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Baton Rouge Growth and Development


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This article goes thru some of the different projects just completed, underway or coming soon in Baton Rouge. From Downtown to LSU, Mid City and southeast BR and points in between. This an exciting time here ! Most of these projects would have happened even with no hurricane.

http://www.hurricane-real-estate.com/newor...e-projects.html

I can't wait to see more cranes downtown. Will the new buildings translate to more people coming downtown? I hope so! I think they will, too, as it is safe to say BR's downtown is picking up the pace.

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Me too bluff2085 ! I can't wait to see all those cranes, all at once ! Three major high-rise towers scheduled in one year is an unprecedented event in Baton Rouge ! And several more mid-rise projects are planned too. The Skyline will change dramatically. Yes, all this building will translate to more people coming downtown. This Summer the final two State Bldgs. Iberville & Beinville will be complete. This should bring approx. 2,000 additional workers downtown. The Hilton Capitol Center should be complete by Summer's end ! This is the biggest renovation project in downtown's history and vital to a vibrant urban center ! The Riverfront Master Plan is another BIG step to bringing BR to the next level as a legit mid-size U.S. city !

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Thanks for(enlarging) sharing those pics Nate. That stretch of I-10 is a giant funnel. I am sorry you had to deal with that. But I'm sure that's nothing new to you. Being from NOLA, and traveling the booming Northshore you probably get to deal with that kind of traffic on a day-to-day basis.

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Being from NOLA, and traveling the booming Northshore you probably get to deal with that kind of traffic on a day-to-day basis.

Oh yes, some of the traffic I experience in New Orleans, Metairie, and on the Northshore is just as bad as what I had to deal with in Baton Rouge. Nothing new for me at all.

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We are fortunate to have several major arteries running through the heart of the city. Because of I-10, I-12, and I-110 (North/South), the general areas of Baton Rouge (North, Central, and East/Southeast) are quickly accessible. This is partly due to fact that Baton Rouge's land area is relatively small at 77 sq. miles. We are a dense city by southern standards--more dense population wise than Birmingham, Memphis, and Nashville, to name just a few.

However, it's pretty clear that Katrina has forced our city to evaluate the current transportation infrastructure. The conveniency of these interstates has previously overshadowed the fact that: 1) they encourage metropolitan sprawl (which is certainly not unique to Baton Rouge) and 2) primary roads in Baton Rouge are often ill-equipped to handle the rapidly growing population of vehicles. That is, there is not enough infrastructure in place to alleviate the severe congestion that we are seeing on roads like Perkins, College, Essen, and Airline.

I just hope that in the process of becoming a *legit* mid-sized city (thanks richyb), we seek out solutions to the current infrastructure shortcomings that do not call for the systematic widening of roads. In many cases this is inevitable, but what other options are viable? Baton Rouge can tackle this situation from several angles. Certainly the bus system will come into play. Could we also move towards rail-orientented transit--a move which might put us ahead of other mid-size cities in the coming decades? Economically, we have too much going for us to not consider bold moves such as this. Either way I'm looking forward to seeing what city leaders do to address this dilemma.

Edited by bluff2085
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Bad%20air%20in%20BR.jpg

^Ouch is right! Man that is bad.

This is what I saw at 2pm on a Friday on I-10 in Baton Rouge a few weeks ago:

img22115nv.jpg

Unbelievable = both of those photos.

:shok:

How the hell are people in that area adjusting!? It's one thing to visit a city like Houston or Dallas where that is the norm, but to adjust to living like that... literally overnight... has got to be unnerving.

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North Baton Rouge Clinic

Wait times at Earl K. Long could drop when LSU opens up a new clinic in North Baton Rouge. Women's services and family medicine will be offered at the new clinic. The new clinic will be located on Airline Highway and will open in early 2008. The clinic will cost an estimated $12 million.

ekl060206.jpg

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/2922231.html

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Unbelievable = both of those photos.

:shok:

How the hell are people in that area adjusting!? It's one thing to visit a city like Houston or Dallas where that is the norm, but to adjust to living like that... literally overnight... has got to be unnerving.

I don't live there, but I think it may not be as big of an adjustment as you might think. The traffic always sucked big time in Baton Rouge before Katrina, because there were never enough major roads to support all of the traffic entering and exiting the city during rush hour. It's still probably a big adjustment for most drivers around Baton Rouge, but it's not like they were used to anything glorious before Katrina.

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Yeah Baton Rouge has been behind when having the proper road system. Serious growing pains for an over grown country town becoming a mid-size city. The city is landlocked with only two ways out of BR to the west, I-10 and Hwy.190 and to the east(not including Magnolia Bridge over Amite to the north). Airline Hwy. (originally a by-pass) is diagonal from NW to SE also adds to the chaotic scene.

There is a large undeveloped area(450 acres) in the middle of BR called the LSU Rural Life Museum/Burden Plantation south of the 10/12 split. It creates a large gap between College Drive and Essen Ln. hindering north/south flow.

The largest road project program in BR's history "The Green Light Program" has began, and will help some areas badly in need. However from observing Atlanta's traffic problems, no matter how many lanes they seem to add, traffic is still a nightmare. Some compare it to a person buying a larger belt while going on a diet.

Edited by richyb83
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richyb, thanks for the info. Here's the LSU Rural Life Museum/Burden Plantation that you are talking about via google: map.

Evidenced by the map is the "shoelace" approach to road construction that has plagued BR for many years. My girlfriend says it gives Baton Rouge character. I'm not sure but BR's natural topography may have come into play.

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Thanks bluff for sending that google area. Thats gives a good idea to part of the traffic problem. I guess I can't argue, many people would agree with your girlfriend that area is basically an rural preserve,great for the community. Surrounded by urban areas.

I think the google city maps are really cool, however the aerial satellite views are outdated,not only in BR,but other cities as well. I have heard others make that comment too. If you notice, it does not show the new Towne Center at Jefferson Hwy. and Corporate Blvd. And Southgate Towers south of LSU(Nicholson/Burbank) is not shown. They only have the land being cleared. I think the pics are at least a couple years ago. The Shaw Arts Center downtown is not shown either.

Edited by richyb83
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I think the google city maps are really cool, however the aerial satellite views are outdated,not only in BR,but other cities as well. I have heard others make that comment too.

Oh yes, very outdated. In the Google Maps aerials of Covington, large developments that have been completed 18+ months ago are still shown as not even taking place, i.e. the land plot in a mostly wooded section has just been, or hasn't even been cleared yet.

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True, the new production facility off I-10 at Siegen looks impressive. The new printing press is from Germany and the bldg. housing it is about 70 feet tall. The administrative offices, advertising, newsroom,etc. is now at a 6-story bldg. on Bluebonnet .

If they combined both of these sites it would really be BIG !

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Good question. Many people hated to see them leave downtown. SE BR has been the place to move by many for years. Bluebonnet, Essen, Siegen, continue to see no slow down. Look at the nice new 12-story Shaw Plaza built in 02' on Essen near I-10 posted by byrde. That would look better somewhere along the Riverfront in the CBD. Others too.

That's OK. Something special is going to happen at the old Advocate property on the Riverfront. Definitely multi-storied, probably mixed use, possibly, hopefully a "signature" building. It is a prime piece of property.

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Great news bryde. These Downtown projects are feeding off one another and gaining momentum. We finally have some movers and shakers steering this development. This really started in 98'.

I am looking forward to seeing the addition of a new glass enclosed roof-top at old Hotel King. I wonder if the building will stay all white like it is now ?

I can't wait to see the final plans for the Kress/Welsh & Levy Bldg. I know they will keep the historic exterior shell too. They orginally planned on adding to the building from the inside and top-out at 8-stories. But last I had heard it was topping-out at 10-floors. It's at a great location; Third Street at Main across from the YMCA.

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The Old Shenandoah Subdivision Golf Course was sold a while back against the neighbors wishes and is now being developed into Green Trails. It is 130 acres and will have 280 lots; 17.4 acres of greenspace and 2.6 acres of lakes. This development drew as much heat from upset residents as any in recent memory !

http://www.greentrails.net/

Appeals Court O.K.'s Greentrails

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/...ay/3042621.html

Edited by richyb83
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