Towne Center

[cajun]

That is pretty common practice...but the shocking part is that it didn't seem to ever happen on College until after everything was developed.

There are curb cuts and entry points very close to intersections....seems weird that they'd find religion on this now and penalize the new developments.

[Antrell Williams]

In theory, Yes. The idea is to let the cars remain in the parking lot for as long as possible with only one exit to reduce the amount of cars pouring onto college drive and keep traffic moving on college drive. Think of it like storm water management, where a retention pond is built to hold the water, to prevent flooding, and slowly release the water later when river levels have begun to lower.

In this case, the cars "dukeing it out" in the parking lot to see who can exit first, instead of doing the same through multiple exits clogging college drive.

You know what would help, destroying the parking lots. The congestion on College at 2:30pm was ridiculous.

That is pretty common practice...but the shocking part is that it didn't seem to ever happen on College until after everything was developed.

There are curb cuts and entry points very close to intersections....seems weird that they'd find religion on this now and penalize the new developments.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[cajun]

I saw an interesting article that indicated that these Town Center type of developments are the future, and are replacing regional indoor malls. Everyone on UP probably saw this as accepted reality already....but it looks like the era of the indoor mall may be coming to an end. This notion appears to be going mainstream.

With the proliferation of online shopping and newer bricks and mortor competition, most of these regional malls are going bust or are struggling significantly with tenants who are not well prepared to attract major foot traffic like they once were.

They are being replaced by power centers and lifestyle centers which are geared towards every day demands of the local populace and sometimes beyond. These new centers offer more outdoor pedestrian areas, are cheaper to maintain, and usually provide less square footage to lease while being more "adaptable" and easily changed and annexted to meet future demands.

Juban Crossing appears to be the Toyota Camry to the Town Center's Mercedes Benz.....in that respect. The likelyhood of something being built there that will compete with Mall of La is looking pretty slim, as developments like that seem to be falling out of favor.

Do you guys think major retailers that are popular today may not be around in as many physical locations in 10 or 15 years? Take Beat Buy or Barnes and Noble for instance....they both face very stiff competition online who don't have to pay overhead and rent associated with bricks and mortar stores.

Edited June 25, 2012 by cajun

[itsjustme3]

I saw an interesting article that indicated that these Town Center type of developments are the future, and are replacing regional indoor malls. Everyone on UP probably saw this as accepted reality already....but it looks like the era of the indoor mall may be coming to an end. This notion appears to be going mainstream.

With the proliferation of online shopping and newer bricks and mortor competition, most of these regional malls are going bust or are struggling significantly with tenants who are not well prepared to attract major foot traffic like they once were.

They are being replaced by power centers and lifestyle centers which are geared towards every day demands of the local populace and sometimes beyond. These new centers offer more outdoor pedestrian areas, are cheaper to maintain, and usually provide less square footage to lease while being more "adaptable" and easily changed and annexted to meet future demands.

Juban Crossing appears to be the Toyota Camry to the Town Center's Mercedes Benz.....in that respect. The likelyhood of something being built there that will compete with Mall of La is looking pretty slim, as developments like that seem to be falling out of favor.

Do you guys think major retailers that are popular today may not be around in as many physical locations in 10 or 15 years? Take Beat Buy or Barnes and Noble for instance....they both face very stiff competition online who don't have to pay overhead and rent associated with bricks and mortar stores.

I think using Best Buy and Barnes is misleading because both have horrific reputations for having awful customer service. Plenty of other box stores around the country are doing just fine.

[Antrell Williams]

I like the fact that these "shopping centers" are becoming popular although they should be less focused on the car.

[dan326]

And like someone wrote somewhere, it takes several hundred millions disposable dollars to build a full mall and since the population is growing that fast anymore, these centers'll fill the smaller demand.

[cajun]

I like the fact that these "shopping centers" are becoming popular although they should be less focused on the car.

Seems like they could be adapted...like Perkins Rowe.

Not sure why you'd want that in a suburban area, but in more dense environments, I think we are seeing a trend set in with more multi use/ lifestyle center hybrids that are for shopping, working, and living.

In a climate like Louisiana, I am guessing it might be beneficial from a developer's perspective to have parking available near the retail units.....this probably cuts down on loitering too over an enclosed mall.

Edited June 25, 2012 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

Seems like they could be adapted...like Perkins Rowe.

Not sure why you'd want that in a suburban area, but in more dense environments, I think we are seeing a trend set in with more multi use/ lifestyle center hybrids that are for shopping, working, and living.

In a climate like Louisiana, I am guessing it might be beneficial from a developer's perspective to have parking available near the retail units.....this probably cuts down on loitering too over an enclosed mall.

Perkins Rowe is in a suburban area but the stores front the streets on the property and not the parking lots. Available parking is great, but why does a parking lot have to be the center piece of developments.

Developments like Perkins Rowe don't have to be upscale, just provide necessary needs, housing, and employment.

Edited June 25, 2012 by Antrell Williams

[cajun]

Developments like Perkins Rowe don't have to be upscale, just provide necessary needs, housing, and employment.

Or anything near that scale.

Small in fill developments can accomplish the same goal.

Edited June 25, 2012 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

Or anything near that scale.

Small in fill developments can accomplish the same goal.

Smiley Heights is similar right?

[cajun]

Smiley Heights is similar right?

Smiley heights looks massive....but I haven't seen the latest layout plan. I thought it was more suburban in style.

[itsjustme3]

I like the fact that these "shopping centers" are becoming popular although they should be less focused on the car.

Yeah, places like mall of LA and Towne Center would make a lot of money if they focused more on bus riders and eliminated parking spaces for cars.

lol

[cajun]

Yeah, places like mall of LA and Towne Center would make a lot of money if they focused more on bus riders and eliminated parking spaces for cars.

They'd be waiting a long time for bus riders in Baton Rouge.

I think what Antrell is trying to say is that the less pedestrian friendly setup of Towne Center could easily be setup to accommodate both parking and pedestrians while also having office and residential space.

You have to admit....that place looks like a giant parking lot that happens to have a shopping center in it.

The Town Center development is not easily walkable, and has separated districts for residential, office and retail....mostly not even connected.

The shopping center will do fine for a long because it is in a great neighborhood regardless, but there were better ways to do it. I'm glad they made the buildings and landscaping attractive.

I was hoping that the Acadian village area would be setup like that.....bur office space demand is down and not many people want to live adjacent to an interstate and rail road I guess. Only accessible easily on Perkins too.

Edited June 25, 2012 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

Smiley heights looks massive....but I haven't seen the latest layout plan. I thought it was more suburban in style.

I thought I remember there being high and meduim density neighborhoods within it.

Yeah, places like mall of LA and Towne Center would make a lot of money if they focused more on bus riders and eliminated parking spaces for cars.

lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_garage

They'd be waiting a long time for bus riders in Baton Rouge.

I think what Antrell is trying to say is that the less pedestrian friendly setup of Towne Center could easily be setup to accommodate both parking and pedestrians while also having office and residential space.

You have to admit....that place looks like a giant parking lot that happens to have a shopping center in it.

The Town Center development is not easily walkable, and has separated districts for residential, office and retail....mostly not even connected.

The shopping center will do fine for a long because it is in a great neighborhood regardless, but there were better ways to do it. I'm glad they made the buildings and landscaping attractive.

I was hoping that the Acadian village area would be setup like that.....bur office space demand is down and not many people want to live adjacent to an interstate and rail road I guess. Only accessible easily on Perkins too.

He knows what I'm saying.

At Perkins Rowe you could spend an entire evening, shopping, watch a movie, eat dinner, and go back to the apartment or hotel (when it gets built) all in one location without the need for your keys. At Towne Center, you will want to use your car to drive from the eastern side of the parking lot to go eat dinner, no hotel or future hotel to walk back to, no movie theater, no apartments, no office space, etc. And while being the more upscale development at the same time!

I wouldn't want to live at that intersection either, maybe a small amount of wither would do well but I'm fine with it as is.

[richyb83]

Yeah thats been mentioned several times...Towne Center layout is poorly done by the Houston company.

Towne Center does have the apartments/condos(The Enclave & Reserve at Cedar Lodge) off CorporateBlvd & Commerce Ave...they are just not connected...& The Millenium at Towne Center on Jefferson Hwy...no sidewalks; you have to jump in your car....poor layout!

Wish I (we) could have a blank canvas; start over designing a TRUE Towne Center...integrated it with another poorly designed development Citi Place...and elements of Perkins Rowe...combing all of those into one!

[Antrell Williams]

Yeah thats been mentioned several times...Towne Center layout is poorly done by the Houston company.

Towne Center does have the apartments/condos(The Enclave & Reserve at Cedar Lodge) off CorporateBlvd & Commerce Ave...they are just not connected...& The Millenium at Towne Center on Jefferson Hwy...no sidewalks; you have to jump in your car....poor layout!

Wish I (we) could have a blank canvas; start over designing a TRUE Towne Center...integrated it with another poorly designed development Citi Place...and elements of Perkins Rowe...combing all of those into one!

fify

Corporate Blvd had so much potential.

[richyb83]

^Yes it did/does...

Looks like a no-go...

Bethany withdraws plans for church near Towne Center

Bethany World Prayer Center has withdrawn its application for a proposed 1,050-seat church on Jefferson Highway, next to Towne Center. Via its engineer, the church sent a letter to the city-parish Planning Commission on Friday announcing the plan has been put on hold. Bethany was scheduled to present a revision of the project plan to the Planning Commission tonight, after deferring the presentation last month. It also deferred its original presentation in May on the 25,000-square-foot church after the one driveway in the proposal—working as both an entranceway and exit—met opposition from nearby residents. Bethany failed to acquire land from nearby State Farm to build a second exit for the parking lot.

http://www.businessreport.com/section/daily-reportAM

[cajun]

....the business report called it a church. Interesting.

[itsjustme3]

Thought this was a community center whatchamacallit?

[Antrell Williams]

I'm guessing its a cool name for a overpriced building to worship in so they have to disguise it.

[richyb83]

The Goodwood Association doesn't want anymore development PERIOD! Yesterday they also shut down plans for the 250-unit Preserve...can you imagine sidewalks for Jefferson Hwy that encourages pedestrian use?? Nahh...

And in October the massive Cedar Lodge development??? Not to worry...it won't be "connected" to the Towne Center either ... will it will be another "gated" place like Millenium, Enclave & Reserve at Cedar Lodge...seems like connectivity and sidewalks is a foriegn concept If this were done right Jefferson Hwy & Corporate Blvd would not be as bad w/ traffic!

Traffic woes nix Jefferson Highway projects

A planned 250-unit apartment complex on the north side of Towne Center failed to get approval from the city-parish Planning Commission Monday night because of concerns about growing traffic on Jefferson Highway and in Goodwood and surrounding neighborhoods.

Mickey Robertson, an engineer speaking on behalf of the proposed apartment complex known as The Preserve at Towne Centre, told the commission that developer Art Lancaster had agreed after talking to state Department of Transportation and Development officials to fund a median along that section of Jefferson Highway, to build sidewalks to encourage pedestrian use and to stub out to the adjacent property. A stub out allows future development on an adjacent property to connect.

Robertson said all The Preserve can really do to address the concerns of residents is stub out to adjoining property.

“Then that’s something that has to be taken up when that property comes up for development,” he said.

That property, however, is the site of Phil Witter’s planned Cedar Lodge Apartments, a 315-unit complex with 56,000 square feet of commercial space. Witter, who has deferred Cedar Lodge until the commission’s October meeting, was there Monday to tell the commission what he told it when Bethany said it was going to try to connect through adjacent properties, including Towne Center. “There will be no connection through Towne Center to Cedar Lodge,” he said. Witter said the existing Reserve, Millennium and Enclave developments are all gated and Cedar Lodge will be as well. He said connecting with The Preserve would compromise that security and create “insurance issues” as well.

Witter said he felt the issue should at least be deferred pending further study of development and traffic in the area.

Pat Murphy, who opposes The Preserve development, urged the commission to “be conservative and think carefully” before acting. “It would definitely impact the daily lives of those who treasure this old section of town that is Old Goodwood,” Murphy said. Paul Higgins, who lives on Seven Oaks, “Essen Lane took 15 years to get to where it’s at.”

http://theadvocate.com/home/3362423-125/traffic-woes-nix-jefferson-highway

[Antrell Williams]

Is Essen Lane supposed to be a model of development?!

Backwards town..

[cajun]

I wouldn't want 250 multi family units near me either. My neighborhood in Atlanta just had a zoning variance squashed because it would hurt our property value.

Good for Goodwood....and Baton Rouge. One less single entrance trashy cookie cutter development thrown where it doesn't belong.

Edited July 18, 2012 by cajun

[richyb83]

Not sure why developers seem so enamored with single-entranced developments in BR?? If done right w/ more connectivity other than just Jefferson Hwy might it work?? It's across the highway from the neighborhood...

Cajun...do you consider the Enclave or Reserve (off Corporate) & Millenium(off Jefferson) trashy/cookie cutter?? They sure seem expensive..over-rated??

Edited July 18, 2012 by richyb83

[cajun]

They are slightly nicer than most of the multi family homes being built in the city, but still very cookie cutter. The saving grace for them long term is that some are owner occupied.