Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[all2neat]

On 9/13/2017 at 1:52 PM, Antrell Williams said:

Yep. I'm moving to Denver come 2018.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 

Nice. I left a little over 2 years ago and haven't looked back.

[Antrell Williams]

Friend of mine lives around Irving I think, he tried to get me to choose Dallas but I don't think I want to do Texas again.  I hear it is supposed to outpace Houston now. 

[Mr. Burnham]

27 minutes ago, Antrell Williams said:

Friend of mine lives around Irving I think, he tried to get me to choose Dallas but I don't think I want to do Texas again.  I hear it is supposed to outpace Houston now. 

Yeah, Dallas is booming rn. Harvey will only make things better for Dallas.

[dan326]

^ Yeah, it looks  like  a repeat of some elements of what happened to Galveston 100 years ago. I can see Dallas metro outgrowing Houston. To me Houston seems like a huge version of Baton Rouge, in that it's sort of generic. Dallas seems "nicer" and more well laid out while Fort Worth has the culture.

[Antrell Williams]

Metro Dallas has been larger than Houston for a decade or so. And yes it will benefit from Harvey unfortunately.

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[Mr. Burnham]

On 9/21/2017 at 11:21 PM, dan326 said:

^ Yeah, it looks  like  a repeat of some elements of what happened to Galveston 100 years ago. I can see Dallas metro outgrowing Houston. To me Houston seems like a huge version of Baton Rouge, in that it's sort of generic. Dallas seems "nicer" and more well laid out while Fort Worth has the culture.

Houston has way more culture and unique activities than Baton Rouge does.

[dan326]

22 hours ago, mr. bernham said:

Houston has way more culture and unique activities than Baton Rouge does.

Well obviously, but because it's bigger, in that it has those things in proportion to it's size, as opposed to say New Orleans who has as much culture despite it's size. Of course I will retract my other statement, I doubt Harvey will have a huge impact on Houston because if we can rebuild I know they can.

[dan326]

Olinde’s acquires vacant lot from Costco, plans new Ashley Homestore

The parent company of Olinde’s Furniture has acquired three acres of vacant land adjacent to Costco on Airline Highway near Interstate 12 and plans to develop an Ashley Homestore furniture outlet on the site.

Olinde Hardware and Supply Co. LLC acquired the property earlier this month from Costco Wholesale Corporation for $1.35 million, or about $10.60 per square foot. Olinde’s owns and operates five furniture and mattress stores that bear its name, as well as all seven Ashley stores in Louisiana.

The site for the new Ashley store—which will be the first in East Baton Rouge Parish and one of three in the Capital Region—is attractive to Olinde’s for a couple of reasons, according to company president Tom Olinde. It’s adjacent to Costco, which draws big crowds of shoppers, and is one of few remaining parcels of undeveloped land still visible from the interstate.

https://www.businessreport.com/article/olindes-acquires-vacant-lot-costco-plans-new-ashley-homestore

[dan326]

It looks like the Gap in the mall is shutting down because of a supposed lease dispute. Like my friend and I were saying, these stores keep shutting down but they keep building all these houses so people must have money.  I guess BR will just have a bunch of houses and like my mom said, people will just sit inside on the couch in their pajamas and order everything from online. I guess in 50 years, that will get old and then physical stores will start repopulating the landscape with they don't start making virtual reality stores.

I think the internet sorta had another effect in that people don't need to go out as much cause they are able to make the inside of their house as nice as a restaurant,lounge, etc; cook the same meals as restaurants; have sound systems like the theater; etc.

[cajun]

On 11/27/2017 at 12:43 PM, dan326 said:

It looks like the Gap in the mall is shutting down because of a supposed lease dispute. Like my friend and I were saying, these stores keep shutting down but they keep building all these houses so people must have money.  I guess BR will just have a bunch of houses and like my mom said, people will just sit inside on the couch in their pajamas and order everything from online. I guess in 50 years, that will get old and then physical stores will start repopulating the landscape with they don't start making virtual reality stores.

I think the internet sorta had another effect in that people don't need to go out as much cause they are able to make the inside of their house as nice as a restaurant,lounge, etc; cook the same meals as restaurants; have sound systems like the theater; etc.

It's a common trend.   Retailers that can't figure out how to operate online are going to struggle. 

Sears won't make it much longer I think.

[dan326]

1 hour ago, cajun said:

It's a common trend.   Retailers that can't figure out how to operate online are going to struggle. 

Sears won't make it much longer I think.

I agree. Maybe they should have sold their brand to Amazon so they could covert then to Amazon stores.

[cajun]

Topgolf gets permit for Baton Rouge location; update coming 'in next few weeks,' officials say

The Baton Rouge Advocate

[richyb83]

Yes indeed Cajun...seems like the ideal spot for a Top Golf ...looks like Main Event will be going to Mall of La at old HH Gregg/The Boulevard

Knew all the new office space coming to the new Water Campus would soften Downtown market; greatly lessening   any chances of a new high-rise office tower in the foreseeable future; if ever.  BR's love for suburban garden offices exacerbates this.....

How the Water Campus could further soften the downtown office market

https://www.businessreport.com/article/water-campus-soften-downtown-office-market

As of this week, the Water Campus has three buildings open and is soon beginning work on another multi-tenant office building—the first of several planned for the development.

Given the current Baton Rouge office market trends is toward suburban garden-style offices—rather than multi-tenant downtown towers—local real estate agents expect ongoing construction at the Water Campus to contribute to a softer market downtown.

“I think it’s really good to have all those industries and companies that are working on coastal restoration together. From that standpoint it’s fabulous,” says Brandon Pesnell, of Houston-based Transwestern Commercial Services. “It’s had a negative impact on the market as a whole.”

[richyb83]

Right on cue...goes right with above post...gotta give guys like Wampold(& Bernhard) props for investing in BR!  BR's 3rd Tallest building 277ft' South Chase Tower going to be redeveloped into Mixed-use; (hard to believe it's a 50 year old structure now)....

A mixed-use tower had been my hope for a new High-rise for Downtown(entertainment/retail street-level inside multi-level parking; office & residential on top

Mike Wampold buys Chase South Tower, planning mixed-use future

Though a class A office property in the heart of downtown, the 21-story Chase South Tower, located at 451 Florida St., has struggled in recent years with its absentee landlords, who in 2016 were involved in a foreclosure lawsuit with their lender. Though the suit was later settled, the property’s occupancy rate was only around 70% in April 2017. In the past two years, several large tenants, including Camelot Club, which closed in 2016, and Albemarle, have moved out.

Wampold says he is undeterred and, in fact, is bullish on the building and the submarket. His adjoining Riverside North Tower is running out of vacancies and he believes demand exists for more high rise office space in a newly renovated building, despite a general softening of the downtown office market.

“The main thing we are going to do for now is improve it and bring it back to its class A status, from bottom to top,” he says.

Wampold, though stating he has no immediate plans to redevelop the building or expand its use, has architects working on several options and is particularly interested in exploring the multifamily component.

Wampold believes there is a market for still more multifamily space downtown, even though several new apartment buildings are under construction or have recently opened. He points out that even with all the new complexes, downtown still has fewer than 500 apartment units.

“That’s not very much,” he says. “You don’t necessarily need more apartments but you need the right kind of apartment building, something that is going to entice people out of the suburbs.”

With the acquisition of the Chase South Tower, Wampold now owns five major downtown structures that he has either bought and renovated or built from the ground up. They include Riverside North Tower, City Plaza and II City Plaza, and the Watermark Hotel, which he redeveloped from the former LNB Building. The developer says it is a testament to his faith in downtown and in Baton Rouge.

“We are a state capital, a major U.S. city with a major port and two universities,” he says. ‘I happen to be a believer in downtown.”

Referencing two fiery speeches of the past two weeks by private equity firm executive Jim Bernhard, who has committed to using his money and influence to improve infrastructure, crime and higher education, Wampold says he, too, is committed to making Baton Rouge better.

“We need to take stock in Baton Rouge and change and improve some things,” he says “I’m part of that movement and plan to join in and help.”

https://www.businessreport.com/article/mike-wampold-buys-chase-south-tower-big-plans-future-uses

Edited February 3, 2018 by richyb83

[richyb83]

This article from the Advocate mentions Rooftop pool & Fitness Center...100-150 residential units on top floors

Wampold buys Chase South Tower in downtown Baton Rouge, will convert to residential, retail, offices

http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_900a25c4-0848-11e8-9cd9-0b1ec848f33c.html

 

[dan326]

Cool! I wonder how much residential units will cost?

[cajun]

The penthouse units in the old Camelot Club will have the best residential views in the city by a long shot.

[dan326]

11 hours ago, cajun said:

The penthouse units in the old Camelot Club will have the best residential views in the city by a long shot.

True and I'm sure there will be a price to match.  Hey, wouldn't it be neat if this set off the demand for highrise living in BR?

[dan326]

http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_21061c84-0ac6-11e8-bdbf-77b6170afbe4.html

Construction of grocery store at Rouzan set to begin in April or May

 

Construction is scheduled to begin in late April-early May on the first retail tenant in the Rouzan development — a 30,000-square-foot location for a national grocery store chain.

Plans for the store should soon be submitted to the city-parish Department of Public Works to review for a building permit, said Charles Landry, a Baton Rouge attorney who was part of a group of investors who acquired much of Rouzan last month. Landry could not disclose any further details about the identity of the store, citing confidentiality agreements.

[dan326]

 

Donnie Jarreau plans garden-style office park on Perkins, near Pecue

Stephanie Riegel

February 7, 2018

 

Donnie Jarreau is finalizing plans for a new garden-style office park that will be located on Perkins Road, just east of Pecue Lane and across from The Royal Standard.

The development will consist of eight pad sites for buildings measuring roughly 2,000 to 5,000 square feet each. Jarreau is building two of the buildings and plans to retain one for his office. The others will likely be for retail use, one of which Jarreau says will probably be for a fitness club.

https://www.businessreport.com/article/donnie-jarreau-plans-garden-style-office-park-perkins-near-pecue

 

Also a strip mall is going up by Wendys on Sherwood.

Telco buys Goodwood plot for $1.2M, plans new location

Sam Karlin

February 7, 2018

 

Baton Rouge Telco Federal Credit Union has purchased a plot of land on Goodwood Boulevard for $1.2 million with plans to build a new location.

Telco President and CEO Darryl K. Long says the new 10,000-square-foot location will replace the firm’s branch on Wooddale Boulevard in north Baton Rouge, which opened in 1987. The company has since opened up three more branches: One on Airline Highway, one in Hammond and, most recently, a location in Watson that opened in 2011.

 

https://www.businessreport.com/article/telco-buys-goodwood-plot-1-2m-plans-new-location

[cajun]

On 2/4/2018 at 1:22 PM, dan326 said:

True and I'm sure there will be a price to match.  Hey, wouldn't it be neat if this set off the demand for highrise living in BR?

Maybe.  

 

I bet the next new building in downtown Baton Rouge over 15 floors is a hotel though.

[richyb83]

I like the Out the Box Thinking...a new Soccer Stadium would be cool...but BR doesn't even have a Minor League team (here had been a small semi-pro team playing at Olympia Stadium for a short while) ....some say it would be dead on arrival?.../or only last as long as like the defunct Semi-Pro Hockey team The Kingfish....    Don't think the new Zoo location would work at Cortana.

A soccer stadium on the site of Cortana? Why not, says Baton Rouge broker shopping the idea

https://www.businessreport.com/article/soccer-stadium-site-cortana-not-says-baton-rouge-broker-shopping-idea

 

[Mr. Burnham]

1 hour ago, richyb83 said:

I like the Out the Box Thinking...a new Soccer Stadium would be cool...but BR doesn't even have a Minor League team (here had been a small semi-pro team playing at Olympia Stadium for a short while) ....some say it would be dead on arrival?.../or only last as long as like the defunct Semi-Pro Hockey team The Kingfish....    Don't think the new Zoo location would work at Cortana.

A soccer stadium on the site of Cortana? Why not, says Baton Rouge broker shopping the idea

https://www.businessreport.com/article/soccer-stadium-site-cortana-not-says-baton-rouge-broker-shopping-idea

 

No. Not here. This is an awful location for a soccer stadium. Any soccer stadium constructed must be a flex stadium meaning it is flexible and has multiple uses. Think stadiums, high school games, etc. 

A soccer stadium here would fail for the same reason Cortana failed; it's too far from the disposable income inclined population center.

[cajun]

4 hours ago, mr. bernham said:

No. Not here. This is an awful location for a soccer stadium. Any soccer stadium constructed must be a flex stadium meaning it is flexible and has multiple uses. Think stadiums, high school games, etc. 

A soccer stadium here would fail for the same reason Cortana failed; it's too far from the disposable income inclined population center.

A sports complex would be a nice feature.   With lots of soccer fields and baseball fields.   

[cajun]

On 2/1/2018 at 2:49 PM, cajun said:

Topgolf gets permit for Baton Rouge location; update coming 'in next few weeks,' officials say

The Baton Rouge Advocate

Top Golf broke ground today off Siegen Lane.

It's also listed as "coming soon" on their website.

https://topgolf.com/us/locations-by-state/?utm_source=topgolf&utm_content=loc-state&utm_campaign=navigation

Edited February 13, 2018 by cajun