Southeast Louisiana Development Thread

[tombarnes]

I have heard that Chevron will be moving its regional corporate offices from downtown New Orleans to Covington. This should be very good for Covington, if perhaps not so good for the CBD.

[NCB]

I have heard that Chevron will be moving its regional corporate offices from downtown New Orleans to Covington. This should be very good for Covington, if perhaps not so good for the CBD.

Hey Tom, did you just recently hear that, or did you heare that awhile back? Because Chevron announced that move a couple of months ago I believe. While I also hated to see them leave downtown New Orleans, I'm very to happy to see them staying in the metro area, particularly Covington. That will bring 500 jobs here, and even more growth. Also, Chevron could have just as easily left and gone to Houston, so again, it is good to see them staying in the area.

[richyb83]

Tangipahoa's largest Hospital tries to keep pace with "Boom", plans to spend $200 million for Expansion

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=5132800

[NCB]

Here's a very crappy shot of Covington's other major movie theater, located on Hwy 190 right next to I-12. This theater lost all kinds of business to the newer movie theater that opened up in Covington a few months ago on Hwy 21, and was purchased by IMAX a couple of months ago. From what I have seen, just since the theater recently opened as an IMAX, business has been greatly picking up again.

[dimebag1980]

Here's a very crappy shot of Covington's other major movie theater, located on Hwy 190 right next to I-12. This theater lost all kinds of business to the newer movie theater that opened up in Covington a few months ago on Hwy 21, and was purchased by IMAX a couple of months ago. From what I have seen, just since the theater recently opened as an IMAX, business has been greatly picking up again.

They must have had to remodel that place extensively to make it into an IMAX. That kind of investment should receive great returns, though, since most people seem to love IMAX theaters!

[NCB]

They must have had to remodel that place extensively to make it into an IMAX. That kind of investment should receive great returns, though, since most people seem to love IMAX theaters!

There was a lot of work put into remodeling the theater, and it seems to definately be paying off. This is the second IMAX in metro New Orleans, the other being next to the Aquarium of the Americas in downtown New Orleans.

[richyb83]

The Northshore is taking it to another level with an IMAX . That's not a crappy shot.

[dimebag1980]

The Northshore is taking it to another level with an IMAX . That's not a crappy shot.

Not at all. Check out all the greenery he picked up in that shot. There is more green than anything else in that photo it seems!

[NCB]

Not at all. Check out all the greenery he picked up in that shot. There is more green than anything else in that photo it seems!

I shot that while merging into the I-12 entry ramp on Hwy 190 in Covington, so I guess it wasn't that bad for a shot like that.

[dimebag1980]

^You were moving?? Wow, very still for a motion shot!!

[NCB]

^You were moving?? Wow, very still for a motion shot!!

You can thank the "Image Stabilizer" feature on my S2 IS for that!

[dimebag1980]

You can thank the "Image Stabilizer" feature on my S2 IS for that!

Ahh, okay, cool! I thought the IS meant Image Stabilizer.

I've looked into the IS lenses for the Canon SLRs but am not sure if I'd rather have one of those or a decent wide-angle lens.

[richyb83]

Port of New Orleans gains 94% of pre-storm cargo

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/3698171.html

[richyb83]

Boom follows Katrina to St.Tammany Parish

I-12 will become an urban corridor and Hwy. 190 in Covington is bustling according to this article. Low crime, great schools, room to grow on a higher flood plain,etc.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LA_...EMPLATE=DEFAULT

[NCB]

Big, and very exciting news for the Hammond Square Mall in Hammond:

Hammond Square Mall planning airy makeover

Closed-in structure to be demolished

Article from the Times Picayune

[dimebag1980]

Your link didn't work...

But I must say, from the sounds of this, I guess it's going the way of the lifestyle center now? Sounds cool.

[NCB]

Thanks for letting me know, I went ahead and fixed the link.

And yes, it will be turning into a lifestyle center more than anything. And based off of the renderings released in The Times Picayune, it looks like an awesome project.

[dimebag1980]

Thanks for fixing the link! Wow... a Home Depot at the mall... now THAT is cool. That's sure to make the men want to go shopping with their wives. That's why men will shop with their wives down on the Boardwalk because the women promise their husbands they can go to Bass Pro while they're down there. I know this because it works on me.

Anyway, I wish they had the renderings on that website, but if you happen to find them online, post them! I'd love to see them.

And I'm sure you know that with Stirling being behind this project, it's going to be REALLY nice!

[richyb83]

I saw that link and never posted it, my bad. Thanks Nate.

That's going to be very nice for Hammond. Like the man said, "if you don't like growth, your in the wrong place". The open-air/lifestyle centers are the growing trend.

I had the chance to roll thru Hammond a couple of weeks ago, and I was impressed. Downtown nightlife was vibrant and they have a really cool skate-park too. Of course all the stop lights made it seem as bad as Baton Rouge.

Hammond could use another exit ramp for I-12 between the Mall and I-55.

[SlidellWX]

Very good news. The Hammond mall was very outdated for the location it is in. That would put two lifestyle centers within 20 miles of each other (Hammond and Covington) in the next 2 years. I would love to see something like that over here in Slidell...but I think Northshore Square will remain the same. It's actually not a bad mall overall...but not nearly as nice as Lakeside Mall in Metairie.

[Rardy]

That's great for Hammond! It's been a little overdue IMO. And 850,000 square feet is quite large.

Denham Springs will be the next to get a similar center at the new Juban Road exit.

[byrde]

That's great for Hammond! It's been a little overdue IMO. And 850,000 square feet is quite large.

Denham Springs will be the next to get a similar center at the new Juban Road exit.

Have they determined if they can move forward with the completion of the Juban Road interchange?

[richyb83]

Have they determined if they can move forward with the completion of the Juban Road interchange?

Workers have begun corrective work they hope will shorten the delay in completing the Juban Road interchange at I-12 . Hopefully this drilling process work will prevent them from tearing-out and replacing the girders, which would mean a 6-month delay.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/4206316.html

[NCB]

Well guys, Google Maps has been updated for Covington, allowing you to see all of the new growth taking place here. It's especially easy to see along HW 21 between I-12 and downtown Covington, where there are new health care centers, banks, strip malls, restaurants, hotels, and even schools, going up absolutely everywhere.

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-Covington's newest major shopping center, home to stores like Target, Belk, Best Buy, World Food Market, and a new movie theater that was recently completed. It's also continuing to expand outward, as you can see by the cleared lots.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=16&a...mp;t=h&om=1

-On the left of HW 21 you will see a new Ochsner Health Care Center that was recently totally completed, and on the right of HW 21, you will see a new La Quinta hotel that was just completed a few weeks ago. If you move over the woods behind the hotel, this is the land that will soon become one of, if not the largest, shopping centers in SE Louisiana, the Colonial Nor Du Lac Lifestyle Center.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a....007317&t=h

-This is a common site around all of Covington, if there is open land around a subdivision, it is being cleared to make room for new homes in the blink of an eye.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a....014634&t=h

-Here I just zoomed in on a group of smaller shopping centers that were all completed within the last 2 years or so. An Osaka 21 Japanese restaurant is going in on that plot of cleared land in the center of the page.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a....007317&t=h

-In this view you will see where many new banks have been constructed and are being contructed, a new mini-storage center, a new small office park, and a new Walgreens that was just completed a few months ago.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a....007317&t=h

-This view shows the recently expanded Saint Tammany Parish Hospital complex along HW 21, further up into Covington.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a....007317&t=h

[NCB]

-Here is a view of the northern section of HW 190 and downtown Covington; anyone familiar with the city knows that in terms of infill and developments, it looked nothing like this a few years ago.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a....029268&t=k

-The middle section of HW 190 in Covington, which is quickly being gobbled up by developments, both residential and commercial.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a....029268&t=k

-And here is the southern portion of HW 190 in Covington around I-12. This area is home to all kinds of interstate related developments, i.e. hotels, restaurants, stores, gas stations, etc. But it is also home to many major shopping centers, a movie theater, many new and old neighborhoods, and on and on.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a....029268&t=k

Anyway, sorry about posting so many of these links, guys, but I just felt like sharing some of the growth taking place here through some satelite pictures. I know alot of that stuff probably doesn't look that impressive, but in places like HW 21, which just a few years ago was surrounded by nothing but woods, literally no developments, and is now becoming probably one of the fastest growing corridors in the state, it's just pretty amazing.