Locations of Future Construction Sites

[richyb83]

NO WORD YET???

*This pic was taken back in late February

This is the fenced-off location of the Laurel Street project "on hold" at Fifth Street; there have been a change of plans.

Driving by there today is saw no fence; but the New Richmond Apts. were shuttered.

This was the original design for Laurel Tower. Plans were for one of the state's tallest parking garages with 10 or 11 stories of parking, several floors for Regions Bank, and several more for condominiums on top. Making Laurel Street Tower 18 or 19 stories. However since then the CATS Transporation system did not recieve the necessary $fund$ for the parking garage and Regions decided to move it's operations a few blocks away to the new II City Plaza a few blocks away set to begin early Summer.

Now plans are to reconfigure the Laurel project into some cool, sleek condo's for the 20 and 30 somethings. No details or dates have been released yet. This is the same developer responsible for restoring the Capitol House(Hilton) and Bonne Carre/La.Technology Park as well as several others. If Camm Morton is involved, no doubt something nice will be built there.

This is something that would look really nice in it's place! This would be my best guess to what might take go there???They could call it the "Laurel Street Lofts". This is just a block away from Main Street Market. They could make some more lofts and call it "Lofts at Market Square"

WHAT DO YALL THINK??

[dan326]

Sounds like a cool idea Richy. Something simple yet stylish. Like a shorter version of the new condo tower in Little Rock. I especially like the element at the top.

Or something like this. In responce to your question Richy,they are building this in the Washington D.C. area.

[byrde]

This is something that would look really nice in it's place! This would be my best guess to what might take go there???They could call it the "Laurel Street Lofts". This is just a block away from Main Street Market. They could make some more lofts and call it "Lofts at Market Square"

WHAT DO YALL THINK??

I like this for the Laurel St. location.

Dan, I like your building for the site of the old Advocate.

[richyb83]

I like that rendering Dan. It looks great. That would be nice! Is that a condo or office building?? That looks like something that might could go at the old Advocate site instead. Is that rendering 12 or 14 stories?? Hard to see exactly.

The rendering I posted ^above is what I expect (if I had to guess) to take Laurel Tower's place. Something with some ground level retail and parking deck maybe 7 to 10 stories.

Shaw Center for the Arts phase II could include something similar around 6 to 8 stories on Third at Convention Street; about 30 to 40 units?? As well as the lofts on the 3rd floor along North Boulevard.

[richyb83]

This could have gone on many a thread, but this thread need to be back in action with a few different views

I like the close proximity of these projects

This parking lot(Municipal Bldg.) will soon be engulfed by a 30,000 sq.ft footprint by the New 11 or 12 story Courthouse; set to begin construction next week. AND behind City Plaza(left) II City Plaza will be starting in August! > To the right They just got some special incentives to get something going on the EBRATS Bldg.(Old Pelican Homestead) maybe they can renovate it and add a few floors??

And soon across the street...Shaw Center for the Arts will begin Phase II complete with restaurant, retail?/lofts on top; and the linnear office/loft bldg. along the Third Street entrance

This is also part of North Blvd. Towne Square project; which is the first phase of the Riverfront Masterplan.

[richyb83]

Restoration is on it's way! The Kress, Welch, and Levy building currently being gutted for future mixed-use. It nice to see them use this classic once again!

Being built way back in 1887, this can also go on Historical Sites thread.

Main Street @ Third

[richyb83]

Looks like they are prepping the land for the proposed RiverPark; the project is large and will be done in multiple phases. I really hope this goes thru?? Not sure how difficult it will be to finance this big-time development?? Hopefully they will start on the R.R. underpass access road later this year 09'??

Hopefully one day it will look like this??

[cajun]

I'd like to see the Hollywood Casino build a hotel, parking deck, and some condos on their parking lot as well. I guess before that happens, the proposed casino in south BR would have to make more noise.

I don't think they are prepping anything. To be fair, the site probably doesn't need much work. It was a gravel yard before. I'd say it's already quite good for foundations and piers unlike DeSoto Park..not to mention is on a bluff that pretty much never floods. The gravel company is probably just moving their equipment and material around.

If they were starting construction, we'd hear more about it in the news.

Very cool picture richyb83.

I hope that development becomes a reality after we pull out of this recession.

[richyb83]

Thanks cajun I always wondered why Hollywood Casino never had a hotel?? That would be nice if they built a hotel tower on top of parking garage.

^Yeah... just wishful thinking on my part; looks like the old gravel pit is being smoothed-over nicely. Guess I'm just starving for new development; esp. along the riverfront!

I have already learned my lesson Got my hopes up before when this was the scene at the old Advocate site. All's this turned out to be was building material holding ground for II City Plaza. The Advocate that was supposed to start a mixed-use project a year ago; but still nothing as of today...

>>> I like to see progress like this...bland surface parking lot

to this nice Class A office building

And this

to the nicest new courthouse in the Gulf South

And historic renovations....

like the Kress at Third & Main

Oh yeah...did I mention River Front development?? Still remains the same....

[cajun]

Something cool is going to go up on those vacant riverfront sites. Just watch.

[richyb83]

This block between Fifth & Sixth Street(just SE of the Capitol) still remains vacant on the edge of Capitol Park and SpanishTown. Still not 100% sure WHY they imploded the old state insurance bldg?? Was it a mis-design with the underground parking; having a flooding problem during big rains??

*older pic

This new state office will hopefully start up at this site later this Summer?? It would be the final state building of the impressive Capitol Park Complex. It's expected to house Louisiana Economic Development

Still no word on the ampitheatre???

[richyb83]

^ Been nearly 1/2 year since this thread had any activity...the IRONY here is the aerial pic in ^above post^ not only has the future site for the Economic Development State Bldg(on-hold); but the site for the proposed Capitol Lofts at the next block(half-empty)...the latest scaled back version to only 67-units(4-story) instead of 115(6-story) ...should make Spanish Town residents opposed to the development feel better...but there will always be some that think 4-stories is still a little too tall

This was mentioned/posted on this thread waay back in 06'.....this eye-sore 1920's brick-warehouse on Lafayette Street across from the Hilton Capitol Center.... is now supposedly in the design phase; can't wait to see what finally becomes of this!!!

Titled "What's Up with That"??? This is the same building a few years back that Mayor Holden had put a blue tarp on to cover the facade; so people at the Hilton in from the big convention could not see it! He thought it was embarrassing...

*I have posted a few pics of the building in the past..but like this one in 225

What’s to become of the vacant Lafayette Street building across from the Hilton Capitol Center?

A: Only architect-owner Trey Trahan knows

While the Hilton Capitol Center’s stellar renovation continues to win fans and accolades (it’s up for an elite four-diamond rating from the American Automobile Association), the building across the street remains gutted, its future uncertain.

Downtown renovation guru Danny McGlynn sold the building at 232 Lafayette Street to his friend, award-winning architect Trey Trahan. “I sold the building to Trey with the intent that he was going to do something with it quicker than I could,” McGlynn says.

That was four years ago.

Trahan paid $900,000 for the building in 2005. He plans an extensive makeover for the 1920s-era building, which has housed a print shop and later became a warehouse and was owned by former state Sen. J.E. Jumonville Jr. Renovation plans include offices for Trahan’s architecture firm and residential living space on the top floor and rooftop.

Trahan’s firm has had its hands full in recent years designing sports stadiums and other projects. But he assures 225 he’s already in the design phase of the building.

“I haven’t decided yet in what direction I want to take it,” he says. “If I decide soon, construction can start in six to nine months. The entire project would probably take about a year.” An architect of international renown, Trahan has yet to put his uniquely creative fingerprint on an urban Baton Rouge streetscape, and some observers say this just may be the one.

Either way, Trahan may get some gentle nudging from his friend McGlynn. “If he doesn’t do something, I want to buy it back from him,” McGlynn says.

http://www.225batonrouge.com/news/2009/jun...-building-acro/

[richyb83]

Urban Planet dominates when you Google Jumonville Warehouse LOL...It's been 3 years this particular thread...and still...NOTHING! See above thread for rants...the Hilton Capitol Center & now the new Hotel Indigo are TOO NICE to have this eye-sore remain as is! The 438 Main Street Apts; Elysian; and Tessier/Lafayette lofts are/will be nice additions...but it would seem this property should have "Priority" w/ it's location in being developed! Add 3 floors of residential lofts above this 2 story structure that can be used in many ways!

This would be nice to be able to pull off; with the out-of-towners coming into the Hotels and see something other than this

It's fun to go back to the begining of this topic years ago and see the empty service parking lots in those pics; now filled with II City Plaza; Courthouse, etc...but frustrating to see nothing happened in the River Place, Laurel Tower; old Advocate site

[all2neat]

Considering the national economy, I guess we should be thankful for what projects did get finished.

[dan326]

Yeah, its a shame nothings happened yet with the advocate site, but the Hampton Inn was a nice consolation prize.

[Antrell Williams]

Considering the national economy, I guess we should be thankful for what projects did get finished.

Imagine if we weren't in an economical slump!

[richyb83]

Yes indeed all2neat....was glad those projects were able to get off the ground despite the weak global economy... II City Plaza & new Courthouse really changed the look along the south-end of the Central Business District. A lot of these smaller projects do add up!

It would be nice to imagine a downtown that is not so undeveloped...esp along the riverfront north of Florida Street. Some nice mid-rise residential units along the periphery of downtown too.