Northgate

nquint1 · July 30, 2010

That was fast.

College Row Northgate Center set to open Aug. 10

Students returning to campus in the fall will find a new site on the corner of State Street and Highland Road.

College Row Northgate is a new shopping center constructed behind Smoothie King. Chris Beall, project manager with Block Construction, said there will be a PJ’s Coffee, Pita Pit, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, a Chinese restaurant, CVS Pharmacy and a recent addition, Buffalo Wild Wings.

http://www.lsureveille.com/news/college-row-northgate-center-set-to-open-aug-10-1.2282895

dan326 · July 31, 2010

The center actually doesn't look as bad in real life as it does in the rendering. I think it's interesting all the tenants are food places.

buckett5425 · July 31, 2010

The center actually doesn't look as bad in real life as it does in the rendering. I think it's interesting all the tenants are food places.

I think it may actually be worse....

I personally enjoy the blue awnings that shade nothing and are randomly placed within faux brick archways. However, on a more serious note, there was an opportunity here to create something really special with a vibrant relationship to the street. Instead, the retail center is set back from the street and set atop a plinth of engineered soil. The shops not only face the parking lot in the rear, but the set back and plinth mean that the shops share zero relationship to the street and pedestrian experience and the only way to access the shops via foot is through a complicated network of ramps and stairs. Urban Design 1001 explains how that IS NOT the way to design buildings in an urban context and how it actually harms the potential for a successful development. I also enjoy the "don't rape me" lighting that is under the cornice of this particular CVS because of its location.

The one positive aspect of this project is its ability to attract new commercial activity to the area, that, I am thankful for.

dan326 · July 31, 2010

I think it may actually be worse....

Well, I guess it was nice agreeing while we could.

cajun · August 1, 2010

The one positive aspect of this project is its ability to attract new commercial activity to the area, that, I am thankful for.

Hopefully. 5 guys pulled out of the old Blockbuster there.

That being said, since more basic amentities are now in this neighborhood (pharmacy/Grocery, entertainment, etc), that opens the area up for more envelope-pushing designs in the future. The neighborhood desperatedly needed something like a CVS and more parking....since Baton Rouge doesn't install parallel parking spaces anymore, this development was able to immediately address those needs, generic style aside.

nquint1 · August 3, 2010

the "don't rape me" lighting

I'll never look at that building the same way when I drive by at night.

richyb83 · August 3, 2010

Options still open for LSU Blockbuster building

There remains some uncertainty about what will replace the old 6,500-square-foot Blockbuster video store on Highland Road outside of LSU’s North Gates. Franchisee Billy Jacob intends to fill the space with one of the many Five Guys Burgers and Fries hamburger restaurants he’s opening in south Louisiana. But no lease has been signed yet. Austin Earhart, an agent with Beau Box Commercial Real Estate, says Jacob is only interested in one-third of the building, and parking-related obstacles have hindered the deal so far. "We have a commitment to Five Guys and we’re working with them, but there are a lot of other issues we have to work out before we enter into a lease agreement," Earhart says. "But for right now the entire building is on the market, and we’re talking to lots of prospective clients." Earhart says there are at least three other letters of intent for the building, most of them for only partial use of the space. All but one of the interested parties are restaurants, a significant fact because competition among restaurants being developed in that area is already keen; by contrast, there exists a conspicuous shortage of retailers there. "We’d like to have a diverse tenant mix to ensure the success of the redevelopment," Earhart says. Jacob has started work on his first local Five Guys in Towne Center near Zea Rotisserie & Grill

http://www.businessreport.com/archives/real-estate-weekly/latest/

buckett5425 · September 3, 2010

Like I've said before, the new College Row project is an urban and architectural design FAIL. However, I am loving the new retail and activity its bringing to the area. There are actually people walking all over the place, getting groceries and what not from the new CVS. Its a really nice to see people out and about, especially in car loving Baton Rouge.

cajun · September 7, 2010

Like I've said before, the new College Row project is an urban and architectural design FAIL. However, I am loving the new retail and activity its bringing to the area. There are actually people walking all over the place, getting groceries and what not from the new CVS. Its a really nice to see people out and about, especially in car loving Baton Rouge.

Glad you found value in it.

it's dissapointing that that section of state street doesn't have the same "feel" as the adjacent section of Chimes street. The lack of street parking combined with buildings set back with the public right of way made the whole "sidewalk cafe" concept null. The retailers on that street had to build up their outdoor seating to create a barrier between traffic and their stores that would have otherwise been fine with a row of parallel parked cars or something. Pedestrian logistics are ignored these days.

I think the city has as much to blame in this type of failed development as the developers. Baton Rouge no longer makes roads with public parking, and they rarely make them without suicide lanes anymore, making crossing on foot a trecherous affair....much less enough median for a green space or future light rail. Highland Road does not have those parking spaces north of state street (instead it has a giant center lane)- which puts pedestrians a few feet from passing cars....discouraging street side businesses and encouraging parking lots. In reality, even that section on Highland Road (the sucessful part whith Chimes, Raoul's, Cane's, etc) doesn't techinically have street parking. Look carefully, and you'll see the parallel spaces were added in by the business owners later...the street was just overlayed and altered later to bring it to the elevation of the parking.

it sounds crazy, but having that 'barrier' between travel lanes and pedestrians are important to promoting walkable cities.

But they got the people walking around and shopping. Instead of hurting Chimes street, I think it will actually help it- and bring enough business to maybe do it right on Roosevelt or Highland one day.

Edited September 7, 2010 by cajun

buckett5425 · September 7, 2010

Glad you found value in it.

it's dissapointing that that section of state street doesn't have the same "feel" as the adjacent section of Chimes street. The lack of street parking combined with buildings set back with the public right of way made the whole "sidewalk cafe" concept null. The retailers on that street had to build up their outdoor seating to create a barrier between traffic and their stores that would have otherwise been fine with a row of parallel parked cars or something. Pedestrian logistics are ignored these days.

I think the city has as much to blame in this type of failed development as the developers. Baton Rouge no longer makes roads with public parking, and they rarely make them without suicide lanes anymore, making crossing on foot a trecherous affair....much less enough median for a green space or future light rail. Highland Road does not have those parking spaces north of state street (instead it has a giant center lane)- which puts pedestrians a few feet from passing cars....discouraging street side businesses and encouraging parking lots. In reality, even that section on Highland Road (the sucessful part whith Chimes, Raoul's, Cane's, etc) doesn't techinically have street parking. Look carefully, and you'll see the parallel spaces were added in by the business owners later...the street was just overlayed and altered later to bring it to the elevation of the parking.

it sounds crazy, but having that 'barrier' between travel lanes and pedestrians are important to promoting walkable cities.

But they got the people walking around and shopping. Instead of hurting Chimes street, I think it will actually help it- and bring enough business to maybe do it right on Roosevelt or Highland one day.

I couldn't agree more. Business will mostly likely continue to grow in the North Gates area. I believe if there is a large enough demand, and most of the traffic is generated by foot, the new college row center will adapt itself, and fill in some of its "holes" to accommodate a walkable development over the next 20 some years.

richyb83 · September 8, 2010

Nice post yall I totally agree too... Some good points! Walking pedestrain-friendly development is way too sparse & having to walk across the 5-laned dangerous Green Light projects around BR. It would be nice to see State Street more resemble Chimes Street...Hard to believe the old Gap is still not vacated after all of this time. I do like how the Fieldhouse condo's are right up against Nicholson with retail on the bottom. Glad to hear the activity is picking up!BR needs more cool street scenes...

I am hoping this is what the RiverDistrict wants to create; something like yall are mentioning above. The Perkins Road overpass area is another prime candidate + it could be very pedestrian friendly only being two-lanes.

Edited September 8, 2010 by richyb83

richyb83 · November 14, 2010