Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[dan326]

I really like this project. I just wish it was by the interstate so we could show it off to everyone. I hope the mid-rise tower is still 18 stories.

I did read that the units really were bad quality (leaks, cracks, etc") ,but the developer has sued the contractor and is working on full repairs.

Edited February 26, 2008 by dan326

[richyb83]

Good question; I wonder if the master plan changed??

I think the mid-rise tower on that site plan above is supposed to be 10-stories. The next tower to be built after that would be the one you are thinking of; that was the 18-story tower that was approved a while back, I think?? Not sure where it would be built, or if it will even happen?? That would be really cool to see something that height south of Tiger Stadium.

According to Emporis.com "mid-rise"= 5 to 11 stories; high-rise is 12+

I guess the Gameday Center condo's are no longer in the works??

Edited February 27, 2008 by richyb83

[richyb83]

FINALLY! This 8-story building will be a nice addition to the Essen corridor.

Spatz building to break ground Wednesday

A 90,000-square-foot Class A office building at Essen Lane and Summa Avenue, near Jacobs Engineering, will break ground Wednesday. Spatz Development of Chicago is constructing the property, which is less than one mile south of Interstate 10 and across the street from Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

[dan326]

This is great news! I've been watching and waiting for the longest time. Essen has the third best skyline in Baton Rougee and is quickly working on making it the second.

[drew6974]

Driving over the Mississippi River Bridge today coming into BR, it was nice to see all the construction cranes in downtown. CityPlaza2, the new courthouse and the Belle of Baton Rouge new parking garage. That last one is going to be taller than I had thought. It's really standing out on the skyline as you cross the bridge.

Also, across the river there is a massive construction project just as you come off the bridge on the north side of the interstate. Does anyone know what this project is?

[richyb83]

Nice video talking about how all the cranes dotting the skyline and new construction downtown are good for the local economy! Right now more than a dozen projects are underway. When finished more than 700,000 sq.ft of office space will be made available. These sure are exciting times; hopefully more on the way! A "ripple-effect"!

http://media.swagit.com/s/wbrz/The_Advocate/03052008-19.html

[dan326]

Just think, a few years ago we were jauking at Raleigh's cranes.

[drew6974]

Another major development on the way to BR. Developer has bought 29 commercial lots for a development on Nicholson Drive. Possibly another TND. How many TND's are now open, being developed or planned in BR? Richy?

Lafayette development group has purchased twenty-nine residential lots along Nicholson Drive, which were being marketed together in an attempt to stimulate development in the area between downtown and LSU. Moreno Properties, headed up by oilman Mike Moreno, purchased the lots, which total more than 10 acres, in a deal that wrapped up earlier this week. While Moreno Properties would not disclose what it paid for all of the land, the company made eight purchases on Nicholson since November for a total value of $4.25 million. David Trusty, an agent with Gully, Phelps & McKey, packaged the lots together in 2006 when he got a group of homeowners along Nicholson to agree to sell together for the right price. In a statement, Matthew Emory of Moreno said the land was purchased for investment purposes. There have been rumors that a TND will be built on the site.

[dan326]

There are a lot of TNDs going up.

• La Vie
  
• Juban Crossing
  
• Rouzan
  
• The Grove
  
• The Settlement at Willows Grove
  
• Arden
  
• Arlington
  
• Longwood Village
  
• Jamestown
  
• Edenborne
  
• Cheval Trails
  
• River View
  
• Suma Crossing
  
• Village at Magnolia Square
  
• Americana
  
• Perkins Rowe
  

I'm sure there's some I missed.

[richyb83]

Drew, looks like Dan's got it covered to me. Counting 16 on that list; that's impressive. Some of the TND's are huge and will take many years to complete. I wonder about all of the the demand.

I hope Arden gets built; it's been put on hold. Not sure if the chances are even 50%-??

The TND's are going up all across the BR Metro region. From Zachary to WBR; and Ascension to Livingston. Crucial "infil" in BR to the egde of the city.

Jamestown at Old Perkins looks like it will be a TND wanna be.

^All those tracts along Nicholson would make an unsual-shaped TND; this will be interesting to watch unfold between downtown & LSU.

Edited March 7, 2008 by richyb83

[cajun]

There are a lot of TNDs going up.

• La Vie
  
• Juban Crossing
  
• Rouzan
  
• The Grove
  
• The Settlement at Willows Grove
  
• Arden
  
• Arlington
  
• Longwood Village
  
• Jamestown
  
• Edenborne
  
• Cheval Trails
  
• River View
  
• Suma Crossing
  
• Village at Magnolia Square
  
• Americana
  
• Perkins Rowe
  

I'm sure there's some I missed.

I have no idea where half of these are.

LaVie is almost in Denham Springs off of O'neil south of I10

River View is in Port Allen/Brusly at the foot of the bridge

Perkins Rowe is on Perkins/Bluebonnet

Americana is in Zachary

The Grove and Willow Grove are in South BR in the Bluebonnet/Siegen/Perkins area

Rouzon is in southdowns.

That's all I know.

I'd hope the majority of those you mentioned are on vacant land in Baton Rouge, but I guess it's important for the suburbs and outlying areas to get these developments in favor of power centers and sprawl. I think the Village is in Central, but I am not sure.

Edited March 7, 2008 by cajun

[cajun]

^Good question fla tiger. I'm with you on that boring French faux Paus (sp?) style. Some of the locals just can't seem to get enough of it. The original rendering sure looked much more promising.

I'm guessing that's the same site??

agreed

People can say what they want about those old acadian style ranch homes that are all over Sherwood Forest and most of any part of Louisiana developed in the 1960s-1980s. The fake shudders, single story, low roofs, and wide lots may look cheesy now, but compared to what the middle income families were buying in the sellers market of the 1990s and into 2000, they are pretty good. I think the older ranch style is going to be popular as the neighborhoods age and empty nesters will be replaced with younger famlies with children. You can't beat those old ranch homes for that....they are built like tanks and they all have plenty of space and a nice wide lot.

Those big wide lots are going to come into a premium soon when all you can find will be 35'x90' lots in these quasi french/ranch/acadian mix new housing.

I want some colonial style housing out here. Two stories, real shudders, either brick or siding that looks like wood. It's all over Tennesse and Atlanta. The multi story homes usually mean you can make due with a smaller lot as the homes have a smaller footprint.

Edited March 7, 2008 by cajun

[dan326]

This is so exciting. I just wish they weren't moving to the end of the world. I think it would be a terrific idea to knock down the old site and make a Perkins Rowe type development.

"

Woman's Hospital reveals designs of new facility

Woman

Edited March 7, 2008 by dan326

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this Dan; I got lazy not posting this. They claim they were outgrowing the old(current) site; I hate to see them move 5 miles down Airline Hwy. Is there some rule they can't be taller than 6-floors?? Wonder what will happen to the old site after they leave??

Rouzan looks like it will be a nice blend of architecture styles. Perkins Rowe looks nice too.

Edited March 7, 2008 by richyb83

[twstdndmntd]

agreed

People can say what they want about those old acadian style ranch homes that are all over Sherwood Forest and most of any part of Louisiana developed in the 1960s-1980s. The fake shudders, single story, low roofs, and wide lots may look cheesy now, but compared to what the middle income families were buying in the sellers market of the 1990s and into 2000, they are pretty good. I think the older ranch style is going to be popular as the neighborhoods age and empty nesters will be replaced with younger famlies with children. You can't beat those old ranch homes for that....they are built like tanks and they all have plenty of space and a nice wide lot.

Those big wide lots are going to come into a premium soon when all you can find will be 35'x90' lots in these quasi french/ranch/acadian mix new housing.

I want some colonial style housing out here. Two stories, real shudders, either brick or siding that looks like wood. It's all over Tennesse and Atlanta. The multi story homes usually mean you can make due with a smaller lot as the homes have a smaller footprint.

You have totally discribed mine and the partners house in Sherwood Forest. LOL.... We bought our house a year ago. At first I kind of put up a fight with moving "way" out here in Sherwood. LOL I like it here and I quickly realized that in alot of aspects I am not that far away from anything. Although if I am going to find one fault with the house it IS in fact the big yard. But for resale it's going to be a great asset.

[JPKneworleans]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a TND?

[richyb83]

The TND(Traditional Neighborhood Development) is defined as a compact, planned development with a grid of narrower/well-connected streets, wide sidewalks, a mix of housing types and a blend of commercial/residential space and public space. It often involves all-new construction on previously undeveloped land. Sometimes infil development. Usually the car gargage is in the back alley way behind the street.

Some more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_N...opment_%28TND%2

Edited March 9, 2008 by richyb83

[twstdndmntd]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a TND?

A TND is a "Traditional Neighborhood Development". It's a mixed use development with single and multi family housing along with retail. I am huge proponent of TND's.

[bobby255BR]

hahaha I almost responded to that post

[richyb83]

That's funny Bobby....no post in the BR Forum all evening then outta the blue twstd post one minute after me, then you just three minutes after that

[richyb83]

Glad to see this complicated deal finally got done. Hopefully a nice, critical infil development between downtown and mid-city.

Eastern Spanish Town lots sold

The land totaling 11.3 acres east of Interstate 110 is actually several parcels north of Main Street and west of the railroad tracks

[twstdndmntd]

That's funny Bobby....no post in the BR Forum all evening then outta the blue twstd post one minute after me, then you just three minutes after that

LOL Richy, get outta mah head dude LOL

[richyb83]

This is just one example of the growth & expansion in the emeging BR medical corridor. Along with the BR Clinic expansion(across the street from new Perkins Palms)

*PenningtonBiomedical Research Center will hopefully start expansion soon.

*OLOL Hospital (BR's Largest) continues to expand(current)

*General at Bluebonnet recently completed an expansion project

*across I-10 Blue Cross is currently. expanding

*a new 8-story office bldg. on Summa Ave.(across from OLOL) about to start?

*a new 7-story 180-room Drury Inn has started off Essen near I-10

*3-story office across from Pennington(hopefully starting soon?)

This does not even include on-going construction at Perkins Rowe; The Boulevard(Mall of La.); and hopefully soon on the 12-story Renaissance Hotel and The Grove

Business Report's Property of the Week

Work continues on a new medical office building for the Baton Rouge Clinic. The three story 60,000 square foot building should be ready by the end of September. The first two floors will be devoted to pediatric medicine. Milton Womack is the contractor and Washer Hill Lipscomb is the architect.

Edited March 11, 2008 by richyb83

[drew6974]

Here's a project for all of you BR development experts.

I've been thinking about this for a while. Has anyone figured out how many total floors of office/residential/parking has been added and how many more are currently planned to downtown BR in the last few years? With the new state office complex, the new courthouse, CityPlaza II, the Shaw center development, the new Belle of BR parking garage, the new La. Credit Union Building, etc, etc. It has to be well over a hundred floors of new development. And with Riverplace Condos and the Advocate development and others, it might be getting close to 150??? Richy, Dan, anybody?

[richyb83]

Wow Drew, great topic! This is really interesting and impressive when I think about it....would have to approx. all of that. More than 60 floors(or more) with all the new State bldgs.(Galvez, LaSalle, Iberville, Bienville, Claiborne, Poydras, etc) Of course a few state buildings were imploded. Four new parking garages now complete + the Belle(now under construction) would be around 37 floors. = close to 100

RiverPlace guessing round # of 30 since that was the last I was told; +12 new Courthouse; +12-13? II City Plaza; + 6-Shaw Center(not including phase II One Eleven(3 or 4 floors? & Onyxx lofts 6 to 8?); +5-story LA CAP Bldg. + 4-story Brownstones at Laurel = 90?

I guess it depends on the future number of buildings/floors for the old Advocate(2 bldgs?? 10-12 stories? & Hollywood properties??(15 or 16 stories; how many bldgs? floors? Lets just say 35 for now w/ only one bldg. at Hollywood(RiverPark)

Maybe this could easily be over 200-225 floors?? Recently(since the year 2000) or currently going-up/planned-in the works. This is "just" downtown. Not including the rest of BR.

>>Would you include(re-use) the Hilton Capitol Center that had been vacant for over 20 years that opened in 06'?? That's new space being occupied. As well the Kress on Third at Main.

Edited March 12, 2008 by richyb83