Some pictures around Lafayette

[breaux]

It took me a while, but I finally went and took some pictures around Lafayette.

Here are some of Downtown that I took from the top of two of the parking garages (and a couple from the street):

Morgan Chase building

District Courthouse (the ugly one, soon to be replaced) in the foreground, and the new Federal Courthouse in the background.

Old Heymann Department store, now the Lafayette Natural History Museum, with old Evangeline Hotel in background.

Iberia Bank Building

Jefferson St. Towers with park in the foreground.

The large stage behind the Children's Museum is the main stage for the Festival International, in the immediate foreground is the 9/11 Memorial with two beams from the WTC (I think a lot of cities did this).

Another Festival park downtown.

Corner of Vermillion and Buchanan

Street level, Jefferson St..

Here are some of River Ranch

Front of new "Market at River Ranch" multi-purpose development. Bonefish Grill is on the other side and for those of you familiar with Destin, they are opening up a Broken Egg here as well.

More of the "Market at River Ranch". The top floors will be residences, the bottom commercial. They're opening a Fresh Market Grocery in this development as well, the only other one in LA is in Mandeville.

Blurry view of the Onebane Law Firm and looking around the edge of the "Town Center" of River Ranch.

Back view of the Market at River Ranch.

I apoligize that they aren't very good. It wasn't a great camera and I was kind of in a rush. I certainly don't feel like I did River Ranch justice.

[Mith242]

Thanks for the pics. I don't see pics of Lafayette too often.

[richyb83]

Thanks for the views from Lafayette ! Those are nice of River Ranch . Their website did not do it justice like your pics did . It looks really impressive , I have been meaning to check it out !

Perkins Rowe in Baton Rouge is about to get a Fresh Market too ! I think their main competition is Whole Foods Market that just opened here last year.

[dimebag1980]

I've been wishing for a while that Shreveport-Bossier would get a Whole Foods or a Fresh Market.

But this isn't the purpose of my post, so I'll try not to hog this thread with my petty wishes!!

Dude, THANK YOU for posting some Lafayette pics. That's something this board has been missing all along in my opinion. I really love the festival park, the old department store (museum,) and the 911 memorial. That memorial looks really cool in itself. Again, thanks for posting these, breaux! Lafayette is looking awesome.

[NCB]

Thank you very much for the photos, breaux!

We have definately been missing Lafayette on the board, as Brian mentioned.

Downtown is looking great, and I also really like the Festival Plaza and the 9/11 Memorial. And River Ranch is looking great! I'm definately going to have to get over to Lafayette soon to see what's going on, and to visit some family.

[dimebag1980]

Thank you very much for the photos, breaux!

We have definately been missing Lafayette on the board, as Brian mentioned.

Downtown is looking great, and I also really like the Festival Plaza and the 9/11 Memorial. And River Ranch is looking great! I'm definately going to have to get over to Lafayette soon to see what's going on, and to visit some family.

Yeah, don't forget about the family. Remember, they know where you live. Well, I assume they do anyway. Tick them off and they'll come looking for you.

I'm with you, though... got to get back to Lafayette. Hopefully I'll be going back to New Orleans within the next year. If so, I'll be going through Lafayette and Baton Rouge. Got lots of photos to take... good thing I carry 2 memory sticks and 3 pairs of backup batteries (the ones made for digital cameras.)

[TSmith]

I've always loved Lafayette. I have lots of family there. The lifestyle there is so similar to that of New Orleans. I always told myself that when New Orleans gets detroyed by a hurricane, I'd move there. Well, I didn't follow through with that one. Thanks for the pictures.

[richyb83]

I have some family in Lafayette too ! This tread has me wanting to visit now ! Lafayette is really becoming a progressive city. There is that "Six-sided Virtual Reality Cube", talk about high-tech. And I hear Jefferson Street in Downtown has made a real strong comeback as an entertainment district . UL-Lafayette's close proximity to Downtown only helps.

Thanks again Breaux! What street intresection is Festival Plaza located ?? I hear their are plans for a new Courthouse and a Hotel Downtown ?

[breaux]

I have some family in Lafayette too ! This tread has me wanting to visit now ! Lafayette is really becoming a progressive city. There is that "Six-sided Virtual Reality Cube", talk about high-tech. And I hear Jefferson Street in Downtown has made a real strong comeback as an entertainment district . UL-Lafayette's close proximity to Downtown only helps.

Thanks again Breaux! What street intresection is Festival Plaza located ?? I hear their are plans for a new Courthouse and a Hotel Downtown ?

There are two permanent festival stages, one is at the corner of Vermillion St. and Lee Ave., the other is on the corner of Garfield and Polk. (The Festival International is coming up the last weekend of April, by the way. /shameless plug)

As for the courthouse, it is probably going to happen. I hear the City/Parish President is working on a referendum to get money to increase funding for roads (much needed), fund a new courthouse (much needed) and increase funding for parks (probably to buy the "Horse Farm", long story but still much needed).

And the hotels, I know the Hilton was looking at building a Garden Inn (is that one of their franchises?) downtown, and there has been some talk of some condos.

The downtown area has seen a real revitalization. It has become an arts/nightlife/restaurant district, as well as being home to museums, the courthouse, the library, etc.. It really is a charming area. It gets really good on the weekends!

[dimebag1980]

There is that "Six-sided Virtual Reality Cube", talk about high-tech.

I bet you still don't even know what the heck that is, because I know damn well I don't have a clue!!

[breaux]

The six-sided virtual reality cube is this (called LITE):

LITE (Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise) is a groundbreaking research complex featuring a comprehensive set of advanced visualization systems including the world's largest 3D theatre and one of the world's first six-sided digital 3D immersive rooms. Powered by a highly integrated concentration of graphics supercomputer-class servers, and high-speed networking, LITE's data visualization environments afford organizations of all sizes the means to transform the process of innovation and accelerate their time to discovery. LITE is a partnership with the State of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) for the purpose of economic development. LITE serves clients in the commercial industry, government, and university sectors. For more information please visit www.thelite.org.

[dimebag1980]

The six-sided virtual reality cube is this (called LITE):

LITE (Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise) is a groundbreaking research complex featuring a comprehensive set of advanced visualization systems including the world's largest 3D theatre and one of the world's first six-sided digital 3D immersive rooms. Powered by a highly integrated concentration of graphics supercomputer-class servers, and high-speed networking, LITE's data visualization environments afford organizations of all sizes the means to transform the process of innovation and accelerate their time to discovery. LITE is a partnership with the State of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) for the purpose of economic development. LITE serves clients in the commercial industry, government, and university sectors. For more information please visit www.thelite.org.

Sounds cool.

Somone's done his homework.

Thanks for the info.

[NCB]

Yea that sounds great.

Great info too!

[richyb83]

Thanks Breaux for the info. Great for Lafayette !!!