Acadian Village

[dan326]

I think this design looks nicer than the original, but the Perkins Rowe type design would of been nice too.

[steve3n8]

Tenant lineup for Acadian Village announced

Commercial Properties Realty Trust announced this morning that, along with previously announced anchor tenant Trader Joe's, Kean's Fine Dry Cleaning, stationery company The Keeping Room, and Nadeau furniture store are some of the tenants to be included at the Acadian Village shopping center under development at the corner of Perkins Road and South Acadian Thruway. Also, Smarter Eyewear, Pei Wei restaurant, Baby Bump Maternity, Air Blow Dry Bar and La Divina Italian Cafe will also join the 70,000-square-foot center, Commercial Properties says. And as previously reported by Daily Report, Commercial Properties confirms Petco will also be among the retail center's tenants. "The mix of businesses in Acadian Village will serve the well-established surrounding neighborhoods and draw more shoppers to the thriving Perkins Road Overpass Area," says Carolyn Martin, president and CEO of Commercial Properties, in a prepared statement. The firm says its total investment in the development exceeds $18 million. Construction of the main shopping center is now under way, and the development is 85% leased. Acadian Village is currently home to Acme Oyster House, IberiaBank and Galatoire's Bistro. You can check out some renderings of the shopping center here.

Read more from Business Report here: http://businessreport.com/section/daily-reportAM#ixzz2OHeS09bc

[itsjustme3]

Not a very impressive array of the Acadian stores planned

[steve3n8]

Not a very impressive array of the Acadian stores planned

 

Well what would you rather have seen go in there?

 

What pleases itsjustme3? We would love to know!

[cajun]

Well what would you rather have seen go in there?

What pleases itsjustme3? We would love to know!

This is UP. Nothing is cool unless it's a high density TND anchored by a Nordstrom and two 30 story hotels and at least one condo tower.

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting steve3n8!  Good to see things will be rolling along at this prime location!

 

Admittedly(in the past) some here; including myself  on UP could get a lil carried away/overly optimistic  with our vision with what type of development(s) we want for BR...and it was good to have some balance; to be grounded every-once-in-awhile...but not buried under the ground! 

[Antrell Williams]

Nothing wrong with overly optimistic. We just want the best for our city.

[dan326]

The line up seems fine, I just wonder if maybe they could have found better tenants than Petco and Keans. Like maybe a small pet store in place of the Keans and a larger apparel store in place of the Petco.

[cajun]

Lineup is good. It will probably be a good quality development, and the neighborhood around it will keep it going for a long time....and it's more of a neighborhood shopping center than Mall of La, PR, or Towne Center.

Keans must be moving out of their older location on Perkins near the overpass.

You have to take the developmet at face value. Trader Joe's is an especially good amenity to have. There is a couple of local franchises, a pet supply store (common near colleges), and some more restaurant options where an empty box use to be. I'm also a fan of Galatoire's and I'm looking forward to trying it. The Iberia Bank building probably looks decent too.

Same with Town Center. I know many don't like that developmet either, but that is a great Whole Foods store (of the best I've seen relative to our stores up here)....and it's where an empty lot use to be. Not the prettiest building in the world, but a grocery store with enployees that don't look at you like you are from Mars when you ask if they have a particular cut of meat or fish is a major novelty anywhere.

So I appreciate the type of development that brings quality chain stores that fill massive market voids that local shops seem to have no interest in targeting while attracting some local and regional chains.

The quality of clintele, the surrounding area, and business tenants have as much to do with the success of a retail area than the type of layout or design.

I'd like to see a similar redevelopment of the shopping center at Sherwood/N Harrel's Ferry, and the one on the corner of Lee and Burbank.

[dan326]

Yes, both of those locations need an upgrade. I kind of wonder why the Sherwood shopping center has been empty for so long. It seems like its in a good location.

[Antrell Williams]

You would think the Sherwood Forest residents would demand a better shopping experience from both centers.

[itsjustme3]

You would think the Sherwood Forest residents would demand a better shopping experience from both centers.

"Demand"? Because they demand it doesn't mean anything.

Yes, both of those locations need an upgrade. I kind of wonder why the Sherwood shopping center has been empty for so long. It seems like its in a good location.

It's not a good location.

[jefften10]

Yes, both of those locations need an upgrade. I kind of wonder why the Sherwood shopping center has been empty for so long. It seems like its in a good location.

That shopping center borders one of the most dangerous parts of Baton Rouge. Sure the residents off of Sherwood in between Old Hammond and Florida would be served, but all the area east of Sherwood is very low income and dangerous. Even Gardere stands a better chance of development, in my opinion, than does Sherwood and North Harrells Ferry.

 

Back to topic.

 

Acadian Village looks very promising. The sort of merchants chosen are very appropriate given the area. I have no doubts the tenants will be higher quality than which Claitor has brought in across the street.

[itsjustme3]

Acadian Village looks very promising. The sort of merchants chosen are very appropriate given the area. I have no doubts the tenants will be higher quality than which Claitor has brought in across the street.

Understatement of the year.

[Antrell Williams]

That shopping center borders one of the most dangerous parts of Baton Rouge. Sure the residents off of Sherwood in between Old Hammond and Florida would be served, but all the area east of Sherwood is very low income and dangerous. Even Gardere stands a better chance of development, in my opinion, than does Sherwood and North Harrells Ferry.

 

Back to topic.

 

Acadian Village looks very promising. The sort of merchants chosen are very appropriate given the area. I have no doubts the tenants will be higher quality than which Claitor has brought in across the street.

Boulevard de Province isn't that bad to steer away decent retailers and renovation. But anyway, back on Acadian Village.

[dan326]

That shopping center borders one of the most dangerous parts of Baton Rouge. Sure the residents off of Sherwood in between Old Hammond and Florida would be served, but all the area east of Sherwood is very low income and dangerous. Even Gardere stands a better chance of development, in my opinion, than does Sherwood and North Harrells Ferry.

 

Dangerous huh?? lol

[Antrell Williams]

Let's stay on topic.

[jefften10]

Pei Wei was supposedly an original tenant at Perkins Rowe, so Baton Rouge gets another very popular fast casual chain in them. I think Acadian Village will actually be a tough location for them. I don't see Acadian Perkins as a major lunch corner and those sort of restaurants do BIG sales during lunch. Galatoires gives them competition during dinner time.

 

Their food is solid though.

[itsjustme3]

I don't see Acadian Perkins as a major lunch corner

Its 2 minutes from downtown. I disagree.

[jefften10]

Its 2 minutes from downtown. I disagree.

Only reason I said that is because there aren't really any dining options at the corner now (Burgersmith, Acme and Galatoires the only three). Only Burgersmith strikes me as a quick "lunch" place. I suppose more options could change that though.

[itsjustme3]

Depends on what your definition of quick is.

Schlitz

Jimmy Johns

ACME

Burger Smith

Coyote Blues

Rock n Sake

Georges

Chelseas

Just to name a few lunch places.

[richyb83]

Real Estate Weekly Property of the Week

 

Construction on this approximately 70,000-square-foot retail center at Acadian Village has begun and is expected to be complete in time for an opening at the end of October, according to developer Commercial Properties Real Estate Trust. Trader Joe's will be the anchor tenant, with 13,000 square feet of space in the $18 million development. Other retailers and restaurants will include Petco, Kean's Fine Dry Cleaning, The Keeping Room, Nadeau furniture, Smarter Eyewear, Pei Wei restaurant, Baby Bump Maternity, Air Blow Dry Bar and La Divina Italian Café. The general contractor is Buquet & LeBlanc Inc. The architect is Antunovich Associates.

Read more from Business Report here: http://www.businessreport.com/section/businessreport0113#ixzz2XG4uf4gt

[richyb83]

Wish I had my camera on me last week when I drove by....Acadian Village is coming along nicely!

 

Neighbors hope CPEX can help make areas around Acadian Village more pedestrian- friendly

 

With Trader Joe's and other retailers set to open later this month in Acadian Village at Perkins Road and South Acadian Thruway, a group of residents who live in the area is hoping to engage the Center for Planning Excellence to help explore ways of improving walkability and pedestrian access between their neighborhood, the new shopping center and LSU Lakes. "Baton Rouge is a car-centric town, and over the past several years our mindset has started to shift toward walkability," says Bryan Jones, who lives on Hollydale Avenue between Perkins Road and Morning Glory. "With Acadian Village coming online, we're thinking it would be awesome to have a safe pedestrian path to Trader Joe's … and also, on the other side, to the LSU Lakes—because there is no dedicated pedestrian lane or, even, crosswalk." Jones says a group of neighbors in University Gardens, also referred to as the "dale streets," has had preliminary conversations with CPEX about possible options, which at one point included adding sidewalks to the narrow, heavily residential streets. "Realistically, I don't think that will happen, because the neighborhood is just not laid out that way," he says. "That said, what can we do to make the neighborhood more pedestrian-friendly and safe for those people who walk and jog a lot? How can we make it safer? Jones says the neighborhood will continue to have a more defined conversation with CPEX about what the planning organization thinks could be done and how much it might cost. "Then we will start to talk about raising money," he says. —Stephanie Riegel

http://www.businessreport.com/section/businessreport0113

[Antrell Williams]

This is a good announcement. Maybe sidealks can be added to one side of the street like on Seven Oaks (I think). It's a shame these neighborhoods don't have sidewalks.

[itsjustme3]

Wish I had my camera on me last week when I drove by....Acadian Village is coming along nicely!

Neighbors hope CPEX can help make areas around Acadian Village more pedestrian- friendly

With Trader Joe's and other retailers set to open later this month in Acadian Village at Perkins Road and South Acadian Thruway, a group of residents who live in the area is hoping to engage the Center for Planning Excellence to help explore ways of improving walkability and pedestrian access between their neighborhood, the new shopping center and LSU Lakes. "Baton Rouge is a car-centric town, and over the past several years our mindset has started to shift toward walkability," says Bryan Jones, who lives on Hollydale Avenue between Perkins Road and Morning Glory. "With Acadian Village coming online, we're thinking it would be awesome to have a safe pedestrian path to Trader Joe's … and also, on the other side, to the LSU Lakes—because there is no dedicated pedestrian lane or, even, crosswalk." Jones says a group of neighbors in University Gardens, also referred to as the "dale streets," has had preliminary conversations with CPEX about possible options, which at one point included adding sidewalks to the narrow, heavily residential streets. "Realistically, I don't think that will happen, because the neighborhood is just not laid out that way," he says. "That said, what can we do to make the neighborhood more pedestrian-friendly and safe for those people who walk and jog a lot? How can we make it safer? Jones says the neighborhood will continue to have a more defined conversation with CPEX about what the planning organization thinks could be done and how much it might cost. "Then we will start to talk about raising money," he says. —Stephanie Riegel

http://www.businessreport.com/section/businessreport0113

Typical. Someone should have planned that BEFORE shops were a month away from opening. It's too late now. Perhaps they should plan on electing competent city planners and not "hey let's see what we can cram in this little space" twits they have running things now.