New Urbanism

[dan326]

I know! What do y'all think the metro population is now, cause I think traffic has really gotten worse.

Edited November 27, 2014 by dan326

[Antrell Williams]

Is it population growth or the population moving to the suburbs making the commute worse?

[Mr. Burnham]

Is it population growth or the population moving to the suburbs making the commute worse?

I think it's both. The real estate here is booming and there has been a considerable increase in traffic and sheer people since I moved here a year ago. Top that on with the fastest growing metropolitan area in the state and I would say the Capital metro has finally reached that 1 million threshold (probably even a few hundred thousand more).

[dan326]

800,000 : year 2010 -> 1,300,000 : year 2014 ??

[Mr. Burnham]

800,000 : year 2010 -> 1,300,000 : year 2014 ??

I would say maybe 1,150,000 or 1,200,000 at most. Sorry my comment was a little misleading. 

[Antrell Williams]

We are near 1m MSA, but we will not break that for the 2020 census.

[Mr. Burnham]

We are near 1m MSA, but we will not break that for the 2020 census.

You don't think? I think we already broke it. 

[dan326]

I think we might be at ~850,000 by liberal estimates

[Antrell Williams]

No way we've grown by 200,000 in 4 years. No way we do by 2020 either. My liberal estimate would be 950k.

[itsjustme3]

800,000 : year 2010 -> 1,300,000 : year 2014 ??

No.

[Mr. Burnham]

No way we've grown by 200,000 in 4 years. No way we do by 2020 either. My liberal estimate would be 950k.

Okay, I guess I could see that. Either way you look at this, the cities getting closer to reaching and possibly surpassing 1 million in the metro.

[Mr. Burnham]

I guess my original predictions were far too liberal.

[Mr. Burnham]

Okay so BRAC estimates that the population by 2016 will be somewhere in between 835,000 and 855,000. That would be a 20,000-40,000 increase. 

[dan326]

"Long Farm TND to include nearly $20M apartment complex
KELLY CONNELLY
DECEMBER 5, 2014

Planning for the traditional neighborhood development at Long Farm continues to move forward, and the same is true for several other announced projects throughout Baton Rouge, as signaled by plan review applications submitted to the Department of Public Works over the past several weeks.

Atlanta-based development company ECI Group submitted an application for The Columns at Long Farm last month. The complex would be the multifamily component of the development, the land for which sits between Jefferson and Airline highways near Barringer Foreman Road.

According to the application, the apartment complex will cost $19.6 million to build.

ECI Group bought 12 acres in April for the 276-unit complex, which would be made up of 13 buildings totaling more than 325,000 square feet. The Planning Commission approved plans for the development in June."

They should be nice if they were designed by developers from Atlanta.

From the Business Report

Edited December 7, 2014 by dan326

[itsjustme3]

Were apartments in the original plans?

[Antrell Williams]

I'm sure they were.

[all2neat]

We might be at 850...maybe.

[richyb83]

Plans for second TND in Central to move forward this week

 

A second traditional neighborhood development is coming to Central, this one by the developers of the famed River Ranch in Lafayette.

 

In his State of the City of Central address this afternoon to the Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge, Mayor Jr. Shelton outlined plans for the Shoe Creek TND, a 138-acre mixed-use development on Sullivan Road across from Walmart. The project call for 700 housing units, including cottages, townhouses, village homes and apartments, as well as more than 68,000 square feet of commercial space for offices, restaurants, a grocery and shops.

 

The development will strive for a “rural feel,” Shelton says, with tree-lined boulevards and walking trails. Architect Steven Oubre and others spent several days in Central in December conducting a charrette on the proposed development. Shelton says a meeting is planned for Thursday to begin moving Shoe Creek through the planning and zoning process.

 

Oubre was behind the design of River Ranch, Louisiana’s first TND, now home to more than 2,500 people. It will be the second TND in Central, a city of 28,000. Construction is already underway at Village at Magnolia Square, which James Nunnally and Steele Pollard are developing.

 

“They see it as an opportunity,” Shelton told Daily Report following today’s luncheon. “They have specifically said that the number of folks coming here from IBM and other large corporations, this is where they’re going to want to locate: Central or Zachary.”

The mayor says developers want to start the project before year’s end; it is expected to take seven or eight years to complete. —Penny Font

 

http://www.businessreport.com/article/plans-second-tnd-central-move-forward-week

[dan326]

Central is definitely blowing up, I guess soon it'll be the new Prairieville.

[ehyfield]

But better designed.

[all2neat]

Much better connection to the main part of the city.

[dan326]

This will be Central's third planned development, in addition to Shoe Creek and Magnolia Square. I couldn't really visuallize 70 acres so compared to the planned Water Campus, the retail component will be 2.5 times the size, which appears to be around the size of Towne Center from looking at a map.

As another comparison, Shoe Creek will have 138 acres with 700 residences and 68,000 sq ft of commercial space.

 

I know it's an impossible dream but I think they'll need a freeway spur up to Central one day.

 

"High-end suburb in Central’ moves ahead after decade of planning

 

After nearly a decade of planning, developers in Central are moving forward with plans for a Planned Unit Development that will be located on a 457-acre site that fronts on Wax Road.

As envisioned, the still-unnamed PUD will include a 70-acre lifestyle center with high-end retailers, a gourmet grocery store and—it is hoped—a YMCA branch, according to Blake Seguin, who is developing the project with partners Ryan Jumonville and Todd McClure.

“We’re in talks with high-end gourmet supermarkets and hope to have a deal inked with YMCA in a couple of weeks,” Seguin says. “It’s going to be like a Town Centre but without the big box stores, only boutiques.”

Plans for the development also include office space and 155 acres for residential development. McClure says phase one of the residential portion will include 56 estate lots, 46 single-family lots in the gates, and 14 two-story garden homes.

“We’re trying to create a high-end suburb in Central,” Seguin says. “We want to cater to the Baton Rouge market and give them a place to escape to. … We’ll have a fairground, large pavilion, and then the residential component will be a mixture of high-end housing and high-end garden homes with sort of a St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans style feel.”

The partners have been working on the project since 2006, gradually assembling the parcels of land that will comprise the development. On Monday they acquired a 155-acre site for $1.8 million. An adjoining 285-acre site is under contract and expected to close in June. They already own a 17-acre site.

The PUD is the second recently announced in Central. In late January, Central Mayor Jr. Shelton outlined plans for a 138-acre TND on Sullivan Road called Shoe Creek, a project by the developers of River Ranch. The city’s first TND, The Village at Magnolia Square, has been under development since the mid-2000s.

Seguin said he believes there is sufficient demand in the growing city for all three, though he says his project will be different than the others, with larger lots and upscale retail."

Edited May 6, 2015 by dan326

[richyb83]

Central really doesn't have a discernible "downtown" area...yet....but there had been talks of creating a new "City Center" (City Hall etc)...this massive development sounds like it could be part of it!

 

The still fairly new Central Thruway is a major catalyst for really opening things up...with quick direct connection to I-12

 

Always wondered how they got the name "Central"??.....Central to what?

[dan326]

Yeah, I guess it would just be nice to have something without stop lights, entrances..of course that'd probably be nice for everything.

 

Yes, they need one to say it's a "city" of 30,000.

 

I read it was named after the high school, which I guess is central veritcal wise within in the parish.

 

I don't ever remember hearing about this one. I'm just thinking about how on the Harveston thread I was wondering when we'd get some more "Texas" mega projects, looks like they're on the way! Only thing left is to get the project connecting River Road and Kennilworth started.

 

 I'll post the pictures later.

 

"Largest undeveloped land in Gonzales will be site

 

Gonzales — A developer plans to build an upscale mixed-use community of retail stores, apartments and homes on a former cattle ranch, which is the largest piece of undeveloped property in Gonzales.

 

 

Lafayette-based Southern Lifestyle Development has a contract to purchase the property, situated on La. 44 just south of I-10, for $8 million and plans to close on the transaction in the spring, said Prescott Bailey, who works for the development company."

 

From the Advocate

http://theadvocate.com/news/weeklies/11626472-123/plans-underway-to-make-the

 

"Upscale development of MP Evans Property presented to Gonzales Zoning Commission

 

Gonzales annexed nearly 400 acres, comprised mostly of property belonging to the Estate of MP and Ruth Evans, into its city limits in 2012. The acreage is the largest swath of undeveloped land in the city and, combined with its proximity to major travel arteries, is as prime a piece of real estate as there is in the Jambalaya Capital of the World. Maps indicating an upscale mixed use development, including over 200 acres of R-6 residential zoning, were submitted to the city’s zoning commission at Monday’s meeting."

 

http://www.thecreole.com/?p=35900

[Mr. Burnham]

Looks like my prediction of Gonzales and Sorento growing even further together is coming true. All of these developments sound great though for the region!