Plan Baton Rouge

[cajun]

Everyone in the Main Street Market picture looks pissed off. Lots of folded arms and long lines....

[buckett5425]

Everyone in the Main Street Market picture looks pissed off. Lots of folded arms and long lines....

HAHA, i didnt even click on the link, untill i saw your post cajun, and your right, everyone does looked frustrated.

[hagetaka]

I enjoy the idea of downtown BR trying to create a master plan, but my opinion and vision on this might be different from how most see it.

The 2 historic residential neighborhoods, need strict landscaping rules, improved sidewalks, unique signage, and tax breaks to get people to renovate history. Our CBD is scattered and very unused, the streets are tiny, parking is a nightmare. I agree with one or two more buildings the height of the of the one already planned, and after that place a cap.

Tall buildings means traffic, the point I see is not getting people to the core to be stuck in traffic, we can get that anywhere in town. I see lots of green, parks and trees, fountains, local unique and very abstract artwork on display, permanent display.

Above the tree line, that's probably 7-10 stories, offices and retail at ground level, anylike, that's about all for now, I have too much to say....I'll continue later

[twstdndmntd]

See I don't see tall buildings meaning more traffic. I see tall buildings getting more people working downtown and getting those people who work downtown to live either in or adjacent to downtown where they can utilize mass transit and get them off the roads completely. For me that would be the perk of working and living downtown, so that I wouldn't have to drive across the city or from the burbs to go to work. Hell I wish I could take mass transit now. LOL

[cajun]

While I agree street level activity in those high-rises makes for a truly vibrant downtown. Skyline's are almost like an economic bar chart. When you see Houston's bold skyline from a distance flexing it's muscles; I say "WOW" this is a place that has been an economically successful powerhouse! And Uptown Houston is equally impressive about 5-6 miles west of downtown. If it were a city in itself it would rank 14th Largest business district in the U.S.

Places can be an economic powerhouse without highrises clustered in one area. The French Quarter is one of the best places in Louisiana and there isn't much of anything there over 6 stories.

Washington DC and numerous western european cities have height restrictions and they are doing just fine. What will show the quality of these cities is how it chooses to use the empty land and how it grows into the suburbs. Quality of life, entertainment, great police force, and some kind of big draw (like a big park, famous concert, or some kind of sports event) are what draws more people to the city. Baton Rouge's problem is the lack of jobs available for college grads when compared to the amount of people moving INTO town to go to college.

LSU graduates often raid the state's topps fund and move to Houston, or in my case Dallas because of the massive job pool there. It's not that we don't want to live in Baton Rouge....it's that there isn't enough opportunity. Maybe more office space will make it cheaper for businesses to be here....roads, bridges, rail, and better highways will be a really good economic lighter....almost as good as making the school district the best in the state. That would be worth putting up with the lower salaries and more competition in the Baton Rouge job market.

Baton Rouge can use an eye catching tower...or just as good, some kind of park/recreation, tourist attraction, famous neighborhood, or monument like the Space Needle, The French Quarter, the St. Louis Arch, the Golden Gate Bridge, or Central Park.

I think the future of Baton Rouge's downtown isn't so much commercial office space as it will be entertainment and hospitality. I think we are just as likely to see a high rise hotel as a high rise office bulding....soon, we will see clusters of office buildings in the suburbs. Entertainment, residential options, and recreation are what Baton Rouge needs downtown right now.

Edited March 29, 2008 by cajun

[dan326]

I agree with you Cajun, Baton Rouge needs more street/low/mid-rise density before it tries to go too vertical. I also think we need to build some old style buildings like the ones in Fort Worth. I don't think we have enough history downtown.

We need more residential for sure as we have yet to get even one large scale project of the ground. I hate to say it, but I think Richard Preis needs to scale down RiverPlace or lower the prices of teh condos or add a hotel or office space because I have a hard time believing that there are enough people who want to pay big money to live downtown to fill up RiverPlace.

new Fort Worth building

Edited March 29, 2008 by dan326

[richyb83]

Thanks for the imput cajun; what a shame to to see the masses bolt Baton Rouge after leaving LSU for more opportunity. Can you give an example; I have heard the word "opportunity" used alot.

With you living in Houston at one time; skyscrapers are not as big a deal for you. But I have lived here all of my life and nothing taller than "13" floors has been built in BR since the late 80's. BR IMO is vertically challenged. Like you said above BR could use a "eye catching" tower or even a Red Stick observation tower overlooking the river. That's what I'm trying to say. Something with a "WOW" factor!

Downtown BR already has enough bland/dull/old looking stuff as mentioned on other threads; someone doesn't like One American Place; another does not like Chase; everything looks like the State Capitol, etc, etc. While we just continue to watch places like Austin, Nashville, Mobile pass us by. Not me, I'm tired of the table scraps.

I understand where yall are coming from and have said many times mid-rises/low-rises are also very necessary. Entertainment, residential options as well. Something like Houston Pavillions now being built would be very nice~

Alot of postives are taking place; the BR region is embracing the principals of Smart Growth and development. DOWNTOWN has become the cultural hub in our region w/ the Shaw Center for the Arts; Louisiana State Museum/Planetarium; Louisiana Arts & Science Museum; expanded River Center; and plenty of restaurant options.

No doubt the final piece of the puzzle is places to live

[richyb83]

While true the French Quarter has nothing tall; cross over mighty Canal Street into the CBD and there are high-rise towers galore; indicative of New Orleans once mighty power before the Houston vacuum began sucking everything dry.

Washington DC is a city w/ a unique situation with height limitations being our Nations Capital. I never see BR building anything taller than our 450'ft. State Capitol.

Edited March 29, 2008 by richyb83

[dan326]

I would like to see a signature tower also, but I don't think it will happen for at least 10-20 years. If you look at other cities our size, they are building towers, but if you look at the few buildings they arleady have, then they are actually catching up. And cities with large skyline for their size are usually the only big city in the state : Little Rock, Des Moines, etc. I don't see another highrise boom until we hit 1,000,000+ metro.

Edited March 29, 2008 by dan326

[cajun]

I would like to see a signature tower also, but I don't think it will happen for at least 10-20 years. If you look at other cities our size, they are building towers, but if you look at the few buildings they arleady have, then they are actually catching up. And cities with large skyline for their size are usually the only big city in the state : Little Rock, Des Moines, etc. I don't see another highrise boom until we hit 1,000,000+ metro.

If that is what you want, then Baton Rouge has a unique advantage to get that.

Most of these cities develop commercial offices, mid rises, and what not on the outer edges of the city- this is apparent when driving through Houston, Dallas, and especially Atlanta.

This happens because of the demand for high end offices nearer to where everyone is moving (everyone hates sprawl, but you have to fit the houses somewhere and offices nearby saves time and fuel and traffic).

What baton Rouge has that Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Little Rock, New Orleans, and most other cities don't have is plenty of empty land just outside of downtown. West Baton Rouge's schools are improving and it's now starting to see more and more residential development. It's perfect for families who work either downtown, LSU, or the refineries.

Everyone should push WBR development if they want to keep downtown alive with something other than entertainment.

Edited March 29, 2008 by cajun

[richyb83]

Dan, I like the look of the "new" historic-style building for Fort Worth you posted. Here is another new tower in Fort Worth; I would much rather something like this new 20-story gleaming tower.

*courtesy of Emporis.com

In addition to the Brownstones; I would also like something more modern downtown like these lofts.

Agreed! More WBR Development will only benefit downtown BR. I have been meaning to make a new WBR Thread; (they do have some individual topics here on UP); things look like they are begining to take-off!

Edited April 2, 2008 by richyb83

[richyb83]

The 1st Phase helped ignite all the growth and restorations you see now. Great to see the momentum continue for downtown BR!

Second phase of Plan Baton Rouge proposed

The Mero Council will consider funding a second phase of the Plan Baton Rouge process credited with playing a major role in kick-starting the rejuvenation of downtown 10 years ago.

Davis Rhorer, executive director of the Downtown Development District, said the process will be a little different this time, focusing on economic analysis to guide further development and identify markets, programming of public space and better connecting existing assets, infrastructure improvements; examining regulations governing use and design, recommending economic incentives, and conducting a retail market analysis and tenant mix plan for the Arts & Entertainment District. The effort also could look at expanding the capacity of DDD to make such changes.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/18896764.html

[richyb83]

Grant recipients named; Improvements in store for Old South Baton Rouge

Four business owners in Old South Baton Rouge received five grants to improve their storefronts on Wednesday, a small part of a broader effort to revitalize the area between downtown and LSU.

The grant program administered by the Old South Baton Rouge Partnership and the Center for Planning Excellence

[richyb83]

The 1st Phase was a huge success w/ RiverCenter expansion; State Office Bldg. consolidation; Planetarium; Shaw Arts Center; revtaliztion of Hilton Capitol Center; etc. Can't wait to see what "Phase Two" has in store! I have a feeling our northern-half of the riverfront downtown is in for a dramatic change. With all these teams vying for 3 final spots, something really nice should happen!

Sixteen teams apply for Plan B.R. Phase II

Sixteen teams have submitted proposals to develop Phase II of Plan Baton Rouge. Rachel DiResto, vice president of the Center for Planning Excellence, says world-renowned firms familiar with waterfront and downtown projects applied for the project. The teams are: Edaw, DMJM Harris & Development Strategies; RTKL, BBPC, ARCADIS, & Remson Haley Herpin Architects; RKG Associates, EDSA, Looney Ricks Kiss, Performa Entertainment Real Estate & ABMB Engineers; Crandall Arambula PC, Urban Advisors, and Neel-Schaffer; Duany Plater-Zyberk, Robert Gibbs, Alex Garvin & Associates, Swift and Associates & Steve Oubre; PMC, The Innovation Group, and Urban Systems; Sasaki and RCLCO; Peter J. Smith & Company; 180 Degrees Design Studio; Alex Garvin & Associates, Post Architects, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Forsyth Street Advisors & 212Box Design; Carr, Lynch and Sandell (CLS), CousultEcon, Abbey Associates & Neel-Schaffer; Urban Design Associates, H. Blount Hunter Retail & Real Estate, Live Work Play, Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Design Workshop & Walter Kulash; Economics Research Associates (ERA), The Broussard Group, Brown + Danos landdesign, ABMB Engineers; Fernandez Plans, ABMB Engineers, Brown + Danos landdesign, Center for Urban Policy Research, HHI Design, Planning Works; URS Corporation, VOA Associates Incorporated; and Chan Krieger Sieniewicz, HR&A, James A. Richardson, Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin, WHLC, Eskewk + Dumez + Ripple. The plan will deal with existing and proposed residential, commercial, mixed-use, public space and infrastructure developments. A selection committee will review the proposals this week, then whittle the list down to three teams by Friday. The winning team will be selected by June 24 and plans are to start the project by July 14.

//www.businessreport.com/archives/daily-report/latest/

[richyb83]

What I have been saying in the above post. Wow has it really been 10 years?? Nice read from this mornings Advocate "Opinion" section of the Metro State. Here is most(not all) of the article...

Our Views: A new look for downtown

What downtown needed was a spark, and Duany

[richyb83]

Wish I could have been at the meeting to see what the plans are; can't wait to see it!

Consulting teams show plans for downtown BR

Four consulting teams have made their pitch to work on the second phase of Plan Baton Rouge, the planning effort credited with kick-starting the resurgence of downtown a decade ago.

The plan will focus on existing and planned residential, commercial, mixed-use, public space and infrastructure developments. It will also include a retail market analysis study and recommendations of incentives for the newly designated Arts & Entertainment District.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/20999114.html

[nquint1]

Developement Team Announced for Plan Baton Rouge Phase 2

The winner was Chan Krieger Sieniewicz. Work will begin this month!

Here's a link from the Baton Rouge Business Report

Edited July 2, 2008 by nquint1

[richyb83]

Nice article in the current edition(July 29th) of Business Report about Plan Baton Rouge. They break it down into 8 catagories.

1. Cities are for living in

First, the good news. Downtown Baton Rouge has two charming historic neighborhoods: Spanish Town and Beauregard Town. But only about 2,300 people live in the 550 or so acres that officially constitute downtown, including both neighborhoods. Fewer than 100 live in the central business district, although that number should creep past 300 if a handful of announced condo projects come to fruition. It takes 5,000 people to reach the next level of market demand to attract retail and other amenities.

[all2neat]

Thanks Richy! That's a real good article .

[richyb83]

^ A very late you are welcome all2neat And sorry Nate for (long)posting way too much of the article.

Always like to post some positive news... part of OSBR has undergone a major transformation

Troubled area transformed

[richyb83]

Plan Baton Rouge Phase II under way

The second phase of Plan Baton Rouge, the city

[byrde]

^ A very late you are welcome all2neat And sorry Nate for (long)posting way too much of the article.

Always like to post some positive news... part of OSBR has undergone a major transformation

Troubled area transformed

Edited September 26, 2008 by byrde

[richyb83]

You are welcome Bryde This is what Urban Planet is all about IMO; I'd like to check it out soon myself!

[richyb83]

Phase I was a success! Downtown has changed ALOT since 98'. Can't wait to see how Phase II turns out?? Will it take 10 years too??

Urban planner to discuss Plan Baton Rouge Phase Two

The nationally renowned urban planner who will lead the next phase of downtown Baton Rouge

[richyb83]

I like the way this dude from Boston thinks!!! Using terms like dense, compact, building upward"!!! That's impressive! Phase I was a very nice jump start in the rebirth of downtown! Phase II should set it off!!!

Expert: Broad appeal needed; Planner praises Plan Baton Rouge

A national planning expert said Thursday night that downtown Baton Rouge needs to broaden its appeal