Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[dan326]

Drury Inn is about to start with a construction crane I saw being placed!

[NCB]

I made the Christmas morning drive from New Orleans to Baton Rouge on I-10 to visit some friends, and then headed towards Covington on I-12 a few hours later. Anyway, I hit a bit of a slowdown on I-12 and managed to snap a few photos of the Bass Pro under construction:

I'm not on I-12 nearly as much as I used to be (back at home on the I-10 now) so I was happy to see Bass Pro coming along so nicely. Anyone know the projected opening of the store? I've heard February 2008 but no one seems to be completely sure.

[richyb83]

Thanks for the updated pics Nate Is that place huge or what?? It's an original themed protype too! The I-12/Range Ave. area is really becoming built-up! Bass Pro will continue to accelerate more growth.

You are correct, it's scheduled to open in early February.

[richyb83]

Numerous projects like this are going up all over the place in BR.....My question is where are all these people coming from??

Madison Park *70 units* Lobdell Avenue at Goodwood Boulevard.

About to start; to be located next to Independence Park and the Main Library; roughly a mile from Towne Center

Millennium Towne Center *250-units?*

Jefferson Hwy.

And there are plenty more like The Enclave(near Towne Center w/ parking garage), Indigo Park, Tuscany Villas, another off Siegen Lane w/ parking garage? unsure of name?, Ivy Park, off of O'neal Lane(name?), Canterbury Apts, Fieldhouse and Victory Commons at the Northgate on Nicholson; The Crescent condo's at University Lake, future-Stadium Club, Perkins Rowe; and any others I might have missed. Who is moving into all of these??

Edited December 27, 2007 by richyb83

[dan326]

• Hooper Pointe Apartments - 11 to 16 buildings 4888 Hooper Road, directly southeast of the airport
  
• The Grove - 800 units - Behind the Mall of Louisiana
  
• name ? - 200+ - near the Airline/I-10 intechange
  
• Red Stick Lofts 2 - 20+ - Old Hammond/ Airline
  
• Willow Grove - 100s+ - Perkins Road south past Perkins Rowe
  
• Rouzan - 100+ - Perkins Road south past College Drive
  
• Perkins Palms - 30+ - Perkins Road north past Essen
  
• La Vie - 100+ - O'Neal Lane/ Amite River/ 1 -10/ South Harrells Ferry Drive
  

off of O'neal Lane(name?) Who is moving into all of these??

Those are called the Camden Lake Apartments

I love multifamily developments, my favorite behind hotels. I don't know where all these people are coming from, but let 'em come!

Edited December 28, 2007 by dan326

[BRPJ]

I was just going to say, i truly LOVE this growth. But are people even moving to Baton Rouge? It just looks like were getting a face lift? Shoudln't we be anually gaining population? I just don't hear anything about that. i can get exited to see improvements, but If the population isn't growing, it kinda falls flat for me.

[drew6974]

I was just going to say, i truly LOVE this growth. But are people even moving to Baton Rouge? It just looks like were getting a face lift? Shoudln't we be anually gaining population? I just don't hear anything about that. i can get exited to see improvements, but If the population isn't growing, it kinda falls flat for me.

Baton Rouge IS gaining population. One only has to drive the roads and look at how the traffic counts have increased. Announcements of new businesses are being made almost daily.

Unfortunately, much of this growth will not be reflected in the "official" Baton Rouge city population due to the fact that most of the new development in EBR has not been incorporated into the city limits. Most of the Bluebonnet, Siegen, O'Neal and other areas are not in the "city limits." I'm not sure why this is but I'm sure it must be felt that the cost of providing city services would not be cost efficient.

When the official census comes out in 2010, you will see that there have been signifigant gains in EBR parish and in the metropolitan area.

These people building new residences, condos, apartments, hotels are not building on a whim. They are not in the business to lose money. They have done extensive studies and they know where the population is growing and where future growth is expected.

[richyb83]

Well said Drew The pics I posted above(Madison Park, Millennuim) and 1/2 (Enclave, Fieldhouse, Victory Commons, Red Stick urban lofts,etc.)of the others that I mentioned are INSIDE the official city limits. I try to focus more on the developments "official" city limits. No doubt the other 1/2 are on the edges of the city like the ones Dan mentioned.

Wait a minute...I'm guessing the Cedar Lodge property in the middle of the city is still not annexed?? Very few cities in the U.S. BR's size have a chunk of "unincorporated" that large located nearly in the geographic middle. For many years that area was undeveloped and the city grew around it; the Corporate Blvd. was extended to connect Old Hammond Hwy. @ Jefferson Hwy. CitiPlace was built and now finally Towne Center (still being built). Wonder when BR will decide to annex this???

Eventhough it is understood BR is city with a pop. roughly 225-227,000...it is larger, but due to the jagged annexation boundries; it's only 227,000(not counting new Katrina residents)

*This was part of my Post #288 in BR Profile way back in September*

According to citydata.com these area's that might be considered BR; but are technically not included in the population:

Baton Rouge 227,818

* Shenandoah - 17,070 (probably more now)

* Merrydale - 10,427

* Gardere - 8,992

* Oak Hills Place - 7,996

* Village St.George - 6,993

* Old Jefferson - 5,631

* Brownfields - 5,222

* Inniswold - 4,944 (little more now)

* Monticello - 4,763

* Westminster - 2,515

* Millerville - 2,500 (unofficial)

> Add all those places up and you see BR becomes much larger adding roughly +77,000 more people.

Then BR's urban population totals are more like 305,000. Mystery uncovered.

>>>If those places are ever annexed wonder what the 2010 census could look like?? No doubt the Metro will make healthy gains! The I 10-12 Corridor is HOT!

[twstdndmntd]

I think it's time to annexing some land. I'm not sure if the cost of providing city services are a problem. It is a consolidated g'ment so shouldn't it all be coming from the same checking acct. LOL

[BRPJ]

I think it's time to annexing some land. I'm not sure if the cost of providing city services are a problem. It is a consolidated g'ment so shouldn't it all be coming from the same checking acct. LOL

I know! Thanks for the stats Richy, i think i actually remember reading that thread. Maybe its just me, but you would think BR would annex what is actually the city. I mean at this point, all the areas you mention above are clearly urban. And yes the real population of the city is 300K+ But how can you truly even measure Baton Rouge by the census, if half of the city is not even incorporated. EBR parish population wouldn't be a fair assesment because there are other places like baker and zachary and the land around them. I don't know. i know Baton Rouge isn't Dallas or Atlanta, but I remember when I moved to Plano back in 1998, like 11,000 people were moving to plano every year. it would be nice if i could see some statistics about baton rouge like that, but with this blur of city lines and census boundaries, I don't think its possible.

Also i think its funny that the census shows us at 227K, which obviously isn't an accurate measure. So when ever we are lobbying for something and we toot the 227K population, it probably doesn't come off as strong as 305K. My hope is before the 2010 census, BR will annex the rest of the city, AND SOME for future growth.

Edited December 29, 2007 by BRPJ

[southeastBR]

I definintly believe we are far ahead of the 300k mark! Your right, Richy, if they would just annex those areas it would be a done deal. I hope they will, I know a few people in Shenahdoah would would mind at all, and Bluebonnet, they should have been annex years ago!

[cajun]

^^^Yeah, but why would they want to annex? What's in it for them?

I don't think many people consider city police patrols to be a positive thing.

• Hooper Pointe Apartments - 11 to 16 buildings 4888 Hooper Road, directly southeast of the airport
  
• The Grove - 800 units - Behind the Mall of Louisiana
  
• name ? - 200+ - near the Airline/I-10 intechange
  
• Red Stick Lofts 2 - 20+ - Old Hammond/ Airline
  
• Willow Grove - 100s+ - Perkins Road south past Perkins Rowe
  
• Rouzan - 100+ - Perkins Road south past College Drive
  
• Perkins Palms - 30+ - Perkins Road north past Essen
  
• La Vie - 100+ - O'Neal Lane/ Amite River/ 1 -10/ South Harrells Ferry Drive
  

Those are called the Camden Lake Apartments

I love multifamily developments, my favorite behind hotels. I don't know where all these people are coming from, but let 'em come!

Are you forgetting that develoment on Gardere at Nicholson? I forgot the name, but I was sure that it was apartments.

Edited January 3, 2008 by cajun

[richyb83]

, Indigo Park

I think it's this one that I mentioned.

[buckett5425]

Are you forgetting that develoment on Gardere at Nicholson? I forgot the name, but I was sure that it was apartments.

[richyb83]

^That sucks Frickin' Chicken got robbed. Is Indigo Park 3 or 4 stories?? You can only go so upscale near Gardere and a sewage plant; not a good combo.

Steel manufacturer buys land for expansion

CMC Capitol Steel has purchased nearly 18 acres off South Choctaw Extension for $1.8 million and plans to build a new manufacturing plant there in 2009. The land is near the Central Thruway, now under construction, and across from Direct General Insurance call center.

http://www.businessreport.com/archives/daily-report/latest/

[twstdndmntd]

Okay question... Just what does it take to annex the land? Do we buy it from the parish or state? And if we buy it from the parish doesn't that mean we are buying it from ourselves?

[richyb83]

^ I'm not sure, but I want to make a phone call to the city-parish soon.

[BRPJ]

^ I'm not sure, but I want to make a phone call to the city-parish soon.

yeah that be great. I'd liek some answers on this, it makes no sense to me.

[richyb83]

Good to see something like this

New movie-related business to open downtown

LA Pro Space, which will provide short-term office space to movie, entertainment and sports companies working in Baton Rouge, will open next month in the Cyntreniks Plaza building on North Boulevard. Sandra McDougall, who will operate LA Pro Space with her husband, John, says there will initially be 12 to 14 offices on the second floor of the building, with access to office equipment, HD screening rooms and editing suites. Space will be available for lease for as short as one day or as much as six months. This is the first office space set aside for the movie business, which pumped $85 million into the local economy last year. McDougall says she's talking about a second phase for LA Pro Space, moving into the Kress at Third and Main building, set to open in September. --Timothy Boone

http://www.businessreport.com/archives/daily-report/latest/

Edited January 10, 2008 by richyb83

[drew6974]

It's good to see progress on this project. I hadn't heard anything about it lately.

Developer has closed on a deal to develop a 36 acre tract north of Hollywood casino. A planned mix use development including 800-1200 residential units and 300,000 - 600,000 square feet of commercial development. That's more commercial development than CityPlaza II. It's 270,000 sf. Hopefully this will include another mid to high rise office building.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/businesstoday

[richyb83]

Yeah, I almost forgot about this project. You sure are right, its good to see some progress. It will be interesting to see this unfold; that sure is alot of space! I envision a couple of office buildings and about 3 residential towers anywhere from 10 to 15 stories. I'd be suprised to see anything taller than that.

Imagine all of that on the northern side of the skyline along the riverfront; talk about a spread out skyline!

Great to see the next wave of new development occuring downtown!

[richyb83]

Perkins Road has as many developments happening as any other major artery in BR!

Relocation makes 10.7 acres available on Perkins

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/13725812.html

A Baton Rouge contractor

[richyb83]

This looks like the 8-story Summa Ave. office building; should be starting next month! I never would have guessed something 8-stories would ever be built on that small tract of land at that location. The enviromentally friendly building will look nice next to the 13-story Jacobs Plaza.

http://www.bidclerk.com/project.557902.html

Site work and new construction of a commercial development in Baton Rouge. Completed working drawings call for the construction of an approximately 89,000-square-foot office plaza.

[BRPJ]

This looks like the 8-story Summa Ave. office building; should be starting next month! I never would have guessed something 8-stories would ever be built on that small tract of land at that location. The enviromentally friendly building will look nice next to the 13-story Jacobs Plaza.

http://www.bidclerk.com/project.557902.html

Site work and new construction of a commercial development in Baton Rouge. Completed working drawings call for the construction of an approximately 89,000-square-foot office plaza.

wow, that is an interesting location. I wonder will you be able to see it from the interstate above the trees

[richyb83]

I would say you will be able to see it from I-10; nearly the top half.