Mudbugger as Patton said from one SOB to another I respect your opinion.

I see high rise condos and a beach on Cross Lake? Look what Austin has done to its town lakeand you kinow what kind of tree hugger city Austin is. Smith Cross lake Inn

Is part of the city limits of Shreveport in Bossier Parish?

Southern Hills is like becoming another Queensbourgh? Mudbugger vision my man vision my man. Shreveport can't live on the movie industry alone.gaming or GM . Where is the hi tech industry.'

South Park Mall is a shame but we have amall in San Antonio twice its size that went bust and so did the neighborhood . the area is now populated by mostly Asian business now. this all happened because off a gang shooting in front of the mall. get rid tf the thugs and get so,me jobs for the low income people

Name me the top 10 new subdivision in shreveport only. .

[dimebag1980]

Mudbuggers

Evidently, since I live in another city I was not aware of Brocato's closing. What is in that location now?

Mudbugger as Patton said from one SOB to another I respect your opinion.

I see high rise condos and a beach on Cross Lake? Look what Austin has done to its town lakeand you kinow what kind of tree hugger city Austin is. Smith Cross lake Inn

Is part of the city limits of Shreveport in Bossier Parish?

Southern Hills is like becoming another Queensbourgh? Mudbugger vision my man vision my man. Shreveport can't live on the movie industry alone.gaming or GM . Where is the hi tech industry.'

South Park Mall is a shame but we have amall in San Antonio twice its size that went bust and so did the neighborhood . the area is now populated by mostly Asian business now. this all happened because off a gang shooting in front of the mall. get rid tf the thugs and get so,me jobs for the low income people

Name me the top 10 new subdivision in shreveport only. .

Top 10 new subdivisions in Shreveport only:

Twelve Oaks

Island Park

Provenance

Lakeside on Long Lake

Gabriel's Path

Norris Ferry Landing

The Haven

Brunswick Place

Burgandy Ridge

Kings Pointe

With all the new subdivisions in Shreveport, this is my best guess for the top 10.

[richyb83]

Wow, that's a nice list there Brian. Are most of those neighborhoods in SE Shreveport ? Island Park is an infill project, right?

Gabriel's Path is a different name.

[Mudbugger]

You are telling me to have vision?

Look to the most ineffectual city council this side of the Mississippi for a lack of vision.

The real power in Shreveport is the city council.

They saw the Mudbugs growing in popularity and when it came time for a new arena the city council said, let's do a study.

Bossier went out and built the Centurytel Center and stole them away from us.

The Hightower administration got a quickly manufactured study done to prove that we needed a convention center. After cost overruns the center's final pricetag was over 100 Million. Granted it is succeeding but how many infrastructural improvements could we have made with that money? Update the sewer system, fix the drainage problem on Youree, heck... we could have built a second Jimmy Davis bridge to alleviate the traffic snarls that are so common there, and we could have done it for less than 51 Million.

The growing of the film industry here would have a huge snowball effect.

Not only would you see more warehouses built that could be converted to soundstages but think of all the spinoff jobs. Someone (other than the Hightower people) should get a real study done to see the benefits of increasing Shreveport's profile in the film industry.

After you have that growing, then you can use it as a tool to attract more companies and not just one sector.

If anything Shreveport should be working to court more of the red-hot healthcare industry. Do you realize how big Willis Knighton and Schumpert have gotten here?

One last thing.

The new mayor (hopefully Jerry Jones) should make the revitalization of ALL of Shreveport the first thing on their list.

For 8 years we have seen Shreveport split in 2 and all the growth in one part of town (Southern Hills) has been shifted to Youree drive.

A true leader cares about all of his citizens and not just the ones in his former city council district.

When he leaves office i would like to see an investigative report done on the financial dealings of the Hightower administration to see how many cronies of his got rich off the doubling of the city debt.

Sorry for the long rant... just tired and have to make dinner now,

Mudbugger

[Metlife]

Top 10 new subdivisions in Shreveport only:

Twelve Oaks

Island Park

Provenance

Lakeside on Long Lake

Gabriel's Path

Norris Ferry Landing

The Haven

Brunswick Place

Burgandy Ridge

Kings Pointe

With all the new subdivisions in Shreveport, this is my best guess for the top 10.

Gotta put St. Charles Place on that list. It's not too shabby, either.

[dimebag1980]

Wow, that's a nice list there Brian. Are most of those neighborhoods in SE Shreveport ? Island Park is an infill project, right?

Gabriel's Path is a different name.

It certainly is a different name. Gabriel's Path is actually yet another extension of the Southern Trace neighborhood. They keep adding subdivisions to that neighborhood. So much that their next phase, which recently was granted MPC approval, will basically be on Wallace Lake. Being from Baton Rouge you may have no idea what that means, but it means that Southern Trace has REALLY been expanding out lately. And rapidly.

Yes, Island Park is an infill project. It's in an area off the parkway where nothing was ever built, because it's always been swamp land. But they've built it up and are doing very well with it. And when it's done it will be one of the nicest subdivisions in the metro, because when The Bryan Company does something, they do it big.

Gotta put St. Charles Place on that list. It's not too shabby, either.

It is VERY nice! I was having a hard time with this list, because as you drive out Norris Ferry Road you literally pass by the entrances to subdivision after subdivision after subdivision. As a matter of fact, a couple weeks ago I saw another new one. And then right there on Ellerbe, there's yet another one going in. That area is amazing! And I'm so thankful they're straightening and widening the Ellerbe/Fluornoy-Lucas intersection. I've always hated that intersection.

Edited July 31, 2006 by SBCmetroguy

[Metlife]

Isn't there supposed to be another development off of Wallace Lake Rd. called St. Andrew's or something? I remember reading about it a year or so ago.

[dimebag1980]

Isn't there supposed to be another development off of Wallace Lake Rd. called St. Andrew's or something? I remember reading about it a year or so ago.

Something came up recently off Wallace Lake Road... that may be the one you're talking about. I recall seeing it on either the MPC or ZBA agenda. I've actually seen little blurbs about a few in that area. With Wallace Lake's history of flooding over, I'm sure the engineers have had to account for that, so I hope this is the beginning of some growth out there. Building more in that area should at least slow some of the sprawl that's pushing hard into north DeSoto Parish.

[dimebag1980]

After you have that growing, then you can use it as a tool to attract more companies and not just one sector.

If anything Shreveport should be working to court more of the red-hot healthcare industry. Do you realize how big Willis Knighton and Schumpert have gotten here?

On that note, I saw the other day where Willis-Knighton South is adding floors onto the top of one of the buildings on its campus. I didn't know anything about that and was VERY surprised to see that.

Also, Willis-Knighton Bossier just celebrated its 10 year anniversary in Bossier City (man was I surprised to hear that it's been TEN years!!) and with this anniversary they are starting construction on yet another medical office building across the street from their existing hospital.

[Mudbugger]

SBC,

The new floor on the Willis-Knighton South hospital is going to be the new Neonatal Center.

I believe it is going to have 40+ new beds, just for delivery of babies.

If you stop in front of the building you will get to see how it shall look when it is complete.

Just thought you would want to know.

Mudbugger

[dimebag1980]

I find it amazing how the timing of the new convention center worked out for the movie industry in Shreveport-Bossier. It worked out so well that the old Expo Hall was transformed into StageWorks, an indoor movie soundstage. According to industry executives, the building is perfect and is situated perfectly, right across the street from two high-rise hotels.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d.../607290324/1064