Northgate

[richyb83]

What's up with all of this?? It was said in the article West Chimes is one of the few recognizable streets near campus that hasn't been bought up by condo's and chain stores.

The Northgate area of LSU(mainly area around Chimes Street & State Street) has been undergoing some massive transformations. Some good, some not so good? some still waiting to happen. In March, 2006 University shopping center was torn down(Chelsea's, Roly Poly, and many other tenants);the McDonalds across the street was even torn down.

This unique, ecclectic area got started in the 1930's. This area is authentic and has character. Northgate is still home to unique places like The Chimes, The Varsity, Highland Coffees, Louie's, Inga's, The Bicycle Shop and many others locally-owned.

In 2003 University Partners built the adjacent 351-unit student housing complex called the Venue and the 360-unit University House across Highland Road. But since then have been quite with remaining plans. Retail and other componets to go there??

The developer out of Dallas wants to buy the remaining block; but many businesses like TextBook Exchange said "no thanks." Other West Chimes and State Street property owners say they are not interested in selling bec. of allegiance to the neighborhood and simple economics.

Jason Soileau, LSU

[richyb83]

Talks include complexs near LSU

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7896862.html

The deal could have significant implications for the Chimes Street area outside LSU

[dan326]

http://media.2theadvocate.com/designimages...r_business1.gif

The vacant lot in the heart of the Chimes Street area now known as North Gate will be developed as student housing and retail, the property

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this Dan

Those idiot developers go and tear down the entire University shopping center, old movie theatre and all; and even the McDonalds/Arzi's across the street. Then let it sit like a barren desert for too long! LSU's Northgate deserves better than that. This is good news for sure. Thanks to Campus Partners of Philadelphia.

[tombarnes]

I didn't know they had torn down the shopping center. The neighborhood has really changed. I hope they will keep shops and restaurants as part of the plan, but adding housing is a good idea. I wonder how long the shabby apartments of Carlotta Street will hold on? I used to live in one of them.

[richyb83]

^Yeah Tom the neigborhood has been going thru some dramatic changes. But they will preserve Chimes Street; it will remain a "unique" staple of the Northgate. They will even add wide sidewalks and light post on the LSU side of Chimes.

That's cool you used to live in BR Tom , good question about Carlotta Street. It still has stayed the same.

More on this....

Mixed-use project in he works; Northgate merchants welcome student housing plans.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/7989852.html

The vacant lot in the heart of the Chimes Street area now known as North Gate will be developed as student housing and retail, the property

[dan326]

I guess great minds think alike again. ^ I posted that story just three posts earlier.

[richyb83]

I'm sorry Dan the man But I was unable to get thru to your 2theadvocate link "underlined" media/design images/

But you are right, great minds think alike!

[richyb83]

5 LSU-area properties sell for $85million

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/8218902.html

*- denotes Northgate property(4 out of 5)

*$30 million for The Venue at Northgate apartments on West State Street.

*Just under $18 million for University House on Highland apartments on Highland Road near East State Street.

$32.4 million for University House on Brightside apartments on Brightside Drive south of campus.

*$4.1 million for the empty lot where the University Shopping Center was.

*Just over $1 million for a lot across West State Street, where a McDonald

Edited June 28, 2007 by richyb83

[richyb83]

I guess this is a good idea eventhough the 11-story apartment towers at the Prince Murat were scrapped in favor of a 4-story office bldg. and 4-story apartment. I still think a compromise of 7 or 8 stories for the apt. would have been better. It seems people are too scrict w/ height limitations. The area should be nice & uniform anyway.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/11713701.html

The Metro Council approved two design overlay districts for the North Gate area near LSU and the Nicholson Drive corridor Tuesday night.

The districts, which aim to improve the appearance and economic prospects of the neighborhoods with a set of design standards, were recently approved by the city-parish Planning and Zoning Commission.

Edited November 22, 2007 by richyb83

[richyb83]

Time to revive this thread....this area has been primed for transformation for some time now

CVS under way at LSU’s north gate

Crews have begun moving dirt for a new CVS drugstore and three buildings on the site of the former University Shopping Center in the heart of the Chimes Street area of LSU now called Northgate.

Philadelphia-based Campus Apartments, isn’t ready to discuss the project, but documents at the city-parish permit office show plans call for a CVS at Highland in the northeast corner of the lot and a second building next to the existing Smoothie King, with the entrance to the property between the two.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/82955667.html

[buckett5425]

I am praying that all of these new buildings will front the street with all of the parking in the rear. It will start to create the much needed street scape north of State Street. I must say that I am in doubt of that actually happening, but I hope I am proven wrong.

[dan326]

I guess the LSU mini-mart is going to have some competition. Has anyone else noticed a nauseating sweet smell in the LSU mini-mart? They really need to let the place air out!

Edited January 29, 2010 by dan326

[byrde]

anything going on with the empty stores on Highland across from The Varsity?

[nquint1]

anything going on with the empty stores on Highland across from The Varsity?

Nothing right now, but I think Menchie's will open a location in the old Foot locker.

http://menchies.com/locations.php#la

[richyb83]

It does look like the new buildings will be fronting State Street with parking in rear...

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/83006257.html

[richyb83]

So is the mixed-use plans with student housing off the board for good?? Or just temporarily?? Still good to see something finally happening!

Tenants named for LSU-area shopping center

A new 30,000-square-foot shopping center is slated to open in the fall at the site of the old University Shopping Center, just outside the North Gates of LSU. College Row at Northgate will feature tenants such as CVS, PJ's Coffee, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Shanghai Tokyo Restaurant and Pita Pit. Officials with Philadelphia-based Campus Apartments, which is developing College Row, say the center is about 70% leased. While there had once been plans to build a mixed-use development with retail and student apartments on the site, Campus Apartments is just going ahead with a pharmacy and restaurants. The company owns three LSU-area apartment complexes with over 1,500 beds, including Campus Crossings Venue, which is next to College Row. Block Construction is building the shopping center, while Retail Specialists Inc. and SRSA Commercial Real Estate are handling leasing.

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

Edited March 5, 2010 by richyb83

[buckett5425]

It does look like the new buildings will be fronting State Street with parking in rear...

http://www.2theadvoc...s/83006257.html

We've been duped!! This is nothing but another glorified cookie cutter suburban strip mall. The buildings will be fronting the street, but its going to be nothing but a faux facade and the store fronts will still be facing the parking in the rear. Not to mention the 1995 architecture leaves much to be desired. Check out the large rendering I found.

[cajun]

We've been duped!! This is nothing but another glorified cookie cutter suburban strip mall. The buildings will be fronting the street, but its going to be nothing but a faux facade and the store fronts will still be facing the parking in the rear. Not to mention the 1995 architecture leaves much to be desired. Check out the large rendering I found.

Well that is a bit of a dissapointment.

I'm kinda surprised there's so much retail given the empty space along Highland.....The area really needs some kind of grocery store. I guess a pharmacy is a start. Really wish it could have been a little better than that.

[dan326]

They could have at least used some terra cotta roofing and tan stucco, or try to make some downtownesque store-front buildings to go along with the other Chimes area buildings.

[richyb83]

If the plans for the old McDonald's site is anything like the original?? It will be nice; a major + for the area!

Parish leaders get update on North Gates projects

Mayor Kip Holden, LSU Chancellor Michael Martin and Baton Rouge Area Chamber President and CEO Adam Knapp were among a group of officials who took a tour this morning to get an update on all the redevelopment activity going on around LSU's North Gates. Metro Council member Tara Wicker, who represents the area including North Gates, says the section is "poised with great potential" to help not just LSU students and faculty but people who live in surrounding neighborhoods. Several projects are already in progress: for example, College Row at Northgate, which will include a CVS Pharmacy and several restaurants and coffee shops; a gas station and food market at Highland Road and Roosevelt Street; and sidewalk improvements along Dalrymple Drive and State Street. Wicker says she has heard talk of other plans, including putting a residential/retail development at the old McDonald's site just outside North Gates, and redeveloping the old Mr. Gatti's pizza restaurant. Wicker says she's "very, very excited" about the caliber of participants taking an interest in North Gates. "People are appreciative of it, that there's an effort to move the area forward"

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

[dan326]

It would be neat if the McDonald's development was like Sterling Heights.

[American Dirt]

Any renderings available of the College Row at Northgate project? From the looks of things right now, it appears to be a pretty conventional CVS, but I could stand corrected.

[buckett5425]

Any renderings available of the College Row at Northgate project? From the looks of things right now, it appears to be a pretty conventional CVS, but I could stand corrected.

There were some renderings posted a while back. Its a horrendous development.

[dan326]

There were some renderings posted a while back. Its a horrendous development.

I was gonna try and be positive, but yeah, its horrendous. I mean, they didn't have to use Italianate architecture, but thy could have atleast tried to make it look like a downtown type building like its neighbors.