Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[greg225]

Birmingham developer sees ‘excessive demand’ in Baton Rouge apartment market      

A 276-unit multifamily complex at Long Farm represents the first of several projects Birmingham, Alabama-based Arlington Properties has planned for the Baton Rouge market.

The company is also planning to develop a 124-unit multifamily complex on a four-acre tract off Jefferson Highway called Tapestry Park. The firm recently applied for permits with the city parish and if all goes well, it will close on the property and begin construction before the end of the year.

When it was proposed early this year, Tapestry Park met with opposition from residents and some nearby businesses, who were concerned about increased traffic in the area. Eventually, the Metro Council approved the necessary rezoning measure, due in large part to extensive outreach efforts on the part of the developers with neighborhood groups.

Arlington Properties Vice President Dave Ellis says the experience did not dampen the firm’s enthusiasm for the Baton Rouge market, which it has been eyeing for nearly a decade.

“We love the market,” Ellis says. “We tried to do something before the recession but it never materialized, so we let things settle a while. Then about three years ago we started looking at the market again.”

Ellis says Arlington Properties executives believe there’s pent-up demand in the Baton Rouge multifamily market and that plenty of opportunity exists for companies that want to expand in that sector.

“We love the area, we love the job growth and we really feel there is excessive demand for apartments,” he says. “We think we are filling that demand.”

Ellis says the apartment complex at Long Farm, which broke ground last week, and Tapestry Park, which should break ground in the fourth quarter of 2015, are the first of several Arlington Properties hopes to develop locally.    https://www.businessreport.com/article/birmingham-developer-sees-excessive-demand-baton-rouge-apartment-market

[greg225]

Dallas firm buys Baton Rouge apartment complex near LSU for $108.6M   

In what amounts to one of the largest sales of Baton Rouge commercial property in recent history, a Dallas-based firm has purchased The Standard apartment complex at 740 W. Chimes St. for nearly $108.6 million.

University House Communities, which specializes in developing, acquiring and managing student housing communities across the country, purchased the 287-unit complex—which opened in August—from Athens, Georgia-based Landmark Properties. A 5.5-acre tract for the complex was originally purchased by Landmark in December 2013 for $9.84 million, and the firm spent roughly $50.6 million to develop the property, according to permits filed during construction.

The LSU-area complex will be rebranded as University House Baton Rouge.

Wesley Moore, a commercial real estate appraiser with Cook, Moore and Associates, says the sale—at roughly $378,386 per unit—sets a new high water mark for the Baton Rouge market.

“$378,000 per unit is so far off the charts,” he says. “$338,000 is the highest I have recorded in my national database, and that was in Arizona.”

For local comparison, when the 158-unit University Edge apartment complex on McKinley Street was sold in January for $32.5 million, the sales-per-unit price worked out to roughly $205,696.

Until now, Moore says, the high water mark for apartment sales in Baton Rouge was set in September 2011 when The Cottages, a 382-unit apartment complex at 777 Ben Hur Road, sold for roughly $234,000 per unit.

“I don’t know if it says anything about this market at all,” Moore says of University Home Communities’ purchase. “Anomalous is very much the term that comes to mind.”

The sellers appear to have gotten a very good return on their investment, Moore says.

“Developers are usually happy to get 18% to 20%,” he says. “If they started with $60 million and got $108 million, that’s an 80% return. I’ve never seen numbers of that proportion before.”

Troy Manson, executive vice president and chief investment officer for University House Communities, wouldn’t comment on the purchase price this morning but says the company has been looking to enter the Baton Rouge market for the past few years.

“What we do is focus on purpose-built Class A student housing that is within walking distance to tier one universities across the country. The LSU market is obviously an attractive market and one that we’ve been trying to get into for some time and we’re very happy to be here,” Manson says, adding current occupancy in the complex is “in the mid-90s.”

The complex measures more than 750,000 square feet in total, including a 12,000-square-foot clubhouse and amenities such as a game room, rooftop pool, golf simulator, computer center and study rooms. The property also has outdoor grilling and fire pits as well as garage parking.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/dallas-firm-buys-baton-rouge-apartment-complex-near-lsu-108-6m

[richyb83]

The massive 287-unit University House..on West Chimes Street @ Alaska Street...this thing went up fast...i posted construction pics here couple months back in Northgate thread

[greg225]

New craft brewery starting in Baton Rouge: We want to 'focus on Southern and local ingredients'    

Southern Craft Brewing Co. has started construction on a brewery and taproom in the Barringer Foreman Technology Park, with hopes of selling its brews in local bars and restaurants in early 2016.

 

Joseph Picou and Wes Hedges, two local engineers and award-winning homebrewers, founded Southern Craft. Along with building the brewery and tap room at 14141 Airline Highway, they’re finalizing an agreement with a local distributor. The goal is to have Southern Craft’s beers in bars and restaurants in the first quarter and open the taproom in the second.

“What we want to do here is focus on Southern and local ingredients, to use as many local ingredients as possible,” Picou said. “The name of the company reflects what we want to do. We want to have a Southern ring to our beers and make a handcrafted product.”

Picou wouldn’t say yet what type of beers Southern Craft will initially launch with.

Despite the booming popularity of craft beer and the fondness Louisiana residents have for good food and drink, the state has lagged behind development of microbreweries. The only craft brewer in Baton Rouge is Tin Roof Brewing Co., which was launched in 2010. According to the Brewers Association, a national trade group, Louisiana had 15 craft breweries in 2014, which breaks out to 0.5 breweries per 100,000 adults. That ranked Louisiana 49th in the nation.   http://theadvocate.com/news/13836316-129/new-craft-brewery-starting-in

[greg225]

Rouses Market breaks ground on Baton Rouge store on Airline Highway        

Construction of the new Rouses Market on Airline Highway in the Long Farm Village development in Baton Rouge is underway.

 

Bulldozers have broken ground on the 55,000-square-foot store — the company’s first in Baton Rouge. It will open summer 2016 near Antioch’s new connection to Airline.

“We are very, very excited about opening in Baton Rouge,” said Donald Rouse Sr. “We’ve had hundreds of requests to build a store in the area.”

Donny Rouse Jr., managing partner and real estate developer for the 55-year-old-company, said a second Baton Rouge location already is under contract, but did not elaborate.

Rouses opened a store in Denham Springs in January.

Rouse Jr. said the Long Farm store will have interactive layout of exposed kitchens and open departments.

“For years we’ve been telling people how we work with local farmers and fishermen and manufacturers,” said Rouse Sr., “now they can see the actual deliveries as they’re received.”

Customers also can watch Rouses butchers, bakers, florists and chefs and cooks while they work.

Rouses also said its new store on Williams Boulevard in Kenner is scheduled to open in February. Another store in Ponchatoula will open in April.

“We’re also breaking ground on a new location in our hometown of Thibodaux in early 2016,” said Rouse Sr. “My family’s business started on the bayou, so this one has special meaning for us.”

Rouses has nearly four-dozen stores in three states: Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, with more than 6,200 employees.  http://theadvocate.com/news/13868064-123/rouses-market-breaks-ground-on

[greg225]

Baton Rouge named second most competitive city in North America for chemical and plastics industry        

Baton Rouge is ranked as the No. 2 city for economic development in the chemical and plastics industry in Conway Inc.’s new edition of “The World’s Most Competitive Cities” report, trailing only the Houston area and leading the Chicago, Cincinnati and and Dallas metro areas.

The report measures metro areas’ performance across 12 business sectors central to national and regional economies. At the report’s center is Conway Inc.’s proprietary Conway Projects Database, which tracks private-sector corporate facility investments worldwide. Conway Inc., which is the publisher of Site Selection magazine, partners with Moody’s Analytics, Oxford Economics and Tractus Asia to annually publish the index of recent economic development success and future potential in metro areas across the globe.

The profile of Baton Rouge in the 162-page report includes high praise from IBM’s Christine Alford, general manager of the company’s North America service centers.

“I have worked in a lot of different places around the world, and I have never seen a community so committed to improving their environment and enhancing their city,” says Alford on IBM’s new technology center in the city.

On Monday, Site Selection magazine ranked Louisiana as having the nation’s fourth-best business climate in the country.

Check out “The World’s Most Competitive Cities” report.       https://www.businessreport.com/article/baton-rouge-named-second-competitive-city-north-america-chemical-plastics-industry

[greg225]

Baton Rouge named among nation’s best ‘digital cities’   

e.Republic, a California-based media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government, has included Baton Rouge on its annual listing of the nation’s top cities for implementing new technology services.

Baton Rouge is ranked No. 10 among cities with populations between 125,000 and 249,999 on e.Republic’s 2015 Digital Cities Survey, released today. The company cites the Open Data BR website Baton Rouge launched in January as one of the main reasons for the city’s inclusion.

“Open Data BR … has quickly become a popular destination for citizens, receiving more than 100,000 page views in its first two weeks of operation,” reads the report. “Data sets from the site have been used by civic hackers to create multiple crime tracking apps, the city says. Open Data also is the foundation for a city-created web app that lets users examine the city’s overall budget and departmental spending down to individual line items like overtime for police officers or specific capital projects.”

Now in its 15th year, the Digital Cities Survey is part of e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government’s Digital Communities program and is open to all U.S. cities. The survey focuses on 10 initiatives across four categories: citizen engagement, policy, operations, and technology and data. Responses are reviewed and judged based on a set of criteria and how well the cities implemented technology services across the entire city. The annual survey recognizes leading examples of cities using technology to improve services and boost efficiencies.

Along with Open Data BR, Baton Rouge also launched Open Budget BR this year, as well as a new Geographic Information System map portal. Most recently, the Metro Council approved spending $94,327 to update its GIS mapping data and include a new feature that will show building heights.

“These past several years, we have been laser-focused on identifying ways that we can leverage emerging technologies and digital platforms to increase the efficiency of how we provide services to and better engage with the citizens of Baton Rouge,” says Mayor Kip Holden in a prepared statement. “It hasn’t been an easy process, but today’s announcement that Baton Rouge is now included among some of the most digitally advanced cities in the nation is validation that our efforts have been well worth it.”

See the complete 2015 Digital Cities Survey.     https://www.businessreport.com/article/baton-rouge-named-among-nations-best-digital-cities

[greg225]

The challenges of planting tech in Baton Rouge            

Stixis CEO Rayudu Dhananjaya announced his custom software company’s expansion into Louisiana in October with much fanfare and acclaim from local and state officials.

“We’re proud that this global company selected Louisiana over many other states as the best place to grow its technology business,” Gov. Bobby Jindal said at the time. “The digital industry in Baton Rouge continues to gain strength and momentum, thanks to companies like Stixis Technologies,” added Mayor Kip Holden.

Dhananjaya called the new Baton Rouge office a “statement of intent.” But a statement to whom? And what is the intent?

As reported in a feature from the latest issue of Business Report, his company has been creating and supporting products from its home base in India since 2009. But he says American businesses increasingly are not willing to outsource their software development.

So with the new office in the Louisiana Technology Park, Stixis is planting its flag in the United States, hoping to capture a large slice of the market that doesn’t want to deal with software developers on the other side of the world. He says he’s confident that he can build a robust, competent workforce in Baton Rouge, while appealing to those U.S. firms that want to “insource.”

“Clients want the faces [of their vendor] in front of them,” Dhananjaya says. All of the interaction with the customer, from the initial product development meeting to post-production support, will be delivered by people based in Baton Rouge. If there’s an issue, the clients know exactly who to call, and they don’t have to deal with someone on the other side of the world who they will probably never meet.

“They know each individual with whom they’re interacting,” he says. “They know their skill sets.”

He says he hopes to employ 50 people locally by the middle of next year and 230 by 2019.

Louisiana FastStart is helping with his recruiting needs. He says he is working with Baton Rouge Community College to prepare workers that could be ready by next year. He hopes to meet soon with LSU faculty and plans to reach out to the University of New Orleans and Southern University as well.

Read the full feature.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/challenges-planting-tech-baton-rouge

Crawfish Aquatics new facility behind schedule; indoor area slated for January 2017 opening           

The infrastructure, drainage and parking areas are nearly completed for the new Crawfish Aquatics complex on Siegen Lane and construction on the two indoor pools could begin around Jan. 1, Mark Ripple, brother of Crawfish Aquatics owner Steven Ripple, says.

The brothers had originally estimated a summer 2015 opening for the $14 million, 80,000-square-foot complex, but financial issues pushed the project behind schedule, says Mark Ripple, whose New Orleans firm Eskew+Dumez+Ripple is designing the project.

The swimming complex will be built in two phases. The first will feature construction of two indoor pools for year-round swimming lessons, lap swimming, recreational use and aqua therapy in a 42,000-square-foot building, according to permits filed with the city-parish. The second phase will be the two outdoor pools, one lap pool and one leisure pool, in a 39,000-square-foot area.

The extra time allowed the brothers to tweak the construction design, making minor changes and moving the outdoor pools from the first phase of the project to the second phase.

Mark Ripple says they are hoping to open the indoor pools by January 2017, but have not discussed when they will begin construction of the outdoor portion of the complex.

Crawfish Aquatics purchased the 4.8-acre tract on Siegen Lane between Perkins Road and Meadowpark Apartments in 2013.

The new Crawfish Aquatics will be similar to the SPAR Recreation and Aquatic Center in Sulphur, which has multiple pools and recreational areas, Mark Ripple has said.

Crawfish Aquatics was founded in 1999 and offers year-round competitive swimming programs for children, teens and adults. It is currently based at the Ketcham Fitness Center at 7150 Bluebonnet Blvd.

https://www.businessreport.com/article/crawfish-aquatics-new-facility-behind-schedule-indoor-area-slated-january-2017-opening

[greg225]

News roundup: Deadline to take BRAC survey for 2016 Economic Outlook is Friday … LSU to partner with private firm to manage Child Care Center … New Orleans lands 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship        

Last chance: The Baton Rouge Area Chamber is urging businesses and community leaders from the Capital Region to complete its annual economic outlook survey before Friday’s deadline. Responses will be compiled in BRAC’s 2016 Economic Outlook, which will be presented Nov. 18 in conjunction with Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week at BRAC’s Regional Stakeholders’ Breakfast. The survey can be taken online through 5 p.m. Friday.

New partner: LSU has announced that it will partner with a private firm to manage its Child Care Center and has begun its search for a firm. The Daily Reveille reports Daniel Layzell, vice president of finance and administration, is forming a committee of students and faculty members that will have input on the decision. The search is expected to take about four months and could be announced in February. Some faculty members have voiced concern about the move, saying a private organization might bring lower standards to the highly rated center. The Daily Reveille has the full story.

Big win: New Orleans has been selected as one of the next three cities to host the College Football Playoff National Championship out of nine cities that applied. The Associated Press reports the Mercedes-Benz Superdome will host the game in 2020. Atlanta and Santa Clara, California, were also chosen to host the 2018 and 2019 games, respectively. This season’s championship will be in Glendale, Arizona, and the 2017 game will be in Tampa, Florida. South Florida; Houston; Minneapolis; Detroit; Charlotte, North Carolina; and San Antonio, Texas, were the other cities in contention for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 games.    https://www.businessreport.com/article/news-roundup-deadline-take-brac-survey-2016-economic-outlook-friday-lsu-partner-private-firm-manage-child-care-center-new-orleans-lands-2020-college-football

[Mr. Burnham]

Go NOLA! Great win and what a way to comeback after loosing the 2018 Supa Bowl.

[greg225]

Albemarle earnings fall in third quarter, company announces sale of metal sulfides business    

Baton Rouge-based specialty chemical maker Albemarle saw its third quarter earnings fall to $65.4 million, or 58 cents per share, down from earnings of $72.8 million, or 93 cents per share, in the three-month period ending in September last year.

Aside from the third quarter report issued this morning, Albemarle also announced it has reached an agreement with Treibacher Industrie AG to sell its Tribotecc metal sulfides business to the Austria-based company. Financial terms of the deal, which pending closing conditions is expected to be finalized by the end of the year, are not being disclosed.

“This transaction furthers Albemarle’s strategic plan of focusing on our core bromine, lithium, catalysts and surface treatment businesses,” Albemarle President and CEO Luke Kissam says in a prepared statement.

Albemarle has positioned itself as a major player in the international market for lithium, the key ingredient in the lithium-ion battery—the most commercially dominant energy storage technology on the planet—with the acquisition of Rockwood Holdings Inc. in January for $5.7 billion. The deal to acquire Rockwood—one of the largest takeovers of a diversified chemicals company ever—was initially announced in July 2014 and was completed on Jan. 12.

In its third-quarter report, Albemarle says the Rockwood acquisition helped push net sales up to $905.1 million, up from $642.4 million during the quarter last year. The higher sales, however, were partially offset by “the impact of lower sales volumes and unfavorable currency exchange impacts,” the report reads.

“Albemarle’s core businesses continued to perform well in the third quarter,” Kissam says. “Through the first nine months of 2015, these businesses delivered 8% adjusted (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) growth and 30% margin rates on a constant currency basis.”

As of 10 a.m., Albemarle stock was trading for $49.57, down $4.65 or 8.6%, on the New York Stock Exchange.

While Albemarle is still headquartered in Baton Rouge, the company announced in August it will relocate its headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina. Albemarle will maintain operations in Baton Rouge following the move—and an estimated 500 employees here—which is expected to take place next summer.  https://www.businessreport.com/article/albemarle-earnings-fall-third-quarter-company-announces-sale-metal-sulfides-business

Amedisys net income flat during third quarter           

A day after announcing it will acquire Florida-based Infinity HomeCare for $63 million, Baton Rouge-based home health provider Amedisys announced this morning that its third quarter net income was flat at $8.4 million, or 25 cents per share. Net income during the same quarter last year was also at $8.4 million, or 26 cents per share.

Amedisys’ net income was left flat by roughly $3.1 million spent on fees, system upgrades and settlement payments. Not counting those expenditures, net income for the third quarter was $11.5 million. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization during the quarter was $26.4 million, up from $23.8 million during the quarter last year.

“We are encouraged by the company’s continued strong performance in the third quarter,” says Amedisys President and CEO Paul Kusserow in a prepared statement. “Both segments achieved significant revenue growth and we have continued to make investments that will position us well to capitalize on future opportunities supporting our long-term strategic vision.”

See the complete third quarter report.

In July, Amedisys announced plans to move 33 top level executives to a satellite office in Nashville. The move is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The company’s 110,000-square-foot corporate offices remain at 5959 South Sherwood Forest Blvd. for the time being, but executives have said they are considering options for downsizing or moving.

As of 10 a.m., shares of Amedisys were trading for $43.86, up $3.38 or 8.35%, on the Nasdaq exchange. https://www.businessreport.com/article/amedisys-net-income-flat-third-quarter

 

Edited November 5, 2015 by greg225

[greg225]

Both companies left Baton Rouge now it don't look to good for them.

[greg225]

Baton Rouge area home sales up 9% through third quarter   

Boosted by a 15.4% surge in sales during September, home sales in the eight-parish region tracked by the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors are up 9% through the first nine months of this year, compared to the same period last year.

GBRAR released the September sales report today. Along with the rise in closed sales, the report shows homes are sitting on the market for a much shorter time this year and average sales prices are up significantly. Inventory has also tightened considerably over the past year, with the number of homes on the market this September—3,713—down 11.2% from the 4,138 available for sale last September.

 

Access the complete September housing report from GBRAR.          https://www.businessreport.com/article/baton-rouge-area-home-sales-9-third-quarter

Construction on first phase of THRIVE Academy set to begin this month     

Workers will break ground later this month on the first phase of the THRIVE Academy on 2585 Brightside Lane, and the school’s executive director hopes the new campus will open for the start of the next school year.

In the first phase of construction, set to begin Nov. 19, workers will build one of the two planned dormitories. A second dorm, main school building and athletics center will be built at a later date, but are not expected to be ready when school opens next year, says Executive Director Sarah Broome.

  https://www.businessreport.com/article/construction-first-phase-thrive-academy-set-begin-month

[greg225]

Walk-On’s franchisees expanding into Covington/Mandeville and beyond         

Baton Rouge-based Walk-On’s Bistreaux and Bar is continuing its expansion of franchise locations both in Louisiana and out of state.

Late last week, the company inked a deal with a franchisee to open Walk-On’s first St. Tammany Parish restaurant in either Covington or Mandeville, depending on the availability of several potential sites. The new North Shore restaurant will open in late 2016.

https://www.businessreport.com/article/walk-ons-franchisees-expanding-covingtonmandeville-beyond

[greg225]

News roundup: Baton Rouge among seven US cities selected to apply for The Humana Foundation 2016 grants … LSU, IBM collaborate on new supercomputer to advance data research in Louisiana … LSU physicists share in $3M Breakthrough prize   

Funding available: Baton Rouge is just one of seven U.S. cities selected to apply for grants from The Humana Foundation in the coming years, Humana announced today. The Humana Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that promote healthy behaviors, health education and access the health services. In addition to Baton Rouge, the other cities invited to participate in next year’s grant program are New Orleans; Knoxville, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; San Antonio, Texas; Tampa Bay, Florida; and Broward County in south Florida. The Humana Foundation will begin requesting letters of intent from grant applicants in December. Get more details.

The data Delta: A new supercomputer named Delta has been developed by LSU and IBM to advance big data research in Louisiana, the university announced this morning. In addition to bioinformatics and computational biology, computer scientists with IBM and the LSU Center for Computation & Technology—which will house the supercomputer—are working with LSU researchers in the coastal sciences. Delta initially will be used to expand biomedical research capabilities in the life sciences. “CCT is making targeted investments in data analytics to enable a variety of research endeavors LSU-wide,” says CCT Director Ram Ramanujam in a statement. “We expect significant growth in new areas of research including bioinformatics and cyber security.” LSU has more details.

Making a breakthrough: LSU physicists Thomas Kutter, Martin Tzanov and William Metcalf are among the five scientists sharing a $3 million 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics award. The prize is for the fundamental discovery of neutrino oscillations, revealing a new frontier beyond, and possibly far beyond, the standard model of particle physics, LSU says in a news release. The Breakthrough Prize was presented at a ceremony at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California on Sunday. Founded by Russian entrepreneur, venture capitalist and physicist Yuri Milner, the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics recognizes individuals who have made profound contributions to human knowledge. LSU has more details.  https://www.businessreport.com/article/news-roundup-baton-rouge-among-seven-us-cities-selected-apply-humana-foundation-2016-grants-lsu-ibm-collaborate-new-supercomputer-advance-data-research-louisiana

[greg225]

Plan of Government change on Nov. 21 ballot would give Central ‘fair share’ of parish property tax revenue         

East Baton Rouge Parish voters will have an opportunity this month to redirect property taxes collected in the parish, giving the City of Central what officials are calling its “fair share.”

 

The measure on the Nov. 21 ballot has required technical language about changing the East Baton Rouge Parish Plan of Government. But what it addresses is the distribution of property taxes the parish has collected for years from the industrial areas of the parish making up the petro chemical plants like Exxon Mobil and Georgia Pacific.

   http://theadvocate.com/news/13932711-123/plan-of-government-change-on

[greg225]

I will vote against this  no way Central should receive tax dollars that's not near their city limits. I rather see Zachary annexation Port Hudson, and Baton Rouge, Baker annexation the other plants locations. If Central not being polluted by these plants like the other cities are than they should not get a dime.  The parish need to change this law it very unfair to people in this parish.

[Antrell Williams]

I will vote against this  no way Central should receive tax dollars that's not near their city limits. I rather see Zachary annexation Port Hudson, and Baton Rouge, Baker annexation the other plants locations. If Central not being polluted by these plants like the other cities are than they should not get a dime.  The parish need to change this law it very unfair to people in this parish.

Are those taxes legally required to be spent on pollution control? 

And why would Zachary get tax dollars and not Central? 

[greg225]

Are those taxes legally required to be spent on pollution control? 

And why would Zachary get tax dollars and not Central? 

That was may opinion that Central should not get it if they are being polluted like the other cities not sure how the tax should be used. The article saying it's their fair share is just a flat out joke. I say yes Zachary should get it over Central because Georgia Pacific sit in Port Hudson which is in Zachary school system boundaries, and small portion of Port Hudson is in Zachary city limits. I can not think of one plant that even sit near their sit limits that's why I said I'll just vote against it. 

Edited November 11, 2015 by greg225

[Antrell Williams]

That was may opinion that Central should not get it if they are being polluted like the other cities not sure how the tax should be used. The article saying it's their fair share is just a flat out joke. I say yes Zachary should get it over Central because Georgia Pacific sit in Port Hudson which is in Zachary school system boundaries, and small portion of Port Hudson is in Zachary city limits. I can not think of one plant that even sit near their sit limits that's why I said I'll just vote against it. 

Well if those dollars aren't legally bound to be spent on that, then the location of the plants have nothing to do with Central getting part of the pie. As of now, it looks as if the tax goes to municipalities within EBR, with no other stipulations. Where does pollution come in, from a legal standpoint? 

[greg225]

Duke says he will only support blanket rezoning of Highland, Pecue areas if majority of affected property owners want it     

Planning Director Frank Duke says if the Metro Council gives his office the green light to look at blanket rezoning for parts of Highland Road and Pecue Lane, he will only approve the change if a large majority of the property owners in the affected area support it.

“We’d be essentially taking development rights away from them,” Duke says of the property owners and why he is hesitant to approve the blanket rezoning without the support.

At issue is the density of developments allowed in the areas. Some residents living on Highland between Interstate 10 and Siegen Lane and on Pecue between Perkins Road and Highland want the entire area rezoned from rural, which allows for seven homes per acre, to REA1, which limits development to one home per acre. The residents say the change is needed because Highland Road cannot handle more traffic and water issues would be exacerbated. They say they have collected signatures from more than 200 property owners who want the change.

The Metro Council on Tuesday discussed a request by Councilman Chandler Loupe to have the Planning Commission study the issue, but deferred voting on it until its Nov. 24 meeting so members could further look into it.

Even if the council approves the study at its next meeting, it would be several months before any blanket rezoning would take place, Duke says.

Before performing the study, Duke says he and his staff would have to pinpoint the legal boundaries of the area included in the rezoning. They would also have to serve legal notice to all residents inside and within 300 feet of the boundaries.

“It’s not as easy as the council direction would be,” Duke says.

Duke says they would then look at three issues: would changing the zoning be consistent with the comprehensive plan, is it compatible with the rest of the area, and would changing the zoning be consistent with all development regulations.

If he can say “yes” to all three of those questions and a large majority of property owners in the area back the change, Duke says he would give his approval. The item would then have to go before the Planning Commission before landing on the desks of the Metro Council.

Dukes says the study would take at least four to eight weeks to complete, meaning the earliest he would present the results would be February—and that’s assuming the Metro Council approves the study on Nov. 24.

That means any developments for that area already in the pipeline that get Planning Commission approval before February would essentially be grandfathered in and would not be subject to the lower density requirements, Duke says. The development he refers to is Valhalla, a high-end gated subdivision proposed by Dantin Bruce Development that would put 20 homes on 15 acres. Dantin’s application has been deferred until the Dec. 13 meeting at the request of Loupe, who represents the area, but cannot legally be deferred again, Duke says.

Valhalla would sit on the site of the failed Heritage Oaks development that the Highland and Pecue residents successfully warded off earlier this year. That development called for 39 single-family lots on a 15.4-acre tract.  https://www.businessreport.com/article/duke-says-will-support-blanket-rezoning-highland-pecue-areas-majority-affected-property-owners-want

[cajun]

I will vote against this  no way Central should receive tax dollars that's not near their city limits. I rather see Zachary annexation Port Hudson, and Baton Rouge, Baker annexation the other plants locations. If Central not being polluted by these plants like the other cities are than they should not get a dime.  The parish need to change this law it very unfair to people in this parish.

Prevailing winds are eastward most of the year.....so Central is most definitely getting air pollution from the plants along the river. Sadly, air pollution isn't localized to the immediate area around the source.   There are countless studies proving that particulate matter can and do travel hundreds of kilometers.

Edited November 13, 2015 by cajun

[greg225]

Lack of developable land will likely push Baton Rouge toward infill projects in the coming decade 

After decades of rapid real estate development, especially in south Baton Rouge, a major factor has emerged.

“There’s just not a lot of available land,” says Brian Dantin, a partner at Bruce Dantin Development. “And what is available is really expensive.”

Consequently, the city may finally be turning inward, with more developers considering the infill, or older neighborhoods close to the urban core, as the site of future projects. Dantin predicts a larger number of in-town developments that will appeal to both young professionals relocating to the heart of Baton Rouge and recent LSU graduates eager to live beyond campus.

Dantin shared his prediction as part of a panel of eight community leaders who recently sat down for an editorial roundtable discussion with 225 as part of the magazine’s 10th anniversary issue.

225 publisher Julio Melara, editor Jennifer Tormo and contributing writer Maggie Heyn Richardson recently met with Dantin and the others and asked them to predict what the next 10 years will look like for public education, food and entertainment, health care and more in Baton Rouge.

On the real estate front, density will be an important factor in new developments, says Dantin, but don’t look for them to be high-rises. To maintain the right balance of construction costs and rent revenues, the sweet spot might just be 30- to 40-unit courtyard-style complexes that still manage to feel like neighborhoods.

Traditional neighborhood developments that package retail with housing, such as Perkins Rowe and The Settlement at Willow Grove, will continue to flourish, says Dantin, pointing to The Preserve at Harveston, Rouzan and Long Farm Village as spots where many families will choose to live.

Read the full feature for more from the panel, which included Renee Chatelain, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge; Byron Clayton, president and CEO of the Research Park Corp.; Warren Drake, East Baton Rouge Parish Schools superintendent; Jay Ducote, Bite and Booze blogger and Food Network Star finalist; John Gray, musician and teacher; and Gaylynne Mack, executive director of the Big Buddy Program.

And be sure to check out more stories from the 225 cover package, including a rundown of pivotal moments in Baton Rouge from the last 10 years, as well as a look at 10 places that changed the landscape of the city and several projects in the works now that are poised to further change the landscape       https://www.businessreport.com/article/lack-developable-land-will-likely-push-baton-rouge-toward-infill-projects-coming-decade

[Mr. Burnham]

On 11/10/2015, 5:41:56, greg225 said:

Plan of Government change on Nov. 21 ballot would give Central ‘fair share’ of parish property tax revenue         

East Baton Rouge Parish voters will have an opportunity this month to redirect property taxes collected in the parish, giving the City of Central what officials are calling its “fair share.”

 

The measure on the Nov. 21 ballot has required technical language about changing the East Baton Rouge Parish Plan of Government. But what it addresses is the distribution of property taxes the parish has collected for years from the industrial areas of the parish making up the petro chemical plants like Exxon Mobil and Georgia Pacific.

   http://theadvocate.com/news/13932711-123/plan-of-government-change-on

I will vote yes. Our job as young people is to right the wrongs of the past.

17 hours ago, greg225 said:

Lack of developable land will likely push Baton Rouge toward infill projects in the coming decade 

After decades of rapid real estate development, especially in south Baton Rouge, a major factor has emerged.

“There’s just not a lot of available land,” says Brian Dantin, a partner at Bruce Dantin Development. “And what is available is really expensive.”

Consequently, the city may finally be turning inward, with more developers considering the infill, or older neighborhoods close to the urban core, as the site of future projects. Dantin predicts a larger number of in-town developments that will appeal to both young professionals relocating to the heart of Baton Rouge and recent LSU graduates eager to live beyond campus.

Dantin shared his prediction as part of a panel of eight community leaders who recently sat down for an editorial roundtable discussion with 225 as part of the magazine’s 10th anniversary issue.

225 publisher Julio Melara, editor Jennifer Tormo and contributing writer Maggie Heyn Richardson recently met with Dantin and the others and asked them to predict what the next 10 years will look like for public education, food and entertainment, health care and more in Baton Rouge.

On the real estate front, density will be an important factor in new developments, says Dantin, but don’t look for them to be high-rises. To maintain the right balance of construction costs and rent revenues, the sweet spot might just be 30- to 40-unit courtyard-style complexes that still manage to feel like neighborhoods.

Traditional neighborhood developments that package retail with housing, such as Perkins Rowe and The Settlement at Willow Grove, will continue to flourish, says Dantin, pointing to The Preserve at Harveston, Rouzan and Long Farm Village as spots where many families will choose to live.

Read the full feature for more from the panel, which included Renee Chatelain, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge; Byron Clayton, president and CEO of the Research Park Corp.; Warren Drake, East Baton Rouge Parish Schools superintendent; Jay Ducote, Bite and Booze blogger and Food Network Star finalist; John Gray, musician and teacher; and Gaylynne Mack, executive director of the Big Buddy Program.

And be sure to check out more stories from the 225 cover package, including a rundown of pivotal moments in Baton Rouge from the last 10 years, as well as a look at 10 places that changed the landscape of the city and several projects in the works now that are poised to further change the landscape       https://www.businessreport.com/article/lack-developable-land-will-likely-push-baton-rouge-toward-infill-projects-coming-decade

This is what North Baton Rouge has been waiting for. The North will rise again!

[dan326]

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Edited November 18, 2015 by dan326