Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[dimebag1980]

THAT is the new Wal-Mart?? Amazing!! I thought the new Shreve City location was nice, but this thing is gorgeous!

[byrde]

THAT is the new Wal-Mart?? Amazing!! I thought the new Shreve City location was nice, but this thing is gorgeous!

That is a nice looking wal-mart.

[richyb83]

Yeah it does look nice. They said they wanted to blend it in better with the neighborhood. How many Super Wal-Marts does metro BR need??

[dan326]

Plans are in the works to build a 30,000 square foot office development at the corner of Perkins Road and Kenilworth Parkway. The development, which could include a bank branch, is a collaboration of HRP Development, Chenevert Architects and Lincoln Builders.

Soon that area will be filled up with nice office developments.

[richyb83]

That's a nice looking 3-story building in the booming Perkins Road corridor. I would have posted it; but some think we get excited about every little development in the BR Forums. So what if we are guilty huh, Dan????? That won't be far from Perkins Palms either.

Edited June 30, 2007 by richyb83

[drew6974]

I think this is worthy of the BR growth and development page. I just rode downtown and work has started on CityPlaza II.

There is a lot of heavy construction equipment on the parking lot which will be torn up and a temporary parking lot behind the building that Trahan bought at Convention and N. 6th has been set up for city plaza workers.

It looks like this project will start becoming a reality tomorrow.

Courthouse next then RiverPlace, it's your turn. Then?????

Sleepy downtown BR is not sleepy anymore.

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this drew. I like your enthusiasm for downtown!!!

Watch the projects fall like dominos! North Blvd. will be reconfigured (2-lanes) just a block away in front of the new Courthouse. This should start sometime "this" month(July);the southern-end of the CBD will look 100% better suited for a city BR's size with II City Plaza and the New Courthouse.

After the completion of Phase II; Looking forward to seeing the 6-8 story condo in Shaw Center for the Arts last phase(III) at the corner of Third & Convention.

Edited July 2, 2007 by richyb83

[twstdndmntd]

So the old Advocate site won't have the 30 story tower on it? That's a shame it really would have helped enhance a skyline for BR. But I tell you 2 towers on the same lot at 12-15 stories will also fill in a skyline gap. Hopefully they will put them on the lot so that when you look at the skyline from across the river you can tell there are 2 different structures there. I am still a big advocate on more taller structures being built closer to 110 so that the CBD looks more full and not just clustered along the riverfront. Speaking of riverfront does anyone have any ideas when the Riverfront Master Plan will be implemented? I saw the drawings for what they want to do, I'm just wondering when we can start to see that being developed.

[brresident]

Anyone have any details on the Advocate site, yet?

I think that since Riverplace may actually be a reality at 25+ stories that I'd rather see the two 8-15 story buildings that everyone mentioned.

I'd like to see something like a 10 story high end office building and a modern 15 story hotel with riverfront views.

It's such a huge block....I'd like to see more shorter structures on it than one massive structure and green space that will take away from the Capitol building.

[richyb83]

No news yet, I need to get on it!

Yeah, I agree. I'm as big a of fan of high-rise(vertical) buildings as the next; but after drawing the future BR skyline, adding a 30-story tower at the old Advocate site would create a "lop-sided" looking skyline next to RiverPlace. Two 10- 15-story buildings would fit/look better on that block between One American Place(310'ft.), 12-story LaSalle state building and RiverPlace.

If a new office tower was to be built...my choice would be to place it along the Fourth Street corridor somewhere between One American Place and the Chase Towers.

[richyb83]

Some GOOD NEWS!!!

The City-Parish plans to do a BETTER job of cutting grass on boulevard medians and at public buildings. This can go a long way in getting rid of the negative image around BR!

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/8294737.h...index=1&c=y

The move to farm out the maintenance of 16 boulevards and of the grounds at 29 city-parish facilities and add manpower to the city-parish

[bobby255BR]

Amen!!!!!!!

I'm so glad that the city parish have come to their senses and realize that this is a problem. It has been a problem for far to long, both in the run down parts of the city and the newly developed parts. Its time to clean Baton Rouge up and this will be a great start.

[byrde]

Happy to read that the city-parish will put more effort in to maintaining grass along blvds and city streets.

Wonder who will be in charge of cutting the grass along Harding Blvd and Hooper Rd?

[dan326]

That does need to be taken care of. Some medians/ off/on ramps make the city look really trashy.

[brresident]

Good. They can break out the street sweepers more often than once a decade, too.

[twstdndmntd]

I am overwhelmed with joy that the city/parish will be doing a better job taking care of the medians around the city. They have been an eyesore for a while now. I would love to see them do something with the sides of the interstates as well as the medians on the interstates. The side of the interstate out by Siegen by the Budweiser building, and those other businesses looks great, how it is all cleaned out and you can actually see the buildings. That really needs to be done from Siegen to Essen. It looks so trashy with all the overgrown weeds, trees and underbrush. You dont know you are actually in a "city" until you get out towards College and that is even a stretch once you go past College. Maybe if people could see that there is actual development in that area and between College and Downtown they might actually view us as a "city". Just a thought.... I am all for trees but I really think we need to start thinning them out some, I think it's a shame that you don't see Downtown until it's time to pass it. You should be able to see the top of the Capital, Chase Towers, and One American Plaza at least at College or Acadian.

[yis2003yis]

I am overwhelmed with joy that the city/parish will be doing a better job taking care of the medians around the city. They have been an eyesore for a while now. I would love to see them do something with the sides of the interstates as well as the medians on the interstates. The side of the interstate out by Siegen by the Budweiser building, and those other businesses looks great, how it is all cleaned out and you can actually see the buildings. That really needs to be done from Siegen to Essen. It looks so trashy with all the overgrown weeds, trees and underbrush. You dont know you are actually in a "city" until you get out towards College and that is even a stretch once you go past College. Maybe if people could see that there is actual development in that area and between College and Downtown they might actually view us as a "city". Just a thought.... I am all for trees but I really think we need to start thinning them out some, I think it's a shame that you don't see Downtown until it's time to pass it. You should be able to see the top of the Capital, Chase Towers, and One American Plaza at least at College or Acadian.

I agree with that 100% cent ...i work at the Domino's Pizza Louisiana Distribution Center off Highland road Down by Blue Bayou

I basically get off late @ night so i keep a look out on everything comming up on the 1-10 strech....and i noticed that last night...u have to get past that curve where the lsu exit is just to see our skyline ..and it's basically because the trees,.......but it would be a good look if the trees would be gone because the lake sits there and then the skyline right behind

[richyb83]

When driving West you can see the top of the State Capitol from the foot of the City Park Lake bridge. I'm not sure if those trees will ever come down at City Park, but I know what you mean. It would be cool to able to see One American Place, Chase Towers,etc. You literally have to break your neck trying to find One American Place over the trees.

Baton Rouge being in the subtropics the tree canopy is just so lush and thick; many people from across the U.S. driving thru BR always seem to comment on how "green" the city is. Sometimes the underbrush gets out of hand.

I always like the view of the BR skyline from the I-12 ramped- loop back to around to I-10. From the pinnacle around the curve you can clearly see the skyline. And at night seeing the illuminating Capitol!

Edited July 4, 2007 by richyb83

[byrde]

I disagree with thinning the trees out in the city. The weeds and brush can go but keep the trees.

[richyb83]

I agree with you too Bryde. Those trees are there for many reasons. Probably the most important reason being all the trees act as a "filter" for BR with all the nearby industry.

[cajun]

I say plant more trees. Anyone ever been to the woodlands, TX? Baton Rouge has great trees, but I wouldn't complain if it looked like that.

[twstdndmntd]

Guys Guys, I am not at all saying cut down all the trees. I am simply saying thin them out a bit. It would be so nice to be able to see the tops of what few towers we have downtown when you get to the 10/12 split. I mean you literally can't see the city until you are getting ready to pass it. It would be nice to know there is a city somewhere in this forest. I enjoy trees just as much as the next tree hugger, but lord. The trees are one thing, the underbrush is something totally different. I mean I work in Mid-city and from my work you can see the tops of the buildings, somewhat. I just think it would be nice if the taller trees wouldn't be in so much of the way. I agree the trees around the lakes should stay as well as much of them around the city. But I do think a thinning out would be nice. I have long said without the trees we wouldn't be able to breath in this city because of the plants that surrround us. If we are to keep the trees on the sides of our interstates can we at least clean the underbrush and make it a little more nicer to look at?

[drew6974]

Baton Rouge was the 17th fastest growing city in the US from July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2006 per US census bureau estimates. It shows an increase of 8,405. I think it is MUCH more than that based on traffic counts, sales tax revenues, airport enplanements, etc. It's too bad we won't have an official count until the census comes out in 2010.

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/20...07-91table3.pdf

Edited July 5, 2007 by drew6974

[byrde]

Guys Guys, I am not at all saying cut down all the trees. I am simply saying thin them out a bit. It would be so nice to be able to see the tops of what few towers we have downtown when you get to the 10/12 split. I mean you literally can't see the city until you are getting ready to pass it. It would be nice to know there is a city somewhere in this forest. I enjoy trees just as much as the next tree hugger, but lord. The trees are one thing, the underbrush is something totally different. I mean I work in Mid-city and from my work you can see the tops of the buildings, somewhat. I just think it would be nice if the taller trees wouldn't be in so much of the way. I agree the trees around the lakes should stay as well as much of them around the city. But I do think a thinning out would be nice. I have long said without the trees we wouldn't be able to breath in this city because of the plants that surrround us. If we are to keep the trees on the sides of our interstates can we at least clean the underbrush and make it a little more nicer to look at?

We are on the same page. The underbrush, weeds and wild grass needs to be cleaned up, but we need to keep the trees. I like the fact that now when new businesses open, it is required that they landscape and plant trees.

[twstdndmntd]

We are on the same page. The underbrush, weeds and wild grass needs to be cleaned up, but we need to keep the trees. I like the fact that now when new businesses open, it is required that they landscape and plant trees.

bryde, lol, I am not saying we should cut all the trees down. LOL. I am simply saying I think a sporadic thining of them out would be nice. It just seems that we have an over abundance of trees in the city. I love trees just as much as the next, but it just seems that we are over run with them. I love the fact that new businesses are required to do landscaping. And I am all for a "green" BR. I'd hate to imagine what the AQI would be like in this city without the trees. But when I look out from my office in Mid-city I can see a dozen or so that could actually go because they simply tower over every other tree around them. So again it all goes back to I think the tallest of the trees from the 10/12 down to downtown should be thinned out, along with all the over grown under brush along our complete interstate system. That just looks so trashy and dirty, unkept!!! Just keeping it real. LOL. I would love to drive into work from my home in Sherwood Forest and get to the split and be able to see a complete top skyline view. Even if it is just of the 4 tall buildings we have down there LOL.