Lake Charles Downtown Revitalization

[Trae]

My family in Lake Charles are pretty excited over this Downtown development:

[NCB]

Wow, now there's an impressive plan that I don't believe I've seen before. Do you have any links to more info or renderings, Trae?

BTW, thanks for posting this! We rarely see any news from SW Louisiana on the forum.

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this Trae, like Nate said, we don't hear much from this area. It nice to see them capitalizing on the waterfront in Lake Charles. It's a valuable asset. I see the Civic Center area is in for an extreme make-over. I have always been impressed with the height of the Hibernia Tower for a city this size. And the casino's with the lights add some flair near I-10.

[byrde]

I found an article that talks about the impact of the development, but can't find much in the way of details.

http://www.americanpress.com/index.php?opt...&Itemid=105

[DruidCity]

I just found out that I'll be travelling to Lake Charles later this week.

I've never been within 100 miles of it, so I don't really know what to expect ?

My brother has a job interview at McNeese State. Who knows, if that goes well,

I might be moving to that area in a few months.

Most of the applications he sent out were to schools in FL and TX, along with any in AL/MS

that had openings. Neither of us knew a darn thing about McNeese State when he found the job listing there,

so it was really surprising to us when that was the first school to show major interest in him.

I don't know a way to ask this without coming across really stupid, but does SW Louisiana have any

nice beach areas ?

[richyb83]

The beaches from what I remember in SW La. are nothing vey special at all(unless it has changed since then). It has been awhile since I have been on LC's beach front. It's nowhere near anything like Gulf Shores AL, or the Florida Panhandle. Hope this helps some

[richyb83]

HEY Druid City, just a heads up on the Gulf in Cameron Parish

According to this article they are polluted....

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7914907.html

The state Department of Health and Hospitals on Friday issued swim advisories for public beaches in Cameron Parish, except one, after testing found high levels of a bacteria used as an indicator of sewage.

The advisories include Holly Beach, Rutherford Beach, Hackberry and all of the Constance-area beaches except Martin.

The beaches

[DruidCity]

Thanks. I just got back to Tuscaloosa about 30 minutes ago.

My brother's interview went well enough that they offered him the job on the spot.

I don't know whether he'll take it, though. My guess is not, but it could go either way.

I'm not trying to be elitist or mean-spirited, but Lake Charles really didn't do much for me.

I did enjoy the buffet at L'Auberge.

[richyb83]

No problem Druid City, the people I talked to from LC generally weren't too thrilled about the place either. They would rather live in Baton Rouge or Dallas.

[NCB]

I haven't spent enough time in Lake Charles to form my own solid opinion of the place, but just from driving through or some quick stops there, it doesn't seem like a place I would like to live in. We had a family friend in the French Quarter that was from Lake Charles, and New Orleans was like a completely different world (in a good way) for him after leaving Lake Charles.

[DruidCity]

Thanks, guys. I'll add that I also enjoyed Mulate's restaurant near Lafayette.

After talking to my brother again, I think he's leaning toward turning McNeese down.

It's a tough decision, because the pay and job rank is better than he has had,

and he liked the people he'd be working with and the job responsibilities, but

I think we might enjoy more living somewhere else.

The only other school in Louisiana where he's applied so far, that has an opening, is UNO.

Since he used to live in Mobile, he's visited New Orleans a good bit. There are also lots of possibilities in TX & FL.

[richyb83]

Good to see this historic property back up and running

Charleston Hotel to reopen

The historic Charleston Hotel, which opened in 1929 as Lake Charles' first skyscraper, is beginning a new life with a variety of uses to meet the 21st century needs of people and businesses. The 10-story structure has been fully restored and renovated by the Shearman Corp. The grand ballroom can be rented for special events.

Office space and full-floor lofts are available on the upper levels.

The Charleston originally opened as a 125-room, first-class hotel. It was built for quality, and many of those quality touches have been restored for a new generation of use. The historic structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

http://www.katc.com/global/story.asp?s=9318061

[tombarnes]

I'm really pleased to hear that the Charleston is receiving the attention it truly deserves. It's a great old building and I'm glad that the public spaces are being restored properly. If anyone has pictures, please post them.

[richyb83]

^ Tom, I figured you'd like the historic preservation. Sorry I have no pics. Congrats on your 4,000 post

More news out of Lake Charles....

$2.5 million development planned for Lake Charles

LAKE CHARLES (AP)

[richyb83]

Pushing the 'lake' in Lake Charles

Hammers start swinging Monday in Lake Charles on projects meant to transform the city

[richyb83]

Lake Charles lakefront promenade wins excellence award

A vibrant pedestrian promenade spanning the Lake Charles lakefront designed by Louisiana firm Moore Planning Group won a DOTD Transportation Excellence Award yesterday in Baton Rouge. The promenade, which officially opened in September 2010, earned top honors in a $10 million-or-less infrastructure category during the state agency’s annual conference and awards luncheon. "This project gives the people of Lake Charles access to their lakefront in a stunning new way," says Patrick Moore, former managing principal of Moore Planning Group, LLC, now a partner and U.S. Southern Division Planning Leader with Environmental Resources Management. "We anticipate this project will be a tremendous catalyst for ongoing development in downtown Lake Charles, which has shown impressive tenacity and innovation in the five years since Hurricane Rita." The $4.6 million Lakefront Promenade includes 2,700 linear feet of new work, including decorative column lighting, trees and landscaping, public art, shaded seating structures, educational interpretive signage and viewing devices. Along the promenade, four cultural plazas named Schooner Landing, Founders Landing, Louisiana Landing and Lake Charles Landing depict significant moments in Lake Charles’s history. They have been designed to reflect the region’s vernacular and culture. The firm's work in Lake Charles as well as a streetscape master plan for Crowley and a land-use plan for the city of Central won awards from the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association. Moore Planning Group won three of the 11 honors.

http://www.1012corridor.com/archives/1012-corridor-weekly/latest/

[richyb83]

This is about my 5th time this week trying to post with wacky website/computer not showing i posted when it shows up?? Strange??

Lake Charles lakefront promenade wins excellence award

A vibrant pedestrian promenade spanning the Lake Charles lakefront designed by Louisiana firm Moore Planning Group won a DOTD Transportation Excellence Award yesterday in Baton Rouge. The promenade, which officially opened in September 2010, earned top honors in a $10 million-or-less infrastructure category during the state agency’s annual conference and awards luncheon. "This project gives the people of Lake Charles access to their lakefront in a stunning new way," says Patrick Moore, former managing principal of Moore Planning Group, LLC, now a partner and U.S. Southern Division Planning Leader with Environmental Resources Management. "We anticipate this project will be a tremendous catalyst for ongoing development in downtown Lake Charles, which has shown impressive tenacity and innovation in the five years since Hurricane Rita." The $4.6 million Lakefront Promenade includes 2,700 linear feet of new work, including decorative column lighting, trees and landscaping, public art, shaded seating structures, educational interpretive signage and viewing devices. Along the promenade, four cultural plazas named Schooner Landing, Founders Landing, Louisiana Landing and Lake Charles Landing depict significant moments in Lake Charles’s history. They have been designed to reflect the region’s vernacular and culture. The firm's work in Lake Charles as well as a streetscape master plan for Crowley and a land-use plan for the city of Central won awards from the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association. Moore Planning Group won three of the 11 honors.

http://www.1012corridor.com/archives/1012-corridor-weekly/latest/

[Antrell Williams]

The site is having problems I believe, it's been doing similar things to me. I drove along the lakefront on my way to Houston one day and I noticed how nice the lakefront is. Really could be a BEAUTIFUL attraction for the city. I really wish Baton Rouge was located on a beautiful lake like that.

[richyb83]

Yes...Lake Charles has a nice lake-front!

Shuttered Lake Charles park gets new life

A Lake Charles park that has been closed for years is now being revitalized. City officials have begun the first of several phases to bring back Tuten Park. This phase covers about seven acres of the 24 acre park at a cost of $650,000. It will include new cement walking paths, bike trails, picnic tables and a nature center. The new 750 square foot nature center will be a interactive classroom for Calcasieu Parish students. "The park will be used as a sanctuary for native plants, birds and wildlife," says Lake Charles City Administrator John Cardon. "We are going to make it more useable. It's going to have walking trails and nature trails." Phase I is expected to be complete in October of this year. Work will then begin on Phase II, which includes additional tree clearing and walking trail enhancements. Other features of the park will include professional landscaping, an irrigation system, playground equipment and shaded sitting areas.

http://www.1012corridor.com/archives/1012-corridor-weekly/latest/

[richyb83]

This would be a fantastic addition to the lakefront!

National Hurricane Museum needs voter approval

http://www.kplctv.com/story/15150716/hurricane-museum-needs-voter-approval

[Antrell Williams]

Hopefully this passes.

[richyb83]

Ryan Street Lofts would include 188 multifamily units, retail space

Editor’s note: This is the first story in a three-part series examining development proposals for the former Sears property in downtown Lake Charles.

Ryan Street Lofts is the proposed name for an estimated $20 million development that Baton Rouge businessman Donnie Jarreau wants to build in the 600 block of Ryan Street. Jarreau is one of three developers who bid on the 3.7-acre tract of city-owned land in downtown Lake Charles. He said preliminary market research led him to believe that additional housing is needed in the city. “I do a lot of multifamily developments. I’m in the process of building a development in downtown Baton Rouge,” he said. “We inspected the downtown Lake Charles site and believe it is great. We also believe Lake Charles can become the next great city in Louisiana.”

*rest of article

http://www.americanp...ts-retail-space