Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[richyb83]

On 3/17/2017 at 0:05 PM, dan326 said:

Well...

J.C. Penney to close Cortana Mall store

https://www.businessreport.com/article/j-c-penney-close-cortana-mall-store

Going the way of the ole' Bon Marche

Cortana Mall tenant experiencing 1990s-era vibe as retailers close major anchor stores

http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_a4ed5752-0fe4-11e7-8743-2f5f94e13f69.html

[cajun]

10 hours ago, richyb83 said:

Going the way of the ole' Bon Marche

Cortana Mall tenant experiencing 1990s-era vibe as retailers close major anchor stores

http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_a4ed5752-0fe4-11e7-8743-2f5f94e13f69.html

Cortana needs to be demolished and redeveloped into distribution center and flex space with retail on the periphery.   A lot of tech companies and call centers use flex space for their businesses.   They tend to hire more people per square foot than a shopping mall, not to mention with higher pay and more specialized fields.   Distribution Centers are are not as dense employment centers, but they are critical and lucrative as well along with manufacturing/bottling/beverage companies.   There's already flex space and distribution centers being built off Tom Drive and Oak Villa.   We know that is what is in demand for the area.

It should essentially be a nicer, more organized version of Industriplex, except flanked by retail on Florida, Airline, and Oak Villa.  

Edited March 27, 2017 by cajun

[richyb83]

After all these years this prime location remains vacant...this lot takes up abt 3/4 of the St.Louis/Government/France Street block; part of the Istrouma Bluff

Had thought a convention-style hotel might be built at this location one day....but now guessing it remains an empty lot in the forseeable future?

[richyb83]

The iconic South Chase Tower(BR's 3 Tallest high-rise)  getting a needed upgrade inside & out ..going to a lighter color too from it's northern lil' bro

Chase South Tower undergoing extensive renovation

 

 

https://www.businessreport.com/article/chase-south-tower-undergoing-extensive-renovation

[dan326]

Nice, hope they repaint the other one too.

[cajun]

State says downtown Baton Rouge parking garage rate hike to help replenish maintenance fund

https://www.businessreport.com/article/state-says-downtown-baton-rouge-parking-garage-rate-hike-help-replenish-maintenance-fund

 

Maybe it's time for another public parking garage downtown somewhere?

I think that perhaps the State Street/Highland area north of the LSU campus could use one as well.

Edited April 29, 2017 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

That area needs one, and I also would like to see that Shell torn down and a slim, 4-5 story building with first floor retail in it's place and improved cross walks. That intersection is ugly and it really shouldn't be. 

[cajun]

Destination restaurant signs lease with River House development

https://www.businessreport.com/business/destination-restaurant-signs-lease-river-house-development-2

The developers of The River House have inked a deal with a destination restaurant that will be the anchor tenant of their mixed-use development on Nicholson Drive near downtown.

Marc Blumberg declines to identify the restaurant, one of at least two tenants that he says has signed a lease in the development’s 16,000-square-foot retail space. But he plans to make a major announcement soon.

“We don’t want to say too much right now, but you need a destination type of restaurant there,” he says. “It’s definitely a destination restaurant.”

Meanwhile, work is nearing completion on the two multifamily buildings in the development. Each building has two sections that together total 224 units. Blumberg expects the first units, about a quarter of the total, to be completed and ready for occupancy in June.

 

16,000 foot restaurant.   Anyone want to speculate? 

 

 

 

 

.....I always thought that Ruth's Chris needed a more interesting address.    I honestly have no clue what this could be though.

Edited May 2, 2017 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

Fogo de Chao is my guess.

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[BRPJ]

Maybe a Hard Rock Cafe

[cajun]

3 hours ago, Antrell Williams said:

Fogo de Chao is my guess.


 

Interesting......Baton Rouge would be their smallest market by far.     This is a huge space though.   16,000 square feet is no Chipotle.   That's somewhere between a Chuy's and a Cheesecake Factory.  

2 hours ago, BRPJ said:

Maybe a Hard Rock Cafe

That would be about the right size.   I thought 3rd street would be more appropriate though.   The developers must have really leveraged The Water Campus development (which should start on their 4th building this summer) to score a big tenant like that.   I bet the tenant can setup elaborate signage to get visibility from I-10 if they wanted to.

I'm really curious.    I would have guessed Buffalo Wild Wings if there wasn't already one on Highland.   Maybe something like Dreamland BBQ or Corky's.

Edited May 3, 2017 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

Hard Rock Cafe sounds like a good guess. I'm thinking destination restaurant so I'm thinking of something that isn't already present in the region or one of those popular national chains. I wouldn't call BWW a destination restaurant lol.

[cajun]

36 minutes ago, Antrell Williams said:

Hard Rock Cafe sounds like a good guess. I'm thinking destination restaurant so I'm thinking of something that isn't already present in the region or one of those popular national chains. I wouldn't call BWW a destination restaurant lol.

Hard Rock checks the boxes, but I don't think I've ever seen one in a location that wasn't either very walkable or in close proximity to some kind of attraction.    Is it possible that the 16,000 square feet mentioned is for the entire building and not the restaurant space?

I also would not be surprised if the developer was overselling the "destination restaurant" theme a little.   If it's a big recognizable chain, I figured it wouldn't be too high end and possibly play off on the LSU sports theme if they could.

Some possibilities:   

Hard Rock
Tin Lizzy Cantina
Toby Keith's I Love This Bar (Oklahoma based)
Chuy's (Austin based and expanding fast)
Dreamland/Jim N Nicks/Smoke Bones/Corky's BBQ
Bahama Breeze (Darden)
Lupe Tortilla (Houston based)
Landry's Seafood House
Firebird's Grill

Tilted Kilt Pub and EateryI think Cheesecake Factory is too big and they  don't typically open in suburban locations in towns this size.    There's already a Texas de Brazil and a Joe's Crabshack in town.    Twin Peaks is already in town.   Capital Grille and Seasons 52 are a little high brow for the neighborhood but they are about that size. 

If it's smaller than the 16,000 square foot quoted....perhaps this is the new Walk On's half court?  That would be a destination anchor in this town.

Edited May 3, 2017 by cajun

[dan326]

5 minutes ago, dan326 said:

On a good note, maybe since they've been playing Dave and Busters and TGI Fridays commercials in the area for 10 years now they'll finally open one. According to the company websites they have 2 TGI Fridays in New Orleans and 1 in Shreveport and about to open 1 Dave and Busters in New Orleans on Poydras St.

I hope its Cheescake Factory because everything on their menu is good. I hope its not a Walk On's.

[cajun]

6 minutes ago, dan326 said:

I hope its Cheescake Factory because everything on their menu is good. I hope its not a Walk On's.

Could be a Margaritaville too.

I would bet it is underwhelming relative to these suggestions though.

Edited May 3, 2017 by cajun

[dan326]

5 minutes ago, cajun said:

Could be a Margaritaville too.

I would bet it is underwhelming relative to these suggestions though.

I thought we were friends but you just had to bring me back to reality.  I'm pinning my hopes on TGI Friday though and no one will tell me differently. 

Edited May 3, 2017 by dan326

[cajun]

29 minutes ago, dan326 said:

I thought we were friends but you just had to bring me back to reality.  I'm pinning my hopes on TGI Friday though and no one will tell me differently. 

TGI Friday?   You can dream bigger than that!

Dan, as your friend, I apologize.  I do think a Cheescake factory would print money in Baton Rouge.   Even I would eat there sometimes.   

I think the real question on everyone's mind is if the old Tinseltown plot can fit an IKEA.

Edited May 3, 2017 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

I'm not familiar with most of those brands you mentioned and there is a Tilted Kilt now in Gonzales near Cabela's. 

I see an IKEA going to New Orleans or Metairie before Baton Rouge, just like Top Golf. 

[dan326]

^

^LOL!

It probably could. Maybe they'll put an IKEA where the Target shopping center was going to go in Gonzales across the interstate from Tanger or where Buckees was going to go on Millerville.

Edited May 3, 2017 by dan326

[Antrell Williams]

I can't imagine it in the suburbs. I don't see why Baton Rouge would get one to be honest. New Orleans would be the ideal market.

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[cajun]

14 minutes ago, Antrell Williams said:

I can't imagine it in the suburbs. I don't see why Baton Rouge would get one to be honest. New Orleans would be the ideal market.

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Honestly.....Louisiana's taste in home furnishings isn't really something that Ikea does.

[Antrell Williams]

Honestly.....Louisiana's taste in home furnishings isn't really something that Ikea does.

I think it fits well with younger people in general. Even though we don't retain them well.

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[dan326]

Affordable apartment complex planned for Plank and Airline

A Kentucky development group is planning a 180-unit affordable apartment complex in north Baton Rouge on the corner of Airline Highway and Plank Road.

LDG Development, which specializes in affordable housing, is still in the planning stages for the project, which is named Commodore Pointe. 

The developer is also set to cut the ribbon on the Port Royal Apartments, another affordable housing complex on Airline Highway, on May 10. In March, LDG announced a 204-unit project on Nicholson Drive and Gardere Lane.

Commodore Pointe will feature two four-story residential buildings and a 3,800-square-foot clubhouse and community room, according to a marketing packet the development published.

https://www.businessreport.com/article/affordable-apartment-complex-planned-plank-airline

Edited May 5, 2017 by dan326

[cajun]

Another development on the board’s agenda last night was Howell Village, an affordable housing complex planned by Tennessee-based developer Gary Gibbs near the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport. That project faced resistance from local lawmakers, who delayed the state financing process for the development last week before reaching an agreement with Gibbs.

In other words, their bribery check cleared.

[richyb83]

3-story apts. expanding along I-12 btwn Millerville Rd & O'Neal Lane

LAKESIDE VILLAS undergoing $15 M Expansion

Lakeside Villas at 2455 Weldwood Drive is undergoing a roughly $15.5 million expansion that would bring an additional 144 units to the multifamily development.

Doster Construction Co. Assistant Project Manager Trey Early says says construction on phase two of the multifamily complex began Feb. 22 and is expected to be completed next April.

There are currently 224 units at Lakeside Villas, which is located off Interstate 12 near Millerville Road. Once phase two is complete, the multifamily development will have a total of 368 apartments. The Alabama-based company says phase two will include construction of five new buildings and a new clubhouse on about 7.5 acres.

https://www.businessreport.com/article/lakeside-villas-undergoing-15m-expansion