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BR Water Works Property


richyb83

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What would yall like to see go on this prime-property??

This topic is about the Baton Rouge Water Company's old former HQ's site in downtown BR between Lafayette Park and River Road.....complaints from the Shaw Arts Center next door wanted to know what was up with the grown-up weed lot... BR Water Company agreed to dress it up a bit instead of selling or donating... a $sale of the property from the State fell-thru a few years back

And

Trahan's visionary riverfront 25-story sleek thin-glass box wraped in a web of criss-crossing braces on a very narrow parcel on the Water Co. block. Trahan's Architecture Riverfront 25-story Office(Residential?) Tower was drawn up over a year(s?) ago. Trahan says this particular design is no longer in play, but he still hopes to erect a tower with similar dimensions. The site's C5 Zoning has no height restrictions or set-back requirements.

riverfrontofficetowerdekg8.png

Trahan's southern-most parcel(1/5) of the BR Water Co. block where the vehicles are parked(right), the sleek tower would occupy this entire parcel. :blink: BR Water Company(other 4 parcels) on the left surrounded by iron fence; Lafayette Park in the back on the eastern 1/3 of the block; this includes that 100'ft. tall white water tower listed on the National Historical List.

trahanoy4.jpg

Very little improvement IMO. Removing the hydraulical equipment and building would be hard + two wells are still operating, they would need to be shut-off. Alot of work. Some have suggested keeping the watery theme...making it a waterpark or my suggestion of a riverarium. Look at the illusion that the 100 ft. tall water well tower on top of the brick-gate. :P

brwaterworksng4.jpg

View of the block from North Blvd. looking north at the newly renovated Hilton Capitol Center on the next block over. Lafayette Park (right) with the interactive water fountains. And the BR Water Company's beautiful iron fence

downtown009ax7.jpg

This is the good article written in BusinessReport over a year ago. The article talks about the great view from the rooftop terrace of the Shaw Arts Center. It also mentions Trahan's proposed 25-story Riverfront Tower possible other plans.

http://www.businessreport.com/newsDetail.cfm?aid=6558

*The Riverfront Masterplan renderings has a 15-story tower going on this property one day.

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That big tall thing on the property used to be a support for a water tower (I think). If that is not the case, then let me know.

I hope that they kind of leave this area empty. I like that I can see the shaw building and the Hilton from the bridge.

Why not paint that big huge tower support red and call it "Le Baton Rouge"

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Why not paint that big huge tower support red and call it "Le Baton Rouge"
I suggested nearly the same thing. Since Baton Rouge means "Red-Stick" paint the water tower red. And add a white Baton Rouge insignia. But the DDD said they can't bec. it's listed on the National Historical List. Oh well...I tried. :dontknow:

I don't think a small riveraruim would hinder the view on the property. And you should still be able to see the "Lantern on the Levee" Shaw Arts Center and the Hilton Capitol Center from the bridge even with a sleek-narrow design of 10-15 stories; but I do see your piont.

So why exactly don't they want to sell it?

Great question Dan, wish I had the answer for you. :dontknow:

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  • 1 year later...

I suggested nearly the same thing. Since Baton Rouge means "Red-Stick" paint the water tower red. And add a white Baton Rouge insignia. But the DDD said they can't bec. it's listed on the National Historical List. Oh well...I tried. :dontknow:

Didn't know that Richy, but the water tower looks good as of today, now only if they can shine some red lights on it.

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Not a residential tower or office building with a stupid martini bar on the bottom floor.

Anyone ever been to Savannah or Charleston? Baton Rouge needs some nice bars and clubs there that face the river. It's a perfect location. Real bars...not just the trendy ones. Fun places that people come from all over to visit....that combined with 3rd street should make downtown a walkable destination.

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  • 3 years later...

Yes indeed! Thanks for the old pic LT :thumbsup: Makes me appreciate just how far that area has come!

Look at the dilapidated Capitol House... What a nice transformation it has been! Wonder where the old dinosaur concilman is now that said "fixing up that thang would be like putting lipstick on a dead woman"????

Would like to see the old historic water tower painted red; maybe have white cursive lettering saying "Baton Rouge"...

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It really blocks a perfect view of the Shaw Center. What's so historic about the water tower to begin with?

I am not exactly sure why it's so important either, but since it's there, I assume its best to highlight its old charm. The designers of the Shaw Center took the location of the tower in account when designing the building. The lobby is on direct axis with the tower, from the tower all the way to third street. Also the Shaw Center sign on Lafayette street had purple neon added to it that reflects off of the white tower at night adding to the ambience.

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I am not exactly sure why it's so important either, but since it's there, I assume its best to highlight its old charm. The designers of the Shaw Center took the location of the tower in account when designing the building. The lobby is on direct axis with the tower, from the tower all the way to third street. Also the Shaw Center sign on Lafayette street had purple neon added to it that reflects off of the white tower at night adding to the ambience.

I honestly think it should be removed but it's not ugly..

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Cool...I'll have to check out the purple neon reflection :thumbsup:

I'm guessing mistakes in the past tearing down significant "old/historical" structures like the Paramount Theatre on Third Street & a few others; as well as the Ice House(most recent) that was torn-down to make way for the RiverPlace tower that was never built...got the Historical Preservation people so upset; that this allowed this Water Tower to remain standing...

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 years later...

With the failed proposal for the Audubon Alive (aquarium) at Desoto Park....my suggestion years back was to better use the BR Water Works property( in front of the Shaw Center for the Arts) 6-7 blocks away...with a RiverQuarium....not too large it would block Shaw's roof-top views of the river...it would feature native fish & wildlife from the Atchafalaya Basin & Louisiana

 

Does the word "eye sore" come into play with the old outdated hydraulic system coming out of the ground ? After the Shaw Center(05') was completed BR Water Works had to dress this up.... what was an overgrown weed lot...

 

The tree-line in the back directly behind cast-iron fence is a mini pocket park called Lafayette Street park

 

 A few better pics of the property should be takem later this Summer(the old pics in the 1st post were "X'd" out long ago

june15%20017_zpsjzvt4k1a.jpg

 

AND...to re-visit Trahan's(architects) visionary riverfront 25-story sleek thin-glass box wraped in a web of criss-crossing braces on a very narrow parcel(south across from old Capitol) on the Water works block(far right of pic).  The site's C5 Zoning has no height restrictions or set-back requirements.

riverfrontofficetowerdevelopme_zpsxklhpd

 

Would have been nice but never seriously thought this sleek tower would ever happen!

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Well, I'll admit it's grow in on me, since we hardly have any historic structures left. I was reading a book from the library _River Capital: An illustrated History of Baton Rouge_. It was amazing to see downtown full with buildings, it seems like they went wrecking ball crazy before historic associations. But it'll work out for us since there will be plenty of space for new buildings. Maybe one day one of Trahan's exercises may even be one of them.

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Are you talking about the old stove pipe Water Tower itself in the back?? Oh no....i'm not talking about that....i'm talking about the stuff behind that truck inside those gates....

 

Keep/save the historic 100'ft tall Water Tower....illuminate that at night "red" with some exterior lighting...it could be a Red Stick landmark in the heart of downtown!

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With the failed proposal for the Audubon Alive (aquarium) at Desoto Park....my suggestion years back was to better use the BR Water Works property( in front of the Shaw Center for the Arts) 6-7 blocks away...with a RiverQuarium....not too large it would block Shaw's roof-top views of the river...it would feature native fish & wildlife from the Atchafalaya Basin & Louisiana

 

Does the word "eye sore" come into play with the old outdated hydraulic system coming out of the ground ? After the Shaw Center(05') was completed BR Water Works had to dress this up.... what was an overgrown weed lot...

 

The tree-line in the back directly behind cast-iron fence is a mini pocket park called Lafayette Street park

 

 A few better pics of the property should be takem later this Summer(the old pics in the 1st post were "X'd" out long ago

june15%20017_zpsjzvt4k1a.jpg

 

AND...to re-visit Trahan's(architects) visionary riverfront 25-story sleek thin-glass box wraped in a web of criss-crossing braces on a very narrow parcel(south across from old Capitol) on the Water works block(far right of pic).  The site's C5 Zoning has no height restrictions or set-back requirements.

riverfrontofficetowerdevelopme_zpsxklhpd

 

Would have been nice but never seriously thought this sleek tower would ever happen!

I would love to see something like this built, but maybe 40 stories it would be taller than the state capital.

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