The IBM Block

[Antrell Williams]

I was being a little facetious here....but have you guys heard about the face eating zombie

guy in Florida?

There's more cannibalism too.

[richyb83]

Yeah another report in Maryland... not the face this time...but internal organs...

[cajun]

Yeah another report in Maryland... not the face this time...but internal organs...

Ever see "walking dead"?

What I don't understand is how these zombies have the ability to see things. If only the brain stem is alive, and is sending pulses through the muscle tissue, it would only do that until the tissue decayed completely. So I'd only have to camp out in the wilderness for 3 or 4 days if the outbreak occurs in the summer.

I think that's a key problem with the Hollywood zombie tales. Everything else is spot on, obviously. No other issues whatsoever.

OLOL, the LSU FACES lab, and the entire city of New Orleans are where I'd put my money on a ground zero for Louisiana.

Edited June 4, 2012 by cajun

[richyb83]

If IBM with it's 500 jobs does decide to choose BR over Lincoln Nebraska...and locate at the old Advocate property...maybe it will look something similar to what Trahan architects envisioned at that site...of course if they chose to go a few blocks away & demolish the Capital One Bank for something a nicer and maybe a little taller would be OK too!

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Edited January 11, 2013 by richyb83

[cajun]

I don't care what the building looks like.....BR would do very well with this in the city.

[richyb83]

I am stoked about this State, IBM finalizing deal to bring development center to B.R.

Daily Report confirms the state is in the 11th hour of finalizing a deal that will bring an IBM development center to downtown Baton Rouge. The agreement, expected to be announced next week, comes after more than a year of negotiating a package with the blue chip computer company that includes incentives, promises of a trained workforce, and a new office building with adjacent shops, condos and parking overlooking the Mississippi River. Sources say the deal will mean at least 800 jobs for the Capital Region, and involve a tie-in with LSU that will result in the expansion of programs at the university—particularly in computer science. The deal will also include BRAF's for-profit real estate company, Commercial Properties, which will develop for IBM an office building and adjacent mixed-use development on the Lafayette Street site that formerly housed The Advocate. The state, sources say, will not be funding the non-office portion of the real estate development. Attempts to reach LED's Stephen Moret for comment were unsuccessful. Baton Rouge was competing with Lincoln, Neb., for the deal, which city leaders say will be a game changer for the local economy. "Anytime we get a signature company that locates in Baton Rouge and attracts people from around the U.S., it says to the rest of the country that this city is ready to take on all the business opportunities it can," says Mayor Kip Holden, who, when asked, commented generally about the implications of the deal but would not confirm it.

Read more from Business Report here: http://www.businessreport.com/section/daily-reportPM#ixzz2ODLqNDCP

[Antrell Williams]

This is GREAT news. Thanks for posting! This is exactly what downtown needs!

Can't wait to see the renderings and a time scale for construction. Hopefully we have a peaceful hurricane season this year.

[dan326]

Cool! I had to check my date to make sure this wasn't April fools, lol

[Antrell Williams]

Cool! I had to check my date to make sure this wasn't April fools, lol

I actually think someone did that to us last year with some renderings of a high-rise. May have been Richy...

[richyb83]

Your welcome! This sure is exciting news..and a potential game changer for downtown! Can't wait for the announcement next week! Hope we get to see some renderings?? This vacant riverfront block really needed to be redeveloped! Nice to see this old thread revived again & again!

 

  Yep that was me! Yall remembered....I am honored! Now that yall mentioned it....April Fool's is just around the corner

Edited March 22, 2013 by richyb83

[Antrell Williams]

Oh it will be a game changer for downtown and hopefully a catalyst for more white collar jobs. Very nice, hopefully the 1st floor facing River Rd ties in with the new Riverfront design.

 

What would we do without you Richy?

[richyb83]

LOL! Thanks Antrell...there was a time in the past when the BR Forums were very slow...and was just trying to keep our head's above water...have really been pleased to see things pick-up w/ so many new members signing-up here over the recent years(including yourself)  

[Antrell Williams]

I remember the slow times. It seems like we have new members signing up every week now.

[dan326]

Yes, it seems like our memberships picks up and slows down with the economy.

[oneman83]

I hope the new building is eye candy for the motorists that are traveling across the bridge coming into the city.

[steve3n8]

I hope the new building is eye candy for the motorists that are traveling across the bridge coming into the city.

 

I hoping for atleast 250'+, but would love to see 300'+ or 25-30 stories!

 

No more tacky 10-12 story buildings! We need height to our skyline!

[cajun]

Up to 1100 people....so probably less than 160,000 square feet total. You can easily put that in an 8-12 story building but you'd need a lot of parking. Imagine something to the scale of the smaller Chase tower or CP2. I'm speculating on their needs. They may want more than the typical office/cube setup and thus more building. I'm almost certain this development will contain amenities and retail, but I'm not sure if they'll lease parking from the state or if they'll have their own parking deck.

It's likely that they'll pre lease and have a developer build it. I doubt they'll go for being one of many tenants, but we'll see. Either way, I'd want a quality product in the end. This is one of the few empty blocks downtown where the architect could probably get away with some pretty large, contemporary designs without hearing from NIMBYs or upsetting the neighborhood fabric.

I hope it helps attract development to the blocks between Lafayette st and River Road.

This is going to turn out to be a major development for downtown and for the IT job market. The more I read about it, the more excited I am about it.

Edited March 26, 2013 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

Didn't I read that more office space would be included for other tenants?

We will see some good development while this is under construction, however.

[jefften10]

Up to 1100 people....so probably less than 160,000 square feet total. You can easily put that in an 8-12 story building but you'd need a lot of parking. Imagine something to the scale of the smaller Chase tower or CP2. I'm speculating on their needs. They may want more than the typical office/cube setup and thus more building. I'm almost certain this development will contain amenities and retail, but I'm not sure if they'll lease parking from the state or if they'll have their own parking deck.

It's likely that they'll pre lease and have a developer build it. I doubt they'll go for being one of many tenants, but we'll see. Either way, I'd want a quality product in the end. This is one of the few empty blocks downtown where the architect could probably get away with some pretty large, contemporary designs without hearing from NIMBYs or upsetting the neighborhood fabric.

I hope it helps attract development to the blocks between Lafayette st and River Road.

This is going to turn out to be a major development for downtown and for the IT job market. The more I read about it, the more excited I am about it.

Announcement day! Im very very pumped!

 

Its great to have a forum of people to discuss this development stuff with!

[richyb83]

That sure would be nice...BR has not had a new building over 12 stories since the late 80's(north Chase Tower)....hoping to see a vibrant street-scape on the ground level...the synergy hopefully created w/ new Hampton Inn ,Commerce Bldg & Cap One Building can start the dominos falling on the other two vacant riverfront blocks to the south!

I hoping for atleast 250'+, but would love to see 300'+ or 25-30 stories!

 

No more tacky 10-12 story buildings! We need height to our skyline!

[buckett5425]

Rendering has been released by the Business Report. Its a decent looking building, only 8 stories though, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. 

[cajun]

There is a rendering circulating....it's two mid rise buildings. One is an 8 story residential mid rise, the other is IBM's office building. It includes retail space.

Looks like it's more than decent quality. I like it, but I'm not as easily excited about building height as some of you. It's about as tall as the Hampton Inn. The residential building looks bigger, an they take up the entire block.

http://www.businessreport.com/daily-report/3272013/News_alert-IBM_bringing_technology_center_800_jobs_to_Baton_Rouge#axzz2Olb3R0FR

Edit: Damn....Buckett beat me by a minute.

Edited March 27, 2013 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

Not impressed by the architecture. I do like the investment however. Maybe in the future it can have some floors added.

[cajun]

Not impressed by the architecture. I do like the investment however. Maybe in the future it can have some floors added.

They'll be a taller chain hotel in that part of downtown within 5 years. I'd bet my boots on it.

[buckett5425]

I have always liked the idea of the future buildings along river road being no taller than lets say 12 stories, while the taller buildings are several blocks back, I think it creates a nice profile for the skyline. Either way, I am glad that if they state is going to give out candy to corporations, that they at least invest that money downtown.