Around Baton Rouge

[NCB]

I was over in Baton Rouge last weekend for the LSU-Alabama game, and decided to take a trip downtown with my camera. Conditions were absolutely horrible at first, but they picked up a bit later and it turned out to be a pretty nice morning. Baton Rouge is Louisiana's capital city and is home to over 225,000 in the city, and well over 750,000 in the metro (pre-Katrina). The city has a sprawl problem, and many of the city's largest companies and buildings are actually outside of the CBD, so the downtown area isn't exactly the most urban city center around. However, downtown Baton Rouge is on the upswing with many major projects planned for the area, including what may be a new tallest tower for the city. It also helps that Baton Rouge is one of the largest inland ports in the nation, and also one of the largest petrochemical centers in the nation. I took these pictures on a Saturday morning, and it was Veterans Day, so you won't see many people out and about in the pictures.

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Alright, here are the first pictures which were taken along the Mississippi River:

The USS Kidd docked along the riverfront

The Kidd is a a Fletcher-class destroyer that served in both WWII and the Korean War

Looking towards downtown from the levee

Veterans Day Decorations at the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Plaza

The Horace Wilkinson Bridge over the Mississippi River

The Old State Capitol

The Old State Capitol was constructed in 1849, this building served as the Louisiana Capitol for 83 years, until the "new" State Capitol was completed in 1932.

The Shaw Center for the Arts

Some downtown scenes

Chase Tower

At 277 feet tall, this is Baton Rouge's 3rd tallest building

Looking down 4th Street towards the State Capitol

One American Place

At 310 feet tall, this is Baton Rouge's second tallest building

The new State Capitol Building

Louisiana's Capitol Building was completed in 1932, and at 450 feet, it is the tallest state capitol building in the nation.

[NCB]

The magnificant lobby in the Capitol

This is the exact spot where then Senator Huey Long, the famous Louisiana politician, and the man behind the new State Capitol, was assassinated in 1925. The walls of this hallway in the Capitol are still nicked with holes from that shootout over 70 years later.

Now up on the observation deck, 350 feet high in the air:

Petrochemical plant along the river

Some various shots

LSU's campus, some 5 miles from the Capitol

Some downtown density

The Capitol Grounds, with the grave of Huey Long in the center

Looking back over Capitol Lake

Back out on the Capitol Grounds

[NCB]

Well, that's everything, guys. Hope you enjoyed the different views of Louisiana's capital city and its State Capitol Building!

[dimebag1980]

I just finished replying to this over at SSC.

Great tour, man.... excellent work!!

[richyb83]

Wow Nate, where do I begin. That's an impressive collection. You got you some good exercise. Thanks for posting them. I remember Saturday morning being cloudy and cold. Great shots, I really enjoyed them all. Chase Tower sure looks tall on your photo. I like the sun trying to shine some thru the clouds. I love the shot of Tiger Stadium with the tip of the Chase Bank Tower showing; giving it a 3-D effect. It sure looked hazy in the distance, that's a shame(air pollution)...it probably hid Shaw and Jacobs on Essen.

Did you like the Capitol Grounds?? With you being from New Orleans I realize BR is urbanly malnutritioned, but thanks for the props anyway.

[brresident]

Yep...I can tell that you went on a Saturday Morning. Not only that...but a holiday. No state workers, no workers really at all. I bet it was kind of chilly up that high on the capitol. There is a number of folks down there dressed in red (Alabama fans?) on the capitol ground that look like ants from that high up. I remember my parents showing me the capitol grounds lit up at christmas time. Boy was that quite a site. Do they still do that?

The areas with all the parked cars (which I equate with people/visitors/hotel quest) seem to be the Hilton Hotel area and the Centroplex area in and around the old state capitol. Imagine if we had a couple of more hotels open downtown that can keep those folks around when the workers are not there.

Very great shots. I especially like the LSU pics and the veterans memorial with all the flags by the USS Kidd.

[rolltide35401]

Great shots Nate

Downtown BR has so much potential. Last time I was there it was on a weekday at lunch, and it had a big city feel with all of the state workers going about for lunch. It is a completely different feel than on a weekend. Can't wait for all of the proposed residential projects to be completed to add more people during off-peak times.

[BRPJ]

wow beautiful! thank you!

[byrde]

Good Pics Nate.

Did you go into the Hilton/Capitol House? You were right there when you took the pics of the Shaw Center and the Old State Capitol.

[richyb83]

Nate, I wanted to add I really enjoyed the low-angled pic of the water feature at Riverfront Plaza. Very different and a great shot

Imagine if we had a couple of more hotels open downtown that can keep those folks around when the workers are not there.

[dan326]

Wow, those are great. Especially Chase Tower and One American Place!

[brresident]

Nate, I wanted to add I really enjoyed the low-angled pic of the water feature at Riverfront Plaza. Very different and a great shot

Yeah you are exactly right.

Downtown BR could use a couple more hotels. A 10-15 story mixed-use condotel would fit right nicely. One for Casino Rouge too.

The 7-story 92 room (Boutique) Hotel King will begin renovations in January; across from the Hilton Capitol Center on Lafayette Street next to the Shaw Arts Center.

[richyb83]

River Place will happen in early 07'. The developer has invested too much $cash and the Welcome Center is alive & well on Third Street. My wife don't believe it will happen either. The project was halted for 18-months; the original price tag was $50 million but now since the hurricanes the cost of skyrocketed to around $75 million.

Another skyscraper could go to the block north at the old Advocate site currently being demolished. It would compliment River Place nicely!

Downtown is coming back slowly but surely. I can't wait to see Phase 2 of the Shaw Arts Center with more loft living and restuarants.

[fla_tiger]

Great shots Nate

Downtown BR has so much potential. Last time I was there it was on a weekday at lunch, and it had a big city feel with all of the state workers going about for lunch. It is a completely different feel than on a weekend. Can't wait for all of the proposed residential projects to be completed to add more people during off-peak times.

[richyb83]

Anyone else notice that because of the extremely thick tree canopy it is difficult to imagine that 750,000 people live out there?

[NCB]

Thanks guys, glad you liked 'em!

There is a number of folks down there dressed in red (Alabama fans?) on the capitol ground that look like ants from that high up.

[dimebag1980]

Thanks guys, glad you liked 'em!

There is actually a pretty interesting story behind that, at least for Brian. (SBCmetroguy)

The people walking up to the capitol dressed in red that you can barely see were actually high school kids from Haughton High School up in Haughton, LA outside of Bossier City. From the looks of it, they were on a class trip to New Orleans, and stopped in Baton Rouge for a few hours to check out the State Capitol and I'm sure plenty of other things.

[TD]

Nice, with all the post katrina growth i would have though downtown would have been bigger, but I dont doubt it will grow soon.

[richyb83]

Soon downtown Baton Rouge will have those high-rises cranes scattered across the CBD. River Place, Two City Plaza, and New Courthouse will be significant additions to the Skyline....it's coming.

All eyes will be at the old Advocate property next to the future RiverPlace. It's being demolished and should be finished soon. Preliminary talks of a 25-30 story mixed-use tower will be built at the premium site.

*On the above post ; When looking at the view on top of the State Capitol....you easily see the Mississippi River Bridge. After RiverPlace and the Mixed-use Tower are built, you will only be able to see a little over 1/2 the bridge.